The Bocas Bali resort in Panama apparently has it all. Sixteen luxurious homes built over water on a private island in the Caribbean Sea. A 21 meter freshwater pool and spa. An enviable commitment to sustainability, thanks to the exclusive use of solar energy. Fine dining in a restaurant located in a 100-year-old house.
It looks perfect, right?
But only one thing was missing. Beach.
So far, that’s it. The adults-only resort, located in the province of Bocas Del Toro, Panama, has just introduced what its owner calls “the first aerial beach in the world”.
Called Kupu-Kupu –named borrowed from the Indonesian word for butterfly– the beach is approximately 27.4 meters long and 6 meters wide. Built on stilts above the water, it features white sand, palm trees, lounge chairs and a bar. A 3 meter wide wooden boardwalk connects it to the island.
Greenish-tiled stairs provide access to the waters below, where guests can snorkel and kayak, among other non-motorized water sports offered on site.
“It had to be extraordinary”
According to Bocas Bali owner Dan Behm, a lot was taken into consideration when designing the structure.
“When we were introduced to the private island, I needed a little convincing to see beyond the absence of a white sand beach, but the island had everything and more that I didn’t even know I wanted. So we started thinking about how we could build a beach that felt like it was part of the island without any negative impact on the surrounding mangroves, corals or marine life,” he told CNNby email.
“After researching the more traditional man-made options, we realized we would have to get creative and so we did.”
Andres Brenes, an architect from Costa Rica, developed the initial design for the beach, says Behm.
What makes it the first in the world?
Global travelers can deny claims that the beach is the first of its kind, as man-made beaches can be found in destinations all over the world.
Asked what makes Bocas Bali beach a ‘first in the world’, Behm says he’s done extensive research online and still hasn’t found another beach built of wood over the water.
“We know several floating beaches in the world [onde a praia é construída diretamente em cima da água] that would have been much easier, but it was not possible in our case as it would damage the mangroves and corals,” he said.
“Furthermore, none of the global engineers and consultants were able to identify anything like our aerial beach. It’s possible there’s one somewhere we can’t locate. If you can find another one, we are very interested in seeing it. If there is another one, it certainly doesn’t have an entrance to the water that is similar to ours.”
build a beach
Behm says the entire beach was built by hand with very little modern machinery.
“The hardest part was building the steps and pool base over the water and then lowering the structure into the water. This was tremendously stressful and no one, not even Marazul [a equipe de gerenciamento do projeto] I knew if we could do it.”
It took about nine months to build, he adds. As for the sand, Behm says it’s locally sourced and easy to maintain. “The winds are very gentle so most of the sand stays in place – 90 drains positioned on the beach allow water to pass but not sand. The palm trees are planted in earth-filled barrels embedded in the structure so as not to interfere with the natural environment, and add that Caribbean island aesthetic.”
“It really is an engineering marvel. The team cleans the sand every morning and will bring more sand if needed and at least once a year.”
So far, he says guests have had a very positive reaction to the new beach, as it feels like a natural extension of the island.
about the resort
Bocas Bali hasn’t been without a beach for so long, as it only opened in September 2021.
Situated on Frangipani Island in Panama, its 16 luxury overwater homes were built in Bali and then shipped to Panama. Some come with private pools, others have a built-in glass floor, allowing guests to see the marine life below. A series of bamboo houses to be installed in trees are now under development and are expected to open this year.
Bocas Bali is being promoted as 100% self-sustaining – catchment basins store 100,000 gallons of rainwater, while electricity is generated by solar panels.
Rates start at US$1,100 per night during high season and US$900 per night during low season, all meals are included.
Source: CNN Brasil
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