12 days in Panama - help with itinery

We are 2 active couples in our 50's & early 60's going to Panama for 2 weeks, including travel days, which leaves us with 12 days of available touring. So far, we have booked a condo that we will share the entire time and will use it as our base camp. We are planning on staying in PC the first 4 days, then onto 2 other locations for a total of 6 more days, then back to PC for the last 2 days.

Our friends are mildly interested in investing in some real estate, but that is not the main thrust of the trip. Boquetes is their main area of interest. As a result we would likely head in the direction of the Chiriqui provence and would like some suggestions as follows:

1- We are considering hiring a driver from PC to David. I understand it takes 6-8 hours by car as opposed to a 55 minute flight (+ the extra time of checking in, picking up baggage, etc.). Flying seems like a preferable choice since driving would eat up most of 2 of the 12 days we have on the entire trip. We would like your advice about this.

2- Is 6 days appropriate in Chiriqui?

3- Which areas/towns in Chiriqui do you recommend?

4- Which hotels or other lodging do you recommend in the $75-150 per night category?

5- Any recommended tours/companies you have experience with?

We are a fairly adventurous and diverse foursome. We enjoy walking, hiking, bird watching, 2 of us are advanced scuba divers although don't plan on diving this trip, river rafting, beaches/water activities, shopping and eating out. We don't have a specific budget per se, but hope to find hotels $75-150 night. Clean, a/c, good beds, safe area are all 'musts'.

Thanks for any help or guidance you can provide.

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shaytravels on Nov 7, 09 at 10:12 PM

Unfortunatly I can't advise you on Chiriqui, as I didn't make it on my most recent trip to Panama. I can however advise you to fly to David! Driving eats up a lot of valuable sightseeing time, and flying is very reasonably priced. Check out air panama for flight information.
glover on Nov 7, 09 at 11:09 PM

Lots of great hiking/birding around Boquete and also around Cerro Punta. We're contemporaries with similar interests and spent 6 weeks in Panama last winter. I wrote a long trip report ("Glover's long trip report on long Panama trip")here. You might enjoy some of the same activities/areas mentioned.
Agree with previous poster - fly, rather than drive, to David. Nothing particularly difficult about that drive, but nothing particularly scenic either so most seem to say . . . And the flight isn't terribly expensive as I recall.

jiki on Nov 9, 09 at 01:28 PM

There is a lot to do in Boquete. Fly to David and then you can take a cab to Boquete. These are the companies I would recommend:
Boquete Outdoor Adventures http://boqueteoutdooradventures.com/daytrips
Beach trips, rafting, kayaking

Real Estate
http://www.casasolution.com/properties/homes_00.html
The biggest and best in town

Zip Line Canopy
http://www.aventurist.com/boquete/

Hiking, Horseback riding, coffee tours
http://www.boquetemountainsafaritours.com/index1.html

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12 days in Panama - help with itinery

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