Travel Guide Isla Taboga

Taboga, nicknamed Flower Island, is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a day (or more). Amidst hibiscus and bougainvillea, life is sweet. Yet the island has a tumultuous history, linked to the arrival of the conquistadores in 1515, to the great misfortune of the Indians. The island was the starting point for Francisco Pizarro's expedition to the Inca Empire in 1526, but was also the object of violent attacks by English and French pirates in the 17th century.In search of exoticism, the painter Paul Gauguin arrived in Panama in May 1887 with his painter friend Charles Laval. He had high hopes for the island, where he would like to settle and lead the gentle life he imagined for his "tropical studio". Unfortunately, he couldn't afford a plot of land and was forced to join the canal construction site as a digger. He worked hard to pay for his crossing to Martinique, a month later. He had very bad memories of Panama.In those days, Taboga took in workers suffering from fevers.During the Second World War, the island served as a military base for the US Army. Today, Taboga is as peaceful as can be, living off tourism, fishing and a little pineapple growing. City dwellers come here at weekends to relax.