Laguna Bocatorito

Otherwise know as Dolphin Bay, this lagoon, formed by the east side of Isla Cristóbal and an odd-shaped peninsular blob that juts from the mainland, starts about 10 kilometers south of Isla Colón. A labyrinth of shallow channels formed by mangroves screens its northern entrance, helping to make it a kind of giant natural aquarium, six kilometers across at its widest. Day trips to Laguna Bocatorito are popular because of the possibility of spotting bottle-nosed dolphins close up. The best chance of seeing them is from June to July, when rough seas drive them into the calm waters of the bay. They tend to hang around an unusually long time, which isn’t surprising when one considers what a smorgasbord the bay offers them: The mangroves act like a kind of net, drawing fish into the bay. There’s a small town, also called Bocatorito, on the east side of Isla Cristóbal, but there’s not much there.

An unusual place to stop for a bite or a drink near Laguna Bocatorito is Restaurante El Morro, a simple restaurant built around a rock right in the middle of the channel between the east side of Isla Popa and Isla Cayo de Agua. It was being renovated when I last visited. The little rock in the center is covered with philodendrons and can be climbed—there’s a little rancho perched on top. Other, thatched-covered dining ranchos are built at the end of walkways leading off from the rock, like spokes jutting from a wheel. This area has some of the better snorkeling around. The visibility isn’t great, but the coral fields are pretty. They get healthier and more abundant the farther out you go into the channel (watch out for boats). The best ones are too far away to swim from the restaurant—have your boatman explore a bit.