Tips for Traveling in Boquete, Panama - What to Know Before You Go
The Lost Waterfalls Trail - Boquete, Panama
by Rebecca Hollman
updated April 10, 2019
Boquete - Panama
Boquete is one of the most beautiful areas of Panama, known for its lush jungles, waterfalls, coffee farms and hiking trails. Some of the most accessible trails are the Lost Waterfalls trail, the Pipeline trail, and the Quetzales trail. Boquete is a small mountain town located in Panama’s green mountain highlands. Because of it’s high elevation, Boquete is drastically cooler than the rest of Panama. It is located on the Caldera River and is typically lush, vibrant green, and usually wet.
Table of Contents
What to Know
LANGUAGE: The language of Panama is Spanish. However, because Boquete is a tourist destination, a lot of the locals (mostly locals involved in tourism) can speak English. I would highly recommend trying to learn at least basic Spanish before traveling to Central America. Being able to order at a restaurant, or ask for the right bus, etc. will take you very far.
CURRENCY/BANKS/ATM: The currency of Panama is technically a Balboa, but it is exactly equivalent to the US Dollar. Everywhere in Panama accepts US Dollars and it is very rare to see Balboas (except sometimes with coins). There is no need to exchange your money for Balboas. ATMs (cajeros automaticos) seem to be in short supply in Panama. However, there is a few banks/ATMs in Boquete since it is a big expat town. I would suggest trying to get out a decent amount of cash. A lot of restaurants and hotels take credit cards, but for the most part cash is still king in Panama. Expect to pay for all your tours and hostels in cash.
WEATHER: Boquete is tropical. Expect rain. Boquete technically has rainy and dry seasons but they alternate between rainy and dry more than once per year. Now with global warming, the seasons have become pretty unpredictable so it’s best to just expect at least some rain. The rain in Boquete is called “bajareque” and it is a light mist that comes down from the volcano and surrounding mountains. It is super common for this mist to just start randomly and can come multiple times per day, although it is most common in the afternoon. It rains more in the national park area and there is also more bajareque here. The weather in Boquete is probably the coolest in all of Panama. Boquete has an average day time temperature between 70-75 degrees all year long and it gets down to 55 every night.
GETTING AROUND: Getting around is pretty easy in Boquete. In town, everything is pretty much walking distance from each other. You can easily walk to everything you want to do in town and to all the hotels/hostels and restaurants. All of the hiking trails however, are 15-20 minutes outside of town. If you have a car, it is easy to get to all the trails since the roads here are well marked and maintained. If you don’t have a car, the colectivo vans will drop you at most every trailhead. The colectivos leave from the town center.
SAFETY: For the most part, Panama is safe. Boquete is no exception but you just need to be conscious of yourself. If you are walking around at night visibly drunk, then someone may pick pocket you, etc. Just don’t be stupid. Boquete is an expat town, full of older Panamanians and Americans. Since the population is older, it is more safe than other areas of Panama.
How to Get There
FROM PANAMA CITY: There are no direct flights from Panama City to Boquete. You could fly to David and then take a local bus from David to Boquete (about 3 hours). You could also take a bus from Panama City to David from Albrook Station if you want to save money. From there you will need to transfer in David to a local bus headed to Boquete. Lastly, you could rent a car in Panama City and drive to Boquete (about 10 hours). This is a good option if you will be spending lots of time in Panama and want to have a lot of flexibility to be able to reach more remote places and to go at your own pace. There is also a lot of rental car companies in David so you could fly to David and rent a car from there if you didn’t want to drive the whole way.
FROM BOCAS: Getting from Bocas to Boquete is pretty easy. Take the water taxi from Bocas to Almirante on the mainland. From there catch a local bus headed to David (about 4 hours). Once at the David bus station, switch to another local bus headed to Boquete (about 3 hours).
What to Do There
1. HIKE TO THE SUMMIT OF VOLCÁN BARÚ FOR SUNRISE: The sunrise summit of Volcán Barú is one of the most popular hikes in all of Panama. The hike starts around 11PM - 12AM (depending on your fitness level) and you reach the summit right as the sun is rising. You get to watch the color change and the sun come up over the ocean of clouds. The peak of Volcán Barú is so high that you are siginificantly above the cloud coverage and it really does look like your looking over an ocean of clouds. If you’re lucky, the clouds will blow off as the sun rises, letting you see the landscape of Panama in all directions. From the peak you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. People also hike the trail during other hours of the day, but the most popular option is to be at the top for sunrise. This trail is roughly 30 kilometers, or 19 miles, in total. It is not terribly steep, but a steady moderate incline for 6 hours straight. This trail is rated DIFFICULT because of the length and circumstantial conditions (weather, lack of sleep, etc.). Please only attempt this hike if you are in good shape and are well prepared with clothing, food and water.
2. FINCA DOS JEFES COFFEE TOUR: Finca Dos Jefes is a coffee farm in the Boquete area that grows high quality coffee and works hard to provide great working conditions and pay for its employees and also to reduce the environmental impact of their farm. Finca Dos Jefes is unique in the way they process and dry their beans. They are also one of the few brands that grow and roast their own beans. Most brands only roast beans, and grow the beans from micro farms that usually only produce small batches of coffee per year. The tour at Finca Dos Jefes teaches you about how coffee is grown, processed, roasted and brewed and allows you to walk around the farm and watch how the beans are dried and roasted.
3. THE LOST WATERFALLS TRAIL: The Lost Waterfalls trail is one of the most accessible trails in Boquete, and one of the most beautiful. It is close to town and easy to reach by car or bus. The trail itself is moderately difficult with some steep sections. The difficulty mainly comes from the mud, making the whole trail slippery. Coming down some of the steep sections in the mud can be quite sketchy and you will probably slip and fall at least once. If you want to make the hike much easier, just go to the first waterfall. There is little mud on the way to and from just the first waterfall. In total, this trail has three waterfalls - each getting better. The waterfall at the end is the biggest, but all three are uniquely beautiful. Bring a bathing suit because you can get in waterfalls #2 and #3. The trail is an out and back, about 2 miles each way. In total you could do the hike in 2 hours, not calculating in time spent at the waterfalls. It is rated moderate because of the slipperiness from the mud.
4. BOQUETE BEES HONEY TOUR AND TASTING: Boquete Bees, also sometimes called Boquete Butterflies or Miel Boqueteña, is a honey farm just outside the main area of Boquete. This farm raises bees and produces many different types of honey, that they have for sale in the gift shop. Besides just selling honey, they also have honey tasting tours and honey harvesting/processing tours. The farm also includes a butterfly house, full of different types of butterflies (mostly the blue morpho). Yoga classes are offered daily inside the butterfly house where butterflies fly around and land on you while you practice yoga. Boquete Bees produces very unique honey. Their raw honey has over 40 different flavor profiles, without anything being added! This multitude of flavors is because of the vast biodiversity of the area, thanks to Volcán Barú. The more different types of species of plants in the area, the more different types of flavors the honey will be.
There are infinitely more things to do in Boquete besides these top 4 I’ve listed above. Learn more about the best 15 things to do in and around Boquete and also the perfect one week itinerary for Boquete below.
The 15 Best Things to Do in Boquete, Panama
The Perfect One Week Itinerary for Boquete, Panama
Where to Stay
For the most part, Boquete is an upscale town. Most of the accommodation is over $100 a night and there are tons and tons of 5 star hotels and inclusive resorts. There is very few (if any) mid-range options, almost no airbnbs, and only a handful of hostels. Below I’ve listed almost every hostel in town and then a handful of the most unique high end hotels.
HOSTELS:
HostalVista - Best atmosphere. A little bit off a side road and overlooking town (why it’s called buena vista). Very quiet, calm and mellow here unlike your typical hostel. Dorms and privates available.
Hostal Mamallena - Best location. The most popular hostel in town and located right next to the main square. Best location inside the town of Boquete since everything in town is within walking distance. Dorms and privates available.
Bambuda Castle - Most unique location. Located inside an old castle, this hostel is definitely an interesting place to stay. The castle and the grounds are beautiful but it is a little far from the main town. Dorms and privates available.
Hostal Nomba - Best for tours/adventures. Hostal Nomba is an adventure hostel that offers tours and also helps you figure out and plan all your activities for Boquete. Suited more for people who want to spend their time hiking/doing outdoor activities. Located closer to most of the trailheads of the hikes. Dorms and privates available.
UPSCALE/HIGH-END:
Valle Escondido - A gated community featuring a golf course, personal homes, and a large hotel and restaurant. Very exclusive and very expensive.
Hotel Panamonte - A very old and beautiful building, Hotel Panamonte is a 5 star hotel and also one of the best restaurants in Boquete.
The Haven Hotel and Spa - One of the more newer and modern places to stay, The Haven features rooms with floor to ceiling glass windows, modern architecture, and a full spa experience.
Where to Eat
Rustica - A small café that has good sandwiches, smoothies, burgers and nachos. Very good prices and really nice wait staff. Very simple and humble. Also has good wifi and lots of outlets. A+ for workability for all my digital nomad friends.
Kotowa - Kotowa is the biggest coffee brand throughout all of Panama and the beans are grown right here in Boquete. Kotowa is the best coffee shop in Boquete and it has fast and good coffee drinks, teas and some small sandwiches/empanadas/bites to eat. The wifi here is very good and Kotowa is kind of the Panamanian equivalent of Starbucks. A+ for workability for all my digital nomad friends.
Sugar & Spice - My favorite spot in Boquete hands down. They serve breakfast and lunch and also sell breads/pastries/sweets. The breakfast goes until 11 and then they switch to lunch until 6. The meals are delicious and they also have good coffee, smoothies and milkshakes. The pastries and bread here are all home cooked and are so incredibly delicious. A+ for workability for all my digital nomad friends.
Colibri - An excellent dinner restaurant with very upscale ambiance and incredible food. Offers a mix of Panamanian and American foods but also has pastas and other specialties. The beet and goat cheese risotto was incredible and the wait staff were the best in Panama.
RetroGusto - Lovely Italian restaurant on the main street of town. Offers gourmet pizzas and pastas. Don’t forget to try the pumpkin risotto or the sage and cream gnocchi.
Hotel Panamonte - Very upscale hotel with fine dining as well. One of the best breakfast places in all of Boquete. Also offers lunch and dinner but it most famous for its breakfast.
The Rock - Famous for it’s brunch buffet every Sunday until 4PM. Also has good dinner options but is a staple for Sunday brunch.
