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Corregimiento in Chiriquí, Panama
Photo: Rob vanNostrand, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Boquete is a cozy mountain river town in Chiriqui province, in the Pacific West of Panama. It is famous for its coffee plantations and the world famous geisha coffee—so wake up and smell the coffee.
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A beautiful huge wall with volcanic tubes. Great for some pictures and to actually understand that you are on top of a volcano.
Cafes Luna
Family-owned small coffee farm which started as a retirement project, but has grown into a love of the coffee business and the people of the area. Their coffee is sold in town and worldwide. The farm tour is very informative, and involves tastings of various types of coffee and blends.
Weekly "drumming circles" are held at the Stone Cabins. Its mostly expats, but visitors are welcome. They have extra percussion instruments there, if you didn't think to bring your drums with you.
The Chiriquí (Viejo) River has the best white-water kayaking and rafting in the country. Luckily for enthusiasts, the spot is relatively undiscovered, so no fighting over space here. Several rafting companies in the area offer Class II-V tours with rides ranging from 2-6 hr. The river offers continuous rapids on a jungle run with warm water. A few companies offer full day rafting excursions or (when the conditions are right) whitewater kayaking and inflatable kayaking for all levels on several rivers around Boquete. The full day trip leaves in the morning and returns in the afternoon, with lunch and drinks usually included at the river. Because of the many rivers running off the volcano, the river kayaking can be very fast, Class V. But it also has beginner level, if you are trying it for the first time. As of June 2010 there are at least 11 hydroelectric projects being planned or in the process of bring built on the Chiriqui Viejo river.
There are great trails around Boquete for enduro/dirtbike riding. The company Panama Enduro Tours offers half-day, full-day and multi-day tours. The guide is a very experienced rider and speak English natively. He will adapt the tour to your previous off-road experience with surfaces ranging from fireroads to gnarly trails. The price includes the rent of the motorcycle (Husqvarna TE 250i 2019), protective gear (helmet, boots, gloves, goggles, pants, socks, knee braces, shirt, chest, shoulder back and elbow protectors), and hydration pack. The guide will also pick you up at your accommodation and take videos and photos at no extra cost. He also offers great advice to improve your riding.
Panama has become synonymous with some of the best coffee in the world. It has always been a coffee producing region. Boquete is known for the excellent coffee-growing conditions. You can visit a coffee estate for a tasting and explanation of the coffee process. You can visit a single estate or a tour of multiple estates, like a wine tour. Even if you aren't an avid coffee fan, a coffee tour is a great way to understand the culture and recent history of Boquete. Many small and large coffee producers in the region offer tours, just ask around or stop while driving by.
A zip line experience in the cloud forest with 12 lines of over 5 km in total. It is located on a coffee farm, with beautiful views of Boquete, and an adrenaline rush from soaring through the cloud forest. The office is located in the Kotowa Coffee Shop in Plaza Los Establos.
Horses are a way of life in Panama. It is not unusual to look out the window of your casita, and have a horse looking back. Horseback riding in Panama is mostly Western horses and Western saddles. Privately owned horses can vary from Quarter Horse to a mix of Columbian or Peruvian Paso. By breeding the two, you get a larger horse, than the traditional Paso Fino, with the smooth and lovely gait of the Paso.
Most horseback riding tours are located in Caldera, 20 min drive back down toward David from Boquete. It is best for beginners up to experienced riders, and offers a nice trail ride with beautiful views of Volcan Baru. This tour is normally $35, but can usually be combined with the Caldera Hot Springs for a $55 half-day activity.
Take advantage of the year-round spring-like weather and golf at the two golf courses at any time of the day. Lucero Golf and Country Club and Quebrada Grande Golf Course are open to the public.
Los Ladrillos. See the “See” section. One of the only outdoor climbing walls in the country, routes ranging from 5.5 to 5.11b. Incredibly accessible with some fun and challenging features. The climbing community here is small and tight knit, so if you connect with a local climbing operation it’s likely you’ll be climbing with the very people that set these routes.
Even though the volcano has been dormant for over 600 years, there are still thermal springs bubbling up around it. These hot and bubbly mineral water are right next to the Caldera River. Take a dip in both hot and cold. From the bus stop in Caldera it's about 1 hr walk to the hot springs. After crossing the bridge the signage is clear. Tourists that book a tour with a tour operator in town are taken to the hot springs with some daily departures for fun evenings soaking in hot water and sharing stories over the sunset. If you take a taxi or tour, make sure to tell them to take you to the hot springs left, not the commercial ones another 3 km to the right, which apparently charges $5. However, check out the ratings online, for the one that suits you better.
A nice and not too long hike of 20-30 min for a good view of the town.
Try this uncommercial trail if you fed up with paying for even a little trail. However, you should bring a proper map and GPS not to get lost.
Hike the Quetzal Trail, so named because it is one of the homes of the rare resplendent quetzal. You can hike from Boquete to Cerro Punta (4 hr one-way gradual elevation gain), or the reverse. Most hikers will hike from Boquete to the "Mirador Las Rocas" and then return to avoid the more than 3-hr return by bus from Cerro Punta back down through David, and then back to Boquete. It is about a 4-5 hr one way hike (8 hr out and back), so it can be completed in one day. Nevertheless, it is best to go from David to Cerro Punta, and from there hike to Boquete. Otherwise from Boquete to Cerro Punta you climb from 1,800 m to 2,500 m and back to 2,100 m (the range hut at the end). Also, walking from Cerro Punta, you might be even luckier, arriving late on the Boquete side when no guard is there anymore. The trail is perhaps the most famous hiking trail in all of Panama. Visitors come from all over the world to have an opportunity to see the Resplendent Quetzal. Although the trail is easy enough to hike by yourself, unless you are an experienced birder, it is difficult to spot a Quetzal, and a guide is almost necessary in helping to locate a nest. But between December and May you might be out of luck either way.
A nice and huge waterfall at the end of this trail, best during wet season. It's walk of around 6 km. Take a bus or mini van from Boquete going towards Bajo Mono. The ride takes about 40 minutes. The trail walk itself can take 3 hours. They have washroom etc at the beginning of the trail, where they collect the entry fee of $5. You can see three waterfalls along the way and also see the oldest tree. It appears that multiple trails are merged into one here.
A little overpriced.
I did not find the entrance, there is no sign or clear path. One place that organizes the (cheap) tour there is Bambuda castle hostel, you can either use it, or call them and ask where the trail starts. It's a 4WD drive, or a walk from here 8.762299515524884, -82.39846932988439 to the trail start.
Panama's highest point, is literally the easiest place in the world to see both of the world's great oceans, on a clear day. The park is 14,325 ha in size, and Panama's highest peak at 3,475 m. The Volcano has been dormant for over 600 years; but with the bubbling Hot Springs and frequent seismic activity, it might not be entirely extinct. You can climb the Baru from the Boquete side, which is an all day event; or you can camp overnight near the ranger station, and watch the sunrise. Dress in layers, as the higher you go, temperatures will change dramatically. It's a tough climb that can be done by hiking or jeep tour. There is a camping place near the park entrance.
Popular lunch meeting place for expats, with indoor and outdoor eating.
Great authentic Panamanian food where the locals eat. Very busy at lunch time. Unique decor.
This bar and restaurant which is run by Panamanians has an excellent chef and gives great value. The tortilla soup, watercress salad, and pesto salad are nice starters (each for around $4), and the salads can be turned into a meal by adding an accompaniment of trout for less than $3. The flavors here are interesting but not overpowering.
For a real local experience, this bright green restaurant is the place. Don't be put off by the spartan atmosphere. The warmth of the owner/server Maria, and the quick serving of excellent local food capture one's focus. The hojaldres, deep-fried pancakes, are a nice accompaniment to the vegetarian scrambled eggs, and the papaya, pineapple, and banana fruit salad is enough for two people. As a bonus, Maria speaks Spanish slowly and clearly, and cheerfully helps those who are learning.
Very good Mexican food and large portion sizes. Various Mexican folk tunes play in the background. Good value.
Wide international menu including pasta and suckling pig.
Fresh fish tacos, buffalo wings, margaritias, organic salads.
Peru
Nice Peruvian food restaurant with related decorations.
Restaurant / coffee shop with amazing view of the Boquete valley. Sunsets are amazing. There is also a lookout place beside it with giant binoculars if you want a closer look.
This chilled bar offers live music at weekends, and is extremely popular.
Adventure Backpackers
Cheap, friendly micro-hostel just off the main street. Run by an extremely welcoming young couple. Poker nights, table football, and comfy hammocks in the common area. They also rent a full range of outdoor equipment for local expeditions, and organize a wide range of adventure tours in the region. WiFi, Free breakfast, backpacker bar with happy hour, two kitchens and 3 baths over just a few rooms.
Here at our hostel you will find a pleasant atmosphere, a fully equipped kitchen and a dining room, WiFi, camping area, and laundry facilities.
Next to a roaring mountain stream and walking out with a view of the 11,500 ft. Volcan Baru right out of your front door. Each unit has a two bedrooms suite with full kitchen, that sleeps eight people. Breakfast is served in the morning
This new hostel (sister to the established Mamallena in Panama City) is already extremely popular with travellers.Free breakfast, WiFi internet, lounge, patio, laundry. Also has private rooms with private bathrooms.Information and tours are available.
Famous for its gracious hospitality, charm and exquisite cuisine, The Panamonte is the true definition of a country inn: a warm and friendly place for travelers seeking a pleasurable ambiance and personalized attention, a home away from home. Located at the foot of Barú Volcano, the Panamonte is the perfect base for exploring the Chiriquí Highlands, and it is the only full-service lodging option in Boquete, offering a deluxe spa, fireside lounge, excursion planning, and a regionally renowned gourmet restaurant.
Offers bed-and-breakfast style accommodations in a tranquil atmosphere. Rooms are comfortable and include private entrance, private bathrooms with hot water, cable television and WiFi. Breakfast included. Ideal for families, though it becomes noisy around 8AM every morning, so do not expect to lie-in.
Isla Verde offers six roundhouse cabins and four suites, all fully equipped, next to the river in a tropical garden with mountain views. Walking distance to town but peaceful. On-Site massage available.
The only castle in Central America is open for lodging with terrific vista views and has a hot tub.
Malu Cafe
Small gated campground, with nice restaurant cafe (Malu), adjacent to a river park with trails and ponds.
A covered market next to the central square, mostly selling vegetables and fruits.
A nice shopping area with lots of little stores to browse through. Boquete Outdoor Adventures, Kotowa Coffee Shop, Habla Ya Spanish School, and the Transport Company (to Bocas), as well as several small family shops with eclectic souvenirs and great deals are all located in the Plaza.
By private shuttle
Also, from Bocas del Toro there is a twice-daily, $30-35 private shuttle (including water taxi to Almirante), 4 hr.
By plane
By taxi or bus
In the surroundings you can also use taxi (one dollar brings you quite far) or the local area vans/buses which leave from Casa Bruna Super Market 200 m up the main road from the bus stop.
By car
But if you want to rent a car and explore the area around Boquete, a four wheel drive may be safer, because the mountain roads do get washed out.
By organized tour
There are also many tour companies that offer guided trips through the mountains to see waterfalls, coffee plantations, the cloud forest, white water rafting, and the Volcan Baru National Park.
By scooter
For the smell and feel of the area there are scooter rentals at $25 for 4 hr as your means of transportation.
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