Carenero is just over the water from the town of Bocas del Toro. It only takes 3 minutes by boat to cross the channel from Bocas del Toro
Its inhabitants are a mix of afroantillano blacks, mestizos, native ngobe indians and foreigners. The locals live in houses that are constructed of wood with zinc roof or palm roof. The foreigners have built hotels, restaurants and houses using local materials. The roads in the community are not paved. Carenero has electricity, telephone and potable water piped under the sea from Bocas del Toro town. There is a primary school.
The name "Carenero" is the word "careen" which means "To lean (a ship) on one side for cleaning, caulking, or repairing." Christopher Columbus stopped at this island to fix his ships during his 4th trip in 1502. Later many other seafarers, from pirates to spanish conquerors, used Careneros for the same task.
There is good, but adventurous, surfing off the northern tip of Carenero. A little dangerous with many coral reefs close to the waves. A left hand reef bottom point break that breaks on the outside of a round shaped reef and wraps along the edge of the reef for a ride about 150 yards long. The wave is powerful and pitches some very long tube sections. When conditions are perfect you can get 5 to 6 second tube rides
And a marina
Hotels on Carenero most of the hotels and restaurants are on the land directly opposite Bocas