A tourist heads down the main street of town to Playa Galeon, where the morning ferry has just arrived from Panama City.
The short airstrip spans the entire width of the island, ending at Playa Galeon on the north and Playa Cacique on the south.
Contadora Island, just twenty minutes from the cacaphony of Panama City by puddle jumper (or an hour and a half by ferry) is a world unto itself, a sleepy little getaway in the middle of the Gulf of Panama. Less than two mile long and a little over a half mile wide, the island is ringed by rocky volcanic cliffs, white sand beaches and azure waters. It is a weekend retreat for wealthy Panamanians and others, whose million-dollar homes dot the shoreline. The primary mode of transportation on the island is the golf cart, as fuel is scarce and expensive, and the roads are narrow.
This was our second visit to the island and to the Contadora Island Inn, a tiny, five-room B&B off the beaten path on the western side, a mile from the airstrip.
The bouganvilla-shrouded archway at the entrance to the Inn welcomes guests and friends.
The communal area of the Contadora Island Inn is the center of conversation and a hearty complimentary breakfast.
The million-dollar homes of the rich and famous are perched on the cliffs of Contadora Island.
The lovely Playa Ejecutiva (Executive Beach) is a ten-minute walk from our lodge. Shaded by palm trees, it is the perfect place to relax. The house on the cliff at the far end of the beach is where the Shah of Iran spent his years in exile.
Playa Cacique, on the south side of Contadora Island, is a favorite mooring spot for visiting catamarans and sailboats. The water here is calm and clear.
An egret stalks his lunch on the rocks of Playa Cacique.
A glamorous mermaid at Playa Ejecutiva.
The mermaid’s other half.
We hung out quite a bit with the other folks who were staying at the Inn with us, including Michael and Judy, a charming Rasta couple from Austria, Edi and Sylvia, young pizza-restaurant entrepreneurs from Venice, and Jeff, an experienced vacationer and avid Ducati motorcyclist from North Carolina. We had wonderful meals every evening, first at Gerald’s, a restaurant and guest house run by a German expatriate, then at a Panamanian restaurant where they grilled your meal at the table, and finally at Casa Tortuga, a wonderful Italian resstaurant owned by another Italian chef and host.
Michael and Judy, globe-trotting vagabonds from Austria, share a passion for Jamaican music and hot beaches from Panama to Thailand.
Edi and Sylvia, both raised in pizza-making families in Italy, operate two very successful takeout restaurants near Venice, making and serving up to several hundred delectable pizzas a day, made with the wafer-thin crust typical of that region.
Michael and Jeff on the front terrace of the Contadora Island Inn.
Dinner on night two was at the Rincon Hot Stone restaurant, where they grilled your fish or shrimp or chicken right at the table. It was superb.
Heading to dinner in style.
Waiting for our flight back to Panama City.
Moments after takeoff, we catch our last glimpse of Playa Galeon before heading out over the Gulf.
Here is another view of the Gehry Biomuseo from the air as we descend back into Albrook airport from Contadora.
Onward viewpoints are those of its owner. You may share and adapt this article for non-commercial purposes, provided proper attribution is given. Attribution should include:
