Isla Palenque is located off the western Pacific shore of Panama

Panama

Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...

, near the border of Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....

, in the Gulf of Chiriquí

Gulf of Chiriqui

The Gulf of Chiriquí is a part of Panama that encompasses Coiba National Park and Golfo de Chiriquí National Park. There are dozens of islands in this Gulf. Along with the islands of Coiba National Park there is also Islas Secas, Los Ladrones, Parilla, Isla Boca Brava, Isla Palenque and...

. Isla Boca Brava

Boca Brava

Isla Boca Brava is located off the Pacific coast of Panama in the Gulf of Chiriquí, specifically in the Bahia de Muertos which is a coral reef. It is about one-half mile from the small mainland village of Boca Chica. Boca Brava connects to Isla Palenque by way of a narrow land bridge....

 is just to the north, semi-attached to Isla Palenque by a sandy land bridge exposed at low tide. The island is approximately 400 acres (1.6 km²), with 5 miles (8 km) of coastline and over 1 miles (1.6 km) of beaches. Most of the island is covered with mature tropical forest; other ecosystems on the island include mangroves, lagoons, and littoral forest.

History

A Palenque originally referred to a refuge for escaped slaves. During Central America’s colonial period, indigenous Indians were indentured to work in the Spanish mines. Those who escaped sought sanctuary in places they fortified with palisades, or palenques. Isla Palenque has been called by that name for as long as maps can determine, and so may have been used to harbor escapees during the colonial period, or possibly as a refuge even earlier.

Isla Palenque has been a privileged location from the start of human settlement, and was the home of an ancient, pre-Columbian farming community some time during the years 500-1400AD. It may even have been occupied as long ago as 5,000BC. It became a sacred site for the most holy of ceremonies, and tribes from all over the province came here to worship. Important tribal chiefs were known to negotiate and trade with each other, making this the province’s prime center of culture and commerce. By colonial times this ancient community had vanished, leaving only enough clues about their lives to awaken curiosity and provide a sense of the island's ancient history.

More recently, the island has become the location of an eco-resort, which began construction in 2010.

Flora and fauna

Due to its highly varied terrain and multiple ecosystems, there is a wide variety of flora and fauna on Isla Palenque.

At least eight families of howler monkeys have been identified. Other mammals identified on the island include the Northern Tamandua

Northern Tamandua

The northern tamandua is a species of tamandua, a small anteater in the family Myrmecophagidae. They live in tropical and subtropical forests from southern Mexico, through Central America, and to the edge of the northern Andes....

 Anteater

Anteater

Anteaters, also known as antbear, are the four mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua commonly known for eating ants and termites. Together with the sloths, they compose the order Pilosa...

, the Nine-banded Armadillo

Nine-banded Armadillo

The nine-banded armadillo , or the nine-banded, long-nosed armadillo, is a species of armadillo found in North, Central, and South America, making it the most widespread of the armadillos...

, White-nosed Coati, Crab-eating Raccoon

Crab-eating raccoon

The Crab-eating Raccoon is a species of raccoon native to marshy and jungle areas of Central and South America . It is found from Costa Rica south through most areas of South America east of the Andes down to northern Argentina and Uruguay...

, Agouti

Common agouti

The popular term Agouti designates several rodent species of the genus Dasyprocta that inhabit areas of Middle America, the West Indies, and northern South America. They are related to guinea pigs and look quite similar but have longer legs. The species vary in color from tawny to dark brown with...

, Woolly Opossum

Woolly opossum

The three species in the genus Caluromys, commonly known as woolly opossums, are members of the Didelphimorphia order.-Species and Subspecies:* Subgenus Mallodelphys**Derby's Woolly Opossum, Caluromys derbianus...

, and the Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine

Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine

The Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine or Mexican Tree Porcupine is a species of rodent in the family Erethizontidae. It is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, possibly Belize, and possibly Nicaragua.-References:...

, in addition to various kinds rabbits, squirrels and mice. While researchers have not yet spotted a Margay

Margay

The Margay is a spotted cat native to Middle and South America. Named for Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, it is a solitary and nocturnal animal that prefers remote sections of the rainforest. Although it was once believed to be vulnerable to extinction, the IUCN now lists it as "Near Threatened"...

, evidence exists in trees and pawprints.

Large reptiles on the island include the Emerald Basilisk, Black ctenosaur, Green Iguana

Green Iguana

The Green Iguana or Common Iguana is a large, arboreal herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana native to Central and South America...

, and Spectacled Caiman

Spectacled Caiman

The spectacled caiman , also known as the white caiman or common caiman, is a crocodilian reptile found in much of Central and South America. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and riverine habitat types and can tolerate salt water as well as fresh; due in part to this adaptability it is the...

. In addition, multiple species of frogs, salamander, lizards and snakes exist on the island in varying quantities.

A wide variety of tropical birds also use the island as a home or stopping point during migrations. Toucans, Parrots, Woodpeckers, Frigatebirds, Hawks, and Owls

OWLS

OWLS is a mnemonic used by general aviation airplane pilots to assess an unprepared surface for a precautionary landing.Like all mnemonics this check has become part of aviation culture and folklore.OWLS:* Obstacles* Wind direction...

 have all been spotted on the island, along with multiple varieties of Hummingbirds.

Climate

Isla Palenque's temperatures are fairly consistent year round, with 90 degree highs during the day and 70 degree temperatures at night. Isla Palenque, like most of Panama, has a rainy season from May through November and a dry season from December through April. During most of the rainy season, afternoon rains of a few hours are typical; it is only in October and November that the rains regularly become extended deluges.