The area around the town of Jaqué (pop. 2,244) is even more deforested than Puerto Piñas. They actually graze cattle here—thankfully the only place along this stretch of coast that does. They mainly fish and grow crops that include rice, plantains, yuca, and yams.

It’s considerably larger and relatively more affluent-looking than Puerto Piñas, with some fairly substantial houses, but it’s still a place where people live pretty close to the bone. There’s an airstrip, a hospital, two hospedajes, a soccer field, and a handful of basic places to get a bite or a drink. A police bunker is at the edge of town near the mouth of the Río Jaqué, and there’s a camouflage netting–covered main cuartel (police station) in the center of town.

In 2000, the Colombian civil war pushed hundreds of refugees from the Colombian town of Juradó over the border into Jaqué and its surroundings. Stories appeared in the Panamanian press at that time saying that some of these refugees had been placed on Colombian death lists, and there was concern the war might spill over the border into this area. This didn’t happen, and a beefed-up police presence in town and up the Río Jaqué kept the situation under control for several years.

However, in June 2010, two Panamanian policemen were maimed by anti-personnel mines near the village of Jaqué, on the Bahía de Piñas. This is the first time anti-personnel mines have ever appeared in Panama. These were allegedly planted by drug traffickers. Yet more police have poured into the area, and the president of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, has begun making tough speeches against the traffickers and Colombian guerrillas.

The situation appeared volatile as this travel guide went to press. Until local conditions change, I strongly advise visitors to avoid Jaqué and the surrounding area (though Tropic Star Lodge still appears to be largely insulated from the conflict).

All that said, when left on its own the town is mellow and the people are friendly to strangers.

Those who come to Jaqué, when it’s safe to do so, by boat must get from open sea to the mouth of the Río Jaqué, and doing so often means riding waves that can be three meters high or even bigger. Managing this requires an experienced captain with a feel for surfing, and no one should attempt it without life jackets. This wave actually can be surfed, though few have made it all the way down here with their boards.