Luxury holidays in Chiriquĩ Gulf
A marine national park is at the heart of this westerly region in Panama, easily reached from the country’s gateway second city, David. Its pristine Pacific waters are sheltered by an arc of bucolic lowlands, fringed by white, sandy beaches and wildlife-rich mangroves. The gulf itself is peppered with islands – many uninhabited, all unspoilt. Inland, largely agricultural landscapes rise towards the cloud-forested mountains around Boquete, famed for its coffee growing and waterfall-riven national parks.
When to go
Late December until the end of April is dry season, aka high season, in tropical Panama: skies are at their bluest, Pacific visibility at its clearest, and roads and forest trails unhampered by heavy rains. From May to November, although you can expect some rain, the Chiriquĩ Gulf coast remains far drier than Panama’s Caribbean shores, with occasional downpours short-lived, leaving plenty of scope to soak up the sun from your hammock.