Laguna de Caratasca and Eastern La Mosquitia

A covey of small ponds, large lakes, tiny islands, and grassy savanna stretch for 50 km (31 miles) in Laguna de Caratasca, the largest lagoon in La Mosquitía. Dense tropical rain forest and low-lying shoreline brim the murky waters near the Nicaraguan border. The shallow lagoon, which measures less than 3-m (10-feet) deep on average, draws artisanal fishermen and leisurely anglers out each morning to calmer parts of the cove. Caribbean manatee-spotting and abundant bird-watching opportunities also attract wildlife enthusiasts to Eastern Mosquitía, a natural boundary shared with Nicaragua.