Almirante Travel Video Guide

Almirante Travel Itinerary

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From the village of Chiriqui, 14km east of David on the Interamericana, a spectacular road runs across the continental divide, crossing the Fortuna hydroelectric dam and through the pristine forests that protect its watershed, to the small town of Chiriqui Grande on the shore of the Laguna de Chiriqui. Until recently this was the end of the road and the jumping-off point for the islands, but in 2000 the road along the shore of the lagoon to Almirante was completed, linking the coastal banana strip around Changuinola to the rest of Panama for the first time. All boats to the islands now leave from Almirante, so there's no reason to stop in Chiriqui Grande.

Some 50km beyond Chiriqui Grande is ALMIRANTE , a ramshackle port town of rusting tin-roofed houses that project on stilts over the calm waters of the Caribbean, Almirante is the export terminal for the Changuinola banana industry and the place to catch a boat if you're heading out to the islands of Bocas del Toro. Through buses between Changuinola and David or Panama City usually pick up and drop off passengers beside the road on the edge of town, a short taxi ride or ten-minute walk from the waterfront. Buses for Changuinola, where you can get connections for the border, leave from the terminal close to the port. Adjacent to the terminal is the train station, from which a banana workers' train runs to the border each morning - it's not really meant for tourists, but you might be able to persuade them to let you on for the ride. Water-taxis to Bocas del Toro (25min) leave every 45 minutes or so until about 6.30pm. If you arrive by bus, touts from the three water-taxi companies, Taxi 25, Bocas Marine Tours and Galapago's, will lead you to the port - the services are exactly the same, though you should check which company is leaving first before you buy a ticket. There's also a ferry - known as a palanga - to the islands four days a

week, but this is very slow and only worth using if you have a car.

There is no reason to stay in Almirante unless you miss the last boat and get stuck on your way to the islands. If you do, you can find secure but pretty basic accommodation at the unmarked Hotel San Francisco (tel 758 3779; US$15-25), above the De La Rosa supermarket across the main street from the bus terminal. There are several basic places to eat near the bus terminal and the water-taxi dock.

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