Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the surrounding forest. There is a minimum stay of three nights, with discounted
weekly and monthly rates.
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Bambito
There's no shortage of tiny mountain towns along this route, though Bambito is worth a
quick look, even if only to visit
Truchas de Bambito
(fishing US$5)
, a rainbow trout farm
where thousands of fish are raised in outdoor ponds. The chilly spring- water-fed ponds
produce some healthy (and very meaty) trout, which are also for sale. The fishing fee in-
cludes a pole.
Just over 3km past Bambito in the hamlet of Nueva Suiza,
Hostal Cielito Sur B&B
(
771-2038;
www.cielitosur.com
; d incl breakfast from US$105; )
is a sweet highland retreat.
Owned by a friendly Panamanian-American couple, it offers four spacious guest rooms
with hot-water bathtubs, hairdryers, living rooms with fireplaces and private riverside
patios. Breakfast is local, with fresh farm eggs and coffee from the surrounding property.
Lounge spaces abound, from the
bohío
(rustic hut) strung up with hammocks to a shared
Jacuzzi bathhouse. You can also arrange canoeing, bird-watching and Quetzal Trail trans-
fers here.
Before leaving Bambito, look for a small store 1.5km north of the Hotel Bambito
named
Alina
, which sells fruit jam, candy and milkshakes using the region's famous
wild strawberries. It's a charming spot that any local can point out to you - be sure to
stock up if you're on your way to an expedition in Parque Internacional La Amistad.
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Cerro Punta
At an altitude of 1800m, this tranquil highland town is reminiscent of an alpine village.
Indeed, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in Switzerland - as you near Cerro
Punta, everything starts to look European, with meticulously tended agricultural plots
and European-style houses with steep-pitched tin roofs. Not surprisingly, a Swiss colony
was founded here many decades ago, and you can still hear Swiss-German spoken in the
area.
Visitors come to Cerro Punta primarily during the dry season (January to April) in or-
der to access the two nearby parks: Volcán Barú and La Amistad. However, the town it-
