Chiriquí Province Travel Guide for the Mountains & Beaches

The province of Chiriquí

The natural landscape of Chiriqui displays extreme contrasts, encompassing from coastal plains to steep mountains with altitudes that exceed 3,000 meters, of which the highest is the Volcan Baru (Baru volcano) at 3475 meters high.

The higlands of Chiriqui are of volcanic origin and the mild higland climate is characteristic of areas like Cerro Punta, Volcán and Boquete. It is the ideal place for trekking, hiking, river rafting, canopy, etc. You can also find incredible spots for diving and snorkeling a the best beaches of the Pacific still remain undiscoverd by the crowds.

Chiriqui Climate and Products

ts climate makes Chiriqui one of the most productive regions in the country. There they produce some of the best oranges and coffee, as well as strawberry in Cerro Punta. Cattle and farms are also very abundant in this province.

Native Habitants

The word "Chiriqui" means "Valley of the Moon" in Guaymi language. Chiriqui is a lovely province with a diversified landscape, from the white sandy beaches on the coast through the plains up to the green mountain forests. There is something for everyone in Chiriqui.

Chiriqui is the home of the Ngbe-Bugle indigineous. This tribe was formerly known as Guaymi indigenous. They are concentrated in the "Comarca Ngbe-Bugle" (territory) which extends from Chiriqui to Bocas del Toro. The Guaymi indigenous are Panama's best known indigenous tribe after the Kunas of San Blas, with the central mountain range (cordillera) as their homeland. The easiest place to meet the Guaymis is at the town on Tole a short distance off the Panamerican Highway. There you can find the chaquira a wide necklace woven with strings of fine, colourful beads. The "Nahua" is the native dress of the Guaymi women.

Places to Visit in Chiriqui

If you want to escape the warm/heat of David (or anywhere else in the province) you can make side trips to the towns of Volcan, Boquete and Cerro Punta. If you prefer to stay on the plains then maybe a trip to Paso Canoas, the border with Costa Rica, would be a mildly interesting alternative. And for those fit to do it, climbing the Volcan Baru might be an interesting adventure, just imagine being able to see both the Caribbean sea and the Pacific Ocean on a clear day!

Boquete

Boquete is the home of the annual Flower and Coffee Fair at the end of Town of Boquete Chiriqui PanamaJanuary/beginning of February. Boquete is a pleasant little town in the mountains some 473 kms from Panama city (about 33 from David, 45 minute ride), it has an ideal weather, not cold nor hot. Although there isn't really much to do, you can hike in and around the town enjoying nature, the Caldera river, the cliff of hexagonal basalt formations, the fine rain "bajareque". Every weekend the Guaymis come from surrounding regions to sell their products as the market square. To drive to Boquete take the right when leaving David and then left at the intersection with the gas stations (not to miss, just follow the signs). Another suggestion would be to visit a coffee plantation.

As a producer of coffee Boquete holds the first place with the best grain quality in the republic and for the last three years it has produced the best cofee in the world. The cultivation of flowers, fruits and a variety of garden produce stand out as one of the principal sources of labour for the people of Boquete. The town of Boquete was founded on April 11th, 1911 and is currently known as a popular place where foreign people retire..

Caldera

This town is southeast of Boquete and is known for its thermal pools with the healing properties of their waters, specially for those who suffer of rheuma. Caldera is also home to some prehistorica petroglyph drawings.

Volcán

Volcan is located on the skirts of the Baru Volcano. This quiet but beautiful town is the perfect place for those visitors who enjoy engaging in long strolls, visiting gardens, fruit plantations or just enjoy the cheer beauty of its nature. I personally have nice Hike to the Volcan Baru Chiriqui Panamamemories of short yearly holidays in this town. To drive to Volcan take the left when leaving David, then follow the Panamerican Highway some 30 kms. on the direction to Costa Rica/Paso Canoas, then make a right as soon as you reach the town of La Concepcion. Follow the signs and you won't get lost. From Volcan you can go farther up and visit the town of Bambito. There are also hiking trips to the top of Volcan Baru.

Sitio Barriles is an interesting archeological site near Volcan which is worth your visit. Best of all it is free but show some kindness and leave a small donation to help them keep up with their work.

Bambito

Bambito, a few kilometers from Volcan, up the road to Cerro Punta you can visit Bambito with it's nice, comfortable hotel (with many facilities) and some cozy cabins you can rent to spend a few days relaxing (very relaxing!) away from the city life. In Bambito you can stroll along the road following the river and visit the Trout Farm near the Hotel Bambito. If you still feel like you want to climb higher (and you will) then you should head up to Cerro Punta, your next stop along the road.

Cerro Punta

Cerro Punta has a nice mild highland climate where you can enjoy nature, flowear plantations and the extensive farms that characterize the work-ground of the province. Cerro Punta is 1970 metres above sea level with temperatures ranging from 10-15 Celsius. About 80% of the land products are produced in Cerro Punta. Flower exports is another source of income for the region. Here you can find the best cattle, sheeps and thoroughbreeds of the country. From Cerro Punta you may visit the Volcan Baru National Park and the La Amistad National Park.

La Amistad National Park also known as PILA has a total of 207,000 hectares between Chiriqui and Bocas del Toro, most of it in the latter. It has been declared a World Patrimony for Mankind by UNESCO due to the great importance it has for the preservation of biodiversity in Panama and the American continent. Here you can find the largest number of species of large animals, among which the jaguar. It also has a great variety of birds including the Quetzal. It is a humid tropical forest and probably one of the last remaining primary forests of Central America with 7 of the 12 life zones necessary to sustain the principal land ecosystems.

Chiriquí Beaches

Las Lajas

Playa Las Lajas is a beach bottom break with rights and lefts that is located right before the town of David, right off of the main highway, about 15 minutes down the road. The beach gets packed with drunk locals on the weekends, and the wave is sometimes good, but usually does not have a lot of form, mainly a closeout. However, if you have a 4x4 you can drive down the beach to the point breaks where you will find secluded waves that are unexplored and unknown. This place can be surfed at any tide.

La Barqueta

La Barqueta is a beach bottom break with rights and lefts that is located right near David. Just go to the city of David, and ask where is the "Feria de David", then when you get there, ask which road to take to Barqueta, then follow that road straight to the beach. They sometimes hold surf contests at Barqueta, but it is generally only good when there is no wind, so go surfing early in the morning. It breaks at all tides, but medium to high is best.

Punta Burica

Punta Burica is the northern most point of Panama, on the border of Costa Rica and Panama. To get there you have to go by 4x4 or boat. By 4x4, you pass David, then go to the town of Puerto Armuelles, then follow the beach at low tide for about 2 hours, until you get to the point where the waves are. There are about 4 left points that break along the point, for long, tubing rides. It generally catches about any swell since it sticks out in the Pacific ocean. It is known to be a better wave than Pavones of Costa Rica, and you will rarely find anyone out surfing. However, bring your camping tent, and food because it is desolate with no place to stay or eat.

Chiriquí Islands

Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí is a 14,740-hectare marine park that encompasses two dozen islands (the most famous are: Games Island, Los Ladrones Island, Isla Coiba and Secas Island) and their surrounding waters. The park is a refuge for all kinds of wildlife, including howler monkeys, leatherback and hawksbill turtles, and tiger-herons.

It's a bit of an adventure to get to the islands that start just off the coast east of David; that's half the fun of visiting this area. You get the sense of being in the middle of nowhere without actually being that far from civilization or having to spend a lot of money to get there. The easiest access to the islands is through the little town of Horconcitos, the turnoff to which is 40 kilometers east of David. From there it's a nearly one-hour drive on a rough road to the fishing village of Boca Chica, then a short ride by fishing boat to Isla Boca Brava, the jumping-off point to the other islands. There are two quite unusual places to stay on Boca Brava, catering to clients traveling on budgets ranging from starvation to luxury.

If all this sounds more like fun than hassle, you have the right attitude to visit this place. The islands and ocean here are beautiful, and you can enjoy them with a certain degree of comfort while being quite intimate with nature.

Isla Boca Brava

Isla Boca Brava is the first island you'll come to, and it's most likely where you'll be staying. The island is 14 kilometers long, six kilometers wide, and overflowing with wildlife. It's right on the edge of the park.

From Boca Brava you can explore an endless maze of mangroves in the estuaries of several rivers that empty into the sea here. Or you can snorkel and swim in the clearer waters of the surrounding islands, including idyllic uninhabited ones. The closest are Linarte, Saino, and Las Ventanas (ventana means window; the name refers to the caverns that run straight through their rocky sides).

The best islands are farther out. The snorkeling is decent around Isla San José, a short boat trip away, but it's definitely worthwhile to head out even farther. Isla Bolaños is 13 kilometers from Boca Brava, about 45 minutes by small boat equipped with a decent outboard motor. This is a lovely little deserted island with a couple of sandy beaches, lots of coconut palms, and snorkeling when the tide's low. It's easy to arrange a camping trip here. Twenty minutes from Bolaños is Isla Gámez (sometimes spelled "Gámes"), also lovely and even smaller. This one, however, tends to attract yachts and the weekend personal watercraft crowd, while Bolaños is rarely visited. (Sadly, though, even Bolaños has its share of trash.) Both these islands are tended by the nonprofit environmental group ANCON.

Other Islands

The biggest island here is Isla Parida, just across from Gámez. It's an inhabited island with lots of trash and can easily be skipped. There's an ANAM station on Parida next to a bunch of ramshackle huts and a dirty beach. You can spend the night at the station, but it's hard to see why you'd want to.

The scuba diving is said to be terrific around Islas Las Ladrones and Islas Secas, where the water is clearest and the sea life the richest. The diving visibility is supposedly up to 30 meters at Las Ladrones. The islands are very far away: Las Ladrones are 40 kilometers southwest and the Islas Secas 30 kilometers southeast of Boca Brava. Do not attempt to go this far on the open sea without something more substantial than the little pangas common around here. If you do find a way to get there, the snorkeling's supposed to be good, too. A high-end resort on the Islas Secas was recently completed out here, which, though expensive, is by far the easiest way to visit the islands.

Top