The Pearl Islands are a beautiful cluster of islands located forty miles,
or 15 minutes by plane, from Panama City. These lush green islands and islets
with their beautiful sandy shores and crystal clear turquoise water are 220
in number, although only 90 are named. They make up the Archipelago de Las
Perlas.
The Pearl Islands first became known in 1513, after Vasco Nuñez De Balboa
discovered the “South Sea” or Pacific Ocean. Balboa and his party soon set off
to explore some of the nearby islands. They discovered islands so rich in pearls
that the Indians they found there covered their clothing with them. Even their
boats and oars were encrusted with gleaming pearls. Balboa claimed the islands
for the King of Spain, naming them Islas de Las Perlas or Pearl Islands. Balboa
took pearls and other treasure and reported back to the King, so the archipelago
was soon fraught with pirates and marauders searching for treasure. It was a
perfect pirate haven, partly because of the rich pearl beds, but also because
of the beautiful secluded bays and hidden coves. Later, a commercial pearl
industry thrived, only to be destroyed in 1938 by a severe red tide.
Many of the world's finest, most valuable pearls have come from the waters
surrounding the Pearl Islands. One of the most famous is La Peregrina, a
thirty-one carat pear shaped pearl the size of a pigeon's egg, which was
discovered in the mid 16th century. It was originally presented to King Phillip
of Spain, who then presented it to his wife Queen Mary I, or Mary Tudor. Over
the centuries that followed, La Peregrina (which means “The Wanderer”) has
had many royal owners, such as the Bonapartes of France and the British Marquis
of Abercorn. The late actor Richard Burton purchased the valuable pearl in
1969 as a birthday gift for his wife Elizabeth Taylor. Many anecdotes recount
the strange journey “La Peregrina” has taken through the years. It seems it
has been lost and found again under strange circumstances several times.
Elizabeth Taylor lost the precious pearl one time, only to find it again
after a frenzied search – in her dog's mouth!
The three main islands of the Archipelago de Las Perlas are Isla Contadora,
Isla Del Rey, and Isla San Jose. Isla Contadora is the most developed and most
visited of the islands at this time. It is only 1.2 square kilometers in size,
but it has twelve beautiful beaches. There are two resort hotels and several
delightful villas available for rent. There are other islands such as Isla
Viveros and Isla Saboga where new five star developments are being projected,
and in some cases are already under construction. Yet there are hundreds of
uninhabited islands to explore and untouched rainforests. Even the pearl beds
have started to recover, and pearls are once again being found in small numbers.
Panama and the Pearl Islands were introduced to a large audience with the
filming of the popular reality TV show “Survivor: Pearl Islands” in 2003.
That was followed by “Survivor: All-Stars” in 2004 and “Survivor: Panama -- Exile Island”
in 2006.
People worldwide are beginning to take notice of this special place. World
class sport fishing, exquisite white sandy beaches, great coral reefs teeming
with impressive marine life, and sea life such as whales and rare fish make
the Pearl Islands a destination spot for divers, fishermen, and others
seeking adventure.