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Isla Palenque

  • Isla Palenque pool
  • Isla Palenque beach area
  • Isla Palenque beach hut
  • Isla Palenque bedroom
  • Isla Palenque bedroom
  • Isla Palenque outdoor bath
  • Isla Palenque lounging area
  • Isla Palenque dining room
  • Isla Palenque cuisine
  • Isla Palenque - Tropical beach
  • Isla Palenque beach
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With raw nature all around, tropical idyll Isla Palenque feels worlds away from modern Panama.

In the Gulf of Chiriqui, just 15-minutes from the mainland, tiny Isla Palenque is blanketed with intact rainforest and indented with tiny coves and rocky, dark volcanic beaches. You don’t have to go far to observe wildlife. The island is undisturbed and uninhabited except for a plethora of birds and families of spider monkeys which inhabit the trees around the cottages. Howler monkeys are frequently heard and with luck you may glimpse a distant humpback whale cruising offshore between August and October.

Isla Palenque is by no means a conventional beach resort. This is among Central America’s most unique hideaways, a place where you’ll feel close to nature whilst being only steps away from the ocean. The concept here is seclusion and privacy, with 8 generously proportioned individual beachfront casitas hiding in the foliage, each with a veranda. These are equipped with minibars, hammocks, binoculars and bathrobes and among their standout features are the freestanding tubs perched on the sands for an al- fresco bath. Across the island, a further set of rooms almost clings to the forest above another sandy beach. In fact the island has 7 beaches, the main stretch offering over 1km of pristine, wild shoreline.

Expect understated luxury, and a feeling of being in harmony with the environment: whilst there is no air-conditioning, the fans provided are efficient. Food is taken seriously: all meals are a la carte, with a ‘dock to dish’ concept and local sourcing at its heart. Menus are prepared with regional cuisine in mind, with familiar offerings too. The hammock lounge beckons after a lazy beachfront meal, or you might relax alongside the alluring infinity pool. Service is relaxed and genuine: staff at the resort are unfailingly kind and helpful without being oppressively attentive. Nature trails meander into the forest and guests have paddleboards, kayaks and snorkel gear at their disposal. The resort can organise swimming and snorkelling from beautiful offshore islands of the Chiriqui National Marine Park.

Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

  • "Bocas del Toro was great fun and frivolous and a great journey there by boat."

    GS, Bushey Jun 2013
  • We didn't realise the partial canal transit would be in such a big boat with loads of other tourists - not a problem, but would have been good for this…

    NF, Tunbridge Wells Apr 2013
  • Most Memorable Moment?: Too hard to choose one. Panama Canal Transit was a lifelong ambition.

    NA, London Mar 2017
  • Panama was far more interesting than what we thought it would be, particularly the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Bio Diversity Museum.

    CY, Heathfield Jan 2020
  • "Most memorable was watching mother and baby two-toed sloths from bedroom window at Canopy Tower. Early morning on the roof of Canopy Tower listening to howler monkeys as the sun…

    NW, Kidlington Jun 2013
  • Each part of my trip had a special moment. I loved both the new and old parts of Panama city, but my highlight there was seeing sloths while walking up…

    TF, Wakefield Jun 2018
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Our Expert's Opinion

Sophie
Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

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