Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Isla Banedup
Sailboats moor alongside this tiny private isle, where you can stop by for seafood meals
US$120)
. This family-run island with freshwater sinkhole recently added three cabins.
The price tag is on the high end, possibly because you get the hospitality of Hilario, a
gregarious young entrepreneur and super-host who studies tourism in the capital. Tours
include snorkeling Isla Perra and Isla Pelicano.
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Río Sidra & Nearby Islands
Río Sidra
Located 15km east of Cartí Suitupo, Río Sidra serves as a secondary gateway to the Ar-
chipiélago de San Blás. Like El Porvenir, Río Sidra's small dock isn't too far from the
airport and it's quick and easy to hop on a boat elsewhere. That 'elsewhere' is usually
Kuanidup Grande, Naranjo Chico or the far-flung Cayos Los Grullos, Holandeses and
Ordupuquip.
Río Sidra is extremely congested and the effects of Westernization are more prevalent
here than on other islands (50 Cent isn't exactly traditional Kuna music). If you do need
to spend the night, there are a few rooms for rent in the community of Mamartupo,
though don't expect anything too comfortable.
Local historian and master
mola
-maker
Lisa Harris
( 6753-2085)
offers a recom-
mended walking tour (US$20 per person, minimum four people) on the mainland to a
waterfall, with a focus on birds, medicinal plants and Kuna legends. Her
molas
receive
wide acclaim; some are quite affordable. Any local can point you to her house, but try to
make contact in advance.
Kuanidup Grande
Just 30 minutes by motorized
cayuco
from Río Sidra, the tiny islet of Kuanidup Grande
is only large in comparison to its nearby kid brother, Kuandip Chico. In fact, the only
residents of Kuanidup Grande, aside from the guests lucky enough to be staying here, are
some lazy iguanas and a few flocks of birds. Simply put, Kuanidup Grande is breathtak-
ing - with manicured grounds, pristine beaches of powdery white sand, swaying coconut
palms and little else.
