Hiking in Taboga: Trails, Gear and Tips

Taboga is an island in the Pearl Islands archipelago, 80% of which is a protected wildlife reserve. It’s shaped by distinctive hills like El Vigía and Cerro de La Cruz, both moderately accessible, and also has beaches like El Jobo — less accessible, but with great potential.

(Map of the different spots you can visit on the island.)

Reaching these spots could use a bit more signage, though that’s not much of an obstacle for an experienced hiker with some common sense. If you’re not used to this kind of activity, you can hire a guide to help.

(Bilingual guide at El Vigía.)

For the average visitor, Taboga is a day of sun and beach that starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends with the return trip at 4:00 p.m., but the island offers more than that: its streets and its village, largely unchanged over the years, stand in sharp contrast to Panama City’s tall buildings and modernity.

There’s a perimeter path that starts as a coastal walkway and turns into a trail as the houses thin out and you head into the reserve; at a certain point it stops being passable due to the vegetation, and that’s when it’s time to turn back. It would be worth clearing the full route someday, since the path does exist, but overgrowth currently makes it impassable.

Hiking on the island calls for some gear; here’s what we use:

• Long pants (jeans or cargo)
• Boots
• Socks
• T-shirt
• Cap
• Sunglasses
• Sports watch
• Charged phone
• A backpack with water and a snack (peanuts or crackers), a knife, a phone cable and an emergency battery

(The path toward Las Tres Cruces, inside the reserve, and recommended clothing.)

Tip: it’s important to avoid dehydration, since the climate is hot and humid. The trails don’t pose much danger from wild or venomous animals, but it’s better to be cautious and prepared to avoid an unnecessary headache.

At forty years old, I manage each of these hikes in about an hour on average, but that will depend on each person’s physical condition.

Tip: start the hike early in the morning; avoid attempting it at midday.

(View from Cerro de La Cruz.)

To be continued…

This guide pairs well with the hiking section of our things to do page, and to reach the island you can check current schedules and fares in our getting there guide.