The Interior

Quaint boutique hotels, charming B & B’s, Eco-Sanctuaries and retreats and luxury resorts are all available here. Let’s start by talking about “the Interior”. To many, anything outside of Panama City is “the interior”, but on these pages we will talk about the interior as those places lying along the “spine” of Panama. Look at your map and look closely as Panama is a very narrow country, running east and west. Colombia lies to the East and Costa Rica lies to the West. The Atlantic, and in this instance the Caribbean, lies to the north and the Pacific lies to the south. The Panama Canal runs between the north and the south sides of Panama,through Panama at a place where there is little “spine” . The “spine” is the volcanic chain of mountain which extends through all of Central America but they start to become smaller and older in Panama. Hence our only active volcano, so far as we currently know, is Volcan Baru in Chiriqui Province near the border with Costa Rica.

All of the towns and development located on or near the “spine” of Panama are higher in altitude and thus cooler, with more rain. Great for coffee and for people who do not like the humid heat of the coastal regions, it can be wonderful spring-like weather all year long. Plants and flowers in Panama grow abundantly everywhere but in the “interior” areas they are profuse. You find flowers everywhere, in every ditch, growing in everyone’s fields where they are pests interfering with crops like coffee and up and around many trees. So if you like cool and a world that is wrapped in flowers, the “interior is for you.

The interior technically starts with small suburbs of Panama on the west side of the Canal, like Arrajan and Chorrera. These have not yet really developed as tourist towns although the expat community has found one lovely area of Chorrera. However, really the first real tourist development as you leave the city and head west in El Valle de Anton. Here we have the ultimate in a boutique hotel, Los Mandarions en La Casa De Lourdes. Created by a concert pianist as her own retreat, the food is world class and almost everyone who learns of this secret place has to do special occasions there. Spa and pool in the gardens, looking up at the sides of this huge extinct volcano, your senses will be enlivened, while your inner peace will be immense.

The Golden Frog Inn B & B is another treasure found only in El Valle de Anton. If you want to sleep peacefully and then enjoy the breakfast of your dreams go here. Your hosts Becky and Larry Thormahalen will enchant you. Los Capitanes, owned by the inimitable German is an eco-sanctuary, be sure to see the iguana and ask about the golden frogs. Before the disease hit Panama’s frogs you could even see golden frogs here, they may be back. it is a bed and breakfast, German Gasthaus, delightful garden retreat and everything else rolled into one. Crater Valley B & B is a huge spa and health retreat with many families coming for wonderful vacations here. There is Ricon Vallero with their carp pools and gardens and great restaurants. Don Pepe’s small hotle on the main street is conveniently located next to the market, and there is the fantastic Anton Valley Hotel located on the main street. Breakfast is included and it is wonderful. Every time I go to El Valle de Anton there are more and more and more small hotels, eco-resorts and B & B’s opening up.

Along the way you will come to Santa Clara, go left to the beach or right to a small eco resort, and Camper Van park names XS Memories. They have a coule of nice comfortable rooms and lots of birds, dogs and cats, usually a monkey or two, guinea fowl ducks geese and lftern something more exotic will show up. Dennis and Sheila hail from the US and if you long for home cooking, try Sheila’s meatloaf or her hamburger with everything.

The next city of any size is Penonome the capital city of the province of Cocle. There are some hotels and motels on the highway, and they are clean and safe. If you turn right into Penonome and then take ther first right out of town, climb into the hills, the drive is wonderful and you come to two great little eco resorts, Las Iguanas which boasts fine cabins, a small zoo and freindly people. At the top of the hilll, with 360 degree views is Posado Ecoresort and Spa. Mud baths are a specialty as is their organic coffee. Sit in the restaurant and just enjoy the views, even if you aren’t hungry.

Then there is Santiago a lovely little city. whil enot really in the mountains it has wonderful accommodation so stop and enjoy. La Galeria, La Hacienda, Pirmidal, Gran David, Mellor, Plaza Gran David. Enjoy the journey.

Contnuing west towards David at David you will turn right to Boquete or Volcan, or you may even drive to Bocas Del Toro but that is on the Caribbean and not in the interior. Boquete is the most well devloped town and it has many wonderful hotels and resorts. The Grand old dame here is The Panamonte Hotel, which offers a wonderful common room with a huge fireplace, you will enjoy it in the evening,, quaint rooms, a wonderful garden and a fantastic restaurant. If you feel the need for a formal dinner served on lovely china, look no further. Isla Verde located in the center of town offers small cabins done in the Swedish style, with little kitchenettes so you can stop and stay for awhile. Valle Escondido offers wonderful accommodation and even boasts a nine hole golf course. More accommodations is available at places like La Montana y el Valle, Kalima Suites, Boquete Paradise, Boquete Garden Inn, and many many more.

Boquete has a flower festival each January so be sure to take it in. and no trip to Boquete is complete with a visit to Mi Jardin es Su Jardin, My Garden is Your Garden a private garden that covers a hectare of land and is absolutely lovely. It is offered freely to the community, what a wonderful gift.

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