Pacific West

• 🌍 Las Lajas – Remote, magnificent beach, luxuriant vegetation, beginners surfing.
• 🌍 Volcán – Farm town north of David, not as developed as Boquete. The first European immigrants to arrive in Panama, in the early 1900s, thought that Volcan resembled their alpine setting back home, and many settled here. Great for the western trial to the volcano, starting from Paso Ancho just north of Volcán.
• 🌍 Santa Fe – Small town north of Santiago close to the Santa Fe National Park and many waterfalls and hikes.

• 🌍 Volcan Barú National Park. Panama's highest peak at 3,475 m. Can be climbed without guide. Has the popular Quetzal Trail at its northern slopes. (updated Feb 2019)
• 🌍 Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí. Has some of the best whale watching and snorkelling in the region. Also includes one of the most famous big game fishing areas, Hannibal Banks. (updated Feb 2019)
• 🌍 Coiba National Marine Park. The Galapagos Islands of Central America and a World Heritage Site—rare species, superb diving, and great snorkling. (updated Feb 2019)

There are dozens of islands in this Gulf. Along with the islands of Coiba National Park there is also Islas Secas, Isla Ladrones, Islas Paridas, Isla Boca Brava, Isla Palenque and Montuoso. Montuoso is the farthest island from Panama in this gulf.

• 🌍 Boca Brava – Right across from Boca Chica, with resorts and beaches.
• 🌍 Isla Saino – 10 min by boat from Boca Chica, with a deserted beach. Many people come here during the day and enjoy the beach and the calm waters.
• 🌍 Islas Paridas – Jungle trails, mangroves, pristine beaches, bird-watching, whale watching, closest to the Hannibal Bank.
• 🌍 Isla Montuosa – Farthest island from Panama in this gulf. During certain seasons, you can even spot Galapagos seals on Montuoso.
• 🌍 Isla Palenque – A resort and nature reserve. Connected to Boca Brava by a sand bridge.
• 🌍 Islas Ladrones – Great for diving and snorkelling.
• 🌍 Islas Secas – Resort and diving.
• 🌍 Isla Iguana – Idyllic small island with a nature refuge, hiking trails, and camping

Less than 9 degrees north of the equator, Panamá's temperatures are fairly consistent year round, with daytime temperatures in the 90s (°F) and nighttimes around 70 °F (21 °C), although the Chiriquí highlands get considerably cooler in the mountains. Like most of Panamá, Chiriquí’s lowlands have a rainy season from May through November and a dry season from December through April. During most of the rainy season, mornings and early afternoons are usually sunny while late afternoons and evenings have intermittent rainfall. Unlike most of the Caribbean, Mexico, and other Central American countries, Panamá does not experience hurricanes. The most popular time to travel to Panamá is December through March, when lack of humidity and nearly zero percent chance of rain make it ideal for travelers.

Nearly a third of Panamá residents speak English, partially due to the many North American expatriates living there and the growing tourism sector, but an attempt at communication in the country's native Spanish is always appreciated.

Fairly easy to get to from Panamá City. The fastest way is a 50 minute flight through Aeroperlas or Air Panamá who offer daily flights to David (DAV ^IATA) from Panamá’s Albrook Regional Airport.

If traveling to Panamá from Costa Rica, there are direct flights from San José (SJO ^IATA) to David or Panamá City. Air Panamá serves the Chiriquí area with flights every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Construction is in progress to expand David's airport into a larger international facility with direct regular flights from the U.S. and Canada. The international airport, which receives up to 1800 passengers per week, has regular flights to Costa Rica and charter flights from the US. Expansion will soon allow for increased international traffic and larger aircraft.

Also at the airport is the Albrook Bus Terminal where you can catch a bus to David leaving every 30 minutes.

You could opt for day long car ride from Panamá City via the Interamerican Highway touring small cities and villages along the way.

The Gulf of Chiriquí, much of Panamá’s best, numerous archipelagos star the gulf with islands and reefs, including Central America’s largest island, Coiba Island, right inside Coiba National Marine Park. And right next to it the Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí.

The whole area is home to the richest mangroves and rarest pelagic marine species in the world. It has a reputation as a world-class sport fishing destination, as evidenced by Saltwater Fisherman Magazine, which named it the best place in the world for catching the Black Marlin in their April 2009 issue. The Gulf of Chiriquí is so large and species-rich some consider it a small sea. Well known among insiders for its boating, sport fishing, surfing, scuba diving and snorkelling opportunities, the unspoiled and largely undiscovered coastal and marine environments in the area rival the best on the Pacific coasts of Central America and Mexico.

There is plenty of beautiful places to be had in the rolling mountains of Chiriquí’s highlands. Boquete, a hot spot for nature-lovers ecotourism destination. Volcan Barú, the jagged, lush green mountains of Chiriquí rise to the top of Volcan Barú, Panamá's largest volcano. With over 900 species of birds in Panamá it is no surprise that avid bird watchers too visit yearly to spot the ever elusive Resplendent Quetzal and other of Panamá’s beautiful avian species. The mountain is also the only place in the world to catch a glimpse of both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean at the same time, although clear days can be difficult to come by.

La Amistad International Park, near Cerro Punta, about 72 km outside of David and 13 km north of Volcan Barú, this park is actually shared and jointly managed with neighboring Costa Rica. While the majority of the Panamanian side of the park is in Bocas Del Toro, the small percentage that is in the Chiriquí Province is more easily accessible. La Amistad is home to the majority of endangered animals that call Panamá home. In 1990 UNESCO named the park a World Heritage Site noticing that it is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the Americas. There are good hiking trails around the park for all ranges of ability. Entrance to the park costs $5 for foreigners, and it is open from 7:45AM-4PM.

Boquete is well known for adventure travel, which includes white-water rafting, zip lining, ATV and jeep tours, cloud forest trekking, horseback riding, rock climbing and deep water soloing. It is a key reason that this fairly small town, is growing in popularity for European, American, Latino, and Asian travelers.

• Beaches – Less than an hour's drive outside of David, if you know where to go. The islands that can be reach from Boca Chica have miles of white, beige or volcanic zebra-striped beaches. Many of these islands are uninhabited and full of wildlife. The gulf there is known for world-class sportfishing and has been well known by expats and backpackers for years.

• Surfing – The best area for surfing in this region is the Morro Negrito area. Some say it has the best surfing in Panama. There is a Big Island, with smaller waves, and a Little Island with big waves.

• Sport fishing – The Gulf of Chiriqui boasts some of the best sport fishing in the world. Species include yellow fin tuna, black marlin, blue marlin, roosterfish, pacific sailfish, dorado, amberjack, red snapper, wahoo, and many more. Because of the abundance of fish in the Gulf, there are also a lot of boat charters, and places to stay. Try the upscale- Propiedad de Paradise Fishing Lodge on Isla Paridas. If you are wanting to fish offshore near Hannibal Bank or Isla Montuosa they have a lodge overlooking the Pacific right in front of Isla Gamez. Or one of the other islands filled with wildlife and special eco- (Cala Mia) or upscale- (the soon to be built resort at Isla Palenque) accommodations. The main departure points for excellent fishing are the port of Pedregal and the fishing town of Boca Chica. From there boat to the many uninhabited islands dotting this pristine Gulf.

• Boating – Since the Gulf of Chiriqui is loaded with fish and wildlife, there are also many small and large boat charters to cruise you around. If you are not in to fishing, but you are more of an explorer, the boats will take you to the islands, for swimming, snorkeling, or just wildlife exploration.

• River Rafting – World-class white water rafting can be found on the Chagres River, 1 to 2 hours from Panama City; in the Chiriqui Province, on the Rio Chiriqui Viejo; and the Rio Grande, Cocle Province. There is usually enough water to paddle year around. However, the highest water level is in November, at the end of the rainy season, and the lowest water level is in May, at the end of the dry season. Class I to Class V rapids can be found in Panama. The classes are based upon Panamanian classifications. During the rainy season, the Panama class III’s are easily comparable to U.S. class IVs.

• Birding – See the Resplendent Quetzal and other birds of Panama. Guides, maps and tours available.

• Ocean kayaking – Chiriqui's protected gulf are ideal for fast, long distance, ocean kayaking.