Things to do
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Quetzal Trail
Cloud forest path linking Boquete with Cerro Punta over the shoulder of Barú, walked in either direction and easier downhill from the Cerro Punta side. Resplendent quetzals nest along it between March and June, which is when guides fill up. The route takes most of a day, transport has to be arranged at the far end, and rain is likely.
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Volcán Barú
The highest point in Panama rises above the town, and on a clear morning the summit shows both the Pacific and the Caribbean at once. The climb takes six hours or so on a rough track, usually started around midnight to reach the top for dawn. Cold and wind up there surprise walkers who come straight up from the lowlands.
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Volcán Barú National Park
The cloud forest on the flanks of Panama's highest volcano, laced with trails that begin at the edge of Boquete. Quetzals nest along the Pipeline and Quetzales paths between February and May. The summit road is a long night walk or a jeep ride, and on a clear dawn both oceans show at once. Rain arrives most afternoons.