Exploring Panama – Part 2

After our 3 days in Panama City, Justin, Paul, Kristen & I traveled north to the catalyst that prompted the whole trip: Los Establos Boutique Resort. Spoiler alert: it was amazing.

Los Establos is nestled in the northern Chirichi province of Panama, which includes the popular expat community of Boquete. In case you missed my explanation in other blog posts, we purchased access to this vacation package at a Multiple Sclerosis silent auction charity event. The Los Establos property specifically falls under the umbrella of “Elite Certificates,” a company dedicated to donating resort certificates to schools, nonprofits, etc., who get to keep 100% of the proceeds when someone bids on the vacation package. I should clarify again, the operative word is “access” to the property. I think people think we won this vacation for just the bid price. But alas, the bid was separate, and it still adds up to be a pricy vacation to us (like $400/night for all-inclusive). We found it to be well worth every penny and got to discover a place we probably never would have explored otherwise!!! Side note: if ever you are looking for a donation for such an event, reach out to Elite Certificates to include Los Establos Resort in your auction lineup!!!!!!

Los Establos was originally a horse stable, and became an all-inclusive resort in 2001. The horse stable building was turned into the central reception building with a few hotel-like rooms and a large indoor sitting area where they hosted happy hour. Over time, the resort added guest cottages, a dining room, a pool area and more. The landscaping and grounds were impeccably cared for. (Honestly, that was the case everywhere we went in Panama—even city public spaces and parks. Believe it or not, they do not use mowers, instead steward it all with weed whackers! We joked that as soon as they finished grooming a park, they just had to start over). 

The whole 16-acre complex has a max capacity of 45 guests, but our mid-November timing shared the property with about 15 guests, so we definitely scored on the one-on-one attention of the incredible staff. Each couple had our own “deluxe coffee cottage,” which had 2 queen beds in a large room, a bathroom and a patio. 

All-inclusive meant we enjoyed scrumptious food and drinks from AM-PM, including Panama-signature dishes like ceviche, sancocho (Panamanian-style chicken soup) and empanadas. The B-L-D menus were small and changed slightly every day, but the chef team knew Justin was as dairy-free as he could be, and they always happily created slight alternatives made specifically for him.

Our all-inclusive stay included 7 excursions, all of which were wonderful. In keeping with the laid-back Latin American culture, Los Establos waits until you arrive to do any booking, that way you can decide a little last minute based on weather and how you feel. Most were half-day, so there was still plenty of time to relax around the property in the AM or PM, depending on when you did your off-property excursion. Happy Hour at Los Establos was from 4-6pm, and we loved our routine of playing our games while sipping delicious speciality alcoholic & non-alcoholic cocktails. Some of the more active excursions we chose were ziplining nearly 300 feet above the jungle floor and 2 guided hikes—one across several swing bridges (as long as 442 feet across!) and the other to tres cascadas (3 waterfalls). 

I loved having local Panamanian guides on all our excursions, and most of whom grew up in the Chirichi province. At 3,500 feet, this northern area escapes some of the humidity known in Panama, but is still a mix of microclimates. It is wonderfully mountainous with vibrant rainforests, which means an amazing density of 10,000 plant species (trees as diverse as oak to fern!). November isn’t even wildflower season, yet we saw so many awesome species, like birds of paradise, mountain rose, begonias, orchids, and hibiscus. And the more unique species like bromeliads (a pineapple-like plant that even grows on trees) and florapondia (trumpet flowers). We felt we had incredible weather, although there’s a common weather pattern in that region called bajareque, or a light drizzle that goes sideways because of wind. 

One of the excursion choices was to climb Panama’s only volcano and highest point at 11,398 feet (Volcan Baru). Of course Justin & Paul wanted to accept that challenge. And of course Kristen & I said no gracias! The climb is about 16 miles roundtrip, with 4,300 feet elevation gain, so a one-word summary would be BRUTAL! Supposedly, the sweet reward at the top would have been the sunrise (they left at midnight) and being able to see both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans at the same time. Our worst weather day in Panama happened to be the day Justin & Paul climbed the muddy mountain. And what did they see at the top? The inside of a milk carton, lol.  

Our last excursion to highlight was the one that wowed us the most. Panama, as well as many other Central/South American countries, is known for their coffee production. I think the most mind-blowing tidbit I can share with all those coffee drinkers out there: Did you know it takes about 4 years from coffee tree to your cup of coffee at home??? 

We visited the Don Pepe Estate, a family coffee farm (finca) that has been operating since 1898 in Boquete, to learn and see what it takes to make a single cup of coffee. You need 2.5 trees to gather enough beans to make 1 pound of coffee!!! The beans on the coffee tree usually take about a year to change from green to red, and they don’t all turn at the same time. Coffee bean pickers have to twist and pull the beans one-by-one off the tree by hand. I should also mention that some of these trees are precariously placed on very steep hills!? On a good day, workers somehow pick 300 pounds of beans! Once they are pulled, the next step is to strip the beans (de-pulp), which is done by machine. At that point, the beans look like peanuts, and they have to dry out. Don Pepe puts them outside to dry in the sun for 2-3 weeks, but during the rainy season, they can complete that process by machine. Once dried, the beans age for 4-6 months in a cool warehouse. Then a machine takes the shells off. They sit for ANOTHER several months, then get sorted by size. At that point, they can finally be roasted and turned into a cup of coffee. Roasting is rarely done at the farm, as most buyers roast them using their own methods.

At the high altitude, Panama grows 7 varieties of coffee, including the very famous and very expensive Geisha variety. The Geisha tree produces fewer beans, and takes up more space. You need 4-5 trees (versus 2.5) to make 1 pound of coffee! It’s not cultivated in many places, and apparently this variety gained global awards, so one single cup costs upwards of $25!!!  We tried it, and honestly, we don’t know what all the fuss is about! Our favorite variety was Catuai. 

And thus concludes our 11 unforgettable days in Panama! This small country left quite an impression. I (we) had no expectations. Pretty much every time we told people we were going to Panama, they had responses like Panama?!?! Really?! Why?! Where is that? Is it dangerous? But I highly encourage people to give it a chance (we even convinced Justin’s mom to book a trip for 2026!!!!). There are a lot of Latin American countries that get more attention. This one has a blend of history & natural beauty (plus, the country recognizes just how vital their forests are to the function of the water flowing through the iconic canal, so conservation for the win).

And I suppose if we have to find a complaint, or a reason to be nervous, it would be all the things in the jungle that can kill you. Justin & Paul saw a pit viper on one of their hikes, as well as this pile of millipedes (or centipedes?)!!! I will gladly take our bears, moose and wolves in our wild over the creepy crawly things in the jungle!