Cerro Azul

This highland retreat a short drive east of Panama City offers a bit of relief from the heat, plus hiking trails and some birds than you won't find in the canal area. The altitude is close to 3,000 feet above sea level, and when there is a breeze it can be pleasantly cool; you may even need a light jacket if you spend the night. Cerro Azul translates as ""blue hill,"" but the predominant color here is green, since the northern half of these mountains is draped in a blanket of lush forest protected within Parque Nacional Chagres, and the area along the roadways is dominated by Honduran pines that were planted after a U.S. company deforested the hills to create pasture decades ago. The tiny community of Cerro Azul is next to a small lake completely surrounded by homes and fences.