POP 48,400 / AREA 8653 SQ KM / ELEV SEA LEVEL TO 3478M

Best Off-the Beaten-Path Spots

¨ Parque Nacional Darién (p247)

¨ Piji Basal (p248)

¨ Pacific Coast (p253)

¨ Jaqué (p253)

¨ Reserva Natural Punta Patiño (p250)

Best Places to Sleep

¨ Filo de Tallo (p246)

¨Canopy Camp (p245)

¨ Punta Patiño Lodge (p250)

¨ Piji Basal (p248)

¨ Tropic Star Lodge (p253)

Darién ProvinceWhy Go?One of world’s richest biomes is the 5760-sq-km Parque Nacional Darién, where the primeval meets the present with scenery nearly unaltered from one million years ago. Even today in the Darién, the Emberá and Wounaan peo-ple maintain many of their traditional practices and retain generations-old knowledge of the rainforest. In a stroke of irony, much of the Darién has remained untouched because of its volatile reputation.

The road to Yaviza – the most accessible part of the province – has scenes of habitat destruction. Cruising the waterways and hiking trails are the only ways to explore the slow-paced interior Darién and the Pacific coast, where Emberá, Wounaan and African-Darienita cultures coexist.

The region’s issues are complex. Police checkpoints are frequent because of narcotrafficking. The Darién is not for everyone, but with careful planning and the right destina-tions, it offers opportunities for intrepid travelers to dis-cover something truly wild.

When to Go ¨Dec–Mar The premium months for sportfishing in the

Pacific.

¨Dec–mid-Apr The best time to visit, with drier trails and easier and more reliable transport connections.

¨Oct–Feb Marine turtle hatching on the Pacific coast.

Includes ¨Parque Nacional Darién . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247Piji Basal . . . . . . . . . . 248Rancho Frío . . . . . . . . 249Reserva Natural Punta Patiño . . . . . . . 250Mogué . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251Río Sambú . . . . . . . . . . 251Sambú . . . . . . . . . . . . 252Jaqué . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

(95km)Panama City

C A R I B B E A N S E A

San MiguelGolfo de

P a n a m áG o l f o d e

UrabáGolfo de

Bahía Piña

IglesiasRío

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TRío

Mogué

Río

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Comarca de Guna Yala

Panamá

Darién

NazaretPunta Alegre

ObaldíaPuerto

Punulosa

Ipetí Tortí

Cañazas

La Palma

El NaranjalLimón

La Chunga

Guina

Santa Fé

Canglón

Metetí

Taimatí

Garachiné

Paya

PúcuroBalsal

La Miel

RufinoAguacate

Capurganá

Acandí

Cristales Sautatá

Bijao

Salaquí

Sapzurro

El RealYaviza

QuimbaPuerto

Sambú

IndioPuerto

TrampaBoca de

Pavarandó

Unión Chocó

Boca de Cupe

las LetrasPalo de

CanglónReserva Forestal

BagreSerranía de

Biológico de laCorredor

Los KatíosNacionalParque

DariénNacionalParque

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Altos de L

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(1491m)PirreCerro

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(95km)Panama City

C A R I B B E A N S E A

San MiguelGolfo de

P a n a m áG o l f o d e

UrabáGolfo de

Bahía Piña

IglesiasRío

uquesa

TRío

Mogué

Río

Uru

gant

íR

ío

enad

o

VR

ío

sasB

al

Ríouira

TRío

Jaqué

Río

búam

SRío

ira

uTR

ío

ítnagruc

Uoí

R

Comarca de Guna Yala

Panamá

Darién

NazaretPunta Alegre

ObaldíaPuerto

Punulosa

Ipetí Tortí

Cañazas

La Palma

El NaranjalLimón

La Chunga

Guina

Santa Fé

Canglón

Metetí

Taimatí

Garachiné

Paya

PúcuroBalsal

La Miel

RufinoAguacate

Capurganá

Acandí

Cristales Sautatá

Bijao

Salaquí

Sapzurro

El RealYaviza

QuimbaPuerto

Sambú

IndioPuerto

TrampaBoca de

Pavarandó

Unión Chocó

Boca de Cupe

las LetrasPalo de

CanglónReserva Forestal

BagreSerranía de

Biológico de laCorredor

Los KatíosNacionalParque

DariénNacionalParque

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S e r r a n í a

d e l

S e r r a n í a

D a r i é n

u r

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e l

S e

r r

a n

í a

S a p o

Altos de L

imón

M a j é

(1491m)PirreCerro

9º00'N

8º30'N

7º30'N

8º00'N

8º30'N

78º00'W 77º30'W

78º30'WPedeguita

Ciénaga La

BayanoLago

MuertoPlaya de

GarachinéPunta

A

Cana

COLO

MBI

A

PANAM

A

Canopy Camp

9º00'N

7º30'N

8º00'N

78º30'W

77º30'W78º00'W

1

na

icam

er

Interade TalloFilo

Rancho Frío

MoguéPunta Patiño

Reserva Natural

Jaqué

BasalPiji

0 40 km0 20 miles

1 Reserva Natural Punta Patiño (p250) Searching for capybara while exploring the lush jungle reserve of Reserva Natural Punta Patiño on the edge of golfo de San Miguel .

2 Rancho Frío (p249) Hiking along the spectacular jungle trails surrounding

Rancho Frío, a ranger station on the edge of Parque Nacional Darién .

3 Mogué (p251) or Piji Basal (p248) looking for harpy eagles and interacting with the emberá around these traditional villages .

4 Filo de Tallo (p246) enjoying excursions into indigenous communities and the dreamy savanna-like setting of this ecolodge .

5 Jaqué (p253) Helping to rescue marine turtles in this Pacific Ocean community.

Darién Province Highlights