Gorgeous Views of Cerro Punta, Panama

Cerro Punta, the settlement established at the highest point than any other in the entire Republic of Panama, is the second stop of the Chiriquí trifecta that includes Bambito, Cerro Punta and Guadalupe, three towns that are absolutely charming and well worth the visit. The village was founded some odd 80 years ago, and coincidentally the area’s rapid agricultural boom has now made Cerro Punta responsible for over 80% of the total vegetables consumed in the entire Republic of Panama!

Even though one can clearly see that the many years of grazing, deforestation, pesticide use, soil erosion and other side effects of agricultural efforts are beginning to take toll on some parts of Cerro Punta, the area is still rich with lush rain-forest and beautiful fields that cement Chiriquí as one of the most attractive tourist destinations of the Western Hemisphere. Hiking enthusiasts will have a ball trekking the surrounding areas of Cerro Punta, especially with both La Amistad National Park and the Barú Volcano National Park within easy reach from this area. This is why Cerro Punta is usually the base camp for hiking and bird watching expeditions, since the area is also known to be where visitors can take a good look at the beautiful quetzal bird. Accommodations around the area are very easy to get to and top notch to boot; if you’re a flower enthusiast or simply like to see pretty things, you should take a drive down to Los Quetzales Lodge and Spa in Guadalupe, where you’ll be able to see one of the most complete collections of orchids in Latin America.

Going back to Cerro Punta, the village is located inside the crater of an extinct volcano at roughly 1,800m above sea level; as a result, the temperature is among the chilliest in the entire country and comparable to that found in Switzerland and other Nordic countries. The backgrounds, filled with tall peaks and mountains showered with green fields and beautiful flowers, are quite simply unmatched by most sites you’ll find anywhere else in the continent. If you’re planning to visit Cerro Punta, you’ll be happy to know that the village has many hotels, inns, lodges, restaurants, bars and even tour operators if you feel adventurous. There are even some very attractive properties if you’re looking to retire in Panama.

photo courtesy of Univision.com

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Filed under: Country Guide on March 24th, 2008