Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to the respect bestowed on them by the Spanish governor, they were all allowed to leave,
though none of the ships made it home and only a handful of folk survived.
The venture crippled Scotland financially, leaving the country at the mercy of rival Eng-
land, which in 1707 eventually agreed to compensate all investors as part of the deal for
Scotland conceding to the creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
Yaviza
The gently rolling final 50km of the Interamericana to
YAVIZA
- now predominantly tarred,
though gaining potholes - is mercifully more tree-lined than the stretch between Chepo and
Metetí. Even so, pastureland still prevails until the highway comes to an abrupt halt at the
banks of the Río Chucunaque, hidden behind a new, high chainlink fence and reams of barbed
wire, signs of recent moves to strengthen security.
Marking the official start of the infamous
Darién Gap
(
Tapón del Darién
- Darién cork or
plug), the highway hiatus between Central and South America, Yaviza simultaneously exudes
a lethargic end-of-the-road torpor and an edgy frontier-town feel - the mixed population of
around three thousand (Afro-Darienite, Emberá, Wounaan and
mestizo
) eyes outsiders war-
ily, while pairs of gun-toting frontier police officers routinely patrol the town at night togged
up in full camouflage combat gear.
The town's only interest to visitors is as a stepping stone to El Real, the gateway to the
Parque Nacional Darién, or to the Distrito Cémaco, the northern segment of the Comarca
Emberá-Wounaan (currently out of bounds on account of the presumed security situation).
During the day, most of the action occurs at the
wharf
, where the buses pull in: supplies are
loaded onto a flotilla of motorized
piraguas
headed for communities upriver, while mounds
of plantain and yuca bound for the city are heaved onto trucks, and the surrounding makeshift
fondas
and restaurants do a thriving trade.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: YAVIZA
By bus
Buses leave from Albrook bus terminal in Panama City (every 40min-1hr,
3.15-11.30am; 6-7hr) via Santa Fé and Metetí. After the last direct
bus
to Yaviza, you can
take a bus to Metetí and transfer to a local minibus to Yaviza. For the return journey, buses
leave Yaviza for Panama City (every 40min-1hr, 3.15am-1pm; 6-7hr) and for Metetí (every
30min, 6am-6pm; 1hr).
Police registration
On arrival, the heavily fortified frontier police station (take the left-
hand pavement from the bus stop) should be your first port of call, provided you have your
SENAFRONT permit
from Panama City.
