The volcanic ash of Volcan Baru enriches the fertile soil of Chiriqui with minerals and nutrients like it’s a breakfast cereal. But if you prefer just coffee in the morning, don’t worry, you’ve still come to the right place. Chiriqui is famous for its coffee, rich and dark as the soil itself. You’ll find people who say Chiriqui coffee is the best in Panama… heck, you’ll find people who claim Chiriqui coffee is the best in the world.
According to National Geographic, the coffee of the Chiriqui highlands is “a distinctly flavored coffee—mellow and aromatic, with a hint of acidity.” Everybody seems to know all about how good Chiriqui coffee is. But it’s a little harder to find information about visiting one of the numerous coffee plantations in the province. You’ll find a word here and there, in guidebooks, pamphlets, and blogs, but otherwise these hidden treasures remain hidden. That’s why we compiled a list of the best coffee plantations in Chiriqui.
Each estate or plantation on our list employs unique farming techniques, production methods, and distribution practices. But they all share a genuine love of coffee and a commitment to use only the finest beans in their roasts. Even travelers who don’t care for java will enjoy a visit to one of these coffee plantations, where they will witness the local people keeping these agricultural traditions alive and working these farms with such passion and joy.
So, without further adieu, in no particular order, I give you our five favorite coffee plantations in Panama’s Chiriqui province:
1. Café Ruiz. The Ruiz family has been growing coffee on their estate in Boquete since the late 1800s, and they’ve spent the last century perfecting their growing and roasting techniques. Café Ruiz offers visitors 45-minute guided tour of their estate (if you just want a basic idea of how they make such darn good coffee) for $9, as well as a 3-hour guided tour (if you want to take in the scope of the estate) for $30. Café Ruiz is open Monday through Saturday, 8am to 4pm.
2. Finca Lerida. The Finca Lerida Farm offers gorgeous vistas along with superb coffee. At an altitude of 4,800 feet above sea level, the farm spreads across the eastern slope of majestic Volcan Baru. The farm is roughly 500 hectares in size and encompasses a large portion of the Chiriqui Cloud Forest. Visitors who come for a coffee tour get a whole lot more. The cloud forest offers travelers a chance to see a variety of rare species, especially birds: you might catch your first glimpse of a quetzal while on a Finca Lerida coffee tour. Coffee tours cost $25 dollars, and birdwatching tours cost $35. Finca Lerida is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
3. Kotowa Estate. The Kotowa Estate, located in the peaceful hills of Palo Alto in Boquete, has been in the hands of the MacIntyre family for three generations. The family is unlikely to sell the estate to anyone else in the near future. The MacIntyres truly love what they do, and their passion comes across in the quality of their roast. This charming family can’t help but to assume that everyone is as fascinated by coffee production as they are. They provide informational tours designed for inquisitive travelers. Tours cost $22 dollars; if you book a day in advance, the MacIntyres will provide you with free transportation from your hotel. The estate offers one tour each day, beginning at 9am.
4. Finca Hartmann. Nestled on the western side of the small town of Volcan, in the shadow of Volcan Baru, this farm offers both the coffee tour experience and the wilderness retreat experience. The heavily forested surrounding area (Finca Hartmann borders the Parque Internacional La Amistad) provides excellent birdwatching opportunities, so keep a pair of binoculars next to your steaming coffee cup. The quiet rural settings of Finca Hartmann are an ideal place for you to take a break from adventure travel. Relax, sit down, and drink your coffee. Or take a tour for $10. The farm is open Monday through Saturday from 6am to 6pm.
5. La Torcaza Estate. If you’re looking for a slightly less commercial coffee farm to visit, try La Torcaza. This farm offers an excellent coffee tour for $10; the tour is particularly memorable during harvest season, when visitors can opt to explore the large coffee farm on the edges of Lagunas de Volcan during its busiest season. To hear the soft clip-clop of horses’ hooves over the moist earth, take a horseback tour of the plantation. The estate is open Monday through Saturday, from 8am to 5pm.
Still haven’t satisfied your java fix? Look into Hacienda La Esmeralda‘s Geisha coffee, another Panamanian treasure. The Island Interns can tell you why it’s worth more than $100 per pound.
TAGS: Chiriqui Coffee Plantation Do & See Flora & Fauna Food & Drink Must Read Panama Panama Do & See Panama Food & Drink Plant Life Travel
