Riding the hub of a rugged mountain complex, central Panama has magnificent hiking and a coast lined with beaches and precious wetlands. Colonial antiquities and an offshore island with stupendous scuba diving and whale-watching add to the well-rounded appeal.

This region is blessed with tourist attractions of every sort – fine beaches, magnificent mountain scenery, and forest teeming with wildlife, even pre-Columbian sites and important colonial architecture. All are within a few hours’ drive of Panama City. It is easy to understand why the provinces of Cocle and Veraguas have together become the premier vacation destination for residents of Panama City, drawing visitors to their multiple splendours.

The region is bounded to the north by the rugged mountains of the continental divide. Isolated Ngobe-Bugle communities dot the mountains, and the coast is sparsely populated by Afro-Antillean communities.