| Cerro
Punta PANAMA - MOUNTAINS |
Set almost 2000m above sea
level in a bowl-shaped valley surrounded by
densely forested mountains, CERRO
PUNTA is the highest village in Panamá,
and often swathed in cloud. In the eighty
or so years since it was settled, agriculture
has expanded so rapidly that the town now
produces some 80 percent of all the vegetables
consumed in Panamá. This agricultural
boom has been at the expense of the surrounding
forests, however, and the local population
is just beginning to face up to the consequences
of deforestation, soil erosion and excessive
pesticide use.
Despite these problems, the
village and surrounding fields are still undeniably
beautiful, filled with abundant flowers and
buzzing with hummingbirds. The spectacular
scenery, together with the cool, crisp mountain
air (it even gets cold at night – a
rare luxury in Panamá) makes Cerro
Punta a perfect base for hiking, and the pristine
cloudforests of La Amistad and Volcán
Barú are both within easy reach.
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These parks are perhaps the
best places in all Central America to catch
a glimpse of the elusive quetzal, particularly
in the dry season between January and April.
Another worthwhile destination is the Finca
Dracula Orchid Farm (daily 9am–3pm; US$7;
tel 771 2070), about five minutes' walk beyond
the Los Quetzales Lodge and Spa in Guadelupe
and home to one of the most complete orchid
collections in Latin America. Telephone in advance
to arrange a visit.
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Bambito is 18km
(11 miles) N of Volcán; Cerro Punta is
7km (4 1/2 miles) from Bambito; Guadalupe is
2.5km (1 1/2 miles) from Cerro Punta. Bambito,
Cerro Punta, and Guadalupe are three of a dozen
or so tiny farming communities nestled in a
bucolic, alpine paradise. The area is characterized
by rugged hills and peaks cloaked in thick emerald
forest that is speckled with flowers and interspersed
with a patchwork of colorful fields. Bambito
is just a sprinkling of homes and services along
the road. Cerro Punta is located in the crater
of an extinct volcano, and is the epicenter
of agricultural production. |
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Cerro Punta sits at 1,800m
(5,900 ft.), looking out over a fertile valley
and craggy peaks beyond, and provides for
a quick scenic drive past strawberry and flower
farms. Guadalupe, too, has flower-filled streets
and is flanked by quiltlike farms that slope
up the surrounding hills. From here, the roads
branch out to La Amistad International Park
and Volcán Barú National Park.
This is truly the loveliest alpine region
in Panama.
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