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This page contains several architectural renderings of the proposed Kingfisher Bay Island Estates & Marina planned for Isla del Rey, Republic of Panama. Phase One of the project is scheduled to commence in December 2002. The Principals of the Kingfisher Bay project had this to say about the completed facility. Kingfisher Bay Marina Adjoining the Bay Estates is a Marina & Water Sport Center that allows you to enjoy a wide variety of water related activities. You will be able to spend hours and hours with our Skippers on whale and dolphin watching tours or simply relax on one of our sandy beaches. This site offers incredible sea life with tropical temperatures making each stay an unforgettable experience. Its clear waters make it a divers dream, and for the fisherman, record breaking Marlin, Tuna, and Sailfish can be found only minutes from the project. The Marina will be equipped with all of the facilities that a world class marina has to offer, such as electrical power hookups, fresh water supply, as well as cable & telephone jacks for easy connection to satellite TV and the Internet. At present, high speed Internet connection can be made available through three independent providers: Broadband Wireless, Bell South, and Cable and Wireless, Panama, another transnational corporation with

The future site of the Kingfisher Bay Marina & Sports Club. Fifty boat slips are planned on a floating marina design. International visitors to the Bay Marina can clear customs and immigration right on the premises.

Water depth in and around the Bay Marina ranges between 30 to 40 feet at the mean high tide level. Pacific tides vary 12 to 18 feet between high and low. The depth of water in the Marina will accommodate both small run-abouts to mega yachts with drafts greater than 12 feet. The Bay Marina will also have a 40 ton travel lift and ample space for haulouts and upfitting, maintenance, and ship repairs.

Fifty boat slips are planned on a floating marina design. International visitors to the Bay Marina can clear customs and immigration right on the premises.
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Kingfisher Bay Beach Club The Beach Club will offer many facilities for the Resort Resident and avid sailor, including a five star dining room, full exercise gym, tennis and racquetball courts, several integrated swimming pools, and Jacuzzis. The Beach Club cocktail lounge will also be open 24 hours a day, one of their trained professionals will always be available to serve you. Café styled lounges on adjacent beaches will serve food and drinks. A wide screen TV with Direct TV hook-up will provide over 800 channels of viewing pleasure. Kingfisher Bay Resort Kingfisher Bay's Resort will consist of a 5 star hotel embedded in the beauty of a natural rainforest and bordered by white sand beaches. Set on 5 approximately 12 acres, this spot is the ideal getaway for the prefect vacation. With a beach on each side of the Bay Resort, it will be only a quick walk to lay on the sand, collect seashells, or watch many of the sand castles that go up as the tide goes down.

The Kingfisher Bay Beach Club will be situated over this natural outcropping of basaltic bedrock. A boardwalk will connect the Bay Club to the shoreline.

To the front of the resort, the view will be of our state of the art Marina. Watch mega-yachts pull in after a long day out on the Pacific or walk down to the Marina and jump on a skiff that will take you out to our floating snack bar for an early dinner and drinks. 

No matter where you are on the resort, the staff will make sure that your every need is met. Five Star dining accompanied with the casino and nightclub will make you feel like you never have to leave the Bay Resort. If you need to work off some of the fine foods that the Bay Resort has to offer, you will be able to do so in the workout facilities that will coincide with the spa. Have a massage, or relax in a good steam bath. Whatever you may need it is there for the taking.
 

About Transportation Airstrips are fairly common in the Las Perlas Islands wherever private estates now exist in more remote areas of the Archipelago.  Elsewhere on Isla del Rey, wealthy landowners welcome the prospects of an additional landing strip, especially if they've been traveling by yacht to and from Panama City. The airstrip planned for Phase One of the development to begin in December 2002 will be used by visitors and residents of Kingfisher Bay Island Estates & Marina and private estate owners, too. In Phase Two of the development, a fully operational airport is planned that will accommodate small jets. Currently, Aero Perlas makes scheduled flights to Isla Contadora, a favorite vacation and private estate hideaway for Panamanians and the International Set. Aero Perlas will provide air service and transportation to Kingfisher Bay Island Estates & Marina beginning with the completion of the Phase One airstrip. Of course, sea travel by yacht is always an option for mariners.

Airstrips abound in the Las Perlas Islands, such as this facility built by the owner of the private estate on the island's point.

Aero Perlas flies out of Panama City's Marcos A. Gelabert Airport, the same airport that provides air travel to Boquete, Bocas del Toro, and the San Blas Islands, as well as everywhere else within the Republic of Panama. For international travel, Tocumen International Airport provides service to the USA, Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and points throughout Central America. A flight from Marcos A. Gelabert Airport to Kingfisher Bay Island Estates & Marina costs around $50 round trip and takes about 20 minutes one way. Add 20 minutes for a shuttle to Tocumen International Airport and the math says you're never further than three and a half hours from Miami, Florida.. 

Moving counter-clockwise from the left, the natural outcrop of bedrock will become a causeway for strolling while protecting marine species habitats. The crystal clear waters will become a diver's paradise. There are five beaches on the property, each with plenty of shade for warm and balmy days. This coastline will have oceanfront views of Kingfisher Bay. The surrounding triple canopy forest is virgin woodlands, the home of exotic species of animals and plants. Much of Isla del Rey is like this. Nature trails will abound while every effort is made to preserve its natural beauty and ecology.

A four acre water reservoir with a state of the art purification system will provide ample water for every need. The reservoir will be stocked with the angler's favorite sporting fish, the Peacock Bass.

When you arrive at Kingfisher Bay Island Estates & Marina you will find a plethora of activities to keep every hour your day filled. Unlike other resorts, Kingfisher Bay is unique in the quality in which each activity is designed. Here is a list of already planned activities to keep you busy if you decide you want a change from the Internet, TV, socializing, or quiet times doing absolutely nothing.
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Fishing Kingfisher Bay Island Estates & Marina is only one hour from Piñas Bay, which holds many World Records for deep-sea fishing. Within 30 minutes, you can be in those same waters where the biggest Marlin, Sailfish, Tuna, and many other Pacific fish thrive. To have over 500 pounds worth of fish in your boat within a few hours is not a stretch of the imagination. It is a reality. Sailing & Sailboat Cruises Whether you would like to use a marina craft or would like a tour on a large sailboat around the entire island, Kingfisher Bay can accommodate you. Over 200 islands, some without names, all a tropical paradise within each, make day trips and overnight excursions adventurous and absolutely safe. Let the Pacific winds take you where you want to go. Diving/Snorkeling Kingfisher Bay has the wishes of every diver in mind. If what you are looking for is wonder, adventure, and excitement, we can take you on an electrifying dive with the Pacific's largest fish. For the beginners or those who would like a more relaxed dive, there are  calm waters and coral reefs to explore. Many shipwrecks lay undiscovered in and around Las Perlas Archipelago. It is quite common to bring home a bag full of Lobster, conch, and even octopus. Even the most novice diver to enjoy the natural wonders of diving. Whale/Dolphin Watching Kingfisher Bay has arranged for whale and dolphin cruises that include breakfast served as you leave the Bay Marina. You'll see Mother Whales and their calves as they come up for air in an explosion that will amaze you. Watch Dolphin lead your boat out to the destinations as the once old sailors told tales about. Only here will you feel that you are one with the natural beauty of the sea. A nice traditional lunch will be served as stories of what was seen that day are shared among the guest and crew. Hiking Tours Our tours take you right next to the absolute attractiveness of Panama's rain forest. Our tour guides will show you the different indigenous plant life as well as point out the trees that the local fisherman use to carve out their Cayucos (local traditional boat). You will never feel closer to wildlife than on these tours.  Bird Watching Bird watching enthusiasts will not know what to think after one of our tours. There are over 900 registered species in Panama and the country is considered one of the world's best bird watching spots. There is a saying that rings very true; "In Costa Rica, 20 tourists try to see one Resplendent Quetzal, but in Panama one person can easily see 20 of these exquisite birds." The World of Golf Kingfisher Bay Island Estates & Marina is currently in negotiations with several Golf Course designers. The project will consist of an 18 hole championship course, with total yardage from the professional tees at 6900 yards. The course will curve around the natural rain forest, and the island's many rivers and creaks will make for a long day on the course if you don't keep your head down. The course will also be complimented by driving range and a 5 star club and pro shop.

stock photos

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Page 3 of this article has a final note from the Editor of Escape from America Magazine. Also, you'll find additional photographs of the Las Perlas Islands, information about scheduling tours for a visit to Kingfisher Bay Island Estates & Marina, as well as links to other resources on this project, articles about living in Panama, and why investing in Panama is one of the best choices you'll ever make in this day and age. ... .
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