If you’re thinking about a trip to view our home sites, or planning a stay at The Resort on Isla Palenque this spring, we’re excited to help you plan for a perfect family vacation. We love hosting adventurers big and small on Isla Palenque. In fact, some of my best memories come from the visits of homeowners who make the trip a family affair.
Kids absolutely love our largest beach, Playa Palenque, where they can run and play for close to ¾ a mile in a safe, protected, crescent-shaped beach. Gentle waves invite little swimmers into the warm water, and soft volcanic sand welcomes their little bare feet. Last May, I wrote about a visiting home-buyer’s family; the children had the time of their lives turning the beach into a Palenque Playground!
Grab a pool toy and splash around with the kids in the ocean, or get your workout paddling a kayak through the calm water. Take a short walk to one of Isla Palenque’s 12 beaches, each one with a different gorgeous Pacific view. The beach nestled near the future site of our East Cove Hotel is my favorite at high tide. It’s always an adventure to explore the tide pools, rocky crevices, and impromptu rivers that come with the rising of the tide.
One of my favorite on-island activities for children: the Isla Palenque nature scavenger hunt. Grab one of our wilderness guides and take a stroll through the jungle. Try to find something from each category: Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, and Sea Life. You’ll see (and hear) too many birds to count, and you’ll be dazzled by breathtaking exotic plants and flowers in every color of the rainbow. Early morning and evening are the best times to see our resident howler monkeys, and keep your eyes peeled for hawksbill sea turtles and dolphins off the coast as you walk along the sand. Children will never forget these encounters with the incredible wildlife species of Panama.
Visits to Isla Palenque are all about immersing in nature. If you’re looking for thrills, you’re sure to find them within the 400 acres of untouched paradise on Isla Palenque. It’s truly a birdwatcher’s, wildlife-spotter’s and a hiker’s dream come true. Pack a picnic lunch and spend the day venturing out on trails or on our canopy walk through the rainforest. The island offers terrain for both moderate and more vigorous hikes; my personal favorite is the trip out to the blow hole located on a rocky outcropping on our coast, featured by our Island Interns. Exploring the unspoiled wilderness (especially if you try to keep up with the kids all day), breathing the unbelievably fresh air… you’ll get the best sleep of your life.
The island itself offers days and weeks of inexhaustible exploration, but we’re also blessed to have the Chiriqui Gulf National Marine Park right in our backyard. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to take some of our visitors and their children island-hopping through the marine park, sharing the amazing views as well as sightings of dolphins and humpback whales! We anchored the boat and investigated the neighboring islands, working up an appetite and then satisfying it with a barbecue on the beach. I loved seeing the kids’ reactions to all the natural wonders of Panama’s Chiriqui Gulf, although I think what they liked best about the whole experience was that they got to imagine they had their own private island for the day.
For those with older children, there are a number of adventure activities available on or near Isla Palenque. Teenagers can find a fun challenge by going scuba diving, snorkeling, sportfishing, and rock climbing.
When you bring the whole family to a place as unique and special as Isla Palenque, you have a chance to reconnect in the midst of unspoiled nature, secluded from the rest of the world. The island brings parents and kids closer together because this perfect island getaway brings out the child in everyone, regardless of age. If you’re interested in a visit, get in touch with us!
TAGS: Adventure Do & See Hiking Isla Palenque Panama Panama Do & See Panama Wildlife Wildlife
