My husband, Jim Kimball, and I met Jay Viola through one of my husband’s cousins in Houston, Texas over 30 years ago. The three of us shared an interest in “doing something different.” Over time we determined that our difference would be to open a lodge in a rural setting somewhere in the Caribbean Sea. We looked throughout the Caribbean – The Bahamas, Belize, etc. but none of them felt right. Jim and Jay traveled to Bocas del Toro in October 1999 and decided the archipelago was right, but it was not until Jim resigned from his job and came to Bocas in December 1999 that we found the exact location. We opened Tranquilo Bay in July 2005 and our lives are much richer than we had hoped for.

We understand that travel is an investment. Inviting travelers to invest in a vacation opens their minds to creating a return on that investment. The return should support both their travel party and the place they are visiting. This mindset helps protect the place and its rich nature, culture, and adventure mix.