As relatively untouched and wild as much of Panama is, the Darien is on a completely different level. While it is Panama’s largest province, it is also the country’s least inhabited. The northern side of the Darien has been subject to environmental damage, but the southern half—home to the National Park—is completely pure and untapped. Bird watching in the southern Darien is regarded as some of the best in the world and the biological diversity rivals any dense forest elsewhere. This southern Darien, with its thick jungle, high peaks, low valleys, and immaculate beaches, is the spot for adventurous travelers. Jaguars, giant anteaters, harpy eagles, and other rare species wander through the jungle with the utmost pride, as they represent one of the most untamed spots in the Americas. Alongside its biodiversity, the province is inhabited by Indians of the Wounaan and Embera tribes who subsist on hunting, fishing, and raising foul. These Indians also construct famous canoes known as “piraguas”, which serve as the Darien’s only main mode of transportation.

Filed under: Darién on June 11th, 2008