Río Sidra is a densely packed island of about 2,000 inhabitants that has seen more and more visitors in recent years thanks to a growing range of accommodations in the area.
Río Sidra actually comprises two communities, Mamartupo and Urgandí, that have distinctive identities. The school is the unofficial dividing line between the two. Mamartupo faces the sea; Urgandí faces the land.
It’s quite crowded, with huts packed tightly together over the entire surface of the island. Some of the inhabitants sport modern clothing; it’s jarring to see a teenage Kuna kid in gangsta-inspired street wear.