New amenities at Los Capitanes
Eco-Resort

New things are happening at Los Capitanes Eco Resort, in El Valle de Antón. The facility recently opened a new private lounge—a living room setting where guests can enjoy their favorite video and sports events . The lounge also has computers with internet access.

Mr. Koch, a retired, German-born sea captain opened Los Capitanes in 1997. It features 14 large bedrooms, the majority of which are equipped with subtle features for the handicapped. There are also conference facilities and a restaurant offering Panamanian and German specialties. The hotel offers tours to the area’s resorts (the India Dormida mountain, El Nispero Zoo, horse riding excursions and trips to the nearby Pacific beaches.

A cool-weather valley located in the province of Coclé, El Valle de Antón is in fact the crater of an ancient volcano -the widest in Central America-which erupted 10,000 years ago, transforming into a large lake and later into a verdant forests where two rare endemic species (golden frogs and square trees) appeared and thrived.

El Valle was for most of the 20th century a tranquil retreat for city dwellers, but is now gaining attention as a venue for eco-tourists, birdwatchers and adventure sportsmen.

El Valle is 126 km northwest of Panama City. To get there, visitors need to drive down the Pan-American Highway. The two-lane road leading to El Valle starts four kilometers past the beach community of San Carlos (approximately 90 km. from Panama City). Buses also depart on a regular schedule from Gran Terminal de Transporte, located in Albrook.