Just got done with a ride to Yaviza, first time ever. Eight years ago I Quit after seeing what kind of dusty rough potholed,rocky gravel road stretched beyond the Rio Bayano bridge. A short while ago I heard that the long planned improvements were being executed so that started my route planning while I was already in Honduras.
Sure enough. From the Bayano bridge a brand new ribbon of asphalt now stretches into the jungles through the roadcut which has been there for decades. I left Panama City at 11 am and was in Yaviza befor e 6PM.
The road is still being worked on and has a number of short gravel stretches still and a few pieces of poor grade asphalt put down in 2005 which is now blowing up. All the gravel bits are well graded and brought up to level ready for asphalt coating.The gravel bits are no worse than any rural road in Canada.After Bayano there is a regular spacing of villages with food lodging and gasoline stations- nothing like the primitive region I was sort of led to expect from other´s travel tales.
No doubt the hardcore dirt riders or masochists will decry this as another great ride gone and wilderness despoiled. But really, the road has been there for decades and the countryside was turned into ranches, teak tree plantations and farms long ago.The gravel road only added to the cost and time of moving products and people in and out. Okay now the road riding bike tourists can have a great ride too. And it is quite the scenic road at times when passing some of the tall tree groups ( which must not be of commercial value or else they would have been chopped down ages ago)
There are a number of police check points along the highway and regular patrols on bikes and in pickups. On arriving in Yaviza you should check in and register at the police station and they will keep an eye out for you. Good folks.
Only 2 hotels with very cramped inside parking in Yaviza . If that is not appealing stop in Meteti for the night ,feul up and then do Yaviza on a very easy day trip. Park the bike at the police HQ and walk around the primitive looking jungle river town. Yaviza has several small restaurants, only barrel gas available at the river conoe docks .A tire repair/welding shop at the entry to town at the water tower can fix a flat -personal experience here from picking up a nail in my back tire just 8km before town. .
It is something else and very interesting, you will always remember your visit to Yaviza

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