Excursions

(Scenery at Isla Coiba)

My time is quickly coming to an end in Panama and I have made sure to squeeze in some traveling over the past few months to see the amazing geographic and cultural sites of this country. I’ve visited some beautiful beaches and islands in both the Pacific and the Caribbean, as well as crossed through the mountains and over the continental divide through the Comarca Ngöbe-Buglé.

More photos, of course are on Flickr. Click here for the link.

Santa Catalina/Coiba:
My cousin Tara and her 2 friends, Nick and George, came down for a wild visit during Carnaval. We had too much fun in Panama City, roughed it in my site and then checked out Santa Catalina (a sleepy surf town) and Isla Coiba (once a prison, now national park with virgin forests and picturesque beaches).

(a private cove where the monkeys roam)

(the boys try their hand at surfing)

(island hopping in the Pacific and hours away from the mainland)

(snorkeling and SCUBA dives)


(Tara, Nick and I in rehab at the prison on Coiba)

Hike over the Continental Divide:
I went on a 3-day adventure to hike with some friends from the continental divide in the Comarca region from the Chiriquí side over to the Bocas side. We followed the Río Cricamola starting from the headwaters and ended in the remote Ngobe city of Kankintú. From there, we took a dug out canoe out to a bay that leads to the Caribbean Sea. Along the way we stayed in schools and with a nice family that let us sleep in their house and even cooked us rice. Chlorine did not seem to be strong enough to kill the parasites in the water, however, so we ended up with angry stomachs for the next month... well worth it!

(Victoria, our guide, looks down the valley to a remote community on the edge of the river)

(One of several sketchy bridges made out of sticks and rope)

(Canoe ride over to the other side of the river at a point where it was too wide to cross)

(Melissa on one of many river crossing on a rustic zip line)

(A mother sends her infant daughter in a bag on a sketchy zip line across the raging river all by itself (so nerve racking for the unaccustomed gringas!)

(A typical home in a community we hiked through and stayed at our first night)

Panama City:
While I don’t recommend Panama City as an international destination for nightlife or culture- with the right crew and creative minds, you can always have a good time.
Group 61: 1980s Prom Party Bus:

(no explanation)

Isla Escudo de Veraguas:
I visited the gorgous national reserve called with my friends: Andi, Kate and Kate’s very generous parents.

(Above: Sea turtle; Our 5-star hotel; Kate and I in our ridiculous hats bought especially for the trip)

I am still convinced that my community, Cerro Iglesias, is the most beautiful spot in Panama. As such, I will be spending as much time there as possible because my service is ending in just a few short weeks!

(View of the Pacific through the banana plants from my house in Cerro Iglesias at sunset)