Shallow Bay offered us the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation that we were looking for during our vacation. The view is gorgeous. The house is far enough away from town to afford some privacy that you would never get at a resort, but close enough to many restaurants/bars and a couple grocery stores. Having a kitchen was handy for preparing breakfast and lunch. We rented a car for our stay so we could enjoy a couple day trips without paying a guide, but a car isn't necessary to enjoy a stay in Hopkins. We enjoyed a wonderful snorkeling trip to the reef, a nighttime tour of the nearby river and a great hiking trip to the Jaguar Reserve.