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Boquete is Panama’s quintessential mountain town. It is located in the western highlands at 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and has a cool, temperate climate year-round.
The town sits in the shadows of the looming Volcan Baru and is surrounded by magical cloud forests, rows and rows of coffee plantations and some of the best hiking in the country.
We felt like we had left Panama and landed in a Swiss mountain village (replace snow and pine trees with humidity and misty rainforest!). The town centre was very charming and waking up to 360° mountain views and the scenic Caldera River every day was a refreshing change of scenery.
The cooler weather was a welcome reprieve from the hotter lowlands and we absolutely loved rugging up, enjoying a cup of tea and some afternoon rain showers, after a morning on the trails.
This guide has everything you need to know about visiting Boquete Panama. Like getting there and around, where to stay, the best hikes, other activities, yummy places to eat and general travel tips to help plan your time in Boquete.
About Boquete Panama
Boquete is a district of Panama’s Chiriquí Province, in the northwest highlands of the country.
It sits at an altitude of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) on the slopes of the Baru Volcano with a cool, temperate climate year-round. Boquete is famous for its coffee plantations, magical cloud forests and quaint mountain town vibe.
When most people say ‘Boquete’ they’re usually referring to the subdivision of Bajo Boquete, which is the capital of the Boquete District.
Confusing, I know! But it’s important to understand the geography of the area, otherwise, you’ll end up outside the action.
Bajo Boquete is the main downtown area of Boquete and is where most tourist amenities, accommodations and restaurants are located.
Another subdivision that you will hear about is Alto Boquete, which is a more popular area for locals and expats, but probably not somewhere you would spend a lot of time if you’ve only got a short visit.
The comfortable climate, pristine natural surroundings, safety and relatively low prices attracted a boom of North American expats in the early 2000s, and the town has changed exponentially.
We wondered how we would feel about the retiree takeover of the town, but honestly, it didn’t affect our experience at all. With the expats came imported products and services we hadn’t been able to find anywhere else in Central America (pinot noir! Cadbury chocolate!) and admittedly, we were a little jealous seeing the oldies living the dream!
Boquete still hosts a ton of adventure travellers of all ages, ready to hit the trails, experience the lush forests and look out for birds and wildlife – our kind of vibe.
Getting to Boquete
BY AIR ✈️
The nearest airport to Boquete is the DAV – Enrique Malek International Airport in the city of David, one hour south of Boquete.
The airport receives flights from both airports in Panama City, the city’s main international airport, PTY – Tocumen International Airport and the domestic airport, PAC – Albrook Gelabert Airport. This means if you are flying internationally into Panama, you can connect directly with a flight to David from the same airport.
To get to Boquete from David Airport, there are a few options:
- 🚘 Private transfer: most accommodations in Boquete can organise private transfers if you’d prefer to have everything sorted in advance. This is the quickest and most convenient option, but of course, the most expensive. Expect to pay $80 +.
- 🚕 Taxi: if you’re happy to organise on arrival, you can jump in a taxi for the hour ride. It should be $40 ish, depending on the number of people and luggage.
- 🚌 Bus: the cheapest, but slowest, way to get from David Airport to Boquete is to take a bus from the bus terminal in David. You’ll need to get a taxi from the airport to the terminal (~ $10), and buses to Boquete leave frequently throughout the day.
- 🚙 Hire a car: if you’re planning on hiring a car for your time in Boquete, you may as well rent a car in David, which has the most options, and drive yourself to Boquete.
BY LAND 🚌
If you’re not flying to Boquete, there are land-based travel options:
- 🇨🇷 From Costa Rica: if you’re travelling down the west coast of Costa Rica, Boquete is a common entry point into Panama. Boquete itself is not exactly on the border, but it’s the nearest popular destination.
If you’re coming from Drake Bay, anywhere else on the Osa Peninsula, Dominical or Uvita in Costa Rica, you need to use public transport to get to the border at Paso Canoas. From there, you can pick up a shuttle directly to Boquete.
- 🚌 By bus: if you’re already in Panama, you can get a long-distance coach bus to David, and then use a local bus to travel onwards to Boquete. There are buses from Panama City – David (7 hours) that depart from the Albrook Terminal, which you can pick up anywhere along the Panamerican Highway. There are also buses from Almirante – David, if you’re coming from Bocas del Toro.
- 🚐 By shuttle: the easiest way to travel around Panama is via tourist shuttle, which goes directly from one destination to the other without stops.
The most common shuttles to Boquete are from Bocas del Toro (which includes the water taxi – book here) or Santa Catalina (book here), but you can also organise a shuttle from The Lost & Found Hostel or Panama City, depending on your Panama itinerary.
Getting around Boquete
- 👣 On foot: downtown Boquete is easy to get around on foot, and if you’re staying centrally, you can walk to restaurants, cafes and a few sights around town. However many of the best attractions and activities are outside of town, so walking can’t be your only form of transport!
- 🚗 Rental vehicle: renting a car is a popular way to get around Boquete, as there are a lot of sights spread out across the area, and accommodations are also scattered far and wide. If you’re flying or taking a long-distance bus via David, you can rent a car in David. Alternatively, you can rent a car in Boquete from Cowboy Cars or Value Motors, for a day or two, or your entire stay.
- 🚐 Colectivo: local buses and colectivos are a great way to get around the outskirts of Boquete. Most trailheads and sights are serviced by colectivos. A lot of them depart from the ‘parada de buses pequeños’, and some from around the Parque Domingo Médica, including the bus to David. Locals are in the know and are very helpful if you need directions on where to wait. Short routes are usually $2 – $3.
- 🚕 Taxi: there are taxis plying around Boquete and can take you to any sights around the city. If you get their number, you can organise a return pick-up time or pay for them to wait for you. If you’re a group of 3 or more, often a taxi is the same price as the colectivo. As an example, a ride to The Lost Waterfalls trailhead should be between $8 – $12.
- 🚲 Bike: I think a bike or e-bike would be a fantastic way to get around Boquete, particularly if you want to stay on the outskirts of town. An e-bike would obviously be the easier option, and I think with one of those, you could realistically get yourself to many of the trailheads and sights around town. You can rent bikes and e-bikes from U-Rides BQT.
Where to stay in Boquete
As I mentioned above, Boquete is kind of spread out and a bit confusing. I personally think Bajo Boquete is the best area to stay, also called ‘downtown’ or central Boquete.
This has the largest concentration of restaurants, cafes, bars etc. and is also the closest place to major attractions and activities, like hikes, coffee farms etc.
To make sure you’re looking for accommodation in the right Boquete, use Parque Domingo Médica as an anchor point. This is the central park of Bajo Boquete and most things branch north and south from here.
Even within Bajo Boquete many of the accommodations are scattered in the hills outside the downtown area. Be sure to specifically check the location wherever you plan to book, and see how long it would take to walk into town.
Some of the best accommodations are really only suitable for people with a car or at least a bicycle. If you do plan on renting a vehicle, you can find some amazing stays outside town with incredible views of the mountains!
Some of the best accommodation options around Boquete for a range of budgets are:
BUDGET 💰
- Selina Boquete: a typical Selina property, funky, modern, well-located, it’s always a solid choice.
- Bambuda Castle: yep, it’s really a castle! Located a little outside town, this castle has a mix of dorms and privates, a swimming pool, a hot tub and nightly family dinners.
- Blasina Beer Hostel: affiliated with the Boquete Brewing Company, this hostel is very centrally located, and has a jacuzzi pool and a handful of private rooms and dorm.
MID-RANGE 💰💰
- Downtown Suites: if you want to be centrally located within walking distance of town and self-contained with the ability to cook, this is the perfect option. Amazing value for money.
- El Cielo by Villa Alejandro: a near-new property that’s an easy walk to town, these self-contained villas are super modern and stylish.
- Boquete Garden Inn: a lovely, nature-focused stay on the outskirts of town. It’s 3 km (1.8 mi), which is walkable but would be more convenient to have a car or bike. The grounds are beautiful with lovely gardens and so many birds and the rooms are self-contained.
BOUTIQUE LUXURY 💰💰💰
- Hotel Panamonte: one of the best boutique hotels in the centre of town. The styling is a sophisticated, Hamptons vibe and the gardens are lovely.
- Valle Escondido Wellness Resort: a hacienda-style resort on the outskirts of town featuring a pool, spa and golf course. A 20-minute walk into town.
- The Riverside Inn: a very charming and classy boutique hotel with just a handful of rooms. There is a cosy communal lounge and bar with a shared guest fridge and a well-rated restaurant attached, The Rock.
Things to do in Boquete Panama
Hiking in Boquete
In our opinion, the best thing to do in Boquete is to go hiking.
There are some amazing trails all around town, some passing through misty cloud forests, others to hidden waterfalls and some up to epic viewpoints and rock formations. We could have spent weeks hiking here, but here are a few of the top trails.
The Lost Waterfalls
- ↔ Trail type: out-and-back
- 🗺️ Trail map: AllTrails
- 📏 Distance: 3.4 km (2.1 mi)
- 🥵 Difficulty: moderate
The Lost Waterfalls is the most popular hike in Boquete, and it’s not hard to see why! The effort-to-reward ratio is off the charts here, and in just a few hours you can walk through dense, green forest to three different waterfalls!
🌿 Read our complete hiking guide to The Lost Waterfalls
Pipeline Trail
- ↔️ Trail type: out-and-back
- 🗺️ Trail map: AllTrails
- 📏 Distance: 6.1 km (3.8 mi)
- 🥵 Difficulty: easy – moderate
The Pipeline Trail is one of the easier trails in Boquete, meandering through some of the greenest cloud forests we’ve ever seen, following a water pipeline. There’s a pretty decent chance of seeing a quetzal bird at the right time of the year too.
🥾 Read our complete hiking guide to the Pipeline Trail
El Pianista
- ↔️ Trail type: out-and-back
- 🗺️ Trail map: AllTrails
- 📏 Distance: 7.9 km (4.9 mi)
- 🥵 Difficulty: moderate – hard
El Pianista trail is a tougher hike with a pretty decent elevation gain. You’ll hike through dense forest, shrouded in mist, climbing to the summit with epic views of the valley if you’re lucky, but it’s usually inside the clouds!
To get to the trailhead, get a taxi or colectivo to the Il Pianista restaurant. The trail is down a long driveway next to the restaurant.
Sendero Los Quetzales (CURRENTLY CLOSED)
- ↔️ Trail type: out-and-back
- 🗺️ Trail map: AllTrails
- 📏 Distance: 18.2 km (11.3 mi)
- 🥵 Difficulty: moderate – hard
I wanted to include the Sendero Los Quetzales (Quetzal Trail) even though it is currently closed and has been for a few years. It was damaged in a hurricane around the pandemic, and for whatever political or financial reason, it hasn’t been repaired. But it was once one of the best hikes in Boquete, so I’m throwing out some positive vibes that it re-opens again by the time you visit!
This trail in the Baru Volcano National Park is one of the best places to see quetzals around Boquete. It winds through the cloud forest, with some strenuous elevation gain.
The trail runs between the Bajo Mono region of Boquete and Cerro Punta. With a taxi or a combination of buses, you can hike one way to cut the length in half. Alternatively, you can start from Boquete and turn around at the halfway point at Mirador La Roca if you don’t want to walk the full 18 km.
A guide isn’t required, but if your primary goal is seeing quetzals, you’ve got a much better chance of spotting one with an expert by your side!
Volcan Baru
- ↔️ Trail type: out-and-back
- 🗺️ Trail map: AllTrails
- 📏 Distance: 28 km (17.4 mi)
- 🥵 Difficulty: strenuous
The pinnacle of hikes in Boquete (hiking pun intended!), Volcan Baru looms over Boquete from 3,474 metres (11,398 ft).
A tough 10+ hour hike, with most hikers leaving Boquete before midnight to arrive at the summit for sunrise. There is the option to camp up there and make it an overnight trip, and you can hike during the day, but the clouds usually roll in by mid-morning so the view is concealed.
Even though it’s such a lengthy trail, usually hiked in the dark, a guide isn’t mandatory. Although a tour certainly makes things easier, they will pick you up from your hotel in Boquete around 11:00 pm and transport you to the trailhead to start hiking.
We ummed and aahed for a long time about whether we should do this, but ultimately decided against it. Mainly because we were in Boquete in June, and the chances of rain or total cloud coverage were too high for such a tough hike. We were also 5.5 months into travelling and honestly, I was too tired at this point!
There are a lot of 4×4 tours that drive you to the summit. Although this saves a long hike, we hear it is just as uncomfortable, bouncing on a barely passable track and bothering the people brave enough to hike. You decide if it’s cheating or not.
Other things to do in Boquete
BOQUETE TOWN 📍
Parque Biblioteca Boquete
This park in town was stunning! Running alongside the pretty Caldera River, with epic mountain views, a quaint lake with ducks swimming around and lovely lawns and gardens, I can’t believe no one talks about this!
It was a beautiful spot to have a picnic lunch, read a book or have a stroll. It’s in the southern part of town.
Feria de las Flores y del Café
I was a little confused about this place. The Boquete Flower & Coffee Fair happens every year in January, with a few days of festivities celebrating local coffee production and flowers. However, you can visit the festival grounds all year.
We paid $1 each to enter, and you can wander around and look at the flowers, fun statues and installations. There are a handful of food stalls and fair games that weren’t open when we visited during the week. I think they open on weekends even when the festival isn’t running.
It’s nothing special but a fun place to stop on your stroll around town.
AROUND BOQUETE 📍
Los Cangilones de Gualaca
Also known as the Gualaca Canyon, this epic natural canyon was one of our favourite things to do in Boquete! Like a split in the earth, it was carved over centuries by the Río Estí, creating a towing narrow canyon with rock walls up to 6 metres (20 ft) high.
You can jump in from the top of the canyon and let the strong current carry you through. It’s a fun place to spend a warm afternoon. It’s 40 minutes from Boquete and the easiest way to visit is to rent a car (so you can combine it with a few other sights like the Caldera Hot Springs), but there is also a tour or you can take the bus via David.
💦 Read our complete guide to Los Cangilones de Gualaca
Caldera Hot Springs
The Caldera Hot Springs is a casual set of volcanic thermal pools on a local’s property in the Caldera District about 45 minutes from Boquete.
There are three pools naturally carved out with rocks and boulders. Most are 38°C – 45°C (100°F – 113°F) which are lovely on a cool Boquete morning. When you get steamy, you can wander down to the river and cool off.
The local family who own the land allow visitors to enjoy the thermal pools for a fee of $3. It is a very informal set-up, so don’t be expecting a fancy spa style. The only amenity is an empty hut you can use to get changed. There are no bathrooms.
Honestly, this wasn’t a highlight for us. The pools were nice and relaxing and it was very peaceful, but it was nothing special. We had rented a car so getting there was easy enough, but we enjoyed Los Cangilones de Gualaca a lot more.
The easiest way to visit is with your own vehicle, but if you’re up for a hike, you can go via colectivo.
To do this, you’ll need to get a colectivo from Boquete to Caldera town. Tell the driver you’re going to the hot springs (pozas termales) and they will let you off at the junction. From there, you’ll need to walk approx. 3 km (1.8 mi) along the road to reach the springs.
If you’re driving, don’t follow the directions on Google Maps! It will try and lead you via private property. When you arrive in the town of Caldera, keep your eye out for a sign saying ‘pozas termales’ directing you to turn right. Follow this instead of the maps.
Google wants you to approach the springs from the north, but you want to take the road that approaches from the south. It’s pretty clear to see on the map and the signs will reassure you.
The roads to get here are very bumpy and full of potholes. The last stretch once you turn off the main road in Caldera is even worse. It’s unpaved and you need to cross a sketchy suspension bridge. I was a bit worried about it, but we were fine in a standard sedan, taking it very slow.
You will reach a point advising you to park and not drive any further. From there it’s a 10 or so minute walk to the entrance.
Coffee tour
Boquete is a prime coffee-growing region in Panama, with fertile volcanic soil and perfect high-altitude conditions on the slopes of Volcan Baru.
The area is particularly well-known for the famous geisha coffee, considered by many the best coffee in the world with unique flavour profiles, and sweet, floral notes, almost like tea.
It has the prices to match, with some of the best quality beans selling for over $1,000 USD/kg. The geisha beans can only grow at high altitudes, and the plants have a very low yield, hence the exclusivity.
One of the best things to do around Boquete is take a coffee tour at a working coffee finca. You’ll get to see the entire process of growing, harvesting and roasting the beans, learning exactly what it takes to produce one cup of coffee! With plenty of tastings included of course.
This tour at Finca Casanga is the top-rated tour in all of Boquete and is a really interactive and hands-on experience.
We didn’t take a tour as we had already done something similar in Antigua, Guatemala, but we did visit one of the farms, Finca Lerida, to taste geisha coffee. It was $8 for a cup, and honestly? I didn’t see the appeal! Even as coffee lovers, we were just as happy with their standard locally-grown beans.
You can do coffee tastings at cafes in downtown Boquete, but it’s so worth heading into the hills and visiting a farm to see the plantations. They’re very scenic.
☕️ Book a Boquete coffee farm tour
Bajo Mono loop
The area north of Boquete is known as Bajo Mono, and the road does a circular loop around the region.
You’ll most likely be going to and from Bajo Mono multiple times throughout your stay, as this is where The Lost Waterfalls, Pipeline Trail and Sendero Los Quetzales are located.
In addition to these hikes, there are a handful of other attractions and sights to see along the road.
If you’ve rented a car for your time in Boquete, you can easily stop at these sights en route to a hike. However, if you’ve been using the colectivo to get to the trailheads, it’s a bit awkward to try and see these other attractions. Most only need a few minutes for a quick look, and it’s not worth getting off the bus to then have to wait 20+ minutes for another one.
You really need to rent a car or an e-bike for the day and drive this loop at your own pace, being able to stop and check out the little stops along the way.
We rented a car from Cowboy Cars for $50 for the day and managed to visit Caldera Hot Springs and Los Cangilones de Gualaca in the morning, before doing the Bajo Mono loop in the afternoon.
Since our visit, e-bikes have become popular in Boquete and I think this would be the perfect way to explore this area! You can rent them independently from U-Rides BQT, or you can join an e-bike tour that visits all the sights!
In the order we visited them, from Boquete, the Bajo Mono loop:
- 🧗🏽 Los Ladrillos: this naturally occurring rock climbing wall is a volcanic basalt formation. Unless you’re going rock climbing (which you can do with Rock Climbing Panama), it’s just a quick and free stop to look at.
- 💦 San Ramon Waterfall: this is a lovely little waterfall on the side of the road. All you need is a quick look, but we found a comfy rock on the opposite side of the road next to the river for a snack pitstop.
- 🏰 Castillo Embrujado de Don Pepe: a supposedly haunted house, this old abandoned mansion is tucked just off the side of the road. It was gated up when we visited, but I have read reviews of people going in to explore anyway. We didn’t feel the need to, and it was right near a particularly scenic bridge over the Rio Caldera.
- ☕️ Finca Lerida: we opted out of a proper coffee tour, but we still wanted to taste some local coffee, particularly the famous geisha blend. So we drove to Finca Lerida, one of the biggest coffee estates in the area, where they have a nice restaurant with beautiful views. (That’s geisha coffee in the picture, not wine!).
- 🍓 Fresas Cafe: on the way back to Boquete town, there is a string of slightly tacky but very cute fresa (strawberry) cafes! The cool climate of Boquete is perfect for growing strawberries, and I could not resist the chance to have a bowl of strawberries smothered in condensed milk and chocolate sauce. Delicioso!
Boquete Tree Trek Adventure Park
This was another activity we didn’t do in Boquete because we had done something similar in Costa Rica. But if you’re exclusively visiting Panama or even just Boquete, going ziplining and/or on the hanging bridges at Tree Trek is a must-do!
They have a canopy tour with a course of 12 ziplines spanning 4.5 km (2.8 mi) where you’ll soar through the cloud forest. It looks very similar to the ziplining we did in the cloud forests of Monteverde, which was fantastic!
They also have a set of hanging bridges, which look absolutely stunning! There are 6 bridges across a 4.5 km (2.8 mi) route through the cloud forest. I LOVED the hanging bridges in La Fortuna in Costa Rica, it was so moody and mystical walking through the clouds and this looks really similar.
Tree Trek is about 20 minutes outside Boquete town, but they offer shuttle transport. You can coordinate that with them when you book your tour.
White water rafting
If you’re looking for something thrilling to do around Boquete, go white water rafting on the Rio Chiriqui Viejo!
Even in the dry season (November – April) this river is raging and you can raft through class III rapids.
Boquete Outdoor Adventures runs rafting tours from Boquete, including your transport to the river (1.5-hour drive), all gear, expert guides and lunch.
Where to eat in Boquete
RESTAURANTS & BARS 🍛
- 🍗 El Sabrosón: our favourite thing about Boquete was Sabrosón (but you have to say it like Michael Scott says ‘Entourage’ for any Office fans out there), it’s become synonymous for us. This chain of local fondas was probably our favourite food in all of Panama. It’s a cafeteria-style place where you load up a plate, pointing to what you want in the bain marie, and we never paid more than $5 for a huuuuge plate of meat, rice, salads, veggies and other sides. We ate there every single day, it’s truly an iconic establishment in town. El Sabrosón #1 and #3 are in downtown Boquete, but we think #1 was the best and biggest.
- 🍕 APIZZA: here I go, making wild claims about ‘the best’ and ‘my favourite’ but APIZZA seriously was incredible pizza, for so cheap! The pizzas were all $7 – $10, but they tasted like gourmet, artisan pizzas with freshly made sourdough cooked in their wood-fired oven. *Chef’s kiss*.
- 🐠 The Fish House: the one meal we ventured away from El Sabrosón and APIZZA, The Fish House is a popular restaurant for *gasp* fish and seafood. They have a classic fish and chips which was something we hadn’t had for a while.
- 🍝 RetroGusto: I’d be lying if I said we ate here, we went to El Sabrosón instead, but we did hear fantastic things about RetroGusto. It’s a gourmet Italian restaurant, with authentic, fresh dishes from pasta to risotto and small plates. It’s a nicer, upper-class meal but it seems worth the splurge.
- 🍻 Boquete Brewing Company: if you want a few drinks, some greasy comfort food and live music, this is the spot in Boquete! With a good range of beers on tap, a great covered outdoor space and a permanent food truck serving options like burgers, wings etc.
CAFES & SWEETS ☕️
- 🍫 The Perfect Pair: is there a more perfect pair than coffee and chocolate? No, I think not! This cafe in downtown Boquete makes artisan chocolate and serves up locally grown coffee. You can pick from their huge range of cakes and desserts, or from dozens of flavoured chocolate bonbons. Sit up on their second-floor deck. You can also take chocolate-making classes here too.
- 🥖 Sugar & Spice: this bakery/cafe is one of the best places in Boquete for breakfast. They have a range of sweet and savoury breakfast dishes, with local and American options. They also have a huge counter full of freshly baked goodies like bread, pastries, muffins, sandwiches etc.
- 🍦 Saoris: an ice cream shop in the heart of downtown, with some really unique flavours like key lime pie. They also have delicious, chunky cookies!
- ☕️ Buckle Tip Coffee Studio: the best coffee we had in Boquete was from Buckle Tip. They know what they’re doing here! It’s located right on the edge of the central park and we sat outside in the square which was a great vibe.
- 🍳 Olga’s: the best place for a typical Panamanian breakfast with freshly made hojaldras (Panamanian fry bread) and a local twist on the typical Mexican dish huevos rancheros. Olga is a sweet and welcoming host.
Boquete Panama travel tips
- 🌤️ Best time to visit: Boquete has a cool climate year-round with average maximum temperatures usually ranging between 22°C – 25°C (71°F – 77°F). Being up in the clouds, it is very humid even though the temperatures are not high, which can make it feel quite warm when the sun is shining. The best time to visit is the dry season from November – April. If you do want to visit during the wet season, rain is usually confined to the afternoons and nights.
- 🗓️ How long to stay: there are so many hikes and activities to do in and around Boquete, we spent 5 nights here and I wouldn’t have wanted any less. You could easily stay a week or more though and still not run out of things to do!
- 🫶🏼 Safety: is Boquete safe? Yes, Boquete is generally a very safe place, which is why so many retiree expats have moved here. Crime levels are low and it feels like a friendly and nice town.
You should familiarise yourself with the story of the Dutch girls, Lisanne Froon and Kris Kremers, who went missing while hiking the Pianista Trail in 2014. It’s still unclear exactly what happened to them, whether they got lost and had an accident on the trail in the harsh environment, or they met with foul play. I don’t think it’s something you should be scared of, and if anything, hiking around Boquete is probably safer than it has ever been in response to this tragic story, but it is important to be aware of.
It’s a sad and mysterious case that was interesting to learn about after being in Boquete. We can highly recommend the podcast Lost in Panama.
- 🗣️ Language: Spanish is the official language in Panama and is, of course, widely spoken in Boquete. However, given the large population of North American expats, a lot of people speak English. You should never assume though, and it doesn’t give you permission to give up attempting to communicate in Spanish!
- 💰 Currency: the official currency of Panama is the Panamanian Balboa. However, the Balboa is tied at a fixed rate of 1:1 with the US Dollar, and they use US Dollar notes, there are no Balboa bills. You will see Balboa coins and should expect to be given change in a mix of both currencies.
- 🏧 ATMs: there are multiple banks and ATMs all over Boquete, so getting cash out is not a problem. The very high withdrawal fees to use the ATMs are though! We couldn’t find any ATM around the country that didn’t charge fees, and multiple banks charged $6.50 USD for withdrawals, with usually a maximum withdrawal of $250 USD.
Many businesses in Boquete accept payments via credit card, but this isn’t necessarily the case as you get out of the downtown, in smaller local places, at trailheads etc. so you should always have cash.
- 📱 Phone & SIM Cards: pre-paid phone plans in Panama are excellent, with unlimited data for the duration of your plan, which is usually 7 or 10 days, for around $6 – $7. Tigo and Más Movil are the most common providers, and they both have a shopfront in Boquete if you need to buy a SIM card or top-up. However, most supermarkets or generic phone shops can set up a SIM card for you.
- 🥑 Groceries: we loved shopping in Boquete! After the high prices and extremely limited selection in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, getting to Boquete with its big expat population was a supermarket dream come true! Super Barú had the biggest and best selection, but we also went to the Felipe Motta Wine Store & Deli more times than I care to admit!
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Final thoughts: Boquete Panama
Boquete was one of the best mountain towns we visited during our 6 months in Central America. The hikes were amazing, the cloud forest was so pristine and the town itself was charming, with all the right ingredients for a comfortable stay.
Boquete is the perfect piece of any Panama itinerary and compliments the tropical islands of Bocas del Toro and the cosmopolitan capital of Panama City so well. It’s your obligatory dose of greenery and fresh mountain air!
Valle de Anton is another fantastic hiking destination that we loved in Panama, but it doesn’t quite have the same mystical feel as Boquete, with its high altitude and moist cloud forest.
Depending on which direction you’re travelling through Panama, your next stop is most likely Bocas del Toro or Santa Catalina.
MORE BOQUETE POSTS
