From a heigh of 3,475 meters the Baru volcano, the highest mountain peak in the country, you can view the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Around this inactive volcano comfortable tourist facilities have been constructed, where you can vist and enjoy canyons, rapids, moderate climate, agricultural parcels, Suiss style constructions thoroughbred breeding, cattle breeding facilities, enchanting gardens, excellent observatories and the Baru Volcano National Park, whose creationhas helped protect wild life throughout the area.
THE HIGHLANDS: CHIRIQUI
This mountains paradise that is located in the western part of the country where the Chiriqui province is located, can be easily reached by air or by land. All the highways are in good condition and traverse attractive landscapes. In the highlands there are two areas that tou most visit:Boquete and Bugaba. Boquete, has reached celebrity status for its Flowers and Coffee Fair, an events that takes place every year during the month of April, it is located on the oriental hillside of the Baru volcano, a thousand meters above sea level. If you decide to travel by road, before you reach the town of bajo Boquete we recommend you make a stop at the (Mirador de la Virgen) the Virgen Mary Look-out where you can view all the splendor of the Boquete Valley, the Caldera river, the Baru Volcano and the town itself. In Bajo Boquete you will be enchanted by its garden, where its inhabitants compete for the best decorated home. Without a doubt, after admiring the inmortal or "siemprevivas" flowers, that maintain their beauty for more than a year and bloom months after being cut, you will decide to take some with you.
In the area of the Fair, after visiting the Caldera river, with its rapids and its 10�C waters, you will find the most beautiful and varied gardens with sunfloers, carnation, petunias, geraniums, chrysanthemums, roses and infinity of other flowers varieties. Afterwards you can go for a walk through the town and pass by the Central Park, behind the park you will find the Boquete Church, with its altar adorned with "immortal flowers". Nobody leaves the town without adquiring some high altitude coffee that is processed in the Boquete plantations.
The Bugaba region has three equally beautiful towns:Vocan, Bambito and Cerro Punta, in the latest the lowest temperatures of the country have been registered. At Volcan you can visit the lagoons, ponds with thermal and sulfurous waters that have curative properties and the source of the Guaranchine river, where a small bathins resort has been installed that takes advantage of the springs that later become the Guarachine river. At this location the Fair of the highlands takes place yearly where the best production og this climate is exhibited.
At Volcan, besides the mountanious scenery dominated by "Cerro Punta", you can admire local glass and wood craftmanships. We recommend that you visit the workshop of the San Benito School and the "Arte Cruz" where they will engrave your name in wood or glass before your own eyes. The property of Dr. Jurado is a site that is dedicated to horse breeding, it also has a botanical garden, plant breeding facilities, a small zooand a pond with exotic fishes. At this location you can observe wild birds in their habitat.
After leaving Volcan, with its pine tree woods, you arrive at Bambito, a name that not only refers to the town, but to a tree, a mountain and an excellent hotel. The Bambito Hotel earns its prestige not only for its excellent service, but for its location, behind a curve on the highway, in front of Bambito Mountain and on the border the Chiriqui river. One of its attractions is the tout breeding facilities, that consist of a series of artificial ponds that takes advantage of the cool waters of the Chiriqui river. There are other decorative ponds in front of the hotel and a small lake, where you will find a suimming pool (with 27�C temperature in contrast with the 19�C outside temperature), and there are also Jacuzzis, massage and health mud bath facilities.
The climate of Cerro Punta, that is higher than Bambito, is the reason it was chosen for the most fascinating and greatest flower-breeding ground of the country. for the same reason, you can also appreciate the extensive potatoe, strawberry, carrot, grape, pear, and apple plantations, beside other cold climate agricultural products that are cultivated in this region. You may go to the "Valles de las Nubes" (Valley of the Clouds" and take in the horse breeding facilities of "Haras Cerro Punta" or "Haras Carinthia", that have breeded horses who have excelled on national as well as foreign racetracks. In the aforementioned towns there are excellent cabins and hotels with international cuisine. Travel agencies in Panama offer packages to visit this magnificent land of eternal spring.
Bibliography: Panama magazine. Edition No. 8, 1999-2000, Publicaciones Argus, S. A
