Las Yayas

After visiting the General de Division Omar Torrijos Herrera National Park (El Cope National Park for some) last monday, february 20th; Rafael Luck, Luis Isaza and your host decided to visit a popular place in the town of Barrigon: Las Yayas falls. It is only 20 minutes above El Cope (where the asphalt road ends) in a quite good gravel road. Here, members of the community, in association with government agencies, have adapted the place for visitors, both natives and foreigners.

The entrance fee is derisory, enough to pay the maintenance of the place. You start to walk down the slope through some steep stairs while hearing the running water in the bottom of the forested canyon and reading the interpretative signs.

At least two different legends explain the name Las Yayas, both include mysterious, beautiful young ladies who were occasionally seen bathing in the crystalline waters by the natives... and "yaya" is a local name for young lady. We soon reached the first group of falls, in the bottom of the canyon. We couldn't resist to have a cool dive and to experience the strength of the falling water over us.

However, the main falls were some steps up away. The families that decided to spent their carnival's monday in that place were bathing under the big falls (please don't let the sculptural model distract you of seeing the falls).

Time to know Panama don't you think?