Taboga Island
Encyclopedia
Taboga Island also known as the "Island of Flowers," is a volcanic island in the Gulf of Panama
. It is a tourist destination, about 20 km from Panama City
, Panama
.
and was originally named Isla de San Pedro by the Spanish explorer, Vasco Núñez de Balboa
. Its current name derives from an Indian word, aboga ("many fish"). The island's first settlers were Indian slaves from Venezuela
and Nicaragua
. The small town of San Pedro was founded in 1524 by Hernando de Luque
, dean of the Panama cathedral. The town church of the same name is claimed to be the second oldest church in the hemisphere. Rose of Lima
(1586–1617), the first Catholic saint of the Americas, may have been born on the island. French painter Paul Gauguin
visited the island in 1887.
, and the southeastern end is 270 meters from the neighboring Urabá
island. The island has a tropical rain forest climate (Af), with average daytime temperatures of 83 °F. It is famous for its beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, soft sands and a wildlife refuge.
. Daily ferries
link the city to the island, most of them departing from the Amador Causeway
.
Aside from beaches, the island has trails for hiking
to its highest points, including Cerro Vigía and Cerro de la Cruz. The later one is a hill located south of the town, topped with a huge cross.
Gulf of Panama
The Gulf of Panama is a gulf in the Pacific Ocean, near the southern coast of Panama. It has a maximum width of , a maximum depth of and the size of . The Panama Canal connects the Gulf of Panama with the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
. It is a tourist destination, about 20 km from Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, 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...
.
History
The island was discovered in the 16th century16th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century lasted from 1501 to 1600. It is regarded by historians as the century in which the rise of the West occurred....
and was originally named Isla de San Pedro by the Spanish explorer, Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World.He traveled to the New World in...
. Its current name derives from an Indian word, aboga ("many fish"). The island's first settlers were Indian slaves from Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. The small town of San Pedro was founded in 1524 by Hernando de Luque
Hernando de Luque
Hernando de Luque was a Spanish priest who travelled to the New World in the 16th century. He arrived in 1514 with the expedition of Pedrarias Dávila to Panama, where he met Francisco Pizarro. Luque financed a joint expedition by Pizarro and Diego de Almagro to Peru in 1526...
, dean of the Panama cathedral. The town church of the same name is claimed to be the second oldest church in the hemisphere. Rose of Lima
Rose of Lima
Rose of Lima, , the first Catholic saint of the Americas, was born in Lima, Peru.-Biography:Saint Rose of Lima was born in the city of that name, the daughter of Gaspar Flores, a harquebusier from San German, Puerto Rico, and his wife, Maria de Oliva, who was a native of Lima. She was part of a...
(1586–1617), the first Catholic saint of the Americas, may have been born on the island. French painter Paul Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
visited the island in 1887.
Geography
At low tide, the northern end of the island is joined by a sand bar to the small island of El MorroEl Morro
El Morro is a Spanish term meaning "The Promontory", which in English may be used in reference to the resemblance of various promontories.-Individuals:* El Morro , considered the best chess player in Portugal of his time.-Places:...
, and the southeastern end is 270 meters from the neighboring Urabá
Urabá
Urabá or Uraba may refer to:* Gulf of Urabá, a gulf in the Caribbean sea in Colombia.* Urabá Region, a subregion of Colombia.* Urabá Region, a subregion of Colombia.* Urabá Antioquia, a subregion of the Antioquia Department, Colombia....
island. The island has a tropical rain forest climate (Af), with average daytime temperatures of 83 °F. It is famous for its beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, soft sands and a wildlife refuge.
Tourism
Tourism is the major economic activity on the island, although fishing and agriculture are also practiced. The island has become a popular touristic attraction, due to its beautiful natural areas and to its proximity to Panama CityPanama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
. Daily ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
link the city to the island, most of them departing from the Amador Causeway
Causeway Islands
Causeway Islands are four small islands by the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, they were linked to the mainland via a causeway, made from rock extracted during the excavations from the Panama Canal...
.
Aside from beaches, the island has trails for hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
to its highest points, including Cerro Vigía and Cerro de la Cruz. The later one is a hill located south of the town, topped with a huge cross.