Panama

Chiriquí claims to have it all: Panama’s tallest mountains, longest rivers and most fertile valleys. The province is also home to spectacular highland rainforests and the most productive agricultural and cattle-ranching regions in the country. As a result, los chiricanos (natives of Chiriquí) take particular pride in their province and wave the provincial flag – in every sense – at the slightest opportunity.

Although it’s just a 10-minute boat ride from the town of Bocas del Toro, Isla Bastimentos is like a different world. Some travelers say this is their favorite island in their favorite part of Panama. The northwest coast of the island is home to palm-fringed beaches that serve as nesting grounds for sea turtles, while most of the northern and southern coasts consist of mangrove islands and coral reefs that lie within the boundaries of the Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos.

One of the world’s richest biomes is the 2240-sq-mile (5790-sq-km) Parque Nacional Darién, where the primeval meets the present with scenery nearly unaltered from one million years ago. Even today in the Darién, the Emberá and Wounaan people maintain many of their traditional practices and retain generations-old knowledge of the rainforest. 

One of the most cosmopolitan capitals in Central America, Panama City is both a vibrant metropolis and a gateway to incredible tropical escapes.

David is Panama’s second-largest city and the capital of Chiriquí Province. It's more a center of agricultural industry than a cultural hub. Yet with foreign capital flowing into Chiriquí, David is rapidly gaining wealth and importance, and is poised to boom.

Panamá Province has a rich history of pirates, plunder and pearls. Although it's the most populous province in the country, Panamá can be as big or as small as you want it to be. Tranquil rainforests and sizzling beaches are yours to explore, and the comforts of the capital are never more than an hour away.

The highland rainforests are the heart of Chiriquí Province. From the rugged mountains of Parque Internacional La Amistad and the misty hills of Boquete to the continental divide traversing the cordillera (mountain range), this is probably the only spot in Panama where you might need a sweater. While Panamanians relish the chill, you’ll appreciate the astounding natural beauty throughout the region.

Coclé is known to Panamanians as the land of salt, sugar and presidents. More salt has been reclaimed from the sea, more sugar refined and more Panamanian presidents born here than in any other province. These facts are the source of great civic pride, but Coclé offers a lot more than table condiments and political legacies.

Colón Province is much, much more than its run-down capital. Think pristine beaches and lowland rainforests, colonial splendor and the modern engineering marvel of the Panama Canal. Portobelo, with its growing music and art scene, shows the best of the rich culture of the Congos, descendants of enslaved Africans who have preserved the legacy of their ancestors, while the train trip between Panama City and Colón remains one of the greatest rail journeys in the Americas.

The name of Veraguas province (literally “see waters”) is both descriptive and accurate – it is the only one of Panama's provinces and comarcas (indigenous districts) to border both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.