Hidden Gems

Why I Don’t Bargain with the Embera: Hidden Gems of Panama

If you go just an hour outside Panama City, you’ll get a chance to meet a very special group of people: the indigenous Embera tribe. The tribe is committed to maintaining their traditional way of life and they have lived this way for centuries. When you visit the tribe, you are not entering a tourist attraction. These are locals living their day-to-day lives, and you can join them for a meal or participate in some of their tribal customs.

The cool thing is that you can also bring home a piece of that culture. The Embera tribe sells a variety of crafts all made with natural pigment and dyes. The prices are determined by the length of time it takes to make an item.  This is the one place you don’t want to bargain because all the money earned goes back into community.

Watch as Peter pick out a souvenir to take home from his final Hidden Gems of Panama adventure.

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