If you’re sick of the city, and wondering what to do this Saturday, a breezy boat ride on the Calypso to Isla Taboga might be just the daytrip for you. Only twelve miles off the coast of Panama, the name Taboga was later adopted from the Indian term aboga, meaning “many fish.”

Nearly 450 years after its founding, the island still maintains the simplicity and flavor of olden days. The early settlers of Isla Taboga were Venezuelan and Nicaraguan enslaved indigenous Indians who had been brought to the island to serve the needs of the Spanish Conquistadors. Paul Gaugain painted here in 1887, right before his famous move to Tahiti, and in the 16th century Henry Morgan used Isla Taboga as a trading center for his stolen goods after sacking Panama City. In 1998 workers setting a foundation found 1000 pieces of his silver.

After getting off the Calypso we ate fish at a tiny local restaurant. The fish still had the head and eyeballs on it, which kind of freaked my gringo soul out, but after actually taking the plunge, it was delicious.
As soon as we got on the beach an umbrella was offered to us for five dollars, a little pricy, but I hate sunburns so it was fun sitting underneath it (and it had an 80s pattern well worth the money). The beach was pretty and had more people on it than any other Panamanian beach I had ever been to, mostly tourists in Speedos. What is the mindset in wearing a Speedo? Are Olympic-sized laps being performed in the Panamanian ocean? Or is it just a primitive need to show off? The water was a little polluted with garbage, but it couldn’t have been too dirty: when we got off the boat dozens of puffer fish were swimming below.

The town is cute, with only one winding road lined with palm trees. We bought ice cream and walked around and looked out at the blue water and the skyline of Panama City. Little boys shimmied up the coconut trees and threw them down to their friends, who cracked them to drink the milk. Venders sold t- shirts and towels and earrings to tourist, and the boat left at 4.30. A perfect day trip.

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Filed under: Country Guide on February 15th, 2008