Learn Spanish in Boquete: Panama's Eco-Adventure Capital!

The valley of Boquete is located in the southwestern highlands of Panama at 1,200 meters above the sea level, near the Costa Rican border in the lush province of Chiriqui. Nestled in the country's most mountainous region, the town of Boquete is situated at the foothills of Baru Volcano, the country's highest peak. This charming mountain town is surrounded by untouched tropical cloud forests and is blessed by the currents of the Caldera River.

Boquete is easily accessed from David (only 38 km away), Panama's second most important city, which you can get to via daily 30 minute flights from Panama City, 1 hour flights from San José, Costa Rica or a 3 hour drive plus a 30 minute boat ride from Bocas del Toro. In both Bocas del Toro and Panama City you'll also find Habla Ya Spanish Schools. During the weekends we provide a shuttle service between our schools in Boquete and Bocas.

Air Panama and Copa Airlines have several flights every day from Panama City to David, and from there it's only a 30 minute drive to Boquete. We can pick you up at the airport or you can make the journey on your own. Whatever you prefer, as an Habla Ya student, when planning to study Spanish at any of our Spanish schools (or at several of them!), we will help you make these flight bookings and sort out your travel logistics at no extra cost or give you all the info you need to make your own arrangements. Many visitors also travel to Boquete from Costa Rica by bus or plane.

Intense Spanish studying also requires a way to unwind ones mind and Boquete's numerous hiking trails and eco-adventure tours provide the perfect way to keep a healthy lifestyle and a balanced mind and soul.

Tucked away in Chiriqui's highlands, Boquete is Panama's eco-adventure capital... for all ages. Experience unspoiled nature and wildlife: numerous hiking trails in our National Parks, world class whitewater rafting, thrilling zip-lining tours, challenging rock climbing, hundreds of birds such as the treasured Resplendent Quetzal, award winning coffee, relaxing hot springs, scenic horseback riding and so much more... the possibilities are endless.

With its modern city infrastructure and small town charm, Boquete is the perfect headquarters to explore the Province of Chiriqui: white sand beaches and turquoise waters are only a 1.5-hour drive away. Return in the evening to Boquete's fresh mountain air and water, breathtaking views, welcoming accommodations and great restaurants. This charming town has harmoniously grown along the Caldera River and is widely recognized for its fertile lands, magnificent natural splendor and year round pleasant weather.

You name it, Boquete has it!

• For extreme adrenaline, world class river rafting in Chiriqui's Rivers: Chiriqui Viejo, Chiriqui, Caldera, Gariche, Dolega, Majagua and Esti
• For coffee connoisseurs, coffee tours to coffee farms and processing plants in Palmira, Palo Alto and Alto Quiel
• To admire the greatness of the tropical cloud forest, Zip Line Canopy Tours on the border of La Amistad International Park
• For a challenging hike and the chance to view both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea from Panama's highest point, guided tours on a quest to conquer the Volcan Baru

• For the most magical footpath, hike the Quetzals' Trail from Cerro Punta to Boquete
• For a relaxing and peaceful afternoon, the Caldera Hot Springs and the Cangilones de Gualaca
• For scenic views, Horseback Riding through Caldera's valleys and hills, mountain biking and many hiking trails
• To admire nature's abundance, Bird Watching Tours
• For extreme sports' enthusiasts, Rock Climbing & Rappelling at Los Ladrillos in Bajo Mono.
• To meet the Ngöbe Bugle Indians: Indigenous Villages Tours

The "Valley of the Flowers and Eternal Spring" is home to 25,000 inhabitants whose cultural roots can be traced to Native Indians, Spaniards, Europeans and North Americans, among other ethnicities. Its first settlers came from several areas of Panama, as well as different parts of the world such as Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and North America. All give shape to the cultural melting pot that Boquete is today. Most farms and houses still have architectural styles that are reminiscent of these other countries. This makes studying Spanish in Boquete an authentic cultural experience as you'll be able to experience firsthand how all of these different groups give Boquete its distinctive cultural identity of a hardworking and friendly community in the mountains.

On the sheer mountains that surround the valley of Boquete live the Ngöbe Bugles, Panama's most numerous indigenous ethnic group who are highly skilled artisans, famous for their colorful chaquiras (beaded necklaces) and "nahuas", traditional dresses. The Ngöbe Bugles Indians (Guaymí) are also responsible for handpicking the specialty coffee of the region during the months of November through March and indigenous families from all over the province of Chiriqui make there way to Boquete during the harvesting season. The Ngöbe indigenous in their colorful dresses decorate the town with bright and rich colors.

This enchanted town has a wonderful sense of community which gives travelers a unique opportunity to learn Spanish and interact with the local culture. Visitors love Boquete because of its welcoming people making it an ideal setting that allows you to become part of a very special place.

On the other hand as everything in downtown Boquete is within walking distance, life couldn't be easier: Habla Ya Boquete Spanish School is just a couple of minutes away from the hotel, apartment or host family that you'll be staying at and Boquete's bars, restaurants, supermarkets, hiking trails and basically everything else is also within walking distance from our Spanish school. And not to mention there is no risk of getting caught in the traffic (or in the heat) as in the lowlands...

Its surrounding hills and slopes are a mix of dense tropical cloud forest and shade grown coffee plantations providing the perfect habitat for an incredible amount of exotic birds, endemic wildlife, stunning flowers and exuberant flora. A mountain lover's dream in Boquete you'll encounter stunning scenic vistas offered by its many panoramic peaks. Boquete is bordered by natural protecting reserves: the Volcan Baru National Park and La Amistad International Park are an invaluable ecological system that shields immensely rich and unique biodiversity.

Boquete, known as the best coffee producer in the world, enjoys a spring like, cool mountain weather, comfortable all year around, considered nearly perfect, with temperatures ranging between 60° to 80° F (16° - 28° C) making air conditioning and heating totally unnecessary. Thanks to its 1,200 m (3,000-feet) elevation, the area's microclimates deduct 10 crucial degrees from the incessant and humid lowland heat allowing you to have Spanish classes in a very comfortable environment.

Each of Boquete's regions has its own microclimate. Even if some places are only a few kilometers away, there can be significant temperature and humidity differences. Take Bajo Mono for example: its average temperature is several degrees lower than Bajo Boquete and it is slightly more humid.

As you can see our temperatures are completely constant year round.

When is the best time of the year to visit Boquete and learn Spanish at our Boquete Spanish School?

Each of its seasons has its strong points. Panama's Pacific coast dry season (what we call summer) is from December to April and the rainy season (what we call winter) is from May to November.

As you can see that there were no heavy rainstorms during last year's dry season.

During the dry season in Boquete it is highly unlikely that you'll get wet days as rainfalls are somewhat sporadic, maybe only a couple of times each month. It is extremely rare if Boquete gets a strong rainstorm during the dry season. In this time of the year you'll enjoy fresh sunny days with pleasant temperatures. The only exception might be when there is a tropical storm elsewhere in Central America. Panama is a hurricane free zone so when a tropical storm heads towards Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica or any other Central American country or the Caribbean, in Panama it might be felt with some heavy rainfall, but that's it. Because of this, Panama is the best place to be in during your Central American vacation during hurricane season, because it will never get interrupted and you'll always be safe!

During the rainy season in Boquete, precipitation is normally in the afternoon allowing you to enjoy sunny mornings. This is why during the rainy season it is a good idea to have your Spanish course in the afternoon (and this is why we schedule every group lesson in the afternoon unless the school is completely full!). As anywhere in the tropics, at certain times during the rainy season it can rain all day long. This can sometimes happen during part of June, July, September, October and November. This does not mean that it rains everyday; it just means that when it rains it really rains! It is also commonly known that in the Caribbean, it rains a lot more than in the Pacific. As Boquete is roughly only 50 km from the Pacific coast, you couldn't be in a better place.

At the following site you can get a pretty good forecast for Boquete's weather.

The rainy season is a superb time to visit Boquete and learn Spanish if you're into outdoor adventure sports: it is the best time of the year for white water river rafting and kayaking and if you go on any hiking tour you'll have an amazing opportunity to see everything in its most wild and lively state. The colors of Boquete during the rainy season are something really special.

Spanish students at Habla Ya Panama Spanish School get discounts with local tour operators so this is another benefit for choosing our Spanish School.

You'll be surprised by the quantity of rainbows on display. Maybe this is why Boquete has so many treasures. It's not uncommon to devise two or three rainbows overlapping each other in a graceful dance of colorful lights across the skies. During different times of the year you may also experience a curious natural phenomenon, very similar to mist but not quite so: Bajareque. Bajareque is rain that is so light that it will not damp your cloth if you walk through it and it will not land on earth as it floats, but it will create ideal conditions for the perfect rainbow on a sunny day.

Known to produce some of the country's sweetest oranges and strawberries and the world's best coffee, the region of Boquete started attracting farmers from the surrounding areas (Dolega and Caldera) towards the end of the XIX century. By the first years of the XX century several villages had been populated: Lino, Quiel, Bajo Mono, Los Naranjos and Bajo Boquete. Several foreign farming families as well fell in love with these lands and purchased large farming estates.

The district of Boquete was founded on January 17th, 1911. Today Boquete's district includes six corregimientos: Bajo Boquete, Caldera, Palmira, Alto Boquete, Jaramillo and Los Naranjos.

Boquete is within the province of Chiriqui. Panama has a total of nine provinces of which Chiriqui has the highest mountains, longest rivers and most fertile lands. Chiriqui, named by the local Indians as the "valley of the moon", is home to the majestic Volcan Baru, a dormant Volcano which is also Panama's highest peak from where you can see both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

The rich volcanic soil makes Chiriqui the bread basket of Panama: all sort of rich fruits and vegetables are cultivated and premium dairy and beef cattle are farmed. Chiriqui's red and green flag with its thirteen stars representing its thirteen districts is a proud reminder of the province's agricultural wealth in meat and vegetables.

In Boquete you'll find hotels that will meet any type of budget. You can stay at budget hostels, mid range priced hotels and bed and breakfasts or at luxurious resorts and country inns. If you learn Spanish at our Spanish school in Boquete you'll have access to very convenient rates for your extended stay.

Travelers can stay in town and be close to the restaurants, bars and shops, or they can also stay outside of town in a more mountainous and quiet setting (the furthest hotel is within a 15 minute drive by car). During the Flower and Coffee Festival, Holy Week, Christmas and November National Celebrations, hotels in Boquete usually sell out so plan ahead of time to make your reservation. We obviously help our Spanish students stay at the best hotels in Boquete and we have negotiated special prices for them when they have extended stays.

Boquete may have more restaurants per capita than any other city in Panama. As you may expect from a highly cosmopolitan country, in Boquete you'll find restaurants specializing in cuisines from many different parts of the world: Scandinavian, new American, French, Italian, Peruvian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Thai, Greek and obviously Panamanian. There is fine dining available for romantic evenings and celebrations, or inexpensive but large meals to replenish your energies after a long day full of eco-adventure tours. You can have a pretty decent meal for as low as $3 or a more extravagant yet refined dish for up to $30.

In Boquete, Valley of the Flowers and Eternal Spring, you'll find enchanted magical gardens. Mi Jardín es tu Jardín and El Explorador are just some examples of beautiful gardens that you'll find in Boquete.

Boquete has also come into its own as a wellness and health travel destination, and many travelers come here to detox from the stresses of their lives. If your body and soul need urgent pampering, come and spoil yourself in Boquete. Boquete has several spas with world class staff and international training. So besides studying Spanish, indulge yourself, relax and meditate, leaving the stress and worries of a busy life way behind.

Another place worth visiting while in Boquete, is the CEFATI, also know as the ATP building. CEFATI stands for "Centro de Facilidades Turísticas e Interpretación". In other words CEFATI gives tourists who cannot speak Spanish information about the area. The building is situtated at the very entrance fo the valley and in front of the arch over the road. It is open from Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (it closes an hour earlier on Saturdays). You'll find many tourist brochures and on the second floor there is a wonderful exhibit on the history of Boquete with beautiful photographs of the area and people who originally settled in Boquete.