Seven Casitas, Fourteen Islands: How Islas Secas Keeps Panama's Gulf of Chiriquí to Itself
The Pacific archipelago 20 miles off Panama's coast puts its entire guest capacity on one island and leaves the other thirteen wild, with a solar-powered operation and a conservation foundation attached.
Islas Secas occupies fourteen private volcanic islands in Panama's Gulf of Chiriquí, roughly 20 miles off the Pacific coast and near Coiba National Park, a UNESCO-protected marine sanctuary. Thirteen of the islands are left undeveloped. The fourteenth holds seven casitas, which is the resort's total capacity, reached by a short flight from Panama City onto a private jungle airstrip.
The casitas are set well apart, open-air, with plunge pools, wide decking and louvered walls, built from natural materials including hand-carved Indian teakwood alongside wicker and rattan. Casita Mirador is the couples' option, screened by tropical foliage with a plunge pool and Pacific views. Casa Cavada, at four bedrooms and six bathrooms, is the family house, arranged around an infinity pool.
The low key count shapes the operation rather than decorating it. Staff run beach drops on empty stretches of sand with lunch, a bar and water equipment; dinner can be served at the casita door, on another island entirely, or at Terraza. Drinks are at the Balboa Bar.
The property runs on what it describes as Panama's largest off-grid solar installation and has removed more than 900 pounds of ghost nets from surrounding waters. The privately funded Islas Secas Foundation supports humpback whale research, mangrove protection and marine protected area work, and guests help monitor Panama's second-largest colony of magnificent frigatebirds. Offshore: blue and black marlin, whale sharks, giant mantas, bottlenose dolphins.