Contadora Island

Get away from it all in a secluded tropical island paradise. Contadora Island (home base for 3 seasons of the Survivor TV series), located 40 miles off the shore of Panama City, is the most highly developed of the Pearl Islands in the Gulf of Panama. You are never far from one of the island's 13 beaches (including Panama's only nude beach), as you can walk around the island in less than two hours. If you are not into walking, there are also golf carts, bikes and four-wheelers available for rent.

You can experience some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in Panama here. You can rent snorkeling and scuba equipment, and jet skis, or charter a fishing boat. There is also a rustic 9 hole golf course.

The population of Contadora Island is around 300 and it has a small police force, a medical center, a primary school and small grocery stores and souvenir shops. There are two resorts, each of which has a restaurant, a bar, and a pool. Contadora is a year round vacation spot, with very temperate weather. Even during the "rainy season" all day rains are very rare. Daily highs range from 80-90 degrees F. year round.

Note that there are no banks or banking machines on the island, although some restaurants and businesses accept credit cards, so please be sure to bring enough cash with you for your needs. The currency is the US dollar.

Getting here - the island airport (click thumbnails for larger view)