The Emberá-Wounaan communities living along the rivers north and east of La Palma are among the most compelling reasons to visit the Darién. A canoe journey upriver — typically one to three hours depending on which village you visit — brings you to settlements built on raised platforms above the forest floor, where life follows rhythms largely unchanged by the outside world.
Visits are possible through guides arranged in La Palma, and you should use one: you are entering a community that receives few outsiders, and going without an introduction is intrusive. A good guide will arrange a proper welcome, which may include a meal of fish and plantain, a demonstration of traditional crafts, and the chance to meet community leaders. Photography requires asking permission directly. The experience is extraordinary — and far more genuine than the staged "indigenous village tours" found elsewhere in Central America.