This is the worst thing you can do when you go to Balandra Beach.
By Arthus • Posted April 22 • 2024.
There's no doubt that Balandra Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Its untouched natural beauty makes it an incredible place where visitors can swim in its serene and crystal-clear waters, surrounded by hills offering spectacular views. It is a very safe beach, but there is one point that we must never lose sight of here, especially in the summer. In fact, when you access the beach, the authorities in charge provide some important recommendations, but there is definitely one that you should not overlook.
"If you're walking in the sea (which is possible here due to the low water level over a large portion of this beach) and see a dark patch, simply shuffle your feet side to side, and the vibrations will make it move away so you can continue your path. The water here is so clear that it's easy to spot these dark patches while walking through the water." With this warning, the beach authorities make you aware of the presence of this marine animal and believe me, ignoring this advice is the worst thing you can do when you visit Balandra Beach. Don't worry, the ones that reach Balandra are always very tiny. The big ones are only in the deep open sea, never on the beach.
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Once, at this very beach, one of these animals stung my nephew. He told me that the pain was so intense he couldn’t even think what to do. Fortunately, his mother put his foot in cold water, which helped reduce his pain until medical help arrived. Curiously, another person was stung at the same time and also experienced such intense pain that without thinking or asking for permission, he dipped his foot into the same cold water where my nephew's foot was. Afterwards, of course, he apologized and explained that he hadn't thought about it because the pain was indeed very severe.
Of course, this marine animal isn't dangerous or deadly, but its sting does hurt a lot, so I really advise you not to overlook the instructions given when entering this paradise. "If you're walking in the sea and see a dark patch, simply shuffle your feet side to side, and the vibrations will make it move away so you can continue your path. The water here is so clear that it's easy to spot these dark patches while walking through the water." So please heed this advice and when you walk in the water and enjoy this beach, just be a bit cautious with your steps, and if you see a dark spot, shuffle your foot and indeed, the vibrations will make these friendly animals flee. And which marine creature are we talking about? The stingrays. In La Paz, there are many, especially in the summer, which is why these instructions are given.
Now, while you can find stingrays at nearly all the beaches in La Paz, Balandra is a special case. This is because only at Balandra is it possible to walk so far and for so long within the water. Additionally, the combination of its crystal-clear waters and the shallow depth of a large area of the beach makes an encounter with these little creatures much more likely at Balandra than at any other beach in La Paz.
There's no reason to feel alarmed, but it is advisable to be careful and follow that simple instruction: if you see a dark spot, shake your foot and you'll be safe from a painful sting. Of course, this applies if you are in the shallow area of Balandra, which, although it covers the majority of this beach, does not cover 100%, so there are areas where it is possible to swim in deeper water levels where such stings are less likely, simply because the body's movement while swimming sends vibrations all around, driving the stingrays away. It is when walking in the water, or rather in it, that if we are not careful we can step on one of these little animals and they in response can sting us and believe me, really believe me, you do not want that to happen.
So, to stay safe, remember, just shuffle your foot if you see a dark spot while walking in the water at Balandra and you're set! This might seem repetitive but believe me, it's worth it, because although the sting isn't dangerous, it is very painful and you'll need to see a doctor as soon as possible to work their magic and make you feel like new. This will simply result in a lost beach day because believe me, there's no way to say, "I'm tough, I can handle this pain." So, save yourself the pain and the lost day of fun, and if you see that dark spot, just shuffle your foot in the water, you don't need to do anything else and you'll have an unforgettable day in an untouched natural paradise, with colors and landscapes you won't believe and that will forever be etched in your memory.
In the unfortunate event that you get stung by a stingray, here are some tips:
- Stay calm, there's no major risk.
- Put your foot in cold water to lessen the pain.
- Visit a doctor as soon as possible. In La Paz, there are many excellent doctors with extensive experience in these situations.
- Relax for the rest of the day.
Lastly, I would like to mention something, this is undoubtedly the worst thing you can do when you go to Balandra, but coming in a close second, is not bringing some shade to protect yourself as well as a hat. I mean, I know you always need to go to the beach with sunscreen and an umbrella, but here in La Paz, the sun is intense and at Balandra, there are few public palapas and very few natural shaded spots, so if you don't bring an umbrella and hat, you will have a very bad day here. Better come prepared with your umbrella, hat, sunscreen, and remember to always stay hydrated and bring polarized sunglasses, so even with them you can see if while walking in the sea, there's a dark spot that makes you shuffle your foot.
For a complete article about Balandra Beach, click here... Balandra Beach, a stunning beauty.
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Tastes of La Paz.