Chapter 3

Daily life

Once the suitcase is unpacked, life in Boquete settles into a simple routine. Here is how the everyday things work.

Getting around without a car

If you stay in or near Bajo Boquete, you can do almost everything on foot. For the rest there are buses and taxis.

• Bus to David: buses leave from the centre of Bajo Boquete roughly every half hour during the day, less often in the evening. The fare is under two dollars, and the trip takes around an hour. You can ask the driver to stop anywhere along the main road.
• Taxis: plentiful in town. Most rides within the Boquete area cost a few dollars. Agree on the price before you get in, and carry small bills.
• Local buses also run from the centre to the outlying communities on the slopes, although less frequently. They don't have fixed timetables; they leave when they are full.
• Renting a car: the main rental companies have offices in David, many at the airport. There are also car rentals in Boquete. A car is useful for exploring the highlands, but parking in the centre of Bajo Boquete can be tight at busy times.

Shopping

Bajo Boquete has several supermarkets with a good choice of local and imported food, as well as bakeries, butchers, hardware stores and pharmacies. Imported brands cost noticeably more than local products, so one of the easiest ways to save is to shop like a Panamanian. Fruit and vegetables from the farms around the valley are fresh and cheap at the market and roadside stalls. If you are on a tight budget, the local Public Market and the small shop "Canasta Básica" there are convenient places to buy food.

For bigger purchases, such as electronics, household goods, clothing or warehouse-style bulk shopping, people go to David, which has shopping malls and large stores.

Many expats also go to the weekly Tuesday market at the BCP (Boquete Community Players) theatre, where local producers sell bread, cheese, plants and crafts. It is a good place to meet people when you are new. You can find the details here.

Phone and mobile data

Prices and where to buy a local SIM card are in Before you come. You need your passport to register a SIM. Coverage in Bajo Boquete is good; in the hills and deep valleys it can be patchy, so ask your landlord which network works best at your address.

Health care

• In Boquete: a public health centre with an emergency service, several private clinics and general practitioners, laboratories, dentists and pharmacies.
• In David: private hospitals such as Hospital Chiriquí and Hospital Mae Lewis, and the large public Hospital Rafael Hernández, with specialists, imaging and surgery. Waiting times in the public hospitals can be long, but the doctors are the same ones who work in the private hospitals.
• Many doctors in Boquete speak English. Pharmacists are helpful for minor problems, and many common medicines are sold without a prescription.
• In an emergency, call 911.

Private consultations and tests are inexpensive compared with the US, but you pay at the time of treatment and claim from your insurer afterwards. Keep your receipts.

Language

Spanish is the language of daily life. In the centre of Boquete you can get by with English, but even a little Spanish makes a big difference with taxi drivers, at the market, with the plumber and with your neighbours. Panamanians are patient and appreciate the effort. Boquete has Spanish schools and private teachers offering classes by the week, which is a great way to spend the first part of a long stay.

Community

Boquete has one of the largest communities of foreign residents in Panama, and it is easy to meet people. There are clubs, volunteer groups, theatre, music, hiking groups and sports, from padel and pickleball to yoga. Local Facebook groups are the main notice board for events, recommendations, items for sale and rentals. For regular events, see this calendar of events in Boquete.

Last reviewed: October 2026. Rules and prices in Panama change; please check official sources before you act on anything here.