Page 161 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

Chitré and around The Azuero PeninsulA 159
MASK-MAKERS
Ghoulish devil masks, which form the centrepiece of Corpus Christi celebrations (see box,
p.163) across the country and feature in other festivals throughout the year, make great
souvenirs. they are made predominantly from papier-mâché coated onto a greased clay or
earthen mould; their horns, wooden teeth and eyes – usually ping-pong balls or marbles – are
added later. they’re available in various craft centres and agricultural fairs, and you can also visit
some of the mask-makers in their workshops. Expect to pay less than $10 for a small mask and up
to $150 for a larger and more elaborate one. the most renowned artist, with almost fifty years’
experience, who makes both diablicos sucios and limpios (see box, p.163), is Darío López (T974
2933 or T6534 1958); his hard-to-miss home-based workshop is on the Carretera nacional, just
north of Parita, beyond the petrol station, on the other side of the road. another well-known
artisan is José González (T996 2314); taxi drivers should be able to find his workshop in Llano
Bonito, on the outskirts of Chitré, or ask at the Museo de hererra for directions (see p.157).

oystercatchers and wood storks, amid a potpourri of terns, egrets, herons and sandpipers.
The best time to visit – bring the binoculars – is at high tide, when birds feed close to shore.

Parque Nacional Sarigua
A little further up the coast from Playa El Agallito, and 25km north of Chitré, the
eighty-square-kilometre Parque Nacional Sarigua is squeezed between ríos Santa María
and Parita on land, and stretches out into the Bahía de Parita. Birdlife is restricted to a 4
coastal sliver of threatened mangrove; further inland lie vast salt flats and tracts of dry
forest, and bleak saline-streaked gullies dotted with cactus, acacia and snowy blobs of
wild cotton. Less a tourist attraction, as it is often heralded, than a cautionary tale, this
desert-like wasteland is testament to the devastating consequences of a century of
slash-and-burn agriculture and overgrazing. Covered with a layer of surreal bronze-
coloured dust and home to a vast solar farm, it is the country’s hottest and driest area.
The silver lining in this sad tale of environmental degradation is that the resulting erosion
helped uncover important archeological remains, including evidence of an 11,000-year-old
fishing village, the oldest known settlement on the isthmus, and more recent traces (between
fifteen hundred and five thousand years ago) of an ancient farming community. When
walking around the park it’s easy to stumble on shards of ancient ceramics or discarded
shells, just as the sparse vegetation makes it easier to spot boas curled around parched
branches, armadillos digging in the undergrowth or lizards and iguanas sunning themselves.
The landscape is best appreciated from the top of the rickety mirador by the ranger station,
from where you can also make out distant shrimp farms. Rangers offer guided walks for a
tip, but note that the park is rather undeveloped, with only a couple of short trails.
ArriVAl AnD inForMATion PArQue nACionAl sAriGuA
Park entrance and fees The park entrance is signposted taxi ($6) there, or take a taxi from Chitré ($15).
off the Carretera Nacional just north of Parita (daily By car The turn-off is well signposted off the Carretera
8am–4pm). You can pay the park fees ($5) here. Nacional; note that 4WD is necessary in the rainy season.
By bus and taxi Either catch a bus to Parita and pick up a

Refugio de Vida Silvestre Cenegón del Mangle
At the mouth of the Río Santa María, the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Cenegón del Mangle
boasts around eight square kilometres of wildlife-rich mangrove. Though numbers have
been decreasing in recent years, it’s still known for its heronries, packed with grey and
tricoloured herons and great white and cattle egrets. There is a 500m boardwalk
through the mangroves to better view the birds, especially during the nesting season
(June–Sept). In the dry season, the water dries up and there’s little reason to visit.

150-177_Panama_3_Ch4.indd 159 30/06/17 11:50 am