Bus ride to beach was actually quite comfortable, though it arrived 30 mins late for pickup. You arrive early enough before the crowds but the area that is reserved for the group is kinda small and not directly on the beach, though I guess you can pay extra to reserve a day bed or lounge chair however we never saw or heard of this option when booking. We were disappointed at first but were able to snag lounge chairs regardless. Was expecting more privacy and relaxation but beach is extremely busy and crowded. Boats get way too close to people in the water and will whip people around on tubes literally 20 ft away so be careful while in the water. At times felt uncomfortable with the boat drivers being reckless and didn't stay in the water long. The smell of gasoline was overwhelming at times. Vendors were relentless trying to sell you things. Ordering drinks at the bar takes forever, waited over an hour for a drink at one point. Beach is beautiful though, soft sand and clear water.

Overall a nice beach that is very lively and great for a swim in the Caribbean! The food was great and the people were very nice! Would recommend if you are looking for a day on nice sandy beach! The guide was a very nice young lady, she tried her best but unfortunately her English was incomprehensible and that didn’t help the whole experience. I would have liked to have a more knowledgeable person guiding us and teaching us about the customs and history of the land. Would also have preferred more of a zen vibe with the music instead of being so loud, was hard to relax when it’s blasting loudly the entire stay on the beach. Overall we liked it, if the few things mentioned got fixed, we would highly recommend. Thank you!

The day trip was amazing. Our guide, Jose, was fantastic. He gave great tips and guidance in both English and Spanish and accompanied us every step of the way. The bus picked me up at 6:30am (I was the first pickup) and we got to Baru around 9-9:30am. 1 hr drive plus picking up other guests. When we got to Baru, we walked about 5min down the beach to our section called "Mambo Beach". It felt like it was reserved solely for us. There we had lunch, mojarra frita and arroz con coco (so good and worth the trip alone). Mambo Beach hires locals to offer massages and souvenirs. Make sure you agree on the price beforehand. They also offer lockers to store your valuables at no extra cost. This made me feel better about going into the ocean while leaving my stuff on the beach. The beach itself is beautiful and the water is perfect. Make sure you bring lots of sun block and reapply!