Things to see and do Chiriquí Province

Natural bubbling baths with a temperature close to 40°C from which you can hear a river running below. This is the Caldera River, which has its source at an altitude of 2,900 meters. The most adventurous will plunge into it. A striking contrast which will come to end your aches due to the hikes of the day before. Nature is well done... Don't expect a spa, don't forget that the site is almost free. Lonely girls should avoid going there, especially in the evening.

The Barriles civilization is a pre-Columbian civilization of the highlands of Chiriquí that would have disappeared following an eruption of the Barú volcano. There are few details about its time, which researchers place between 500 and 700 years AD. The most important vestige discovered on site would be a fragment of religious building, fragment whose particularity is to be the product of the fusion of three classes of rocks. The other face of the stone, its secret part, is the most impressive. Abstract figures are drawn there, only visible when it is sprinkled with water. The site also contains metates, heavy stones with a smooth surface on which corn flour was prepared. The river that runs through the garden, located at 1,353 meters above sea level, is also a mystery. If you look at the water, you will notice that the current is rising, when it should be falling since the source is at 1,363 meters!

The site is on the property of José and Edna Landau. Edna, whose ancestors are Belgian, will guide you through the archaeological and botanical explanations of great interest, from the first discoveries in the 1940s to the excavations. The small museum was created on own funds and testifies of the passion of its owners. At the end of the visit, don't miss the opportunity to taste a slice of cheese(queso blanco), accompanied by homemade guava paste. It is a delight that delights the taste buds of visitors!

Just kilometres from the Pan American Coast, this beach is still very wild and offers safe swimming. You have to go away from the sea at low tide. Very little attended, except summer weekends.

The Parque Internacional de la Amistad is a cross-border park created by the governments of Costa Rica and Panama. Classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, it includes rainforests, cloud forests and exceptional biodiversity. Most of the park is located in the province of Bocas del Toro (around 200,000 ha). In Chiriquí, access is via Guadalupe, but also via Las Nubes, where you'll find the MiAmbiente post, which has been extended to include a house for the park rangers. A number of trail maintenance and development projects have also been carried out in 2021. Don't forget to bring your fleece, as temperatures drop below 10°C at night and the climate is humid. Don't hesitate to ask the rangers about excursion possibilities. Three trails are signposted from Las Nubes, leaving you free to choose the length of your journey, which you can do without a guide. One trail, which takes 2 hours 30 minutes, leads to a 55 m-high waterfall, under which the brave can bathe. From several viewpoints (La Nevera, Pino and El Barranco), you can observe the border between the two provinces and the park's rugged landscape, covered by dense virgin forest. The Asociación Agroecoturística La Amistad - ASAELA is a group of women who run the Las Nubes restaurant and can provide you with good contacts for local guides.

It seems that it is the crater of an ancient volcano. It is said that there are still lagoons undiscovered, or only known by the communities living in the heights. Of the two lagoons accessible from the airport, only the "laguna grande" is open to the public; the "laguna chica" belongs to the private domain of Finca Janson. It takes about 2 hours to walk from the entrance. It is possible to reach it by 4x4 when the rains are not too heavy. There is a picnic area, a camping area and a fishing area

This trail, within the National Park Volcan Barú, is one of the most beautiful hikes of the region. It is 5.7 km long and has a difference in altitude of 686 m. It follows the northern flank of the volcano and connects Bajo Mono to the north of Boquete and Bajo Grande to the east of Cerro Punta. It can be done in both directions, downhill from Cerro Punta (4-5 hours walk), or uphill from Boquete (6-7 hours). The round trip takes 10 to 12 hours, it is advised to leave at daybreak, around 5-6 am. For practical reasons, many hikers only cover half of the trail (4-6 hours round trip). It is also possible to camp, with your own equipment, in the middle of the trail on a prepared area.

Cloud forests, bamboo, pastures, crystal clear rivers: the crossing is magnificent, but be aware that there is no guarantee to see quetzals! The services of a guide will help you find them and you will learn much more about the fauna and flora of the park. Good hikers on a tight budget can do without a guide, as the trail is marked.

Attention: always check the condition of the trail before any excursion. During the rainy season and especially from October to December, the trail is usually very muddy. It is frequent that rehabilitation works take place at different times of the year, depending on the weather conditions, forcing to close the trail temporarily.

Access from Boquete (uphill, from east to west). Take the road to Bajo Mono, by cab or bus (from the central park of Boquete). The national park station is in Alto Chiquero, but the trail starts 2.2 km from there, and is accessed by a gravel road. The trail climbs all the way to the El Respingo station. To reach Bajo Grande, take the trail that goes down for 3 km to the road-trail leading to Cerro Punta (walk or arrange to be picked up here with a cab).

Access from Cerro Punta (downhill, from west to east). Take the road-trail toBajo Grande (past the B&B Las Orquídeas) until you see a sign describing the trail. You can get there by cab (6 US$ from Cerro Punta or Guadalupe). The rest of the way is on foot, in 45 min-1 hour (3 km), or by 4x4 cab (about 25 US$ from Cerro Punta). The beginning of the trail is in El Respingo. The first part to the mirador is the most interesting. It takes about 5 hours to reach the Alto Chiquero station. There are still 6 km to reach the center of Boquete (possibility of catching a bus or a cab on the road).

This trail of the park of the Amistad does not present difficulties. It goes up towards Bocas on the cordillera. You will cross first the pastures, then the primary and secondary forest to reach the summit with view on the Pacific and the Caribbean. Most hikers turn back at this point (about 5 hours round trip) but you can continue to the sea. In this case, go with a guide (4-5 days one way). You will find lodging in indigenous villages along the way, which adds a cultural dimension to this hike.

The Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park was created in 1994 to protect 14,740 hectares of marine meadows, coral reefs and mangroves, and all the ecosystems that result from them. It is part of a vast marine biological corridor, where humpback whales, orcas, sea turtles and large pelagic fish such as tuna and white tip sharks pass through. About 10% of the park is composed by a group of islands known as the Archipelago of Las Paridas. Virgin islands covered by tropical jungle for the most part. The largest island is Isla Parida (or Isla Grande) with an area of 1,200 hectares. It is the only one, along with Paridita, that is permanently inhabited, because they have abundant water sources. A few families live there, mainly from fishing. In the surroundings, there are more than 20 wild islands: Santa Catalina, Pulgoso, Gámez, Tintorera, Obispo, Obispone, Los Pargos, Ahogado, Icacos, Corral de Piedra, Bolaños, Berraco, Bolañitos, San José, Linarte, Saíno, Sainitos, Iglesia Mayor, Carey Macho and Carey Hembra. From Boca Chica, to the left of Isla Boca Brava, you can see Isla Linarte, which marks the border of the park. While the Pacific coast offers mostly large black sand beaches, the islands of the archipelago are surrounded by white sand beaches, lined with palm trees and unspoiled tropical vegetation. With its calm waters of emerald or turquoise color, the islands of the gulf have nothing to envy to those of San Blas or Bocas. Some of them reach several tens of meters in height and offer splendid views of the archipelago. You can even see the mountains to the north and its imposing volcano Barú.

In these protected islands, between tropical forests and mangroves, you can find a very rich wildlife. You can easily see caimans, green iguanas, armadillos, brightly colored frogs, or colonies of howler monkeys... The islands are also good places to observe falcons, pelicans, toucans, ibises, hummingbirds, etc. The coral reefs and the underwater meadows are the refuge of many species of fish which make the joy of the divers. Coral watching is famous in the areas of Santa Cruz (southwest of Parida) and Isla Gámez.

Between the islands, dolphins, sea turtles (Baula and Carey), manta rays and finally the majestic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are easily seen between July and October. These ballenas jorobadas (in Spanish, Humpback Whales in English) make long migrations from Antarctica, nearly 10,000 km to reproduce and give birth in the warm waters of the Gulf of Chiriquí. The adult cetaceans measure about 15 meters and can weigh up to 50 tons! They are nicknamed the "acrobats of the sea" because they spend a lot of time on the surface of the water, showing off their pectoral fins and tails, and making impressive jumps! A spectacle not to be missed if you are on the coast at this time. Isla Parida has a bar-restaurant where you can enjoy freshly caught fish, with patacones and a cold beer, or coconut water, but in general the islands offer few amenities to welcome tourists. So, for a successful day, don't forget: sun protection (hat, glasses, high factor creams), water, mask and snorkel, and camera.

There are two options on this trail. A rather difficult one-day round trip, or the 4-5 day one-way trek that will take you to Bocas. Unlike the sendero del Pianista, the trail does not pass through indigenous villages and therefore you will not have the possibility to ask for accommodation. You will have to bring all the necessary equipment, tent, water and food. The accompaniment of a guide is indispensable because you will cross wild zones without signs

Three magnificent waterfalls, to see according to the time you have and the weather, but preferably in rainy season to enjoy the show even more. It takes about 3 hours on a steep and often muddy path, but well marked. A guide is not necessary, unless you want to learn more about the local fauna and flora. You can get there by bus from Boquete (direction Bajo Mono or Alto Quiel), or by cab (12 US$). The trail is about 15 minutes walk from where the bus or cab leaves you.

This family trail of about 2 hours round trip is the easiest of the region because the difference in altitude is not important and the hike starts at the edge of the road before entering the forest. It is announced a pretty waterfall at the end but that will depend on the season, because it seems to disappear during the Panamanian heat. Nevertheless, the stroll is pleasant and magnificent centenary trees mark the end of the circuit. You will of course observe many birds. It is not necessary to be accompanied by a guide.

This mini canyon offers a refreshing swim in the crystal clear waters of the Estí river. A very beautiful site, but to be avoided on rainy days for safety reasons (rising water), and on weekends if you fear the crowd. It is also an excellent spot for climbing, for solo crossings over the water. You may come across the young Cesar Augusto Melendez. Originally from Boquete, he is a pioneer of climbing in Panama and probably the best climber in the country.

A viewpoint offering a beautiful view of the surroundings of Guadalupe and Cerro Punta. Five minutes of climb to get there. Bring strawberries to taste up there!

This 50 m deep canyon, 250 m long and 6 m wide, was formed during an eruption of the volcano 600 years ago. It bears the common name of the tapir, today in the process of extinction. The river is easily reached by a path that crosses the grounds of the hydroelectric plant, but the descent to the bottom of the canyon (using a rope or a natural slide) is not easy. It is best to go during the dry season and with a guide who will take into account the risk of flooding and provide equipment for rappelling from the bridge.

This is a day of authentic agrotourism proposed by Rolando Chamorra (Rolo), the charismatic owner of the Hacienda. This great dreamer takes us to his lands located between 1700 and 1800 m of altitude. We start with a hike through the rainforest to La Zumbona, a river with multiple waterfalls, to meet hundreds of plants and trees, birds including the quetzal, and the capuchin monkey Sapajou. The meal is prepared with the products of the farm that we will visit afterwards, with a complete tour on the coffee produced here.

The well-developed trail was inaugurated in April 2018. It is accessible by reservation, from the Hacienda Los Molinos. One descends 120 meters to the bottom of a canyon with lush tropical vegetation, to the Cochea River, where spectacular waterfalls fall. The water is cool and invigorating. The hike is quite easy (45 minutes downhill) but demanding for the ascent (around 1 hour, 1h30 depending on your physical condition).

A beautiful wild beach with twenty minutes of car from Boca Chica.