Isla Palenque is an island in the Gulf of Chiriquí in the Pacific West region of Panama.
Isla Palenque is connected to the much bigger Isla Boca Brava just to the north by a sandy land bridge. The Gulf of Chiriquí (Golfo de Chiriquí) is considered by savvy sport fishermen as one of the best kept secrets in big game fishing.
A private island resort community began development on Isla Palenque in 2010, and opened its first rooms in 2013.
A Palenque originally referred to a refuge for escaped slaves. During Central America’s colonial period, indigenous Indians were indentured to work in the Spanish mines. Those who escaped sought sanctuary in places they fortified with palisades, or palenques. Isla Palenque has been called by that name for as long as maps can determine, and so may have been used to harbor escapees during the colonial period.
Over the last several hundred years, Isla Palenque let the modern world pass by and has remained a secluded preserve for rare primary forest and hundreds of species of plants, flowers, animals and birds.
According to archeologist Olga F. Linares in her book Adaptive Radiations in Prehistoric Panama, Isla Palenque has been a prized location from the start of human settlement, and was the home of an ancient, pre-Columbian farming community some time during the years 500-1400AD. It may even have been occupied as long ago as 5,000BC. Due to the beauty and mystery of the island, it became a sacred site for the most holy of ceremonies, and tribes from all over the province came here to worship. Important tribal chiefs were known to negotiate and trade with each other, making this the province’s prime center of culture and commerce. By Colonial times this ancient community had vanished, leaving only enough clues about their lives to awaken curiosity and provide a sense of the island's ancient history.
Isla Palenque can be accessed by boat from the small fishing village of Boca Chica, just 5 miles over water.
Many guests at Isla Palenque simply walk between the rooms and restaurants spread over the island, on the 3 km of roads or along the many hiking trails on the island. In addition, the resort runs shuttles for its guests upon request.
This tropical paradise spans over 400 acres, with 5 miles of coast and over a mile and a half of beaches, ranging in size from a large 4100 foot long crescent shaped beach to idyllic private beaches less than 100 feet long. There are dazzling views of the ocean, zebra-striped volcanic beaches, serene coconut groves and wild rocky outcroppings or rocky ridges covered with primeval trees. In addition to the exceptional quality of its coast, the island is a tranquil home for a vast range of flora and fauna including many variety of bromeliads and orchids. Hundreds of species of plants, flowers, animals and birds make their homes here. Howler monkeys, Jungle cats, iguanas, armadillos, porcupines, tropical squirrels, and colorful frogs also make this special place their home, as do an array of tropical birds, such as parrots, pelicans, frigate birds, hawks, herons and egrets.
Isla Palenque has a 200 acre nature preserve, miles of trails, and several beaches. The private island resort on it provides guided tours on and around the island, as well as trips out to nearby islands, for snorkeling, fishing and other activities. Also in the Gulf are Coiba National Marine Park and Islas Secas, both known for world class scuba diving and snorkeling. Isla Palenque's temperatures are fairly consistent year round, with 90 degree temperatures during the day with 70 degree temperatures at night. Isla Palenque, like most of Panama, has a rainy season from May through November and a dry season from December through April.
The Resort at Isla Palenque runs two restaurants and bars for its guests, which are not open to the general public.
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