Regions in Brief

Isla Solarte -- Isla Solarte, also known as Nancy's Cay, is an 1.3-sq.-km (1/2-sq.-mile) island known for Hospital Point, one of the best areas for snorkeling and close to Isla Colón. Hospital Point is named for an old hospital built by the United Fruit Company to treat plantation workers suffering from yellow fever and malaria. The hospital has since closed, and in its place is a home owned by a local historian named Clyde Stephens, who has written several books about the region and the banana plantation days. Currently an upscale residential community is spreading across the island, attracting foreigners seeking to buy a slice of tropical paradise that is protected by a gate and security services.