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EL VALLE DE ANTON
If what you are seeking is a place full of charm, legend and lore, balanced with harmony, tranquility and an awesome natural beauty, El Valle de Anton (El Valle) is your best option.
El Valle is a unique valley surrounded by, and nestled among, the mountains of the Panama highlands long considered a well known secret get-away for wealthy Panamanians eager to escape the heat and bustle of the city. Whether the legend of the lovers (you can see her sleeping still along the mountain ridges!), unique flora & fauna, or just the sweet clean air it is an inviting treasure of flowers, trails, friendly people healthful living that accommodates any level of activity.
Convenient to a world-class cosmopolitan city, this magic place cradles amidst its valleys and mountains the perfect refuge. Estancia Santerra waits for you to enjoy a new, healthful and luxuriously mellow life style.
How To Get There
There is an excellent road to El Valle suitable for any kind of car. You can also take a bus for a few dollars from Panama City or take a package tour including transportation and lodging with a tour operator. Once in El Valle, taxis which constantly cruise the main road, will take you just about anywhere in town for around $2.
What To Do
Hiking and Nature Hikes
We recommend two hikes. First, for a good workout we recommend a hike to the top of "Sleeping Indian Woman" mountain, also known as La India Dormida. You can see this mountain from town. It looks exactly like a sleeping Indian woman and has a legend attached.
The hike takes about 3 hours and includes spectacular views of the valley, a waterfall and a tour of a native sugar cane mill. To cool off at the end, you can take a swim in a beautiful natural swimming pool nearby. (You should be in reasonably good shape and hiking shoes are ideal, but sneakers will do. The first time it is advisable to take this hike with a guide to show you the way.
The second hike is a nature hike in the cloud forests of Gaital National Monument nature preserve.
Here you will observe wildlife and learn about the unique cloud forest habitat. Fortunately, El Valle is home to one of Panama's top nature guides: Mario Bernal, a master naturalist who has won an international prize as one of the top nature guides in Central America. He is also an active conservationist whose work has been important in protecting and reviving El Valle's flor and fauna. His tours are fascinating for the whole family.
Bike Riding and Mountain Biking
Rentals are available. This flat valley town is perfectly organized for easy, scenic bike riding. There are also some really exciting mountain biking trails on nearby mountain slopes. Bikes are available for rent at a souvenir store next to the artisans market.
Open Air Handicrafts Market
Get out your cameras and your wallets. This open air market is colorful and you can buy directly from the Indian artisans themselves.
It's one of best in the country featuring a variety of handicrafts including decorated trays carved from local hardwoods, figurines carved from soap stone and Panama hats. The Indians walk in from the surrounding mountains each morning to sell their wares.
Bird Watching
El Valle is one of Panama's best birding areas. You'll enjoy birds throughout the valley and the Gaital Nature Preserve is excellent for birding hikes.
Canopy Tower
An exhilarating and fascinating ride in a harness through the canopy of a rain forest.
Horseback Riding
This is the ideal place for horseback riding. One of the best ways to appreciate the valley and mountain views. The horses rent for $5 an hour and you can have a guide if you like. Everyone knows the spot where the horses are rented, just ask.
Thermal Hot Waters and Mud Baths for a Song
For just $1 you can bathe in hot thermal water pools at the village thermal springs. For an additional $2 you can indulge in a therapeutic volcanic mud bath and even buy some mud to take home. This place is always filled with Europeans and Americans and has got to be the best health bargain anywhere.
El Nispero Zoo
Set in extensive and lovely gardens this zoo has the tropical animals and birds native to the region that you will not see in American or European zoos.
Swim in a Natural Swimming Pool
Right at the entrance to Canopy Adventure is a beautiful natural swimming pool in the rainforest.
See the Golden Frog
The zoo is one of the best places to see El Valle's famous "golden frog" a brightly gold colored frog with black spots that lives only in this region and is in danger of extinction. Open from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week.
The Campestre Hotel is another place to see the golden frog in a large new terrarium riverside on the property. The premises are for guests only, so plan to have a meal or stay overnight.
Petroglyphs
Just outside of town lies the Piedra Pintada: Large pre-Columbian drawings of figures on huge boulders. The local kids are happy to give you a tour for a small tip. There are no official archaeological explanations of these petroglyphs yet. Our family had a good time making our own interpretations.
Estancia Santerra offers easy access to fine dining, ecotourism unique to these mountains, bicycle trips, horse rides, bird watching, exciting canopy tours, the renowned Nispero tropical zoo. At El Valle`s legendary open-air market you can find local artisans, tropical plants and regional delicacies. Perhaps you would prefer a day relaxing at a fabulous Spa enjoying an anti-aging program, set amidst an environment that perfectly complements your health and relaxation needs.
These are just a very few of the many beguiling attractions El Valle de Anton offers and why Estancia Santerra is a perfect location to live.
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