Rio Negro Falls – Near Manzanillo

When you take the road from Manzanillo to Cobano, you will cross the Rio Negro at a small bridge. Park there and walk down river for an hour to an hour and a half. You will see many large trees and a good variety of orchids. The falls have several large swimming holes. While walking, watch out for leaf-traps. This is when dry leaves fill up a rock hole and look like solid ground under water. When you step into what looks like knee-deep water, you plunge over your waist. If you continue past the falls, you’ll end up in a larger river, the Rio Ario, which is passable by canoe, and eventually ends up in the Rio Bongo. At the rivermouth, watch out for salt-water crocodiles! But don’t worry, they won’t make it up to these falls.