Country Article / Postcards

Panama's Peaceful Giant

Date: 03/28/2005

Dear International Living Reader,
The extinct volcano of Volcan Baru, in the highlands of Panama's Chiriqui Province, is surrounded by clouds and the forests of La Amistad National Park. Around it, you'll find the quaint mountain towns of Volcan, Cerro Punta, and lesser-known Bambito, a great place to spend a couple of days relaxing.
Bambito is about 45 minutes from David, to the west. At about 5,250 feet above sea level, it is usually 5 to 10 degrees cooler than the Boquete area. It's comfortable and beautiful, with creeks and rocky hills covered with flowers and pine trees. The colorful houses here have scenic views and a surprisingly alpine feel to them. We stayed in the Bambito Hotel (http://www.hotelbambito.com/), which is a five-star hotel by Panamanian standards, with lush manicured lawns, lakes, and fountains.
Come to Bambito for the outdoor activities like camping, rock climbing, hiking, rappelling, canopy rides, and riding horses. (If you're traveling with family, there are some smaller horses here for kids to enjoy, too.) But many visitors want to get to the top of the extinct volcano. When you get there, you'll find it's flat, with a peaceful pond and horses. The wind blows through the trees below, and in the distance the water runs over pebbles in the creek. Birds chirp, and you can see the Barriles, which are pre-Colombian culture ruins.
Volcan Baru is peaceful now. But you can find a hint of the sleeping giant's power on the way back to David. There is a hill along the way where, if you stop your car and put it in neutral, you will be pulled uphill at about 18 miles an hour, thanks to the magnetic field emanating from the volcano.
The Staff of International Living in Panama