Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Finca La Suiza
40km north of the junction with the Interamericana on the right-hand side • Day-visitors should arrive 7-10am
• $8 • 6615 3774,
fincalasuizapanama.com
At 1200m
Finca La Suiza
is both a guesthouse and a
private reserve
with a substantial net-
work of immaculately maintained
trails
open to the public. Your entry fee will get you a
map and access to the trails (3-7hr circuits) and for a serious all-day climb to Cerro Hornito
(2100m) you can hire a guide ($72/group). Check before you plan a visit since at the time of
writing the place was for sale.
ACCOMMODATION: ALONG THE LA FORTUNA ROAD
Finca La Suiza
Km 40, La Fortuna road 6615 3774,
fincalasuizapanama.com
.
The
finca
offers three comfortable guest rooms with private terrace from which to soak up the views on
its
private reserve
.
Take the David-Changuinola bus: the
finca
entrance is on the r
oad
after
approximately 40km, on the right-hand side. Two-night minimum stay. Closed Oct.
$58
Lost and Found Ecolodge
Km 42, La Fortuna road 6581 9223,
lostandfound-
the views alone. Located at well over 1300m, on the edge of the Reserva Forestal La Fortuna
- established to protect the Fortuna reservoir's catchment basin - it boasts numerous trails
through cloud forest and offers a range of modestly priced tours and opportunities for vo-
lunteering. To get here by bus, alight at the 42km marker, at the hamlet of
Va
lle de la Mina,
wh
ere a sign
dir
ects you up a lengthy flight of steps to the right. Camping
$8
/person, dorms
$12
, doubles
$33
David and the Chiriquí Lowlands
In contrast to the fresh highlands - the destination for the vast majority of visitors to the
province - the oppressive heat of the
Lowlands
does little to attract the punters. Nor do end-
less fields of maize, rice, bananas, sugar cane and cattle. Still it's hard to avoid
David
, or
at least the city's vast bus terminal, since virtually all the province's public transport passes
through here. What's more, Chiriquí's capital is gradually growing in appeal as a place to
chill out for a couple of days and enjoy a few city comforts as its local attractions: the man-
groves at
Pedregal
or the wildlife reserve at
Playa Barqueta
.
West of David, the Interamericana speeds along 47km of flattish terrain to the frontier with
Costa Rica. Just before the border post, the road veers off left down the narrow
Peninsula
Burica
, weaving through plantations and passing the former banana boom town of
Puerto
Armuelles
, before an undulating road eventually peters out close to the southern tip, where
the handful of travellers who make it this far can stroll along deserted beaches and watch the
waves.
