A one-and-a half to two hour boat journey on the Chagres River is what separates the hustle and bustle of the 21st century from a lifestyle that hasn't changed much in the last 500 years.

Nestled in the thick rainforests of Chagres National Park, the tiny village of Emberá Drúa and its residents are making more and more visitors from northern climes travel several centuries back in time.

At first sight, the culture of this Native American group, which migrated to Panama from South America around the same time that Spanish conquistadors first set foot on the Isthmus, might seem rather primitive to the average visitor. Whereas men and boys wear loin cloths, the daily attire of women and girls consists of a lively-colored skirt, body paint on their nude torso, a necklace made with coins and a crown of flowers. A closer contact will yield a different impression: cell phones, children learning world history in school and a tourist committee with enough knowledge at English to make you feel at home.

Since the birth of Panama's cruise ship industry ten years ago, Emberá Drúa has become one of the most popular destinations for luxury vessel passengers on the Isthmus. The average visit includes native dances, an authentic Emberá lunch (featuring fried fish and patacones -fried, green plantain medallions), lectures on the town's history and culture and "crash courses" on how to make the Emberá's excellent handicrafts, including their woven baskets, and carvings made with vegetable ivory and cocobolo wood.

For more information on tours to Emberá Drúa, call Señora Gladis, tel.: 263-4356.