Monkey Adventure

This route begins southeast in the mangrove systems near Popa Island with a guided visit to the Urraca Monkey Rescue Center. Built directly over the water on wooden platforms, the sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates displaced primates. You will observe Capuchins, Howlers, Geoffroy’s Tamarins, and Squirrel Monkeys, and learn about their specific care. A unique feature of the facility is its custom-built transit tunnels, which allow the monkeys to navigate naturally to an adjacent forested island to forage.

 Following the sanctuary, the boat navigates east to the outer reef edge of the Bastimentos National Marine Park to anchor at Cayos Zapatilla. These two uninhabited islands offer a striking contrast to the mangroves, featuring a dense rainforest interior and a wide, sloped sandy perimeter. We anchor here for ground exploration, giving you time to walk the full circumference of the shoreline or swim in the calmer waters of the leeward side. 

On the return leg to Isla Colón, we route through the narrow channel at Crawl Cay. This natural bottleneck funnels tidal flow, supporting dense formations of heavy hard corals, large barrel sponges, and vibrant sea fans. We anchor in 5 to 15 feet of water for a final snorkeling session, providing clear visibility of the reef structure and resident marine life like parrotfish, wrasse, and nurse sharks before heading back.