Introducing Chiriquí Province

Chiricanos claim to have it all and there’s an element of truth to what they claim: Panama’s tallest mountains, longest rivers and most fertile valleys are in Chiriquí. The province is also home to spectacular highland rainforests and the country’s most productive agricultural and cattle-ranching regions.

Bordering Costa Rica to the west, Chiriquí is often the first province in Panama encountered by overland travelers and serves as a subtle introduction to the not-so-subtle beauty Panama has to offer. Although the mist-covered mountains near Boquete are slowly being colonized by waves of North American and European retirees, the town is a good base for exploring the flanks of Panama’s highest point, Volcán Barú (3478m). The town is also the center of Panama’s coffee industry, which means that a potent cup of shade-grown Arabica is never more than a café away.

Chiriquí is home to the Parque Internacional La Amistad, which offers excellent hiking through lush rainforests that are largely unfettered by tourist crowds. If you’re a serious white-water rafter, the region boasts over 20 different runs, yet sees a fraction of the river-runners that descend annually on Costa Rica.

As if this wasn’t enough of a tourist draw-card, the province is also home to the pristine Golfo de Chiriquí, which boasts powder-white sand beaches and a rich diversity of marine life. With so much to offer, it’s no surprise that some Chiricanos dream of creating an independent República de Chiriquí (Chiriquí Republic).