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  • travelophyta

Central to South America

Starting the trip in Costa Rica and going south with the goal to reach Bolivia by the end of March. Lue lisää
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    travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Rafting Rio Suarez 5/5

    22. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    As the most important day trip in Santander I would definitely choose rafting in Rio Suarez.

    Who knows me, knows that I am a new swimmer and rather uncomfortable in the turbulent waters. Well, the best way to get rid of a fear is face it - and in my case face it in a turbulent and crazy white-waters with waves up to two meters at certain parts.

    It was absolutely amazing experience. Level 5 rafting is forbidden in most countries for safety, but not Colombia! Truly unique experience, a mix of constant adrenaline, being present in the every moment, physical effort. I loved every part of it, and even jumped in the river myself when it got a bit more peaceful, just to relax and enjoy the flow. Of course I was not able to swim back so had to just relax and let our rafting guide find me and pull me up. Hey, the gravity helped!

    As a side effect of this amazing experience I became friends with group of four other travelers that were my rafting pals and we spend next couple of days together.

    And I have only two shitty photos to prove all that 😄    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Day trip to Barichara and Juan Curi

    21. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    During my time in San Gil, my friend Carolina decided to join me and we explored the area together for a couple of days, while chilling and catching up.

    We visited beautiful village Barichara, just in time for sunset…enjoyed dreamy colonial architecture (the all-white look really gives it unusual romantic feeling) and tried the delicacy of the region in a Michelin star restaurant ✨ants✨

    Another day we visited Juan Curi waterfall, an easy walk through the forest where we took so many photos and enjoyed the nature, managing to find our own private spot even though it was rather crowded.

    Not something that I would particular li enjoy on my own, it was great experience with Caro as we got to spend more time together doing new activities.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    San Gil, Colombian adventure capital

    20. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    After a big city restlessness I headed towards the mountains to a place I just have recently discovered by recommendations, as it usually happens, San Gil in Santander department.

    I stayed in one of the most famous hostels, and it had a perfect view, nice crew and great adventure activities offer. San Gil is famous as an adventure hub - everything is available from rock climbing, hiking, caving to extreme white water rafting and kayaking. I decided for the most famous ones - rafting level 5 in the Suarez River and paragliding. Besides that I spent couple of days just chilling in San Gil, which had a nice “hub” vibe even though it was rather small and peaceful town, enjoying amazing local coffee and pastries.

    Huge recommendation for a local coffee farm and bar just in the center of San Gil - Las Cruces. Amazing coffee, great ambience and you’ll get to support a young entrepreneur who takes his family coffee business to a next level. He even put illustration of his parents on the packaging of the two most famous coffee blends from their farm. How cute is that! 😍    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Bogota

    18. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    After additional night in Riohacha we headed to Bogota.

    Bogota is an organism - nice and terrifying big city, like most of them feel to me. There is something for everyone and competitive spirit between Medellin and Bogota .

    It seems very unsafe, not by a general vibe on the street, but by what other people have told me. Everyone, literally everyone I’ve met from Bogota warned me about not walking in the city alone, avoiding crowded places, etc. During our time there we were approached multiple times by random people asking for money, “favors”, etc. Nothing happened and I can see that in Bogota you need to know your way around, contrary to what I usually do as a traveler - aimlessly wander until something captures my attention.

    However, at the same time, we visited restaurants, bars, spas, and museums that Belgrade for example can only dream of. Big clash of everything, and that’s why I liked it.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    La Guajira - sand, poverty and resilence

    16. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    The next day we hopped on a 3-day desert tour of La Guajira, from the sand dunes, through the lakes and cactus fields to Punta Gallina, the most northern point of South America.

    The trip was exhausting and intense, in every possible way.

    The ride through the desert is a bumpy and slow one, and the countless kids holding chain and rope barricades don’t help. We had to stop every 5-6 meters at one point, paying for our passage by money, water, sweets and other food. We were prepared, but not sufficiently - we ran out of everything half way through the day and the driver was just heading straight through the ropes/chains and people who would drop them down and jump away to the side.

    Our car was bad and it broke down - luckily very close to a big gathering in the middle of the desert. I thought it was a restaurant, curiously poking around and asking for coffee. They didn’t let me pay, the main lady took my arm and walked me around the wooden establishment while the driver was negotiating how to fix the car. It was the anniversary of her father’s death - 8 years - and all the attendees were extended family, cherishing and remembering his existence. We went in the back of the kitchen and there was a big altar and more people sitting around it, everyone dressed up and looking very formal. She said that the closest family members came the day before to help clean the bones (remains) of the father, which are dug out every year, to show respect and love, and then put back after the feast. It was intense for me, but I was amazed at the lightness and ease these people showed in dealing with death and remembering the dead.

    Punta Gallina although very famous and praised for tourism is nothing really - a short car stop to observe the raging ocean and take a photo at the most northern point of the South American continent.

    After that however, we went to see the dunes and have a lunch there (turns out that our hostel was near the dunes as well).

    Crazy, crazy, crazy.

    One of my favorite landscapes in my life. Imagine big nothing of the desert. Soft sand, wind, blinding sun. Thirst. Salt in the air. Slippery sand where each step becomes two steps and your foot disappears u til the ankle with each.

    Then with one step the mighty ocean shows itself, previously only hinted by the sound. Never have I seen before these two deadly environments coming together so well, and people living happily at their intersection. Tall, dark-skinned, skinny people. Happy people.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Cabo de la Vela

    16. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Our next stop was Cabo de la Vela - the starting point for exploration of La Guajira desert. We spent two days there. The local Wayuu people hold a sort of monopoly - prices are double of what they are in Riohacha and although it is supposed to be authentic experience and backpacker’s spot, tourism is highly developed and everything revolves around it.

    There is a slight feeling of a ghost town. The majority of people rushed to advertise their hotel and restaurants but the hoards of tourists never came, so now they are a bit resentful and exploiting towards anyone who does come for a visit. The life there is tough - most of the children you see on the street will try to get any money from you, mostly through begging, selling, or even asking for water. Cabo de la Vela’s beach is very shallow but with constant strong winds, hence a kite surfing paradise. There is a small and lively kite surfing community here.

    We did a 4x4 desert tour. As there is not a lot of things you can do on your own, this is a good option. I am not particularly fan of spending a day in a car and stopping just to get photos, but those were some nice photos. The sea is restless with heavy currents and wind, so when we were there, it was not really possible to swim.

    Everything seems harsh and unwelcoming but beautiful to see. In Riohacha, I learned couple of Wayu words, since learning a local dialect previously helped me when traveling. Not this time, people that I tried to connect with were not only unimpressed, but kinda confused what to make out of my efforts.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Mayapo beach and immigration

    13. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    While enjoying Riohacha to the maximum contrary to the all expectations, Milan and I wanted to see at least one more of the praised beaches in the surounding.

    We went to the Mayapo beach, and while Milan spent hours swimming, I didn’t really like the brownish color of water close to the coast (due to the wind and sand), so I stayed outside and read a book. The beach was sandy and extensive but vacant and with odd feel to it.

    A local boy soon joined me. He looked young and skinny and was interested in us - where did we come from, why, how. Likewise, I was interested in the way he lived. He told me that he came from the nearby village and that he comes everyday to swim and collect shells. We played some of his games - one was a guessing game, trying to identify which object the other person chose. The second one was guessing how many shells has the other person hidden in the sand. Very simple and straightforward games - he told me they play them often in the village.

    Then we talked a bit about life, and the boy revealed to me that he was not local Wayu, but that his parents came from Caracas in Venezuela, when he was born. I think at that moment I realized the proportion of the horror of Venezuelan situation that caused all the immigration. What was a couple with a newborn baby running away from, if they found peace in a desert, where nothing except cactus grows, without drinkable water and the highest poverty rates in Colombia? Whatever it was, it for sure meant death for them. The boy revealed that he is 14 years old - not as young as he looked, but was probably underdeveloped due to the conditions of life.

    My life shook a bit that day, but that was just a glimpse of what was about to come in the following days.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Riohacha, my secret favorite

    10. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ 🌬 32 °C

    Riohacha is a small city on the Carribbean and a capital of the Guajira department. It is not touristy and there is not a lot to do - most people use it as a gateway to La Guajira desert tours.

    I loved it. We stayed in a small hotel with great breakfast and rooftop chill zone over looking city and sea which is where I spent most of my time. There is even a coworking that charged you by hour which adds up to be super economic if you work part time like me.

    I could swear that in 4 days we spent there we saw like 4-5 other tourists. We loved the fact.

    There is one common piece of advice we heard from everyone: so it’s worth mentioning: don’t go to the beach in the night, it is super dangerous.

    The local indigenous Wayu people come to Riohacha to work and sell their handycrafts so there is a lot of movement and selling involved in the city. The market is where we tried the best arepa con queso in all of Colombia and ended up returning 3 times there for more.

    Riohacha might be the cheapest place I’ve visited in Colombia. There are also nice cafes and bars and even a craft beer stand. One night we went looking for the craft beer and ended up talking to the local lady who lives there. She said that the stand would open tomorrow and if we want she can also cook for us traditional food of the region for the fraction of the price it would cost anywhere else (3$ or 2.5e).

    Next day when we came back for the food, I asked if I can wash my hands and was escorted to the very modest bathroom inside, and what called my attention were three of the young girls diligently making Wayu crafts in silence.

    After couple of days, we visited some surrounding places and headed to Cabo de la Vela, in order to go on a desert exhibition.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Cerro Kennedy and Sierra Nevada

    7. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    There is a certain melody in which I pronounce “Sierra Nevada” because it awakes a distant childhood memory when I read a book of the same name.

    Little did I know then that I would be literally a breath away from its snowy peaks some 20 years later. Cerro Kennedy seemed like a logical choice for two nature lovers and adventure seekers like Milan and I. It meant two days without internet, inability to book accommodation in advance and just being completely cut off the world and most of the touristy craziness happening in the lower altitudes.

    We opted for a hostel called El Ramo, as a recommendation of another traveler. I cannot express my happiness when I discovered many hammocks and swings waiting for me to jump in. To get there, we first had to take a bus for half an hour. Then we had to walk some 20 kilometers uphills. At some point we officially entered national park, and it was a subtle change of environment: air thickened, light was dimmed with constantly passing fog (read: cloud forest) and pine trees mixed with tropical trees scents started tickling our alveolars.

    On the way up, a dog, looking very much like German Shepard, started following us. Over the next three days he will prove to be one of the most loyal animal buddies that I’ve ever had. He followed everywhere, waited patiently for us, led the way when we were not sure which trail to take. Miss you Hassan 💕

    El Ramo is run by a local family of very modest and easy-going people. The place is full of plants, flowers and humming birds. They were literally everywhere and really added up to the special warmth of this place.

    Cerro Kennedy itself is closed for visitors as it is a military property, but a viewpoint on the way to it is really a perfect spot to wait for the sunrise and admire the vastness of the snowy massif of Sierra Nevada.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Minca and its hikes

    5. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Minca, Minca, Minca… cute, touristy, hippie. Lots of backpackers, but also lots of people who just stayed there. I liked it.

    We did two different hikes starting and ending in Minca and enjoyed both of them.

    Cool waterfalls, natural pools in the river, several nice viewpoints overlooking the village with the views stretching even all the way to the sea. Then, amazing craft beer brewery in the middle of nowhere, reached only by couple of hours of hiking (well, there might be other road, but we didn’t see it).

    Strong presence of indigenous people and culture, intertwined with backpackers. Felt like I would go back. The definite highlight was Cerro Kennedy, but more on that in the next post.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Santa Marta and a rich couple

    4. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    When my friend Milan arrived from Serbia, we met in Cartagena and after rerunning the city tours over the next two days, we headed to Santa Marta.

    We liked the town more, it was touristy but it was calmer than Cartagena, and somewhat more picturesque, like only smaller towns can be.

    Two important things happened: in two days of Milan’s presence, I became señora from señorita and all the prices doubled or more. We enjoyed market in Santa Marta, ate some of the best arepa con queso. After a day, we headed to Minca.    Lue lisää

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    Tierra Bomba, contrast to Cartagena

    1. helmikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    As my hormones got more saturated in my system, my ability to communicate, explain, and organize others went straight to zero. I decided to go to the nearby Tierra Bomba Island with a really nice group of people from my hostel, and mostly let them organize everything, without much participation.

    Unfortunately, we were kinda scammed, paying upfront for the round trip boat ride from Cartagena to the island and back. Bottom line, the experience was still
    nice and I particularly enjoyed part when we were waiting for the boat in the local port, playing with kids and trying street food for 30 cents. On the upside we were scammed for about 3$ per person, so that made it easier to make our peace with it.

    The island Tierra Bomba was very empty and we headed to a famous beach on the other side of the island, that looked quite close. The roads are mostly dirt roads and we saw no cars - only motos. It was easy to get lost, so we did it couple of times, but we always found our way. The walk was nice and the sea even nicer, but every squared meter of the beach belonged to a bar or a restaurant so we had to choose one.

    On the way back we headed to another port village as we thought that’s where the boat will pick us up. The place was super local, and there was a lot of poverty - like a negative of the modern skyscrapers dominating the other side of the sea…just a quick 15-minute boat ride away. Everyone was curious about us, they were asking, suggesting, calling someone to ask something. I was out of the chaos and let the kids play with my hair, play with my hands, play with my skin, closing my eyes and focusing on their words and moves. I let their happiness dissolve my monthly inner disagreement with myself and really enjoyed the moment of not knowing when and how we will be back but also not feeling responsibility. That day, after a long time, I flew.    Lue lisää

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    Cartagena and a taste of Colombia

    30. tammikuuta 2023, Kolumbia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    At first I really wanted to make the trip from Panama to Colombia by boat ( visiting San Blas Islands for 3-5 days) but after calling every known agency I realized that, like so many things, it has changed its status in the last couple of years from “alternative travel” to “I have money and I am European backpacker who wants to look like I am traveling alternatively on my Instagram”.

    Why hatred? Well, most of the amazing remote places that I like to visit are now crawling with people because it is mentioned somewhere as a must thing to do. And everybody stays everywhere for a day, two or three and is seen as a quick ATM withdrawal by the local people. In all that mess, it’s getting harder and harder to see the uniqueness of the place. I am not talking about amazing landscape sights that are usually used to lure the tourists in. I am talking about meeting local family that will tell you which traditional meal you have to try or an old abuela that will tell you the whole story about when the road in front of you was constructed.

    Cartagena was one of those overcrowded places but still an intense contrast to Panama. People smiling and dancing all day long with amazingly beautiful face features and athletic bodies. Colombia, where have you been all my life?

    I joined Getsemani walking tour, which is an artsy neighborhood with street art, caffès, bars and clubs. The place underwent a substantial change in the last years and went from drug-selling ghetto to a must-visit and one of the safest places to be in Cartagena.

    The rest of the city I discovered by myself or with other travelers. Even though everything was adjusted to tourism, you could still sense that there was a regular local city flow just beneath the curtain of overpriced tours. An example: people sitting on a chair with typing machines in front of them, offering to type your contracts and agreements in order to make them valid in the court. Another example: I went to a supermarket in the local neighborhood and 6 bananas, 1/2kg lemons, a deodorant, almond milk, sanitary pads and 300g of brownies costed 4$    Lue lisää

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    Metropolitan Park and a bit on Guna Yala

    27. tammikuuta 2023, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    In the next days we decided to go to Metropolitan Park which represents a natural oasis with nice views of the city, while being located conveniently in the city. Ok, I definitely saw more beautiful and wild nature on this trip, but it was surprising to see all the wildlife thriving while being surrounded by skyscrapers and crowded roads within the short distance.

    We saw colorful birds, monkeys, and even a deer! As we kept exploring and spending more time at some places, observing and receiving all the sounds and movement, we started seeing fireflies everywhere! It looked like the nature was glitching before our eyes - it felt too magical to be true.

    Speaking of magical, in the following days we also visited the free Mola Museum in Casco Viejo. Mola is a specific way the materials are handwoven into nature-inspired geometrical shapes by the Guna Yala indigenous people that live in the west of Panama, in and around San Blas Islands. This group managed to retain a high level of autonomy to the state and have really interesting history and cosmology.

    I highly recommend visiting the museum, as it is all informative, interactive and just, beautiful. To add a mystic dimension to the whole story, mola patterns are supposed to protect whoever wears them from evil spirits and bad influences.    Lue lisää

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    Panama City, China and Yugoslavia

    25. tammikuuta 2023, Panama ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    I was warned various times by different people that Panama City is quite boring and there is nothing to do. Not in this case. I was hosted by a nice family that I met in Boquete.

    My personal experience was different and I really enjoyed spending time with my hosts and meeting this city and country through their perspective.

    The biggest surprise? Chinese influence on Panamanian culture and life. There is between 5-10% of Chinese people in Panama that migrated there in the 1980s. They have their own districts in the city, there are Chinese-focused parties in the night, most of them are market owners etc. even the food is quite present and many specifically Chinese snacks and pastries became a part of typical Panamanian life. I was there the weekend after Chinese New Year and there was a huge celebration in one of the parks. With all the shows, dragons, foods and decoration I could feel I was in China for a brief moment, which was definitely not an experience I was expecting to get in Panama, in the middle of the Americas.

    Second biggest surprise?

    “Josip Broz Tito”

    The words spoken by my host in the perfect accent and pronunciation struck me in surprise so hard that I literally awed for five minutes. She remembers that Tito visited Panama when she was a kid and huge parade that was made in his honor. Contrary to the most countries outside the Europe that I visited, in Panama most people have a good understanding of what happened in the Balkans, and at last, where Serbia is. Is it good education, somewhat common history or just curiosity and chance…I don’t know. But it did leave me wondering.

    The brand new apartment where I was hosted was overlooking the city and what once was a very poor neighborhood. Across the street from the building was the place where the mother of my host was born, when her ancestors were diligent workers who still didn’t have much.

    With Lizzie, the daughter of the family we explored the city in the coming days. First day we walked Calzada de Amador - a long walk alongside Panama City’s three artificial islands that were made from the earth/rocks taken out when making the Panama Canal.

    Casco Viejo - an old colonial part of the city now full of bars, restaurants and clubs.

    On my last day there, we realized there will be a carnaval like-celebration of authentic folklore dresses from Panama. It’s for a reason they call it festival of 1000 colleras. I was positively surprised how many local people have come and how beautiful it all was. Panamanian people are so proud of their own culture and tradition.

    Maybe not the most beautiful city ever, but I really enjoyed the cultural and historical diversity that Panama City offered.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    La India Dormida and Frog Sanctuary

    23. tammikuuta 2023, Panama ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    I stayed in Anton Valley 4 days but all the hikes did in 2 same days. Which may be a reason for me often feeling exhausted 😅

    The Polish girl Aga and I decided to start the trek to India Dormida peak at 5am in order to make it there in time for sunrise. It was really beautiful hike even tho it was night, and we got to see a scorpion 😍

    The sunrise was beautiful and a cute dog followed us from the foot of the hill. We decided to go circular trail and other way down even though that trail was not showing on my map (but was visible there).

    Once down we realized that it was only 9am and headed to the waterfalls. There was no one there and we enjoyed jumping across the rocks and following the flow even though the waterfalls themselves were not amongst the most amazing once we’ve seen.

    25km later from the start of the day, we made it back. 🙂 I took a nap and after that it was still too early (love waking up early!) so I decided to join two other travelers from my hostel and visit a frog sanctuary and squared trees valley.

    In short:

    Frog sanctuary - very nice, local project from a passionate nature lover.

    Squared trees valley - nice nature walk, but close to the road, and actually nothing special. To the extent that I thought that the trees were artificially squared (squeezed for years when young to have this shape) and not natural as advertised.    Lue lisää

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    Cerro Cara de Iguana

    22. tammikuuta 2023, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    There are several very nice and quite easy hikes from el Valle de Antón and I decided that my first one should be Cara de Iguana.

    It was easy to follow the trail and the views were just getting better with each step up. On the way I met another traveler from my hostel and we kept hiking together. We decided to do a circular trail and tried to reach the waterfall on the other side, but unfortunately the land was sold since the last time my hiking maps were updated and it was impossible to trespass so many bribed wires and warnings.
    Don’t ask how I know.

    It rained a lot on the way back and finally all the outdoor equipment I had became useless and not waterproof anymore - after one and a half month of almost daily rain.    Lue lisää

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    Valle de Anton

    21. tammikuuta 2023, Panama

    I decided to make this a special post just to give one simple advice: GO WITH A SHUTTLE.

    Reaching El Valle from Boquete turned to be 12-hour trip for me, changing three buses and in the end having to go in a taxi from the main road to El Valle (30ish kilometers).

    Luckily I met a cool Polish girl on a bus and we struggled together which is always easier than on your own.    Lue lisää

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    La Piedra de Lino hike

    20. tammikuuta 2023, Panama ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    La Piedra de Lino is known to have some of the best views over Boquete and the valley, but unfortunately I haven’t made it to the top. I always like to finish hikes, but this time I was in my snickers (hiking shoes still a bit wet from El Pianista) and started the hike quite late.

    Tip if you decide to go: go early in the morning. Clouds ALWAYS gather around this hill in the afternoon and most of the time it rains. Rain makes it super slippery with the combination of dirt and mud on round and steep rocks and clouds ruin the views. So if you find yourself in my situation, it’s best to go down.

    On the way down I met amazing family that invited me for a coffee and to stay with them in Panama City later in my trip.    Lue lisää

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    Sendero de Pianista

    19. tammikuuta 2023, Panama ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    When you type “hiking in Panama” in Google the chances are that the results will return the numerous news reports about two Dutch girls that disappeared in April 2014 and couple of months later were found dead (well, parts of them at least).

    This happened on the Pianista trail in Boquete. I hiked the trail with the Canadian traveler that I met a day before, and it quickly became one of my top hikes in Panama. Aside from the spooky background, this trail is everything I like: free, narrow, passing through deep forest and full of wildlife. We started around 9, were among the first to hike there that day (only saw one hiker coming back) and saw many animals that day. Highlights: two snakes, insect looking like wood, various birds.

    The lower part of the trail is hot and humid, while as you climb the forest becomes denser and you enter the layer always moving clouds - the popular “cloud forest”. The trail becomes a narrow canyon-like path full of mud, which sides carry the greenery above your’r head and with just enough space for the shoulders to pass. Even though it’s only 4 kilometer long, it really is special.

    I can see how easy it was for the girls to get lost on the hike - the fog (cloud) at the top is dense and if you go off trail you could be standing 5m from the trail and not be able to see it, wondering in which direction to go. The limited visibility makes it hard to oriente so I strongly advise staying on trek. However the passing clouds, wind and dense forests are definitely something special. Highly recommended trail, that I would gladly do again.    Lue lisää

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    El Castillo y Los Ladrillos on foot

    18. tammikuuta 2023, Panama ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    A combination of bus ride and walking to reach an abandoned and supposedly cursed castle and natural rock climbing wall can be made harder and more exciting if you choose to carry a 4-month old baby with you.

    My young host really wanted to give it a try and do the hike along the street (like 9km in total) with her baby and a baby bag full of stuff. Also in crocs.

    After some 2km of going uphills, she kindly asked me if I could carry the baby because she is not fit enough. My biceps, more than my kindness, took it as a challenge and I carried the baby for the rest of the day. I was eternally thanked to by my host, and also peed on by the little bastard. It was kinda fun though.

    The rock climbing wall was cool and I wish I was in a different situation where I could have actually climbed it. The castle is just a locked up abandoned villa that you can’t even come close to but see a glimpse of it through the gates. The landscapes and river views were amazing everywhere along the way, and I even got some free guavas from the tree by the road 🤤    Lue lisää

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    Las Tres Cascadas

    16. tammikuuta 2023, Panama

    The first trek in Panama was an easy one. Las Tres Cascadas is supposeddly one of the nicest hikes around Boquete area, but let me be more blunt like the blogs that I read before going there were not: it is too easy. It is short, expensive, and very well maintained.

    The most beautiful waterfall is the first one but it is fenced and out of reach. The other two you can visit and even swim, but they are less high and less spectacular. The price of 10$ is also kinda discouraging because there are many free stuff you can do in the area.

    I did see some nice birds while hiking there.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Boquete and Flower Festival

    15. tammikuuta 2023, Panama

    Saying goodbye to Bocas was slow, hard and indefinite, but I got motivation to keep moving in order to make it to Colombia in the first week of February.

    I headed to Boquete for some hiking - writing this retrospectively I realize that I keep going from the mountains to the coast to the mountains to the sea etc.

    Arrival to Boquete was a curvy road and the whole shuttle ended up being super carsick. This resulted in me not being able to book a bed while on the road and barely being able to find an accommodation once I got there. It was a flower festival in Boquete - super crowded week where all the locals from different part of Panama head to Boquete.

    In the end I found Boquete very cute and friendly. A lot of activities around as well, so I really enjoyed my time there. A lot of culture and indigenous people with indigenous clothes-reminded me of Chiapas a little bit! Worth a 4-5 days visit.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Bocas del Toro

    9. tammikuuta 2023, Panama

    The following day I crossed to Panama and head straight to Bocas del Toro. From the first five minutes on the main island I could feel it was dangerous - I missed the island life so much that I could easily get stuck there for a long time.

    Which was kinda true and kinda not in the end. I stayed 7 days - catching up with work, learning to dive with Panama Dive Center but most of all, relaxing after crazy three weeks in Costa Rica.

    Diving was great and that much more great that I head to move the boundaries of my water comfort. Beaches were nice, blue, calm and everything about the Caribbean that I missed in Costa Rica. Out of the main island the space was vast, wild, and just so beautiful.

    Love Bocas, but there is a big but. Local people felt really rude and interested to communicate or note that tourists exist. Sometimes to an extent of not saying even Hello.    Lue lisää

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  • travelophytaCentral to South AmericaMatkaaja

    Manzanillo Nature Reserve

    8. tammikuuta 2023, Costa Rica

    Manzanillo was my last trip in Costa Rica, and good one to wrap up the trip - finally I found some frogs!

    Ok, they weren’t bright blue, or pink, or green, but they were tiny and pretty and I saw them by myself (wellll ok, thanks Diego for the first one)

    The reserve itself was nice, but more of the same that got me feeling really spoiled , never have I thought that I would get used to seeing monkeys, sloths, morpho butterflies and colorful birds all the time.

    The final beach that we reached was finally calm and nice for taking a dip - it was kinda hidden (thanks Diego) and we even saw a stingray and a flatfish pass by us in the clear shallow water 🤩    Lue lisää

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