The village
Almost car-free.
Ayaita — CC BY 3.0 · Astrid Vergara — CC BY-SA 4.0 · randreu — CC BY 3.0 · Garcia.dennis — CC BY-SA 4.0
A small volcanic island in the Bay of Panama about twenty kilometres from the city, nicknamed the «Island of Flowers» for the blooms in its gardens. About 1,600 people live in a quiet fishing village with narrow, almost car-free streets and colourful houses with balconies over the sea. The ferry leaves from the Amador Causeway, passing beneath the Bridge of the Americas and among ships waiting at the canal entrance, a trip of about an hour. The island has a calm sandy beach in front of the village, and at low tide a sandbar links it to the little island of El Morro, so people walk across. Visitors climb a trail to the top of the island's hill for views over the whole bay, the distant city towers and ships heading for the canal. The village has small restaurants serving fresh fish and an old church said to be among the oldest in the Americas. Check the return ferry times, as the last one leaves in the afternoon. It is hot and humid all year, with heavy afternoon rain from May to November, so carry water and an umbrella.
Almost car-free.
Sandbar at low tide.
Bay views.
Bay of Panama, about 20 km from the city, by ferry from Amador
By ferry from the Amador Causeway in about an hour, passing under the Bridge of the Americas; check the last return time.