Page 151 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

Western CoClé Central Panama 149
removed from their niches and paraded round the town on their saint days of July 25
and March 8, respectively.
arrIVal anD DePartUre natÁ
By bus Regional buses westbound to Aguadulce or 15–20min), a 10min walk from the village. Local shuttles
eastbound to Penonomé drop and pick up passengers at between Aguadulce and Penonomé may even enter for a
the entrance to Natá on the Interamericana (every quick sweep of the plaza.

Playa El Salado
Heading southeast out of Aguadulce, a tarred road navigates 8km between mud and
salt flats and shrimp farms to the mangrove-lined coast at Playa El Salado. In the dry
season, salt is heaped like snow by the evaporation pools while September and October
are the best months to catch flocks of migrating waders; among the numerous
sandpipers and plovers, look out for striking black-necked stilts probing the mud for
crustaceans and lovely roseate spoonbills filtering the tidal pools. 3
At weekends, many Aguadulceños head this way to escape the heat of the town and
to lounge on the pleasant beach or to loll about in Las Piscinas. These shallow stone
baths are built on the flats, offering views of the bay. As the tide moves out they
become warm pools of salt water, but you need to get out quickly once the tide turns,
as they soon become submerged. The biggest attraction for many, though, are the
jumbo shrimp for which the fishing village is famous, and which you can sample at one
of the restaurants dotted along the road.
arrIVal anD DePartUre PlaYa el SalaDO
By minibus The only scheduled bus leaves Aguadulce’s demand and at weekends the bus sometimes doesn’t run
main square at 7am (15min) with the return bus leaving at all.
Playa El Salado at 8am. Other departures depend on By taxi Taxis from Aguadulce charge $6–7.
eatInG anD DrInKInG
Restaurante Johnny y Los Mauditos (formerly Restaurante Reina del Mar Main road, almost at the
Johnny Tapia) Just beyond the village mirador, on the end of the village T997 2960. Boasting a pleasant view
main road T6774 5386. This unpromising concrete block across the scrub, this friendly restaurant dishes up
with a tin roof, overlooking mangroves, is justifiably famed moderately priced, freshly prepared seafood, including
for its jumbo shrimp – a plateful will set you back a mere Ngäbe clams, shrimps, ceviche and fish. Mon–Thurs
$10, or you can go the whole hog and share a vast seafood noon–10pm, Fri–Sun 11am–10pm.
platter for $45. Mon & Thurs–Sun 11am–10pm.

126-149_Panama_3_Ch3.indd 149 30/06/17 11:50 am