Quebrada de Sal

This village of 450 people is not terribly scenic—it’s a bit too simultaneously poor and modernized for that—but it’s worth a visit, at least for those already on Isla Bastimentos [1]. It’s approached by water on the southeast side of the island, between Cayo Crawl [2] and Punta Vieja. The approach can be one of the best parts of the trip, as the boat has to pass through dense mangrove channels where there’s a chance of spotting sloths.

The boat docks next to a concrete path that peters out at the edge of the village. Visitors must pay US$1 a head to enter, and sign a registry. There’s a meager souvenir shop that has crude, painted wooden figures of animals, some chácaras (traditional woven Ngöbe-Buglé handbags) and a few other things, but nothing too memorable.

The center of the community is a spacious field with a cinderblock school house, a dining hall, and a dance hall. A lot of the traditional Ngöbe culture has disappeared from the village, though there are still some thatched-roof houses on stilts and residents who still adhere to their traditional religion. The villagers are courteous if a bit reserved; but if you speak some Spanish, you should have little trouble finding someone to chat with.

There isn’t much else in the village, but there’s a nice forest hike from here that leads to Playa Larga [3]. The trail starts at the far side of the village. It’s a good idea to hire a villager for a few dollars to lead the way and point out the flora and fauna. It’s also possible to do this hike without a guide, but as always don’t head off into the forest alone or in flip-flops. The walk takes about an hour each way and there’s a chance of spotting armadillos, conejos pintado, and other small creatures.