The Las Perlas Islands are a triangular chain running north and south covering about 400 square miles of sea southeast of Panama City. There is one very large island (about 15nm x 12nm) - Isla de Rey - at the southeast base of the triangle, two 1-2-mile long islands - San José and Pedro Gonzalez - defining the southwest corner, and then a whole maze of a couple dozen rocks and small islands making the apex. With the exception of Contadora, a very high end resort island, the Perlas are uninhabited but for a handful of Indian villages. The beaches of Las Perlas are gleaming white sand, usually bracketed by rocky outcrops, but, like Taboga, the hillsides are mostly a dry tropical climate.<br> In Pre-Columbian times, Las Perlas Islands were ruled by an Indian king whose main occupation was pearl-diving. Pearls were then used as ornament and to trade with. Most pearls in the world were collected in these waters. <BR>Las Perlas Islands fueled the greed of the Spaniards. Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, who discovered and gave name to the Pacific Ocean from a point less than 90 kilometers from San Jose Island, was attracted by its wealth in gold and pearls. Later on, Las Perlas Island sheltered famous pirates of different nationalities, that for several centuries looted the wealthy Spanish settlements and fleet.<br> Perhaps the most striking thing about all these islands are the seabirds. The Pacific is just fifty-some miles across the isthmus from the Caribbean, yet the seabird populations are much, much greater. Whole squadrons of pelicans cross courses with long lines of cormorants Up high circle flocks of magnificent frigate birds, while small groups of snow white egrets provide contrast. On the shoreline are white ibis, with their hooked red bills, yellow-crowned night heron, and the red-billed North American Oystercatchers. As for sea life, you can see dolphins, whales and rays. <BR>The climate of the islands are typical, with a rainy season from May to November, and dry season from December to April. The temperature ranges between a minimum of 65 degrees F, with a average of 79 degrees F.