Boquete is a thriving valley town, standing in the foothills of the extinct Barú volcano in the Chiriqui province of Panama, near the border of Bocas del Toro. Famed for its California oranges, delicious coffee, cool spring air shimmering with rainbows, it is one of the fastest-growing retirement and expatriate communities in Panama. The statuesque landscape runs from 2500 to 10,000 feet high, richly lined with vegetation nourished by black volcanic soil.
The volcano marks the highest point of Panama, and holds a commanding view of the Pacific (and on a clear day, Atlantic) ocean. Rainforests in the surrounding hills are lush and verdant, and home to many rare species, including the highly prized quetzal, a brilliantly colored bird in danger of extinction. Read the rest of this entry »
Located just outside Boquete, Panama at 4,000 feet above sea level, the hotel was originally built as a stable for horses, and was converted to a luxury Bed and Breakfast in 2000.
It sits on twelve acres of a quality coffee plantation estate. The views of the town below and the Baru Volcano are magnificent and dominate the skyline. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the highlights of a stay in Boquete, in the North West area of Panama, is a tour of a coffee plantation.
Coffee Adventures offer a complete pick-up service and a detailed tour of the Kotowa Plantation, which lasts approx 3 hours. The tour starts out among the coffee trees where you will see, probably for the first time, how small a coffee tree can be, and how the beans develop in an extraordinary way all along the branches. As they develop at different rates, ripening and picking is a continuous process from October to April, but even at the end of May, when I visited, there is still plenty to see. Read the rest of this entry »
