Corazón de Jesús and Narganá

A short footbridge links the two islands. The islands are much more modern than others in the Guna Yala archipelago—fewer women wear traditional garb and there are more concrete houses than thatch-roof huts. Electricity is available at all hours and some homes even have a TV, an amenity that is unheard of in many Guna villages. For this reason, visitors are less likely to be interested in the cultural offerings of Corazón de Jesús and Narganá, except as a point of contrast to other Guna islands.

The islands do, however, have a few helpful facilities. Corazón de Jesús has a small airstrip that occasionally receives flights from Panama City. Narganá has the archipelago’s only bank, a small branch of Banco Nacional de Panamá, as well as a hospital and police station. The center of town also has a statue of Charles Robinson, a man who played an important role in the Guna’s 1925 war with Panama. There are a few simple restaurants on both islands, as well as a pool hall on Corazón de Jesús.

The islands of Corazón de Jesús and Narganá in Panama’s Guna Yala archipelago are less traditional than other islands, but have a few helpful facilities.