La Palma

Introducing La Palma

La Palma is located at the mouth of the Río Tuira, where the wide river meets the Golfo de San Miguel. It is the provincial capital of Darién Province and the most populous town in the region. However, despite its lofty position as capital of the largest province in Panama, La Palma is literally a one-street town.

Most travelers pass through La Palma for one of two reasons: they’re here to catch a plane to somewhere else, or they’re here to take a boat ride to somewhere else. The two most popular boating destinations are the Ancon nature reserve and lodge at Reserva Natural Punta Patiño and the Emberá villages that line the banks of the Río Sambú.

Every facility of possible interest to the traveler is located on the main street, which is within 300m of the airstrip. La Palma is home to the only bank in the Darién Province, the Banco Nacional de Panamá. There’s also a hospital, a port and a police station (if you intend to go anywhere near the Colombian border and you speak Spanish, you should talk to the police here first), as well as three hotels, three bars and several food stands.

If you have to spend the night in La Palma, the Hotel Biaquira Bagara (/fax 299 6224; r with shared/private bathroom US$15/20) is run by the friendly Ramady family, who live in a home beneath the rooms they rent. All of the rooms have private cold-water bathrooms with a tub, which is a godsend after a week or two in the jungle. There’s also a lovely sitting area facing the river, which is a nice place to stew on the fact that you’re actually in the Darién.

If you’re planning a boating excursion, it’s probably best to stock up on groceries here as the selection in the minimally stocked local supermarket is about as good as you’ll get in these parts.

There’s no shortage of cheap and somewhat cheerful eateries in town, though the Restaurante El Regocijo (plates US$2-4) is one of the more popular, given that it’s also a cantina. As a word of caution, steer clear of puerco de monte (mountain pig) – this dish is actually wild peccary, which is illegal to hunt and even more illegal to serve up in a restaurant. Unfortunately, no one in La Palma really seems to be paying attention, though a foreigner washing down a plate of poached meat is bound to attract some unwanted attention.

Air Panama (316 9000; www.flyairpanama.com/tickets) and Aeroperlas (315 7500; www.aeroperlas.com) fly direct from Panama City to La Palma (US$40, one hour). Air Panama has one flight per week while Aeroperlas has three flights per week.

If you’re looking to hire a boat and a guide, you can usually find someone in the vacinity of the dock who owns a vessel and is willing to go on an adventure with you for the right price (US$120 to US$200 per day, gas included).

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009