The province’s bustling, sweltering capital won’t be the Chiriquí you came to see. All services are here, however—at 144,000 inhabitants, lowland David clocks in as Panama’s third largest city. With the vagaries of transportation in this region, you may find yourself spending the night here, so we list a few lodgings and services. Whether staying or just passing through, pronounce the city’s name the Spanish way (Dah-VEED), so that people understand what you’re talking about.
David is a grid of avenidas running north–south, and calles running east–west. Avenida Central and Calle Central cross near the heart of town; the rest of the calles are lettered (Calle A, etc.), followed by either Norte or Sur (North or South), whereas the avenidas are numbered and Este or Oeste (East or West). A recent administration changed many street names, but locals still use the old ones.
