The Best Photo Spots on Taboga Island
August 17, 2026
You don’t need a long lens or a tripod to get good shots on Taboga. These four spots cover most of what a half-day trip on the island gives you.
El Morro
El Morro is the hill that closes off the bay right where the boats come in. You can see it whole from the pier and from the beach: rock and green hillside dropping almost straight into the water.
The classic shot is the town with El Morro behind it, or the other way around, with fishing boats in the foreground and the hill as backdrop. Shooting before the sun climbs too high keeps the water flatter and cuts down on glare.
The viewpoint (mirador)
A short trail from the village leads up to a natural lookout over the whole bay. On a clear day you can make out the Panama City skyline across the gulf, plus the smaller islands nearby.
The walk is short but steep in parts, so closed shoes beat flip-flops. Mid-afternoon light works better here than noon, since the contrast between sea and sky is softer and photos don’t blow out as easily.
San Pedro Church
The San Pedro church sits on the main plaza, white, simple, with a green hillside behind it. It’s believed to be the second oldest church in Latin America, which adds some weight to a plain facade shot.
To photograph the inside, you’ll usually need to ask someone from the village to open it, since it isn’t always open. The white front works well in harsh morning light and in late-afternoon golden light, when the sun hits it from the side.
The village streets
Taboga’s streets are narrow, with barely any car traffic, and houses in ochre, pastel blue and similar tones. You don’t need a special angle: walking two or three blocks from the pier already gives you plants hanging off balconies and the occasional cat sitting in a doorway.
The alleys leading up toward the viewpoint work too, especially early morning, when there’s not much activity yet and light comes in sideways between the houses.
Best time to shoot
There’s no fixed hour that guarantees good light since it depends on the day and cloud cover. As a rough guide, early morning and after 3pm tend to give softer shadows than midday sun.
For the ferry schedule, check the getting there guide. If you’re planning the rest of the day too, our things to do on Taboga page covers the other spots on the island.