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Spot: Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge
Zone: Caribbean island
The Good Stuff:
Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, set on a bluff on Bastimentos Island, is centrally located within the archipelago of Bocas del Toro, one of the most biodiverse areas in Panama and Central America. 
Focusing on comfort combined with ecological and sustainable practices, U.S. owners built the lodge on their own over the last five years. Tranquilo Bay is a small luxury ecolodge, with only six cabanas, making for personal attention and privacy. The beautiful cabanas are decorated with locally hand-crafted beds, large walk-in showers, air-conditioning and a covered porch with a hammock and Adirondack chairs. With either an ocean view or jungle view, you will feel you’ve arrived in a tropical paradise at last. The island’s forests, mangroves and reefs host abundant colonies of monkeys, red frogs, toucans and parrots and a colorful array of marine life swimming in the offshore waters – great for snorkeling and scuba diving or relaxing on pristine beaches.
What we love: snorkeling in Tranquilo Bay’s clear turquoise waters filled with vibrant tropical fish
Green Cred:
- Meals are based on locally-available fresh ingredients such as avocados and hearts of palm
- The lodge grounds (110 acres!) connect with Bastimentos National Park, creating a biological corridor for wildlife to roam the island.
More than 75% of the property has been left to grow naturally.
- Use of hardwoods is limited to avoid deforestation
- All rainwater is captured and purified on-site – no bottled water required!
- Staffed by local people, most of whom live on-site or can walk or paddle to the hotel
- Reusable containers are used for excursions to minimize use of plastics
- Kitchen and garden waste are composted
- Purchasing of local Panamanian products is priority for supporting the local economy
- Over-fishing of seafood such as lobster is not supported and endangered species are not served at the lodge.
- Indigenous local residents are employed as guides for excursions
- Tranquilo Bay educates employees about preservation of its surroundings and is looking into alternative energy for the future.
Above and Beyond:
Tranquilo Bay works with local agencies to enforce environmental laws and volunteers for Bastimento National Marine Park. They are active members and supporters of several local environmental and social non-government organizations (NGOs) for example they provide stays at Tranquilo Bay to be auctioned off in support of the children of Bastimentos.
