Scroll down to see all pictures CHILL OUT IN CHIRIQUÍ APRIL 2008
If you ever visit Panama, you must visit Chiriquí. Chiriquí is the western-most province of Panama, bordering Costa Rica and the Pacific Ocean. It is home to Panama’s highest point, Volcán Barú, at an elevation of 3478 meters. Al and I rented a car in Panama City (PC) and drove to Chiriquí for a visit.
The city of David is the provincial capital of Chiriquí and the second largest city in Panama. Whenever panameños talk about David, they never fail to mention how hot it is. “Chiriquí is very nice”, they say, “and the mountains are very cool, but David is so hot.” (“Chiriquí es muy bonita, y las montañas son muy frescas, pero David es muy, muy caliente.”) I never say so, but it seems to me no place in Panama is any hotter than Panama City, with all its skyscrapers, asphalt, glass, steel, construction and traffic. It’s just that every place has frigid air conditioning, so in the city it’s easier to escape the heat! But David has all the services and businesses one could want or need without the size and stress of PC.
From David we drove north to Boquete, a short distance away. As the road climbs towards the mountains, the drop in temperature is sudden and startling. It is actually chilly in these mountains- no wonder it’s a favorite spot for panameño vacation homes and expat retirees. Boquete sits on the eastern slope of Volcán Barú, in what was once a caldera. It is surrounded by tree covered hills and lush foliage. Even while the rest of Panama is so dry and brown it looks crunchy, the highlands of Chiriquí are verdant due to the many rivers and streams originating in the mountains. There’s a lot of development going on in Boquete, both residential and commercial, as well as a new bridge over the Rió Caldera. A few years ago it was possible to find good property values in Boquete. Now, it’s a seller’s market and there are more real estate offices on the main street than any other kind of business. It’s a lovely place to visit, but too rich for our blood! But we did find a good deal…we spent the night in a “hostal” that was built as a luxury private home, situated beside a gurgling brook. We had the whole place to ourselves for only $30! Cool!
The next day we headed west from David to Concepción, then north up the western slope of Volcán Barú. Again, from flatlands to highlands, from 90 degrees to 75 degrees in about 30 minutes! The first town we came to is Volcán, then Bambito (named for a type of local tree, according to our guide Jonathan), next Cerro Punta and finally Guadalupe. We stopped at a number of hotels along the way to find a place to spend the night. We kept going to the end of the road at Guadalupe and Los Quetzales Resort and Spa. Wow. An amazingly beautiful place, we were so glad we kept going! I could have spent a week there… maybe another time! Resident golden retriever Cookie showed me around the grounds! The hillsides there are covered with vegetable gardens. This is the agricultural region of Panama, where the rich volcanic soil is super productive. Rows of alternating green and dark brown stripes roll around the curving hills, yielding cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, potatoes, onions, and many other crops at different times of the year. Los Quetzales restaurant has its own herb and veggie gardens, as well as a trout farm, and we had a scrumptious dinner there! Our walk in the rain forest (it was literally raining) the next morning was very special- our guide Jonathan spotted an elusive male quetzal bird! That and a visit with the hummingbirds topped off our stay.
We like Chiriquí very much, so we’re going back for another look.
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