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Island Exploration
Our local guides and I learned a lot about Isla Palenque on our 2-day trek with Rutilio Paredes, a native of Panama's Kuna people and expert biologist....MORE
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Island Music
Get into the tribal frame of mind with this island music playlist from Las Rocas: 10 songs influenced by indigenous music, African fusion, and tribal sounds....MORE
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Panama Adventure
Cruise into Guna Yala in a Kuna-captained launcha, tour the San Blas Islands by chartered yacht, and take in the reefs by snorkel for an idyllic day in Panama....MORE
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Island Music
Latin music moves us straight into the heart of the Spanish-speaking world and the indigenous people of Panama lead us in traditional dance. Won't you join us?...MORE
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Local Handicraft
Artisans in Panama take pride and profit in selling handicrafts and traditional art, extemporizing on classic designs with their own unique creative touches....MORE
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People & Culture
A national event honoring Latin American culture, Hispanic Heritage Month, comes to a close, but cultural awareness continues to grow through immersive travel....MORE
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[post_date] => 2011-01-25 13:53:46
[post_date_gmt] => 2011-01-25 19:53:46
[post_content] => Ben's slideshow depicting the scale of Isla Palenque, comparing it to 9 other recognizable locations, helps viewers define its size. If you're a fan of our Facebook page, you see a lot of island shots on a weekly basis -- giant trees, island sunsets, and of course, howler monkeys and other island critters. You often hear that the pictures don't do it justice; that a photograph can never truly capture the beauty before your eyes when you stand on the beach and stare into the setting sun. This is true about Isla Palenque, but there's another thing pictures can't do justice to on our island - the incredible size of the ancient jungle and jagged volcanic boulders that form a large part of the island landscape.
In this photograph-filled post, I want to take you on a different kind of journey through Isla Palenque, one in which you will realize that while just a spec on the map, Isla Palenque is larger than life. While feeling so small among the jungle of Jurassic proportions, you intimately realize that the island's magnificence is definitely worth preserving and protecting. No matter how tall the human race builds our steel skyscrapers or how easily we can tear down rain forests with the press of a button, nothing we can build will ever do justice to earth's original skyscrapers -- trees and boulders.
This is one realization we hope that guests to Isla Palenque will have, and that you will share our dedication to preserving pristine places like Isla Palenque -- no matter how big or small.
We often use photographs of giant island trees to help people understand what the jungle looks like:
But when you see Ben near the base of one here, you realize the gargantuan scale of the ancient jungle trees. I'd like to see you try to climb this one!


In our many stunning shots of Playa Palenque, you can see how black volcanic rocks jut out about half way down, giving the 3/4 mile beach its own distinct character. Here it is from a helicopter with the rocks highlighted:

Now you see them on the beach, just some regular old rocks right?

Actually, they're about twice the size of an intern!

Okay one more. Here you see part of an old tree trunk or branch that fell on the beach... we can just clear that out of our way right?

Or maybe not... considering it's four times as tall as the average beachgoer.
Of course, the photographs do well to illustrate the point here but to be in the presence of these larger than life natural elements is an unbelievable experience. The ability of travel to literally change one's perspective is truly incredible.
[post_title] => Tropical Jungle Scale on Isla Palenque
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Top 10 Finalist in The Ambler’s Life Changing Travel Contest. | budgethotel.us:
on Life-Changing Travel Contest: Kristen Jacobson