Boquete Panama

Panama's western city of Boquete, just 30 minutes from David, the capital of Panama's Chiriquí Province, is nestled among the country's most mountainous region, at 1,200 meters (3,600 ft.). Situated between the Caldera River, which lies to the east, and Baru Volcano to it's west, Boquete enjoys a comfortable year-round climate ideal for active retirement living and outdoor adventure seekers alike- birding, hiking, mountain biking, rafting, etc. In addition, the near perfect weather and rich, fertile soil has created an ideal setting for floral exportation and coffee growing.www.realty-dejavu.com

Boquete

Posted on September 27, 2011 by klcompren

From Bocas del Toro, we took a morning boat back to the mainland to the town of Almirante. At the dock in Almirante, a young guy asked if we wanted the bus to David, we did. I thought the bus station was a short distance from the boat dock. I asked how much. He said $1. I thought he would take us to the bus. Instead, he helped us carry our luggage out to the highway and flagged down a taxi. The taxi ride would be another $2. The first bus arrived and was pretty much full already. There were enterprising entrepreneurs about that were trying to sell us on the idea of taking a taxi instead. They ensured us that the next bus would also arrive full (how do they know these things). We finally settled on sharing a taxi with a gentleman, originally from NYC currently residing in Bocas, for the ride to the town of David where we would transfer to a bus for Boquete.
Boquete is a town of about 5,000 people in the highlands of the Chiriqui province of Panama. It is a mountain town referred to as the Napa Valley of coffee and is known throughout Panama for its cool climate and pristine natural setting. The mountains surrounding the town are very green and rich with blooming tropical plants. Near Boquete is Panama’s only volcano, Volcan Baru, whose summit tops out at 3475 meters (11,500 feet) making it the highest point in the country. Boquete is popular with retirees from the US and Canada. Ten years ago, AARP’s “Modern Maturity” magazine named it as one of the four top places in the world to retire. We observed several of them spending their Social Security money in the local bars.
With all of the beautiful flowering plants, there are several beautiful gardens in and around Boquete. We visited one such garden, Mi Jardin es Su Jardin. The garden which surrounds a lovely home is open daily to the public free of charge. You’re free to wander the grounds or linger with a picnic, just don’t disturb the owners. We also visited “La Jungla de Panama”, a wildlife rescue operated by a US ex-pat. It is small but they have a few nice monkeys, birds and reptiles that you can interact with.
Here’s some of our favorite pictures. From here we’ll be heading across Panama to Panama City.www.realty-dejavu.com

Boquete, Panama: From Retiree Haven to Panama?s Eco-Adventure Capital

September 19, 2011 by admin
Filed under Scuba Diving

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Boquete, Panama (PRWEB) June 22, 2010
In 2001, the sleepy mountain town of Boquete was shaken out of its slumber by an article in AARP?s Modern Maturity magazine. It named Boquete as the fourth best place in the world to retire, turning the small town into an overnight sensation.

Fast-forward to 2008, when Boquete, along with the rest of the world, was hit hard by the global economic crisis and housing market crash. Of Boquete?s more than 40 planned residential developments targeted to ex-pats, less than half a dozen came to fruition. In the years that followed, Boquete worked hard to retain its newfound prosperity by turning the spotlight on its greatest strengths: its beauty and potential for adventure.

?Boquete has everything an eco-adventure enthusiast could want,? says Julio Santamaria, Co-founder, Habla Ya Spanish Courses & Ecotourism. ?Unspoilt nature and wildlife, hundreds of birds and beautiful hiking trails in our National Parks, award winning coffee, world class whitewater adventures, thrilling zip-lining tours, hot springs, challenging rock climbing routes and horseback riding tours. You name it: Boquete has it. Boquete is truly Panama?s Eco-Adventure Capital.?

What seemed to be a disastrous turn of events for Boquete is turning into a positive. Tourists come prepared to spend money and local businesses benefit. Tourism also creates a vast amount of long-term jobs and opens the door for the community to flourish in other industries.

?Five or six years ago, the majority of the storefronts on our main street were real estate offices,? says Jay Thomas, Owner, Boquete Garden Inn. ?They?ve been replaced by tour operators, gift shops and restaurants. In our hotel, we have seen a substantial rise in people coming to Boquete for eco-tourism and adventure, discovering more and more of what Boquete has to offer.?

Boquete seems poised for even greater growth with the announcement that Copa Airines (a Continental partner) is adding direct flights from Miami or Houston to David, a short 30-minute drive to Boquete.

?We established our business here because we believe in Boquete?s potential,? says Jay Thomas, Owner, Boquete Garden Inn. ?It offers first class services while retaining its charm. Visitors love it and there is something for everyone in Boquete: be it bird watchers in search of the Resplendent Quetzal, orchid collectors exploring our gardens or adrenaline junkies wanting to zipline through the cloud forest?s canopy or raft our ferocious rivers.?

And as if tourists needed more incentive to visit Boquete, during the first round of the World Cup in South Africa, which ends June 25, several business owners are offering potential visitors the opportunity win a two week language holiday in Panama. Participants only have to predict which 4 teams will reach the semifinals and their name will be put into a draw to win two-week stay including accommodations, Spanish lessons at Habla Ya, and several eco-adventure tours plus cash in hand. Entering the contest is easy: participants just have to post a comment with the four teams of their choice in one of the sponsor?s blogs: http://www.hablayapanama.com/blog/

About Boquete: The perfect headquarters to explore Western Panama

Unspoilt nature and wildlife, hundreds of birds and beautiful hiking trails in our National Parks, award winning coffee, world class whitewater adventures, thrilling zip-lining tours, hot springs, challenging rock climbing routes and horseback riding tours. Boquete is truly Panama?s Eco-Adventure Capital.

With its modern city infrastructure and small town charm, Boquete is also the perfect headquarters to explore western Panama-the white sand beaches and turquoise waters of the Chiriqui Gulf National Marine Park are only a 1.5-hour drive away. Las Lajas, Playa Hermosa and La Barqueta are some of Chiriqui?s finest beaches and they are quickly gaining recognition amongst tourists. Boca Chica, a quaint fishing village, is the perfect point to grab a boat and jump to the Paridas Archipielago, Isla Secas, Isla Ladrones or even the internationally renowned Isla Coiba, frequently compared to the Galapagos due to its exuberant wildlife and pristine ecosystems. The scuba diving and sport fishing found in the Chiriqui Gulf are certainly world class and they still remain way off the tourist map.

As most of the tourist infrastructure of the province of Chiriqui is located in Boquete, visitors prefer to return in the evening or after a couple of days to the town?s fresh mountain air, breathtaking views, welcoming accommodations and great restaurants. Thanks to its 1,200-meter elevation (3,600 feet), the area?s microclimates deduct 10 crucial degrees (average temperature is 60www.realty-dejavu.com