As tourist destinations go it didn’t catch on in the same way as say Blackpool or Ibiza but here’s Darien back on the tourist map.
Darien used to be a big thing in the 1690s after it had been identified by outsiders as a route from Atlantic to the Pacific.
Particularly those, like me, of a Scottish variety who, jealous of their English neighbours’ burgeoning empire, went after their own.
Only to find unsurprisingly that the locals, the neighbouring English and Dutch colonists and even God himself didn’t agree.
And cursed by plague, pestilence and penury in the jungle, their bid to establish a New Caledonia ended in bankrupting Scotland.
And why does this matter to you if you’re not of the Scottish variety?
Well the opportunistic English hotfooted it up to Scotland to buy them out and force a union on them, the United Kingdom.
Panama chat
If I haven’t sold the Darien to you yet, then maybe I’m better passing the job over to our friends at Swan Hellenic cruises.
The SH Diana people who will take you around Panama and Peru.
And into the jungle to meet the indigenous Embera people of the Darien.
Where we’re expecting they’ll be more welcoming than 325 years ago.
And Swan Hellenic will be coming in good will to promote the Darien.
Graceful Swan
The SH Diana is brand new for 2024 from Lima to Panama City, along South America.
And, of course, you’ll get to meet the natives who were here before any of us, God’s other critters.
Nature including Humboldt Penguins and Southern Sea Lions on Isla Guanape.
Peruvian pelicans and Blue-Footed Boobies on Lobos de Tierra.
One hundred and thirty species of hummingbird on Puerto Bolivar.
And nested waved albatross on Isla de la Plata.
Deal us in
Departing on March 18, the nine-night Cultures of Northern Peru and Biodiversity expedition cruise costs from £5,356 pps
Including return group transfers from the airport to the cruise port.
One pre-night cruise accommodation with breakfast in a four/five star hotel or onboard.
All meals on board, onboard accommodation in a stateroom selected category.
Twenty-four hour room service, drinks available all day, lecture programmes by experienced expedition team and guest speakers (phew)!
One selected short excursion per port of call, standard Wi-Fi, onboard gratuities and port taxes.
And maybe that’s where the Scottish navy went wrong.
And why they should have followed Swan Hellenic’s lead and why we have Darien back on the tourist map.