“Palenque” means refuge or sanctuary, and that’s exactly what travelers will find on Isla Palenque, a 400-acre private island retreat just off of Panama’s northern Pacific coast. For centuries, the islands dotting the emerald waters of the Gulf of Chiriquí have provided a safe haven for humans and wildlife alike. Pottery shards and stone tools found on Isla Palenque offer clues to the island’s past Pre-Colombian inhabitants and the surrounding waters are rich with marine life, which flourishes without the pressures of human development. Today, guests can discover the island’s past on guided forest hikes, scramble over ocean boulders to feel the spray from a blowhole, cast a line for rockfish, paddle a kayak or SUP along more than five miles of coastline or venture further by boat into the Gulf of Chiriquí National Marine Park to snorkel among tropical reefs and lounge on deserted white sand beaches straight out of Robinson Crusoe.
Only 5% of the island has been carefully & sustainably developed so guests at Isla Palenque will find plenty of serenity and seclusion. Accommodations include just eight gorgeous beachfront casitas and a six bedroom villa perfect for families or groups of friends.