| Activities
Nearby:
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ACTIVITIES
AT AND NEAR PANAMAGIC
Tanager Tourism
provides a place to stay and a
relaxed atmosphere. Here at our farm-to-forest project, Panamagic,
there are almost no limits to what you can do.
Whether you
want to sway in a hammock, kayak through the mangroves, sunbath
on the beach, get artistic with a piece of driftwood, hike up into
the Cerro Hoya Mountains, get to know the locals or the wildlife,
we can help you do it.
For those
who want to go further a field or have a special interest, like
Bird Watching, we provide tours
for small groups. We also offer cutom
made tours that focus on culture or architecture, or custom
made tours to special destinations such as the World Heritage Sites,
Coiba Island an the Darien.
Please click
on the links on the left to view details on each of the activities.
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Measuring
growth of a
Mahogany tree |
Our
photo gallery shows you that small really is beautiful!
If you are traveling on-line,
find out more about our project and how
you can help at a distance
and make our
blog one of your favorites! |
PANAMAGIC
TOURS
VISIT OUR FARM-TO-FOREST
PROJECT
We have a short tour of
our property where you can learn all there is to know about reforestation.
This walk over our rather steep hills, explores most foot paths
and all vantage points on the property to give you good views.
It includes a visit to the nursery and compost area.
A similar tour is also the
start of your work week if you join us as
a volunteer! If you just want to give us a hand for the day
we can discuss the general list of day tasks, available at the
workshop. If you are interested in working longer and harder as
a volunteer or if you are a biology or forestry student, please
send us an e-mail with your CV or skills
and interests and we shall reply to you within a few days.
For the very lazy people
staying with us we guarantee that our various verandas already
in place provide excellent observation points for both the reforestation
process and birdlife, provided you manage to keep your eyes open
while observing from our hammocks!
| Very local
tour with our grounds caretaker about reforestation - 1 hr |
$ 2.50
p.p. |
| Same as above but includes
the selection and planting of 1 tree - 2 hrs |
$ 7.50 p.p. |
Book
Now !
BUG-EYED TOUR
For those that do keep
their eyes open: Bug-eyed is beautiful and we show you on this
tour.
One of our biologists will
be your guide for two hours. Join him or his early morning or
late afternoon on the creepy-crawly bug-eyed tour, where we try
to get you close to butterflies, dragon flies, caterpillars, praying
mantis, wasps, scorpions and spiders (that includes the infamous
tarantulas!). And we hope to show you some frogs, lizards and
birds too.
RATES:
| Bug-eye
tour with one of our biologist - 2 hrs |
$ 15.00
p.p. |
Book
Now !
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Turtle
hatchlings – Olive ridley |
Learn
about the turtle conservation programme |
TURTLE
WATCHING
Malena has
a Turtle Conservation Group (read more)
and from July to December you can come along with their members
on Turtle Beach Patrol. You patrol the beach starting early evening
to look for egg laying turtles and take records when you find one.
Once the turtle has laid her eggs, the patrol unit collects the
eggs to re-bury them in a nursery cage, safe from dogs and other
predators.
Patrolling
gives excellent opportunities to photograph the turtle when she
has started laying her eggs. We have a tripod if you need one since
you are not allowed to use a flash (this may harm the turtle and
cause her to abort her egg laying).
If you are
lazy and do not want to patrol in vain but rather stay on standby,
we can organize radio contact with the local patrol that shall inform
us as soon as a turtle is spotted on the beach laying her eggs!
We have you there in about 5 minutes! (turtle egg laying takes always
more than 30 minutes).
If you want
to learn all about turtles but do not speak Spanish, we can provide
a biologist guide for an additional fee (see below).
And from
September to January, the eggs hatch within the nursery. Usually
in the late afternoon, the hatchlings are brought outside the cage
and you can watch and photograph the race of the hatchlings to the
sea.
RATES:
| Join an association
member on patrol at night |
$5.00 p.p. |
| Lazy call-up-via-radio
patrol with transport up to beach entry if turtle is found laying
eggs |
$7.50 p.p. |
| Join an association member
on patrol (Spanish speaking), with an additional biologist guide
who speaks English, Dutch, Portuguese and more… |
$7.50 p.p.
(min. 2 p.) |
| Turtle hatchling lecture
and discussion with local members of the association only. |
$1/50 p.p. |
| Translation of the hatchling
lecture and discussion by biologist guide |
$5.00
(1 hr max) |
| Watching the small turtles
hatch |
For free |
- The rates include
a leaflet with information on the turtles in your language.
|
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Now !
A large part of the fees are paid
to the association. They use the money to maintain the infrastructure
needed to protect turtle nests, to initiate new projects and to
offset income losses associated with their location in the buffer
zone of two internationally recognized and protected areas (Coiba
World Heritage Site and Gulfo de Montijo RAMSAR wetland). You are
of course always welcome to also provide a direct donation to the
association! |
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Lasso
competition |
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EXPLORING
ON YOUR OWN OR WITH THE LOCALS
For our independent guest,
we have kayaks available to explore the bay or the mangroves near
Palo Seco or Morillo. We have boogie boards to enjoy the waves
at whichever beach nearby, mountain bikes to explore the surrounding
area (Torio, Mariato, Palo Seco, Morillo) and for those who love
walking there is the cave at the beach and the waterfall in Malena.
We have route descriptions
and maps for sale (around $1 or less) which guide you where needed.
However, if you just do not trust a piece of paper or think it
is more fun to go along with a guide, we have several community
members that can take you for a small fee. Our own multi-lingual
biologists are (nearly) always available too if you do not speak
any Spanish but still would like to speak with the locals about
the surroundings.
You can practice your Spanish
as you enjoy the Panamanian way of live:
-
Learn
how to lasso on a tame horse and follow the cattle from one
grazing area to the other. Or just go horse riding with a local
guide.
-
Or
while you are coming back from your walk to and swim at the
waterfall, press some sugar cane into a lovely drink and learn
how sugar is made.
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If
you want to catch your own meal, we can arrange a fishing trip
with one of the local fishermen (it may be at night!). Our restaurant
staff will be happy to clean and prepare your catch.
• If you are interested in cooking and want to learn how
to make sancocho, patacones and other Panamanian delicacies,
we can arrange some time for you with our cook (as of 2009 only)…
| Activities
with Local Guides |
| Horse riding
(per person per hour) |
$10 |
| Learn how to lasso
and drive cattle (3 hours) |
$40 |
| Join a local fisherman
on his job (at his timing, half a day or the whole night) |
$30 |
| Special fishing trip
(at your leisure, half a day) |
$40 |
| Learn the Panamanian
cooking and enjoy the meal |
$7.50 |
- We include a packed
lunch or snack box for you with some drinks (horse and
fishing activities). All activities at own risk.
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Book
Now !
We offer a special
guided 1-day kayak tour into the mangrove forest of Palo Seco.
Just for nature lovers or people that want to learn about the
mangrove ecosystem and its birds! The kayaks are a single and
a double fiberglass sit-on so numbers are limited. Transport to
the site needs some arrangements so booking in advance is needed.
| Kayak Rental |
single kayak |
double kayak |
| 4 hrs |
$30 |
$40 |
| 8 hrs (full day |
$50 |
$65 |
- Includes delivery
at the beach, life jackets, and radio communication.
- Requires a refundable
deposit of $ 150 as well as passport or valid credit card.
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We very soon hope to offer you more to be active
at your own leisure like the rental of bicycles and boogie boards.
| Bicycle
Rental |
| 4 hrs |
$7.50 |
| 8 hrs (full day) |
$12.50 |
- Requires a refundable
deposit of $75.
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| Boogie
Boards |
| 8 hrs (full
day) |
$5 |
- Requires a refundable
deposit of $ 25.
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Book
Now !
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Isla
Gobernadora |
MarViva
is very active to protect Coiba island and its bufferzones and are
regularly assisting the community of Malena.
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American
Wood Storks |
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SNORKLING
TOURS AND BOAT TRIPS
There are some excellent
snorkeling reefs near Cébaco Island, a short boat ride
away. Since dolphins are common in the Gulf of Montijo, you may
see them on your way to or from the reef.
The
Gulf of Montijo is a RAMSAR site and an Important Bird Area
(IBA) and worth exploring. We offer a full day guided tour that
includes a meal in Puerto Mutis. On this tour you can observe
and learn about the mangrove forests and local wildlife. Since
you are quite some time on the boat, you are likely indeed to
see dolphins!
For those that want to
increase their chances to see a whale or dolphin, we can organize
special ‘Cetacea’ trips (dolphins and whales). There
are several times of the years when your chances to see whales
are bigger. For example from August to September humpback whales
are present in the Gulf of Montijo. The very lucky might see other
species of whales as well. Orca and Sperm whale have recently
been seen just south of Cébaco Island by big game fishers.
We always follow international guidelines for whale watching.
Members of the Malena community group have been on a special workshop
for this (sponsored by Mar
Viva).
Fishing trips can be organized
for you in two ways: you can join the fisher folk on their work
(you adapt to their schedules!) or a fisherman takes you on a
special trip (your time and some more flexibility!).
There are several fishermen
owning boats but few are officially allowed to transport passengers.
Note that in the area fishing for the fish is lucrative, and prices
for tourist to use the boat are therefore relatively expensive!
We are trying to find a local boat owner to be able to offer a
larger variety of boat tours or maybe even a ferry in the summer
up to Santa Catalina via Cebaco and Gobernadora. Watch this space
for further developments.
There are community
groups on both islands that wish to serve tourists and we
would like to promote these groups, starting by letting them prepare
your lunch and/or snack and give you a short tour on the island
when you visit.
| Boat tours |
| Snorkling
from Malena to Cebaco (2-3 hrs) |
Minimum
$40
(higher rate p.p. if less than 4 people) |
$10 p.p. |
- We include snorkel
equipment and a packed snack box for you with a drink.
- Activities at own
risk, safety jackets provided.
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| Guided Tour of Gulfo
de Montijo (6 hrs) or Island Tour Round Trip (6 hrs) |
Minimum $180
(higher rate p.p. if less than 4 people) |
$44 p.p. |
- Guide is a biologist
and snorkel equipment is available.
- We include a late
lunch in Puerto Mutis or on one of the islands; and a
packed snack box for you with a drinks.
- Activities at
own risk, safety jackets provided.
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Book
Now !
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Artistic
with beachwood |
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FOR
THE RAINY DAYS…
We are in the humid tropics
where a rainforest grows naturally! It rains regularly from May
to December – mostly in the afternoon, so we have designed
a range of ‘veranda’ and workshop activities:
-
We
have hammocks to laze about and watch the rain.
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We
can provide you with some fitness equipment and a yoga book
so you can exercise or work out.
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Learn
about natural beauty and take a papaya or buckwheat mask, or
use the healing powers of the potato and cucumber skins to treat
your sun burns from the morning beach walk!
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We
have many magazines and books that you can read.
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A Panamanian
cooking session can very well take place in the local restaurant
when it rains if so pre-arranged.
A Panamanian cooking course
can very well take place in our kitchen when it rains if so pre-arranged.
For those who are artistically
inclined:
-
We
have drift wood for sale and tools for rent so you can carve
wood. If you know in advance, you can go on a beach walk in
the morning and find your own piece of wood to carve later.
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We
also have some drawing material for sale and some paints too
(limited supply). You can make your own t-shirt too. Drawing
and painting lessons available on request.
If you have any other ideas
let us know and we shall do our best
to make it work!
| Rainy
Day Activities |
| Access to Fitness equipment
(per hour) |
$2 |
| Learn about natural
beauty and enjoy the masks |
$3 |
| Learn the Panamanian
cooking and enjoy the meal |
$7.50 |
| Rental of wood carving
hand tools (half a day) |
$3 |
| Drift wood (depending
on the size) |
$1 upwards |
| Drawing material (paints
cost more, depends on type and quantities) |
$2 upwards |
| T-shirt painting (includes
the T-shirt), use of markers and textile paint |
$15 |
| Drawing lessons (technical
botanical, realistic zoological, material uses) - 2 hour session |
$20 p.p. |
Book
Now !
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