Isla Fuerte

We sailed into a beautifully protected anchorage off the coast of Isla Fuerte late afternoon. Isla Fuerte was originally planned to be a night stop to shorten the passage to Sapzurro but became so much more...

We were greeted by a Colombian girl named Laura out for a paddle on her kayak. She told us her dad was an architect and in the process of building an eco resort ashore. She said that we could use the dock to tie up the dinghys and access land. She also said we could use her internet, which was a huge help. We got a tour of the soon to be finished eco resort. It was absolutely beautiful. About 10 rooms overlooked the bay, surrounded by jungle and wildlife. There was a large dock with hammocks, kayaks and a little bar patio. The attention to detail from the logo to the showerheads made of solid rock were really nice.

Laura then took us on a tour of the island, showing us 'the walking tree'. A giant tree whose vines grow down and form roots. The roots then become trunks and the tree continues to sprawl through the forest.

We continued our walk to see local people doing laundry in a fresh water pond. This was one of the friendliest places we've been to so far. Everyone on the walking path would cheerfully greet you with a 'Buenas'. There are no roads and no cars on the island. There are very few moto-bikes as well so the vibe walking through the footpaths and the village is very serene. The three of us really enjoyed walking around this island listening to the wildlife.

I'd read that wild sloths live on this island and are hard to find but they're out there. I was determined to find one. We walked all over the island, through jungle and fields and didn't find any. We were in the village stocking up on some flour and eggs when I was told a small sloth was hanging out on the side of the building. He'd found a quiet little spot on a water pipe to hang off and was enjoying the afternoon sun. We got some great photos and left him be.