Boquete Panama and Chiriqui Province

Chiriqui, the westernmost province of Panama’s Pacific coast, offers visitors some of the republic’s most varied fare, ranging from swimming beaches to mountain climbing. For those interested in any of the following, Chiriqui is the place to find them: flower growing, trout fishing, medicinal springs, alpine farms, coffee, beer tasting, orange growing, cattle ranches, thoroughbred farms, hunting, birdwatching, and white water rafting.

Visitors coming down the Pan American Highway receive Chiriqui as their Welcome Cocktail as soon as they cross the border at Paso Canoa. Alternatively, for car-renters and bus riders, the western welcome mat is spread over six or seven hours’ drive up the Panama American Highway, with abundant restaurants and sightseeing along the way.

David, third city of the republic, is the provincial capital of Chiriqui. Most sightseeing spectacles are within easy range of here, but a number of alluring mountain hotels can be found in the cooler climate of Boquete and Volcan. Boquete is the nation’s flower garden, prime supplier, for the capital city’s florists. Chill streams bounding down from el Volcan de Baru (11,450 feet) through Boquete, Cerro Punta, or Volcan contain a caveat for those who believe sea bass reigns unchallenged as Panama’s tastiest fish. Hot springs can also be found in the area of Boquete.

The variety of Chiriqui is what makes it greatest…the high farms look Swiss in their greenness. Las Lajas, about an hour’s drive from David, is the best known of Chiriqui’s beaches. The most vales of Boquete cradle Panama’s coffee growing industry. Chiriqui is also cattle country and the nation’s prime thoroughbred-raising area. Finally, the Guaymi Indians call Chiriqui’s central cordillera their home. For all these reasons, the area of Chiriqui has become a popular retirement destination for foreigners and Panamanians alike.

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