• Nature & Wildlife

    Natural Features

    Isla Palenque BeachPerhaps Isla Palenque's most stunning natural feature is that every day we discover something new -- a coastal cave, brilliantly colorful bird, or even an entire miniature eco system. It's almost guaranteed that you'll say hi to our howler monkeys and a few brilliant green iguanas, crack open a coconut for an afternoon refresher in the shade of a beachside palm groves, or stand next to an ancient jungle tree twelve feet across and try to calculate how many dozens of years old it could be -- and that's only your first stroll. We've discovered an entire grove of bamboo, planted our own organic farm in a sunny meadow, climbed over cacti and rare orchids that exist like magic on jagged volcanic outcroppings and been stopped in our tracks at the sight of a tamandua anteater.

    Join us as we hike, climb, and photograph the never-ending natural wonders of Isla Palenque:

    Wildlife

    Isla Palenque is an idyllic habitat for an enormous variety of flora and fauna, and hundreds of species of plants, flowers, animals and birds make their homes here.

    Howler MonkeyInhabitants of the Land

    Howler monkeys feed their young and socialize in trees hung with colorful orchids and bromeliads. Multiple palm species, indigenous tropical fruits and exotic hardwoods stretch their branches towards precious sunlight in the dense forest. Jungle cats, iguanas, anteaters, armadillos, porcupines, tropical squirrels, and colorful frogs, among many others, also call the tropical jungle their home.

    BirdBirds of the Air

    Dozens of bird species can be found sweeping through the translucent green leaves. In the jungle canopy, vivid warblers, tanagers, woodpeckers, parrots and toucans perch. The mangrove lagoons attract leggy spoonbills, herons and ibises who feed while dozens of hummingbirds and butterflies flirt among the flowers. The sky above is filled with frigate birds, hawks, pelicans, and caracaras.

    Sting RaysCreatures of the Sea

    To us, the sea is deeply mysterious. To the many fish, turtles and sea mammals, it's home. Humpback whales migrate here to mate and calf. During whale season they can be seen every day, along with dolphins, hawksbilled sea turtles and spotted eagle rays. You'll also find mahi-mahi, marlin, tuna, snapper, needlefish, parrotfish, grouper, scorpionfish… the list goes on and on.

    Frog Forecast Read More

    Monkeying Around on Isla Palenque Read More

    Prime Whale-Watching in Panama Read More

    Rainforests: The World's Medicine Cabinet Read More

    Suspended from a Ten-Story Panama Tree Read More

    Sustainable Forestry Solutions Read More

  • Join our Mailing List

    Sign up for Panama travel stories, destination guides, first-hand accounts of living abroad, and island adventures.

    Isla Palenque

    More Nature & Wildlife:

    Pelican Brief

    The U.S. Department of the Interior took the brown pelican off of the endangered species list. These pelicans can be seen on Isla Palenque. Read More

    Northern Tamandua Anteaters Binge on Bugs

    Oddly cute, the Northern Tamandua Anteater feasts on the insects in Panama's wild forests. One of the easiest-to-identify wildlife species on Isla Palenque! Read More

    The Pirates of Isla Palenque

    On Isla Palenque, one can witness all the pirate-ish actions of the Frigate bird, as well as other Panamanian wildlife. Read More

    Suspended from a Ten-Story Panama Tree

    How do you experience the rainforest in Panama? Ziplining? A canopy tour? For David, tree climbing on Isla Palenque is an exhilarating challenge. Read More

    Sustainable Forestry Solutions

    Eco-tourism and environmental consciousness are helping to save the rainforest in Panama. Learn more about the effort to combat deforestation! Read More

    Inspiration for Canopy Homes

    The design team is hard at work researching and designing the vacation homes at Isla Palenque. One team member found a cool concept for a hotel: a tree house! Read More

    Panama Natives Running Wild: Jesus Christ Lizards

    We spotted the basilisk lizard, aka Jesus Christ lizards, on Isla Palenque. They skid over the surface of lagoons ("walk on water") to elude an attack. Read More

    Fall Color on Isla Palenque

    Emily pinpoints some favorite fall hues in the beautiful foliage of the Isla Palenque's jungles. Don't worry, it's still warm there in November. Read More

    Natural Homemade Scrub Recipe: Palenque Scrub

    Let the beach give you smooth skin: Manya on Isla Palenque shares a recipe for a natural homemade scrub you can use right on the beautiful beaches of Panama! Read More

    An Island Discovery: Cacao

    On a jungle hike on Isla Palenque in Panama, we discover a grove of cacao trees and learn that the football-shaped fruit tastes good even before it's chocolate. Read More

    Embracing Your Inner Wild

    Emily explores: What is true wilderness? Are we wild at heart? and the deep connections with self we can experience while immersing in nature. Read More

    It's Raining Avocados!

    Best guacamole ever: the Island Interns hike the North Beach trail on Isla Palenque and discover a grove of avocado trees in the jungle. Read More