The Essential Island Hopping

The Essential is the classic island hopping day of Port Barton, and the only tour of the bay that runs as a shared, join-in group. In one day it covers six of the best spots of the bay: white sand islands and sandbars, two of the richest reefs of the area, and a sea turtle sanctuary.

The day starts with a pickup at your Port Barton accommodation around 8:45 AM. The morning belongs to the Starfish Sandbar and the coral gardens of Twin Reef. Lunch is a buffet cooked on the beach at Peña Plata, eaten with your feet in the sand. In the afternoon the boat calls at Exotic or Maxima Island, where a short trek leads up to a view deck worth every step, then the turtle sanctuary, and Wide Reef on the way home. You are back around 5 PM.

The order of the stops can change with the tide and the sea. On the rare days when the coast guard closes the outer bay, the crew runs the day on the sheltered islands and snorkeling spots inside the cove instead.