Sarigua National Park

Sarigua National Park was created in 1985 on the coast of the Gulf of Parita. It is nearly 20,000 acres of coast, desert, mangroves and swamp. The is located on the Pacific Coast between the mouths of the Santa Maria and Parita rivers. Inside the park are the remains of the oldest Pre-Columbian Indian village in Panama, which dates from around 9,500 to 7,000 BC. The village was a settlement that belonged to a fishing community.
An average annual rainfall of 43 inches makes the park the driest region of the Panama Isthmus. The protected area extends over a fragile coastal ecosystem. Salt concentration of the land has formed a beautiful desert-esque landscape.
The mangrove, laurel, potbellied, carate and galinut tree all call the park home. Wildlife is scarce here, aside from over 162 migratory bird species that have been recorded. In addition, shrimp grow in the mangrove.

The park has an administrative office and a visitor center with tours from local guides. The park can be reached by road via the towns of Santa María and Parita.