Page 204 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

202 Chiriquí and Veraguas Parque NacioNal MariNo Golfo de chiriquí
5 THE BORDER WITH COSTA RICA
The border at Paso Canoas is by far the busiest of the three border crossings Panama shares
with Costa Rica; in recognition of this, immigration is open longer hours (7am–11pm
Panamanian time). don’t forget that whether entering Panama or costa rica you need to get
an exit stamp from immigration in the country you are leaving and an entry stamp from
immigration in the country you are entering; proof of onward travel and financial solvency is
also required.
Paso canoas is reached by frequent minibuses from david, with regular onward transport
to San José and other destinations in costa rica (see box, p.200). if you are arriving from costa
rica, you can find transport to both Panama city and david 100m down the interamericana
from the border. The Panachif (T727 7054) office here sells tickets for buses to Panama city via
david (12 daily; 7am–9pm; 8–9hr; $17) plus two overnight express services (10pm & 11pm; 7hr;
$21). Small minibuses also scoot off down the highway to david (4am–10pm; every 10–15min;
40min), from where onward transport is easy (see p.200); after the last shuttle, you’ll need a taxi
($25–30). less frequent minibuses also head north to the mountain border town of río Sereno
(6am–6pm; every 1hr 30min; 2hr).

Península Burica
Aside from a handful of die-hard surfers and fishing enthusiasts, few tourists venture
down to the distant tip of the Península Burica, resembling an upside-down skittle
straddling the Costa Rican border. Here, 50km southwest of David, the remoteness is
tangible and the sunsets spectacular. The gateway to the peninsula is Puerto Armuelles,
for more than seventy years Panama’s thriving Pacific hub of the infamous United Fruit
Company (now Chiquita Brands) until it pulled the plug in 2003 (see p.221). The
rotting pier and abandoned wooden houses serve as poignant reminders of the town’s
former importance.
arriVaL and deParTure PenínsuLa BuriCa
By bus Frequent minibuses run from David’s main bus community of Bella Vista; timing depends on the tides,
terminal to Puerto Armuelles (4am–10pm; 1hr 30min). A since much of the “road” is on the beach, only accessible at
daily chiva (1hr 30min–2hr) makes the 30km trip down the low tide – make sure you arrive before noon and bring your
peninsula from the town’s waterside transport depot to the passport.

Paso Canoas and the Costa Rican border
It’s a short hop from David along the Interamericana to Panama’s main border crossing
with Costa Rica at Paso Canoas (7am–11pm). Others are at Río Sereno, west of Volcán
(see box, p.195) and Guabito (see p.243), over the cordillera in Bocas province. The
busy frontier town exudes an edgy tackiness, with stalls, money changers and taxi
drivers all competing for business.

Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí
There’s not much to the laidback fishing village of BOCA CHICA – 30km southeast of
David as the vulture flies – beyond a small supermarket, an upmarket fishing lodge
and a couple of inexpensive fondas. It does, however, provide the gateway to one of the
province’s most prized natural treasures: Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí, a
nirvana for scuba-diving, snorkelling and sport-fishing enthusiasts. Created in 1994
to protect almost 150 square kilometres of terrestrial and marine wildlife, the park
comprises 25 islands – some with places to stay – and nineteen coral reefs, teeming
with hundreds of fish in a rainbow of colours. The coastline to the west of Boca Chica,
meanwhile, is thick with mangroves – which means you’ll have to venture to the more

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