Why Chiriqui? People like to go to Chiriqui because it's like having Spring all year around. People don't sweat and yet they don't have to endure cold winters or hurricanes (as in Florida and the rest of the Caribbean), nor do they have to endure industrial pollution. The air is clear, cool, and pleasant; the water mountain fresh. Some travel experts compare Chiriqui to Switzerland because of the year-round temperatures of between 16 to 25 degrees Centigrade. A-frame Swedish-style homes adorn the landscape, courtesy of those Europeans who came to Panama to work on the canal. These people found themselves at home here in the highlands of Chiriqui.

The slopes of Baru Volcano are covered in a rich, black and fertile soil. Because of that, virtually everything and anything seems to grow in a colorful abundance, making the highlands of Chiriqui the agricultural lifeline for the rest of Panama. A wide variety of items are grown here, from potatoes, sweet oranges, strawberries, exotic flowers and, of course, highland coffee, which has been very well received on the international coffee market.

Whitewater rafting and bird watching are two of the more popular endeavors on Chiriqui. The perfect combination of highlands and abundant rainfall, descending from the flanks of the volcano, set the stage for world class whitewater rafting. Many a rafter has proclaimed these some of the best stretches of river throughout all of Central America. On both the Chiriqui and Chiriqui Viejo rivers, both day trips and multi-day rafting trips are offered. Several of river classification levels are available; both class III and class IV predominate. Three day kayaking clinics taught by stateside instructors will set your way down these rivers if you are interested in a more personalized fort of water sport. Although not necessarily conducive to nature watching, these river trips offer rare glimpses of remote areas of Chiriqui that in some instances are virtually accessible only by your river craft. Some of these rivers take you through untouched gorges and to little known but spectacular waterfalls that tower above you as they cascade into the river.

The Los Quetzales trail is a popular path for visitors and connects the two towns of Boquete and Cerro Punta along the northern ridge of the Baru Volcano. Bird watching in both Boquete and Cerro Punta is quite phenomenal. The trails crisscross their way into these lush cloud forests and continually awe visitors with their surreal like beauty. Upon reaching higher levels of the cloud forest, one is struck with the ethereal sound of the Black-Faced Solitaire; a bird whose song is as lovely as the sound of chimes. Since Cerro Punta is of higher elevation than Boquette, this trail is oftentimes a more strenuous, but beautiful hike. Excellent birding opportunities, where such birds as the Emerald Tucanette and the much sought after Resplendent Quetzal are found to inhabit the cool jungles. The forests surrounding these towns are also home to pumas, as well as the new world's largest herbivore, the tapir. By all means, consider yourself lucky if you should happen to come across one.