THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Panama - page 403

BY BUS AND BOAT
To Yaviza and Metetí Direct services from Albrook bus terminal leave before dawn (every
40min, 3.15-11.30am; 6-7hr) bound for Yaviza, via Santa Fé and Metetí. After the last bus to
Yaviza, you can take a later bus to Metetí (every 40min 3.15am-4.40pm; 5-6hr) and transfer
to a local minibus to Yaviza . There is also a more expensive express bus to Yaviza ($14) that
leaves Panama City at midnight.
To La Palma To reach La Palma and other destinations in the Golfo de San Miguel take
the bus to Metetí, then transfer to the minibus shuttle to nearby Puerto Quimba (every
30min, 6am-5pm; 20min), from where you can catch a water-taxi to La Palma (every 30min,
5am-6pm; 40min).
GETTING AROUND
Once in the Darién proper, transport is by boat, generally in a motorized dugout ( piragua ),
and it entails a fair amount of waiting around as many communities are on tidal rivers, only
accessible at high tide, especially in the dry season. It's also infinitely cheaper, though far less
comfortable, to travel on a community boat already heading to your destination, than hiring a
boat privately, where you will have to cover the cost of the fuel (often for the return trip, even
if you're only travelling one way), the captain and probably a poleman; find out fuel costs
and the likely amount required for your journey from another source before you start negoti-
ating prices, and note that if hiring someone's services for an overnight stay in a village, you
may need to pay for their lodging and meals, too.