An Expat’s Experience of Living in Boquete in the Chiriqui Province of Panama

Article by Lee Zeltzer, Boquete expatriate resident and owner of  http://www.boqueteguide.com/

Far from Panama City is the town of Boquete Panama. Getting to Boquete is a 45 minute airplane ride or six to seven hours on the road. Bus service from Panama will get you to David and still you have an hour more on a bus to Boquete. Why then to tourists flock to Boquete Panama?

There are two distinctly different groups of non Panamanian tourists visiting Boquete. I say non Panamanian because large numbers of native residents also take holidays in Boquete. The visitor groups are both young and old, backpackers and retirees.

Young people visit Boquete for it’s exciting outdoor and social activities. Boquete is the center for white water rafting in Panama along the Costa Rican border. A place where you leap from class four to class five rapids in a continuous stretch of river that separates the two countries.  Boquete is the home of a Boquete Tree Trek a zip line experience that propels your adrenaline levels up as you zip down through an old growth forest.  Boquete is less than one hour from fishing opportunities, snorkeling opportunities, diving opportunities and provides a safe secure home base to explore the highlands of Panama.

People who are less inclined to the outdoors will find Boquete is a haven for retired English speakers from around the world. There are many people in Boquete who are bilingual. Every Tuesday the English community in Boquete has a networking meeting and farmers market. This event is held in the new Boquete Community Players (BCP) Community Center. The BCP fields a wide range of plays, concerts and other events attracting the English speaking community.

There are wonderful opportunities for touring the lush mountains, visiting some of Boquete’s world famous coffee farms and seeing the entire process of growing and preparing the worlds best coffee. Then after a day of exploring visit one on Boquete’s fine restaurants. You can enjoy simple local food and have dinner for under $3 or enjoy some of the best cuisine in Panama at prices you might pay at McDonalds in the US.

Finally don’t forget the night life. Young or old you can find your niche at night. Be it partying hard till 4 am at La Cabana or just a relaxed evening at the fabulous Panamonte Bar in the Panamonte Hotel.

After a few days in Boquete you will discover why people of all ages visit here as tourists and never leave.

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