Page 242 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

240 Bocas del Toro Mainland Bocas
THE WEST INDIAN MANATEE
occasionally called a “sea cow”, the West Indian manatee (trichechus manatus) resembles
a cross between a sea lion, a hippo and an elephant, its barrel-like greyish-brown body
propelled by two flippers and a spatula tail, its large snout equipped with a prehensile upper
lip that helps it feed. adults average 3m in length though can reach 4.5m, including tail, and
weigh in at 200–600kg; to sustain such a size, they have to spend six to eight hours a day
munching floating or submerged greenery. When not feeding, they often rest, floating like
6 large logs on or below the surface, frequently surfacing to breathe. Moving easily between
freshwater and marine environments, the shy yet playful mammals are surprisingly agile, and
can exceed 25km/hr for short bursts. in Panama, the vast majority of these aquatic behemoths
inhabit the wetlands of Bocas del Toro, though in 1964 a small number were relocated to lago
Gatún by the americans in a failed attempt to tackle the rampant spread of water hyacinth in
the canal. Though lacking natural predators, manatees are threatened by human activity,
experiencing collisions with motorboats and getting tangled up in fishing nets or canal locks,
while suffering from loss or pollution of habitat. What’s more, since they only give birth to a
single calf every three to five years, it takes a long time to boost numbers.

INForMaTIoN
Immigration The immigration office (T758 6533; MIA office Several blocks west of Av 17 de Abril (Mon–Fri
Mon–Fri 8am–4pm) is on Av 17 de Abril at Calle de El Puré. 8am–4pm; T758 6603).
accoMModaTIoN
Hotel Alhambra Av 17 de Abril T758 9819; map Hotel Golden Sahara Av 17 de Abril T758 7908; map
p.239. Probably the best value in town. Quality varies, but p.239. This place has 28 reasonably modern rooms (a/c,
all rooms are clean with a/c, hot water and cable TV. Those cable TV, hot water), though some lack windows. Service is
at the back overlook a graveyard and are much quieter. $25 friendly. $39
eaTING
Restaurante Ebony Av 17 de Abril T6547 6600, ★ Restaurante La Fortuna Av 17 de Abril
Wfacebook.com/restauranteebony4151; map p.239. T758 9395; map p.239. Very popular Chinese
Chock-full of Bob Marley memorabilia, inflatable sharks and restaurant next to the Golden Sahara hotel, offering
balsa-wood birds, this popular Afro-Antillean restaurant friendly, efficient service and good value in a/c comfort.
delivers authentic Caribbean cuisine: salt fish, ackee, rice The wide-ranging menu has several veggie options and
and peas, spicy shrimp in coconut milk. Prices are high for set menus. Choose a sizzling hotplate dish with first-rate
Changuinola (mains from $10). Daily 11am–11pm. chips. Daily 11.30am–10.30pm.

Humedales de San San Pond Sak
One of the premier natural attractions of mainland Bocas is the HUMEDALES DE SAN
SAN POND SAK (with numerous variant spellings), which encompasses more than 160
square kilometres of coastal wetlands stretching from the Costa Rican border, past
Changuinola, to the Bahía de Almirante. Only a small section of the reserve is
accessible to visitors but its mix of seasonally flooded swampy forests, dense mangroves
and peat bogs makes for a magical boat trip, especially at first light when the prolific
birdlife – 160 species at the current tally – is at its most active.
As you glide along the river, keep an eye out for caimans and river otters lurking in
the waters. A dawn visit will also heighten your chances of spotting the wetlands’ most
celebrated inhabitant, the shy, endangered manatee (see box, p.240). Though there are
now an estimated 150–200 in the area, they remain fairly elusive except when banana
leaves are provided at the viewing platforms when tour boats enter the reserve. The
river eventually fills out into a coastal lagoon before emptying into the sea, its progress
blocked by a sandbank on which there is a poorly maintained refuge. Behind the hut
lies Playa Soropta, a long stretch of beach where hawksbill, leatherback and green
turtles nest (see box, p.236).

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