About Boquete

The district of Boquete is nestled in a small valley of western Panama and is surrounded by the Chiriquí Highlands and Panama's one sleeping volcano, the Volcán Barú. Boquete, known as Bajo Boquete, or “lower Boquete,” is a charming, small, picture-postcard mountain town with breathtaking vistas, lush greenery, waterfalls, and flowers blanketing the hills in a kaleidoscope of colors. The Caldera River runs through the center of town, making it an attraction of its own.

Boquete is "The Flower Capital of Panama" and welcomes its visitors with flourishing flower gardens and planters along the roadsides, inside central park and throughout the town. Boquete attracts visitors throughout the entire country to attend its annual flower festival.

As the country’s most mountainous region, Boquete offers uniquely different micro-climates throughout the area. With elevations of 2,600 to 4,000 feet, the Boquete region’s cool climate draws Panamanians and expats alike, with 20% of the population being expats. Daytime temperatures are generally in the 70's F, with nights typically in the 60's F. The dry season lasts from mid-December to mid-April, and the rainy season lasts from mid-April to mid-December. Afternoon rains in the dry season are called “bajareque” and often generate bright rainbows.

The “downtown” of Boquete itself is quaint and adorned with many artisan retail stores, cafes and restaurants. In the center of town, locals and visitors gather to enjoy the impressive granite water feature in the Fountain of Domingo Medica Park. The park consists of a square block of concrete benches and large planters filled with varieties of multi-colored flowering plants. The center of the park is dominated by a large white octagonal gazebo dotted with potted hanging flowers, offering shelter for musicians and dance groups occasionally offering entertainment.

A new bicentennial monument celebrating Panama's separation from Spain was commemorated in 2022 on a corner of main street at the north end of town. It is an elegant granite structure with surrounding fountains, topped with a bronze statue depicting two figures and the national bird (the harpy eagle). Banners representing the colors of the flags of Panama and Spain hang from each side. On the edge of town stretching alongside the river is a new park featuring beautifully landscaped paved walking paths, ponds, benches and tables for family picnics.

Boquete is a great place for overnight stays and offers many options, including a riverside hideaway, quaint garden inn, charming lodges, hostels and hotels. It is impressive how many restaurants are in the Boquete area, offering a range from local to international cuisine using the freshest ingredients purchased from the local farmers. Some offer a wide selection of wine, beer and cocktails while others feature live music. Many offer covered outdoor seating, some along the river, so patrons can enjoy the ideal temperatures and tropical surroundings all year long.

Most of the required goods and services one needs are available in town. These include supermarkets, mini-supermarkets, farmer's market, pharmacies, bakeries, coffee shops, gas stations, banks, clothing stores, ice cream shops, hair salons, hardware stores, real estate agencies and travel/tour companies.

There is truly an activity for everyone in the eternal spring valley of Boquete. Whether it be to zip line through the treetops of a century-old forest, tour the local coffee farms, hike the numerous mountain trails, bird watching, rafting and kayaking along the river, or play a round of golf, Boquete has much to offer the outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking the Chiriqui highland trails of the two national parks, El Volcán and La Amistad, is a great way to view our most prized birds and other wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, frogs and even butterflies. Stop by the Boquete visitor center to see the curious coatimundi as they often personally greet visitors.

The main industry in Boquete is agriculture. While some high-altitude agriculture in Boquete revolves around fruits and vegetables for commercial distribution, the real agricultural money-maker in the area is coffee. Coffee from Boquete, Panama is considered to be some of the world’s finest and is home to one of the best world class coffee plantations. Most coffee is grown on large family-owned farms which offer tasting tours of their plantations. In fact, the Geisha coffee beans from Boquete are routinely ranked #1 in the world by both price and taste from world coffee experts and competitions.

Outside of the town center, you’ll find locals and foreigners live a relatively rural life enjoying the serenity of the mountains. While the downtown area does have some residential properties, it is mainly used for day-to-day commerce, government and community events. The entire Boquete area is pretty rural and you’ll find most people live on small country roads.

The mountains around Boquete are home to the Ngäbe indigenous people, many who are artisans and farmers. The Ngäbe attire is exceptionally unique with their chaquiras (bead necklaces), hand embroidered enagua (the native dresses), baskets and chacara (woven bags). Similarly, the Ngäbe people are also admired for their bright molas, a colorful textile art form. Many of the indigenous farmers sell their fresh fruits and vegetables in the market building next to central park. Along the roadsides, others offer plants, clothing and other goods for sale.

Boquete is only 40 minutes from David, Panama’s third largest city, via a well-paved four-lane road. David is the commercial hub of the region, with shopping, restaurants, government offices, medical providers and two top-rated private hospitals.

It is only an hour’s drive from Boquete to the nearest beach, making it easy to head out for a day of fun in the sun. The Gulf of Chiriquí forms the province’s southern border and there are several beach areas along this stretch of Pacific coastline.