Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
village of Sapzurro. On foot, this takes about 2½ hours, but the track is indistinct in
places, and sporadic regional insecurity makes boating the better option. Just on
the border, the Panamanian village of La Miel is building a hostel and features a
gorgeous beach (20 minutes on foot to Sapzurro).
From Sapzurro, ferries go to Capurganá; alternatively, it's a two-hour walk. As the
security situation constantly changes, it's best to get an update with solid informa-
tion about the route beforehand.
Sailing or boating to Colombia is by far the safest option after flying.
San Blas Adventure
(Darien Gapster; 6696-1554, 6731-2530;
www.thedariengapster.com
; 4-day trip US$350)
More of a tour than just transport, this
popular service takes backpackers from Colombia to Panama, up through the Dar-
ién and San Blas Islands, camping and snorkeling on the way. On the Panamanian
side, the trip starts in Portobelo or Cartí and ends in Sapzurro, Colombia. Travel is
on a covered boat with outboard motors. There are regular set departures and the
website features useful details for planning.
INTERIOR DARIÉN
Rivers and ocean are the inroads to the heart of the Darién, where the cultures of Emberá
and Wounaan meet African- Darienita culture. Cruising the waterways and hiking trails
are the only ways to explore the slow-paced interior.
THE LAST ROADLESS PLACE
Since the first Interamericana Congress met in Buenos Aires in 1925, the nations of
the Americas have been dedicated to the completion of a great hemispheric road
system. Today, only 150km of unfinished business prevents that system from be-
ing realized - the Darién Gap. This defiant stretch of wilderness, which separates
the continents of North and South America, is the sole barrier in the way of an oth-
erwise unbroken 30,600km highway winding from Circle in Alaska, to Puerto
Montt, Chile.
Constructing this missing link would increase trade and travel options. Colom-
bia's civil war got in the way for years, during that time the Darién Gap was both
buffer zone and safe haven for rogue factors. Today, narco-trafficking in the region
has become the greater issue. But there is still a lobby for a unified Pan-American
Hwy (Interamericana).
Detractors, many Panamanians, cite the cost of excavating rugged terrain, the
threat of foot-and-mouth disease spreading to North America and the still-delicate
