Isla Maquina

One island well worth a visit is Isla Maquina (Mormarketupo in Kuna), about a 10-minute boat ride from Río Sidra. It’s the quietest and most purely traditional of the islands in the region and one of the most traditional in the archipelago. It’s known for its mola makers. Huts aren’t as squashed together, and it’s quite tidy and significantly cleaner than other islands. There are a school and water supplied by an aqueduct, but very little else in the way of facilities—no hotel, no health center. It’s pleasant to wander around the narrow paths lined with cane fences that border homes. There are a few places to buy sodas and snacks.