Paradise beach on Contadora Panama
Central America,  History,  Independent travel,  Panama,  Photography,  Travel Blog

Drug Barons, Michaela’s Knee And An Island Named Accountant: Days In Paradise 

December 26, 2022 /

We have to admit that we’ve been a bit self-indulgent for the next seven days – well, it is Christmas after all. From now until 28th we’re on the ridiculously picturesque island of Contadora, out in the Pacific about 90 minutes on the little ferry boat from Panama City – a ferry boat which, with echoes of how Greek ferries used to be, crams as much goods and produce into its limited space as it does passengers.

Sea Las Perlas Contadora ferry
The ferry to Contadora

An early departure time means we’re down at Flamenco Marina before daylight and disembarked and checked in to our room-with-an-incredible-view on the island shortly after 10am. Before coming here we’d read that the ferry is unable to dock and it’s necessary to wade through the waters on arrival, but this is no longer the case as they’ve installed a floating pontoon – tricky to negotiate when loaded with backpacks but better than being knee deep in the Pacific.

Contadora Islas Perlas
Our first sight of the island

Contadora really does translate as “accountant”, or “counter” (as in one who counts things) or, if you like, stocktaker. And the name comes from precisely that – when the Spanish first did their thing and came over to the Americas to plunder riches and do their damnedest to wipe out indigenous civilisations, they were so successful with the plundering aspect that they needed somewhere to count up the riches and assimilate the values of their ill gotten gains. Remote islands free from combative natives was the answer – and Contadora was one such, a place to sort out the rich stuff before sending it home to the motherland. Isn’t it remarkable and just a little amusing that the name survives to this day.

Mar y Oro Contadora island Panama
Mar y Oro Hotel Contadora
Mar y Oro Contadora Island
Breakfast view

Panama isn’t an old country in the great scheme of things, yet studying its history and trying to present a précis is a bit of a challenge. Rife with complexity, connivance and contradiction, filled with espionage, exploitation and embezzlement, trying to understand Panama is like trying to unravel a huge bowl of spaghetti and then finding there’s four other bowls, one of which is tagliatelle. 

Contadora Panama
Beaches of Contadora

But let’s have a go. This tiny slip of land was always bound to be coveted – a land bridge between the two halves of the Americas and the shortest route between the two great oceans. Early dwellers here were most likely decimated if not wiped out altogether by eruptions of Volcan Baru.

Contadora Panama
Empty beaches
Contadora Panama
Playa Larga

The 16th century sees the area which is modern day Panama occupied by the Spanish who meet some fierce resistance from indigenous peoples but plunder and bulldoze in their usual way nonetheless. Piracy threatens Spanish rule with Henry Morgan’s rampaging visits destroying the old metropolis and triggering the creation of Panama City. But they conquer the threat and the Camino Real becomes the main transit route for the plundered riches of South America heading for Spain: then later, as this route falls into decline, so do the fortunes of the region.

Contadora Panama
Contadora

Independence from Spain, effectively as a province of Colombia, precedes another economic surge as South Americans flock in numbers to the California gold rush, a rise in fortune which brings about first the Panama Railway and second the desire to build the canal. In 1903, sensing an opportunity for ROI and creation of a tax haven, the USA, with the major US Banks allegedly influencing Congress’s decisions, seizes on France’s failure to build the canal and backs Panama’s independence from Colombia in a deal which ensures the USA retains control of the canal.

Contadora Panama
Contadora

Relations between USA and Panama are at times strained but endure until the 1980s when Noriega becomes President and eyes a different route to greater riches through alliance with drug barons rather than the US. 1989 consequently sees the American invasion and removal and imprisonment of Noriega. Ten years later, on the last day of the 20th century, ownership of the canal is handed by the USA to Panama. With significant control over the generous proceeds from the canal, Panama both invests in tourism and works towards granting increased rights to indigenous populations such as the Ngabe and Guna who have previously been persecuted and marginalised. 

Contadora Panama

So there you have a 3-paragraph history of Panama which misses out much of the skullduggery and intrigue which is so difficult to unravel but hopefully has some context and orientation. All the more amusing though that this island retains the name Contadora to this day, still recognising the historical need for the Spanish to have a safe counting house 500 years ago despite all that has happened in this region since.

Contadora Panama
Paradise

And what a beautiful little paradise island it is, so small that you could walk around the whole thing in about an hour if there wasn’t so many things to make you stop and stare. Eleven picture perfect beaches form a soft golden border between the green and the blue, the undulating interior is heavily wooded, bringing both shade and birdsong to the scene.

Contadora Panama
Beautiful Contadora
Robinson Crusoe

Contadora is also an extremely quiet haven; with a significantly limited number of beds on the island this is a peaceful, get-away-from-it-all corner of the world where even the best beaches are virtually empty. The tidal sweep narrows the sandy shores to thin strips twice per day, and brings surprisingly strong cross currents on the flow tide. A little flurry of morning activity heralds the daily docking of the ferry, solitary fishermen arrive on dinghies late afternoon carrying tonight’s dinner for everyone, neighbouring islands protrude from the blue seas like settings for Robinson Crusoe.

Contadora Panama
Bringing in the catch

Mostly hidden by trees and shrubs, a once proud three-storey building lurks sulkily behind the beautiful Playa Larga where an abandoned ferry rusts on the golden sand. This large, rambling place was once a 5-star hotel attracting the rich and famous (think Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, John Wayne, the Kennedys) but now just adds to the intriguing history of Contadora, having been owned by an extremely wealthy Colombian said to have had strong connections with the biggest of the drug barons.

Contadora Hotel
Abandoned hotel
Contadora Panama
Playa Larga

When that owner, one Carlos Arango, was killed in a mysterious plane crash, the hotel fell idle, giving rise to a general suspicion that the whole thing had been a cover for money laundering. As one report puts it, “fictitious guests don’t pay the bills”. Such things might just explain why this remote and unassuming little island has an incongruously well maintained landing strip for light aircraft.

Sunrise Contadora Panama
Sunrise on Contadora
Sunset Contadora Panama
Sunset on Contadora

Life for us here has no such complication. Our days start with glorious sunrises, pass through twelve hours of cloudless skies and end with the classic paradise island sight of palm trees silhouetted against the evening sky. Then it’s time for stargazing with the milky way clearly visible from our balcony.

Contadora Panama
Michaela in Paradise

Or at least that’s how it is until Michaela is involved in An Incident. Playing in the waves at the beach close to our room, we are body surfing and having fun being dragged around by the powerful currents when a large unseen log, carried by the crashing wave, smashes into Michaela’s knee. Cue instant bruising and, the following day, a pronounced limp and real difficulty bending the joint. Even walking is suddenly an issue.

It’s around ten days till we reach the serious hiking part of this trip. Ten days for her to recover….

Contadora Panama
The offending log

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