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Isla Palenque in the Gulf of Chiriquí

Panama · 10 nights · City, highlands and island

Coffee Highlands and the Pacific Islands: 10-Night Itinerary

  • Couples
  • Food lovers

In short. Three nights in Casco Viejo, three in the coffee hills of Boquete and four on Isla Palenque, a private island in the Gulf of Chiriquí. The old city, a cupping on a coffee farm and a beach casita, with two short domestic flights, to David and back.

Nights
10
Stops
3
Fly in / out
PTY
Best months
Dec to Apr

Facts checked 10 November 2026

Why this route

  1. Three very different Panamas in ten nights: the old quarter, the cool coffee highlands and a Pacific island.
  2. Boquete is coffee country. A private cupping on a farm in the hills is the morning people remember.
  3. Isla Palenque is a private 400-acre island with eight beachfront casitas, a short boat ride from the mainland.

Our team

The route at a glance

Route map of Coffee Highlands and the Pacific Islands

Numbered stops in order. Solid line by road, dashed line by air or boat.

  1. Casco Viejo, Panama City 3 nights
  2. Boquete 3 nights
  3. Isla Palenque, Gulf of Chiriquí 4 nights

Day by day

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo

Days 1 to 3 · 3 nights

Casco Viejo, Panama City

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo

Getting here: A private transfer from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to your hotel in Casco Viejo.

  1. Day 1
    Arrive in Panama CityLand at Tocumen International Airport and transfer to Casco Viejo. The evening is yours, for a first walk through the old quarter's plazas.
  2. Day 2
    The Canal and the old quarterA morning at the Miraflores Locks watching ships move through the Panama Canal, then the afternoon in Casco Viejo.
  3. Day 3
    Casco ViejoA slow day in the old quarter: its churches, rooftops and the waterfront.
Finca Panda Coffee Farm & Luxury Casitas

Days 4 to 6 · 3 nights

Boquete

Finca Panda Coffee Farm & Luxury Casitas

Getting here: A 45-minute Air Panama flight from Albrook to David, then about an hour by road up to Boquete.

  1. Day 4
    Up to the highlandsThe flight to David and the drive up into the cool air of Boquete.
  2. Day 5
    CoffeeA private coffee cupping on a farm in the hills, Geisha included.
  3. Day 6
    Barú and the cloud forestA morning on the trails of Volcán Barú National Park looking for the resplendent quetzal.
Isla Palenque Resort

Days 7 to 10 · 4 nights

Isla Palenque, Gulf of Chiriquí

Isla Palenque Resort

Getting here: By road down to Boca Chica, then a 15-minute boat to the island.

  1. Day 7
    To the islandThe drive to Boca Chica and the short boat across, then the afternoon in your casita.
  2. Day 8
    Beach and reefKayaks and snorkeling from the island's own beaches.
  3. Day 9
    A day on the waterOut by boat around the gulf's islands.
  4. Day 10
    A day of your ownThe beach, the forest trails or nothing at all.
Day 11
Fly home Back to the mainland and David, a flight to Panama City, then on to Tocumen International Airport (PTY) for your flight home.

Where you stay

Casco Viejo, Panama City

Hotel La Compañía Casco Antiguo
PremiumHotel La Compañía Casco Antiguo

A restored Jesuit convent with five restaurants and a rooftop pool

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo
LuxurySofitel Legend Casco Viejo

A 1917 club building on the Casco Viejo waterfront

Boquete

Finca Lérida
PremiumFinca Lérida

A working coffee estate and cloud forest reserve near Boquete

Finca Panda Coffee Farm & Luxury Casitas
LuxuryFinca Panda Coffee Farm & Luxury Casitas

Five private casitas on a working coffee farm in Boquete

Isla Palenque, Gulf of Chiriquí

Isla Palenque Resort
LuxuryIsla Palenque Resort

A private 400-acre island with eight beachfront casitas and seven beaches

Is it for you?

Perfect if you

  • love coffee, food and slow mornings
  • want a beach at the end, not the start
  • are happy with two short domestic flights

Think twice if

  • want to stay in one place the whole trip
  • want the Caribbean side: our Cloud Forest and Caribbean route goes there

How it compares

RouteNightsStopsBest for
Coffee Highlands and the Pacific Islands10Casco Viejo, Panama City, Boquete, Isla Palenque, Gulf of ChiriquíCouples who want the city, coffee country and a beach
Cloud Forest and Caribbean10Casco Viejo, Panama City, Boquete, Isla Bastimentos, Bocas del ToroActive couples who want both oceans' worth of nature
Rainforest and Birding10Casco Viejo, Panama City, Soberanía National Park, Canal Zone, El Valle de Antón, Isla Bastimentos, Bocas del ToroBirders and wildlife lovers

Questions travelers ask

How do we get from Panama City to Boquete?

A 45-minute Air Panama flight from Albrook to David, then about an hour by road up into the hills.

How do we reach Isla Palenque?

By road from the Boquete area to Boca Chica, then a 15-minute boat to the island.

When is the best time to go?

Mid-December to mid-April is the dry season on the Pacific side, for clear highland mornings and a calm sea.

Can we change the hotels or the nights?

Yes. Every trip is built around you: Finca Lérida or Finca Panda in Boquete, more nights on the island, or a third Panama City night.

Why book with us

Built by My Costa Rica, a destination management company based in Costa Rica since 2004, trusted by more than 25,000 travelers.

Make it yours

Tell us your dates and who is coming, and we will shape this route around you.

Make it yours

Sources: Air Panama schedule (airpanama.com, last updated October 2026); Isla Palenque, Location (islapalenque.com, read 9 November 2026); Pacific dry season (birdingpanama.com, read 9 November 2026); the hotel pages on this site, read 10 November 2026.

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