Bahia Drake (Drake Bay)

Bahia Drake gets its name from Sir Francis Drake, who is believed to have stopped here in 1579. Legend has it that Drake buried his treasure on nearby Violin Island, and news of this supposed booty has actually contributed to the development of Drake Bay. The area saw its first big influx of settlers during the gold rush of the 1930s, but only really began to develop within the last 20 or 30 years when U.S. citizens and other foreigners started buying up large amounts of land. To protect the region, the government started enforcing the law that anything that has already been built cannot be expanded. The government also imposed strict environmental rules that prohibited, for example, the use of vehicles on the beach or the removal or relocation of sand. In certain areas, if you are caught walking outside of the designated pathways you can be banned from visiting for up to seven years.