While visiting the interior provinces, we recommend stopping at the town of Natá de los Caballeros, in the province of Coclé, which harbors the Santiago Apostol minor basilica –the oldest Roman Catholic church of the Pacific coast of the Americas.

Built in 1522, the church is the most important Spanish colonial architectural piece of the interior provinces. Measuring 25 meters high and 50 meters wide, the structure’s facade is adorned with pillars, columns and a tiled roof. It is divided into five naves, each of which leads to the chorus section, the baptistry, the pulpit and two beautiful oil paintings altars. The church also features eight, exquisitely-carved wooden altars.

Natá de los Caballeros is located 180 km west of Panama City, on the Pan-American Highway.

Diving in the Gulf of Chiriqui is not for beginners, says Mr. Grayson Banner of Chiriqui Diving. Mr. Banner, one of Panama’s new style immigrants who has chosen Boquete as his new home, is a veteran divemaster for whom the rich potential of the teeming waters of the gulf was a powerful reason for choosing Panama.

"This is truly adventure diving", he says, "It is better than anything in Costa Rica and in fact vies with the Galapagos Islands. This is no meandering over coral reefs. It is diving sometimes in frighteningly powerful tidal currents with the big fish ---sharks, rays and other species, including the biggest snappers I have ever seen".