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

__________________
http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

From your posting it sounds like you are living in Panama. If so, send me a message and let's get together and do some riding. I just got back from riding my KLR from here (flew to Bogota) to Ushuaia, but I'm ready to go again!

__________________
Steve Barnett
Panama City, Panama

No Steve , I don´t live in Panama. I spent a week wandering around and exploring the corners of this lovely warm country.Tonight in David will be the last one and tomorrow I´ll be riding up to Volcan and taking the small border crossing that leads to San Vito Costa Rica.
Since I´m here now I might give a small summary of some roads I explored besides the Panam to Yavisa.
The Transistmica Highway Cd . Panama to Colon is getting really busted up in the midsection 50km , many big potholes and cracked slab concrete- lack of maintenance because they are using the funds to build the extension of the Autopista .Traffic there is bedlam during rush hour, small buses and cars dodging up the right shoulder going south , sometimes 3 wide, some cars dodging it on the opposite shoulder too- And it is only a two lane road ! This gets pretty exciting if the sun is setting ! Luckily I reached the gates of the wonderful El Camping Resort Hotel just when such was urgently needed. Great Place at ¨Mile 19 ¨ at Chilibre. The north half is pretty good , newer pavement with some passing lanes.
From Chilibre it is a great bit of road west to the canal thru the Soberania National Park. Stop to enjoy the views of the immense forest trees , see some blue morpho butterflies flitting about, listen and watch the birds, take a hike- this bit could be a vacation of itself while staying at that nearby Resort Hotel which is very economical to boot.This route called Madden Road delivers you right to the foot of the new CentenarioBridge over the canal and with any luck you will see a big ship passing into the Culebra cut of the canal. A few km south is the the last of the 3 Miraflores locks with a good view of the lockand the new bridge.
Use this new bridge and the Autopista it carries to avoid Panama City completely if going west , and you can then also bypass all the string of cities past La Chorrera. The Panam wewst is then all fourlane to Santiago. Santiago to David is good wide two lane with paved shoulders.
From Los Olmos west to San Fransico was a very good ride, paved rad, thru dry hill ranch country. From San francisco it is 40 km north tSanta Fe in much higher hill country on south side of the mountains which keep the wet Caribbean air out :Another great little vacation destination, not as warm as the south plains and a lot drier than the north coast. Many little paved and gravel roads to explore and very steep inclines!Totally different.

The coast highway east from the Transistmica to Portobello is a wonderful little ride thru green coastal forest and some farms, then some bits of gravel before ending at the port for crossing to Isla Grande.
West of the Gatun Locks the lakeside ride is thru mostly jungle first then higher ranchland. Pavement ends after 30 km or so then good gravl road to end at village of Cuipo- no tourist service at all on this road , but a nice ride. The road exists mainly because it serves in parts as a dike for Gatun Lake and the Canal people need it for access .
About 15 km southwest of the Gatun Locks thereis a turnoff to Pinos whch turned out to be a wonderful ride thru a continuation of the coast jungle and some vallies with old rarms .
The highway from Bocas del Toro region across the mountains south to Gualaca and the Panamerican Highway has suffered horibly during the last few rainy seasons . Huge sections were washed out, bridges too, and many landslides in the section climbig from the north to the Continental Divide. These have all been made passable and the ride was not difficult, again just a gravel road at times, no big obstacle. Tour buses are stopping at some of the narrow bits of cave-ins and making passengers walk across, then get back aboard. This in case the road might collapse while a bus was on it- fewer casualties and lawsuits.

__________________
http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

Thanks for the info!!

Just one question, how's the road between Yaviza and the Colombian border? Just curious.

Thanks,

John

__________________
John C.

There isn't one. Search for "Darien Gap"

Put it this way:

Bring a boat, good hiking shoes, and several guards with machineguns.

__________________
SF to Panama and back
How I Nearly Killed My Friends In Baja

Several to be read as many!!!!