May 12  Bastimento was authentically undeveloped, with no cars or franchises.  The beaches are not very accessible, but I slipped around in the jungle for a couple hours. 

This one had great abs.

This insect eating plant is a battlestar

We spent a lot of time in the company of our gracious host Simon, and his friend Dan, old rockers who found a home at the end of the last stop.  Snorkling was not as kind, but I enjoyed kayaking in the bay, looking forward to the day I could return to Bastimente and say, "they've ruined it with tourism now."

The spotted red frog survives, but only in the immediate areas.

The beach here in Playa Venao is a five minute walk and the surf is loud.  The Tipi Hostel is a surfer hangout, but we are seeing little tourism during this rainy low season.  A monsoon in Bestimente was an epic event, according to Simon, who knows the island well after 14 years on Beverly's Hill.

The beach beckons.