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Published: 10-02-2022
Panama is blessed with a number of pristine islands, from the larger Coiba Island to the tiny Kuna islets. Most are incredibly open to outside visitors such as Isla Colón in the Bocas del Toro. Other Panama islands are remote and uninhabited yet with incredible biodiversity. Here are some of our favourite islands to visit on your Panama holiday.
The San Blas Archipelago
San Blas Islands
The San Blas archipelago, also called The Guna Yala archipelago, includes some of the most pristine islands in Central America. There are a total of 378 islands and islets, though only 49 are inhabited. Almost all of the islands Human residents are Kuna Indians, living in Kuna villages across the islands. Accommodations for visitors are somewhat basic on the San Blas Islands , such as in huts on private islets, and meals generally consist of what the catch of the day was, however if you are in search of an idyllic, paradise island, then these islands may just be them!
San Blas Cristal Waters
Coiba National Park
Coiba Island is the largest island not only in Panama but in all of Central America. Found off Panama's Pacific Coast in the Gulf of Chiriquí, the island was once part of continental Panama but split when sea levels rose around 18,000 years ago. As a result, a number of endemic subspecies are found on the island, like the the Coiba Howler Monkey, Coiba Agouti and the Coiba Spinetail. ¾ of Coiba island is covered in ancient forest and the island was home to a penal colony which housed some dubious inmates until it was closed in 2004. Now, the island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, popular with eco-tourists and travellers of all kinds seeking a more remote and natural off the beaten path experience.
Coiba Island
Bocas del Toro Islands
The Bocas del Toro Islands are Panama's most popular travel destination. Found in the Caribbean Sea, near the Costa Rican border, they can be reached by ferry, water taxi, or aeroplane. The biggest of the Bocas del Toro islands is the Isla Colón, home to Bocas Town (also called Bocas del Toro). Approximately 13,000 people live in Bocas Town, which also offers numerous hotels, restaurants, and other tourist attractions. Bastimentos Island is another great destination, with its famous Red Frog Beach named for the tiny red poison dart frogs that call this island home. Other Bocas del Toro islands are lesser- visited but equally as stunning, such as The Zapatillas Cayes, part of Isla Bastimentos National Park and Solarte Island, home of the indigenous Ngöbe-Buglé tribe.
Bocas del toro starfish
The Gulf of Chiriquí
Along with Coiba Island, there are a number of islands found in the southwest Panama's Gulf of Chiriquí. Most travellers exploring the region start their trip in Boca Chica, where transportation can be arranged to the islands in the gulf. The island of Boca Brava, for example, is just 2 km away. Isla Palenque is near Boca Brava; both of these islands are excellent destinations for hiking and sport fishing. The Islas Secas or "dry islands" is an archipelago composed of sixteen pristine volcanic islands, making for a fascinating visit.
Gulf of Chiriquí
The Pearl Islands
The Pearl Islands archipelago are composed of approximately 100 islands, many of them tiny and uninhabited. They're located in the Gulf of Panama, around 50 km from the coast. The Pearl islands have a wild and remote feel which is why the TV show Survivor filmed three seasons on islands. The largest and most travel-friendly of the Pearl Islands is Contadora Island, which has a small airport and is just a 15 minute flight from Panama City. In Spanish, "Contadora" means "counter” named so after the Spanish conquistadors would count the pearls they collected from the other Islands. Isla del Rey is the largest of the Pearl Islands and the second-largest island in Panama, after Coiba Island.
The Pearl Islands
Isla Barro Colorado
Isla Barro Colorado is an island in the man-made Gatun Lake, in the middle of the Panama Canal. When the Chagres River was dammed to make the lake, the rainforest was flooded except for the hills, which now make up the island. It houses the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, where scientists study the island's flora and fauna. Barro Colorado is one of the most studied places on earth and has become a prototype for measuring the biodiversity of plant and animal life around the world.
Isla Barro Colorado
