Gualaca
Gualaca is a district and town in the Pacific West of Panama. It is a diverse area, where in a short bus ride you can go from plains and farmland to mountain peaks and cloud forests. It is commonly visited as a stopover when heading to or from Bocas del Toro.
Understand
Gualaca is in the middle of Chiriqui Province. The capital of the district is the eponymous town of Gualaca, which despite being the largest town is still quite small and sleepy. Gualaca is set at the base of the mountains, and is usually hot and steamy. Highway 10 is the spine of the district, and as you follow it north and up the mountains, the landscape goes from mountainside farmland and pine forest in Los Planes, to jungle and cloud forests in Hornito and the Reserva Forestal de Fortuna.
Get in
The only road between Bocas del Toro to the north and David, Boquete, and the rest of Panama, passes through Gualaca. The bus between David and Changinoula is the most common way to get here, and to move on. It runs every 30 minutes in each direction, and costs about $3 from David, and $8 from Bocas del Toro.
Get around
The David-Changinoula bus line is also the best way to get around Gualaca. At most it should cost $2 to go anywhere in the district. There is also a Gualaca-Hornito bus line for the same price. They follow mostly the same route.
See and do
- Hiking. There are hiking trails throughout the national park. They take you mostly through the cloud forest. The best trails are at Lost and Found hostel - trails are accessible to the public.
- Gualaca River Canyon (Cangilones de Gualaca) (From the door of the only supermarket in Gualaca: turn right onto the highway; take the first right; and follow that road until you reach the river canyon.). Water from the Rio Esti is forced into a narrow canyon carved through a large sheet of rock. Cliff jumping, bouldering, swimming, or just chilling in the shade are great ways to spend a day here. Bring snacks and sunscreen. Free.
- Waterfalls. There are a number of waterfalls in the area, but the locations aren't published online. Your hotel or hostel should know the locations of a few and have maps available.
Eat and drink
There are a number of small restaurants (locally called Fondas) along the highway.
- Fonda Típica Lili (Near Mini Super Alex, the main supermaket in Gualaca.). Every Day 6AM-8PM. Good, cheap local food. Great stop on the way to or from the Gualaca River Canyon. $5 for a meal.
- Restaurante Vista Hermosa (On the highway at the Lost and Found entrance.). M-F 6AM-6PM, Sa 6AM-2PM. Good food and good prices. Good for a snack on your way to or from Lost and Found hostel, or when hiking on the jungle trails that start there.
Sleep
- Lost and Found Hostel (Take the bus north from Gualaca. Tell the driver you want to go to Lost and Found.). Great and social hostel in the cloud forests of the National Park. Rooms are clean and beds are comfortable. Gets cold at night - bring a hoodie. Hosts a communal dinner ($6) every night which is good for meeting fellow guests, and has a bar which opens when busy enough. Packed in the high season, quieter/chiller in the low season. You have to hike about 20 minutes from the road - not too challenging, and definitely worth it. $20 for a dorm room.
- Horizonte Resort (500m up a side road from Los Planes). Modern hotel with good views of the mountains. Has a pool and hot tub. Reviews in July 2023 are less than stellar. $150 per night.
Go next
Gualaca has always been a stopping point, and most people passing through are on their way to one of these locations: