Taboga
Taboga island is established in 1524 as a deepwater harbour for Panama City visible at night 18km away on the horizon. Taboga was the very first Spanish port in the Pacific. As well as it passed the gold, pearls and treasures of the Incas, in transit to Madrid, while the trinkets to buy them.
Taboga is also famous as the ”Island of Flowers”. It’s very close to Panama – and so very distant in lifestyle and atmosphere. There are no cars in the maze of paths around the 300 or so houses in Spanish style, just three little cute trucks to carry cargo and visitors baggage. Roses and huge trumpets of morning glory fill the gardens and walkways. It’s full of fields of fruits such as pineapple, orange, red and yellow orchids compete for attention.
Little cafes and bars surrounded the main plaza and beach. Nothing much happens these days: to do nothing on a lovely tropical island a few minutes from the stress of the city, that’s why people go there.
When to go: Mid- December to mid-May in the dry season – but urban Panamanians come year-round to the highly sociable festivals that take place all the time.
