139 Península de Azuero - Lonely...
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PENÍNSULA DE AZUERO POPULATION: 212,754 AREA: 6147 SQ KM ELEVATION: SEA LEVEL TO 3478M Venao Playa Cañas Isla de Las Tablas Parita Playa El Aguillito HIGHLIGHTS Visiting a mask-maker’s studio and strolling the colonial center of historic Parita (p144) Bird-watching at Playa El Aguillito (boxed text, p145), a tidal mudflat that attracts rare migratory seabirds Squeezing through multitudes in the soaked streets at Carnaval in Las Tablas (p152) Catching a ride on an uncrowded wave at Playa Venao (p158) Spotting sea turtles by the thousands during their annual nesting at Isla de Cañas (p159) A semi-arid landmass more like rural USA than the American tropics, the Península de Azuero is esteemed by Panamanians as the country’s heart and soul. Inland, the peninsula is one of the country’s major farming and ranching centers. It is also the strongest bastion of Span- ish culture left in Panama, with the lineage of many families linked directly back to Spain. These days talk has turned it into ‘Tuscany of the Tropics,’ with rolling hills and a long and lovely coastline. Surf is up. Long before the Spanish conquistadors, the region was home to the Ngöbe-Buglé, an indig- enous group who left behind a rich archaeological record, and Panama’s cry for independence was first uttered in the village town of Los Santos. But it is the Spanish legacy that brands Azuero. In these provinces, the passage of time is marked by a countdown to the next fes- tival, be it Corpus Christi, La Mejorana or Carnaval. Costumes range from swirling devils to curtsying reinas, teenage queens made-up like dolls in the lace finery of polleras (traditional dresses). Every festival is marked by a party to beat the band. Joining the throngs on sticky rum-soaked streets, for these celebrations rate as a first-rate introduction to the real Panama. The region is comprised of Herrera and Los Santos provinces, with a small western sliver belonging to Veraguas Province (and covered in that chapter). Over time, these rural prov- inces have seen stark transformations – from verdant rainforest to cattle country, indigenous land to Spanish stronghold, and finally from sleepy backwater to surf central and Panama’s next travel hot spot. Península de Azuero 139 © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Transcript of 139 Península de Azuero - Lonely...
PEN
ÍNSU
LA D
E AZU
ERO
POPULATION: 212,754 AREA: 6147 SQ KM ELEVATION: SEA LEVEL TO 3478M
VenaoPlaya
CañasIsla de
Las Tablas
Parita
Playa El Aguillito
HIGHLIGHTS
Visiting a mask-maker’s studio and strolling the colonial center of historic Parita (p 144 )
Bird-watching at Playa El Aguillito (boxed text, p 145 ), a tidal mudflat that attracts rare migratory seabirds
Squeezing through multitudes in the soaked streets at Carnaval in Las Tablas (p 152 )
Catching a ride on an uncrowded wave at Playa Venao (p 158 )
Spotting sea turtles by the thousands during their annual nesting at Isla de Cañas (p 159 )
A semi-arid landmass more like rural USA than the American tropics, the Península de Azuero is esteemed by Panamanians as the country’s heart and soul. Inland, the peninsula is one of the country’s major farming and ranching centers. It is also the strongest bastion of Span-ish culture left in Panama, with the lineage of many families linked directly back to Spain. These days talk has turned it into ‘Tuscany of the Tropics,’ with rolling hills and a long and lovely coastline. Surf is up.
Long before the Spanish conquistadors, the region was home to the Ngöbe-Buglé, an indig-enous group who left behind a rich archaeological record, and Panama’s cry for independence was first uttered in the village town of Los Santos. But it is the Spanish legacy that brands Azuero. In these provinces, the passage of time is marked by a countdown to the next fes-tival, be it Corpus Christi, La Mejorana or Carnaval. Costumes range from swirling devils to curtsying reinas, teenage queens made-up like dolls in the lace finery of polleras (traditional dresses). Every festival is marked by a party to beat the band. Joining the throngs on sticky rum-soaked streets, for these celebrations rate as a first-rate introduction to the real Panama.
The region is comprised of Herrera and Los Santos provinces, with a small western sliver belonging to Veraguas Province (and covered in that chapter). Over time, these rural prov-inces have seen stark transformations – from verdant rainforest to cattle country, indigenous land to Spanish stronghold, and finally from sleepy backwater to surf central and Panama’s next travel hot spot.
Península de Azuero
139© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
PEN
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CHITRÉ pop 46,000 One of Panama’s oldest settlements, the hot city of Chitré is hardly geared toward travelers though it’s an agreeable stop on the way to the peninsula. Though it has mostly cement structures, a handful of ornate red-tiled row homes hark back to the early days of Spanish settlement. Colonial records indicate that there was a village here as early as 1558. The capital of Herrera Province, it’s the largest city on the Península de Azuero, and the cultural and historic capital of the region.
For most travelers, Chitré serves as a spring-board for nearby attractions, like the ceramic shops in La Arena (p 144 ), the Humboldt Ecological Station (p 145 ) at Playa El Aguillito,
historic Parita (p 144 ), the seco (sugarcane liq-uor) factory at Pesé (p 146 ) and the wildlife refuge at Cenegón del Mangle (p 146 ). Some of the country’s best festivals are just a quick bus ride away, but Chitré does host a few wild parties of its own (see opposite).
Orientation The Interamericana connects with the Carretera Nacional (the National Hwy) at the town of Divisa, atop the Península de Azuero. From there, the Carretera Nacional runs southeast 37km to Chitré, reaches Las Tablas 31km further on and continues toward the southern edge of the peninsula.
When the highway reaches Chitré, it be-comes Paseo Enrique Geenzier, changing its
Golfo de Panama
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Bahía de ParitaMaríaSantaRío
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La VillaRío
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Punta
Río
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Río
Oria
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Río Guararé
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Río Caldera
Río La Villa
Río Guerra
Río Ponuga
Río Mariato
Río Quebro
Río Pavo
Río Sierra
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Los SantosVilla de
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La Arena
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PocríSan José
El Cacao
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Tonosí
Macaracas
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Humboldt Ecological Station
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SariguaNacional
del MangleSilvestre CenegónRefugio de Vida
MacanasSilvestre Las
Refugio de Vida
El MontuosoReserva Forestal
Cerro HoyaParque Nacional
La TronosaReserva Forestal
Isla de CañasRefugio de Silvestre
Isla IguanaVida Silvestre
Refugio de
Peñón de la HondaVida SilvestreRefugio de
Parque
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Isla de Cañas
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PENÍNSULA DE AZUERO
Hotel La Luna
La Casa del Puerto
(2km)To Santiago
City (210km)To Panama
VenaoEco
DestiladerosPosada losCamila
Villa
La PlayitaResort Achotines
Laboratorio
Playa Guánico
Playa El Uverito
CambutalPlaya
Playa El Rompío
Playa Monagre
Playa El Aguillito
CirueloPlaya
VenaoPlaya
DestiladerosPlaya Los
ToroPlaya El
GaritaPlaya La
ArenalPlaya El
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PENÍNSULA DE AZUERO 0 10 km0 6 miles
140 P E N Í N S U L A D E A Z U E R O • • C h i t r é l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m
