Tips For Traveling in El Valle de Anton, Panama - What to Know Before You Go
by Rebecca Hollman
updated September 23, 2020
El Valle de Antón, Panama
El Valle de Anton is a small town located in a luscious green valley of an inactive volcano crater – it’s the largest inhabited crater in the world! When the volcano blew its top a casual 3 million years ago, the crater became a lush, green valley surrounded on all sides by the remaining volcanic ridges. The volcano has sat dormant for thousands of years and now is a favorite weekend getaway for Panamanians and visitors looking to escape the city. It’s unique cooler micro-climate, abundance of hiking trails, and many unique environmental and natural attractions make El Valle a popular weekend destination, especially for local Panamanians. It draws adventurous Panama City crowds who want to get out to the “mountains” in only 2 hours. There isn’t much nightlife or partying here and it’s a small outdoorsy town, so be prepared to have a relaxing and tranquil experience here.
Table of Contents
What to Know
LANGUAGE: The language of Panama is Spanish. However, because El Valle is a tourist destination, a handful 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. Unlike Europe and Asia, where you can speak only English and get by very easily, there is almost a certain expectation that people coming to visit Central and South America should be able to speak some Spanish. If you speak none at all, you might have a more difficult (but not impossible!) time traveling in Panama.
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 are a decent amount of ATMs in El Valle. I would suggest trying to get out a decent amount of cash and trying to take less trips to the bank. A few 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 most your food in cash. Like most small towns in Panama, El Valle is a cash only kind of place. There are a few restaurants that take cards and luckily some ATMs in town, but you’re better off bringing lots of small bills (1’s, 5’s, and 10’s).
WEATHER: Panama follows the Central American climate trend - it’s usually hot and humid with two distinct seasons of the wet season and the dry season. El Valle is at a slightly higher elevation in the middle of the country and is surrounded by dormant volcano peaks, therefore making it slightly cooler than the coasts. The average temperature is a daytime high of 84 degrees F (28 degrees C) and a nighttime low of 75 degrees F (20 degrees C). There is little to no temperature variation between the seasons. The dry season is from December to April. The weather in El Valle during the dry season is incredibly sunny and windy. Expect the surrounding vegetation and grass to be very orange/yellow! The rainy season is from May to November (with the most rain in October). This is when the winds die down and everything is green and lush.
Travel Tip: El Valle has a unique spring-like microclimate so the evenings can be a little chilly. Just be sure to pack a light sweater and jeans for the nights. Also make sure you have a rain jacket and/or an umbrella if you’re visiting in the rainy season - popup thunderstorms are super common.
GETTING AROUND: Getting around is a little bit different in El Valle, since it is a more popular destination for Panama City locals than gringos or other tourists. This means that most people visiting drive only 120 km from Panama City and have their own car. There are some taxis around town but they are few and far in between. Luckily, the town is easily walkable. Most of the restaurants, grocery stores, hostels and such are all within walking distance of each other. However, some of the hike trailheads are not walking distance from town and so some bus/taxi planning might be required if you don’t have your own car. The Cerro Cara Iguana and La India Dormida hikes ARE walking distance from town.
SAFETY: For the most part, Panama is safe. El Valle 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. And if you rent a bike, always lock it to something when you leave it somewhere.
How to Get There
FROM PANAMA CITY: Really the only logical option is to travel there from Panama City. Most people are flying or busing into Panama City anyways. El Valle is only 120 km west of Panama City and is an easy drive along the main highway of Panama.
BY BUS: El Valle is one of the easiest places to access outside of Panama City without a car. You can get to El Valle easily by bus from Albrook bus station (Gran Terminal de Transporte). The Albrook bus station is connected to BUT NOT THE SAME AS the Albrook Mall. If you are taking a taxi or uber from the airport or a hotel you need to specify that you are going to the bus station side. Once at the terminal find window 22, which will say El Valle de Antón. Let the person at the counter know you are going to El Valle, and the ticket cost is $4.25 (cash only). Buses depart every 30 minutes between 6:30AM and 6:30PM from platform 48 (this changes every now and then so double check to be sure). The entire journey should take no more than 2.5 hours. If you’re heading out on a Friday, do leave early if you’d rather not get stuck in gridlock traffic. Once you’re on the bus, you can let the driver know which hotel or hostel you are staying at in El Valle and they are usually helpful with letting you know where to get off.
BY CAR: Take the Interamerican Highway outside of Panama City for approximately 90km and take a right at the Delta Gas Station a little past San Carlos. From here El Valle is about 28 km. If you have Waze or Google Maps on your phone that works well for arriving at most of the hotels and hostels within El Valle.
What to Do There
1. HIKE LA INDIA DORMIDA TRAIL: The most iconic trail in El Valle, La India Dormida (or the Sleeping Indian) follows the volcanic ridge of the crater surrounding El Valle. It goes past a few waterfalls and also some petroglyphs. The trail is even more spectacular during sunrise and sunset when the sun lights up the ridge. This trail is walking distance from town.
2. HIKE CERRO GAITAL: One of the more challenging trails in Panama in terms of slipperiness and drop-off fear, Cerro Gaital is a super fun and adrenaline boosting trail. The first part of the trail winds through a forest until it opens up to the first view point. The trail continues past here and immediately narrows and becomes very steep. The trail goes up along the narrow ridge and has a steep drop-off on both side of the very narrow trail. It is also steep and slippery with loose rocks. There are many points that require handholds and even a few bolted ropes to help you pull yourself up some rock faces. Be even more careful on the way down - you definitely don’t want to slip! This trail is farther from town but is definitely a unique and thrill inducing hike.
3. HIKE CERRO CARA IGUANA: Another trail walking distance from town, this trail goes straight up a dirt road until it crosses a field and pops out along the ridge line. You can continue following the ridge line until you get to a final lookout point with great views of the town. Again, a great trail to do at either sunrise or sunset to see some beautiful colors.
4. VISIT THE POZOS AZUL OR CHORRO EL MACHO WATERFALLS: Two waterfalls close to town that provide some relaxing relief on a hot day. The Pozos Azul waterfall requires a quad or dirt bike to reach and so is easier visited through a tour. This is truly a lovely place to spend an afternoon swimming, cliff jumping, and/or rock climbing. The Chorro El Macho is only a 30 minute walk from town along an easy hike. This is the most popular waterfall in Anton and it is open daily between 8AM and 5PM. There’s a $5 entry fee.
5. VISIT THE ORCHID GARDENS OR BUTTERFLY HOUSE: View over 150 species of colorful local orchids at the Orchids Center. The center has a $2 entrance fee. You can also see many unique species of birds here as the owner puts out bird feed for them at specific times of the day. Orchids bloom in certain times of the year so you might want to check if they will be blooming or not before visiting. You can also immerse yourself in hundreds of magical butterflies at the Butterfly Haven (Mariposario). The $5 entrance includes a guided explanation of the butterfly process from the egg to caterpillar, to chrysalis and finally butterfly. You can walk through the house as butterflies swarm around you.
6. VISIT THE NISPERO ZOO: This zoo is unique because of its efforts to save the endangered Golden Frog. It’s also home to the new Amphibian Conservation Center of El Valle, which is dedicated to studying the bacteria that has been wiping out the Golden Frog. Entrance fee is $5.
There are infinitely more things to do in El Valle de Antón besides these top 6 I’ve listed above. Learn more about everything to do in El Valle and also discover the perfect one week itinerary for El Valle.
Check out the 27 best things to do in El Valle de Antón
Find the 12 best hikes in El Valle here
Plan your perfect 7 day/1 week intinerary for El Valle here
Where to Stay
HOSTELS:
Bodhi Hostel - Pretty much the only hostel in town, Bodhi is a Panamanian hostel chain with other locations in Santa Catalina and Panama City. The hostel offers dorm beds in a huge shared room, as well as private rooms with full size beds. It has a nice chillout lounge, a big kitchen, a yoga dojo, and a backyard for games. The have yoga mats that are free to use, bike rentals, free breakfast and they also organize many tours out of the hostel. Dorm beds usually go for $14 USD a night.
MID RANGE/GUESTHOUSE:
Golden Frog Inn - This mid-range hotel is a beat off the beaten path and not in the center of town but has amazing views and its own trail (The Golden Frog Trail) that starts at the hotel itself. It has an outdoor pool and complimentary bikes for guests. Most rooms have their own private terrace. Rooms usually go for $85 USD a night.
Caracoal - A small hotel with beautiful grounds, Caracoal offers a quiet retreat while still being in the center of town. Amenities include karaoke, table tennis, darts, room service, 24-hour reception, satellite TV channels, sun terrace and all rooms are air-conditioned and a patio with garden views. Rooms usually go for $90 USD a night.
UPSCALE/HIGH-END:
Los Mandarinos - This beautiful hotel and spa has two outdoor pools, two restaurants, beautiful landscaped grounds and gardens, and an on-site spa you’ll never want to leave.
Crater Valley - A boutique hotel committed to sustainability and environmentally friendly practices, Crater Valley also donates a percentage of their proceeds to giving back to the community. Guests can enjoy a “farm to table” breakfast and an on-site botanical trail with orchids, frogs, turtles and koi ponds. Rooms usually go for $190 USD a night.
Where to Eat
Casa Florencia - Highly rated and one of the only high-end dining in El Valle. Mixture of Mediterranean and Italian dishes. $$$
Casa de Lourdes - Rated #1 in El Valle on Tripadvisor. One of the restaurants inside the very nice Los Mandarinos hotel. Views of the pool and gardens. $$$$
El Valle Coffee Shop - Coffee shop serving locally sourced Panamanian coffee, as well as pastries and small bites. $$
Heaven’s Cafe - Small, unassuming coffee shop with breakfast, lunch, smoothies, coffee, and frappachinos. This was where we ate breakfast and got coffee every morning. $
Restaurante Camino del Inka - Local spot serving up traditional Peruvian food. Cheap eats for lunch. $$
