The attraction of the Boquete area will be greatly enhanced by another major project now under way (update!!). It is called Cielo Paraiso (Paradise in the Sky). Homes are offered on spacious lots round an 18-hole golf course, with spectacular views of the mountains and even the Pacific below.

Cielo Paraiso is the project of a Canadian couple, Colleen and Raideep Lal who decided to move to Panama. They bought an extensive cattle ranch, which they are transforming into a leisure and tourism haven. They are building a 74 room hotel with full facilities, designed by Warner Group Architects Inc. of Santa Barbara, California. They also have started an ambitious re-forestation project with mature trees, and have their own electricity sub-station for the project.

Boquete is headquarters for the river rafting companies which will send you on the white water of the Chiriqui Viejo and Estí rivers for class 2, 3, 4, and 5 adventures.

Horseback is another way to go. Local guide Eduardo Cano (720-1750) will take you on a 2-6 hour ride in spectacular country. Or hiking... public trails in the Palo Alto cloud forest are easy to follow and sneakers are fine. To go higher, waterproof hiking boots and a guide are recommended.

Big event of Boquete’s year is the Flower and Coffee Fair every January. You can walk around the fairground on the banks of the Caldera River to see the flowers at any time. They are best in December and January. Other gardens to enjoy are El Explorador, open weekends and holidays and by special request (entrance fee $1), and the renowned formal gardens of the Gonzalez family which are open to the public free of charge.

Other events of note are the Orchid Fair in April and the Ecological fair in June. If bathing in hot springs or cold rivers appeals, the area of Caldera is your goal. Very recently a new wave of immigrants has begun to settle in the highlands, especially Boquete. These are folk from North America and Europe seeking a retirement home, a second home or an investment such as in the field of tourism.

Boquete is still unspoilt but infrastructure such as restaurants and small hotels is enlivening the town. The Hotel Panamonte, Boquete’s longest established hotel, still offers the finest dining on the mountain in unpretentious elegance and with old-world courteous service.