Page 175 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

The souThern coasT The Azuero PeninsulA 173
TURTLE WATCHING AT ISLA DE CAÑAS
Five species of turtle nest on Isla de cañas, the most numerous being the world’s tiniest sea
turtle, the olive ridley. Their extraordinary mass nesting, or arribada (arrival), when thousands
storm the beach over several nights, is a sight to behold. Pacific green turtles also nest in large
quantities alongside significantly smaller numbers of loggerhead, leatherback and hawksbill.
nesting primarily takes place between May and november, with september to november
considered the peak months, though timing your visit to coincide with an arribada –
generally several days either side of a full moon – is tricky. The island was designated a
protected area in 1994 and a number of the eight-hundred-strong population are involved in
protecting the turtles – for which they are permitted to harvest a percentage of the eggs for
consumption and sale. Villagers also act as turtle-watching guides (see p.173), an offer worth
taking up if only to increase the likelihood of more eggs hatching rather than being sold on
the black market. since female turtles are easily spooked by bright lights, it’s better not to
bring cameras, or torches, unless infrared; rely on the guide and let your eyes adjust to the
light (see below).

TO THE ISLAND DAY-TRIPS AND PACKAGES
By boat The island is only about 50m across the water, so Isla Cañas Tours (T6718 0032, Eislac2010@hotmail
shout across if you haven’t arranged transport in advance, .com), a local operation run by Daniel Pérez, offers all-
or ring T6716 4095 to call for a boat to be sent over ($3) inclusive day or overnight packages to the island.
– though ideally not at low tide as it means wading
through swamp to meet it.
4
inForMATion
Park entrance and fees There is a small MIA office on (T6716 4095) is a reliable local guide with a couple of
the island, but there is rarely anyone there to collect the $5 boats who can take you to explore the mangroves and
admission charge. nearby river estuary, on the lookout for crocodiles, or on
Guides Trained community guides are assigned to visitors fishing trips.
($20) to lead the turtle watch. Fernando Dominguez
ACCoMMoDATion
Community accommodation The village has very There are also a couple of small inexpensive fondas.
rudimentary cabins with fans or a/c for an extra $10; Camping $5, cabins $20
alternatively you can pitch a tent, or stay with a family.

Cambutal and around
For most people Playa Venao is remote enough, but die-hard surfers may want to try
the even more out-of-the-way spots around CAMBUTAL, a small fishing village 60km
west. The journey takes you through undulating cattle country – spectacularly lush
in the rainy season, desperately barren once the moisture has been sucked out of it.
Picturesque, charcoal Playa Cambutal and some of the surfing beaches further west
get serious 3m waves; non-surfers, meanwhile, can explore the caves, blowholes and
crevices of this impressively rugged coastline.
Fifteen kilometres east, around Punto Morro, the less publicized Guánico Abajo
enjoys a fabulously scenic location. There is a new surf camp here, plus good waves at
Playa Guánico Abajo and mangroves to explore; at the nearby Playa Marinera, where
cream-coloured sands are hemmed in by cliffs, more than thirty thousand olive ridley
turtles lay their eggs each year. To reach both Cambutal and Guánico Abajo, you first
have to head inland and pass through Tonosí, which is little more than a glorified
regional crossroads surrounded by hilly cattle ranches; it does, however, offer all the
basic amenities around the main square, including an ATM and the local
MiAmbiente office.

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