Isla Palenque Private Island, Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama
Get your Robinson Crusoe on at Isla Palenque, one of Panama's best-kept secrets: an intimate, colour-splashed, 400-acre sustainable private escape in the idyllic Gulf of Chiriquí. Along with seven untouched beaches, a split-level infinity pool, private restaurant, rainforest yoga deck and an exclusive, six-bedroom villa, eight oceanfront casitas have been added for those who just want to be left alone with the sound of the sea.
And when it comes to action, there's plenty. Local guides lead wildlife tours that spot everything from howler monkeys to green iguanas, explaining the island's cultural heritage as you walk past untouched ancient artefacts from pre-Columbian civilisations. They'll also arrange boat trips out to explore nearby islands or to the Coiba National Park to dive with sharks at one of the eastern Pacific's biggest coral reefs.