The Boquete area of Panama is trying to make coffee tasting in the region equivalent to what wine tasting is to Napa. What this leads to are fascinating tours and even better coffee. We opted to tour Finca Lerida’s coffee plantation (they also have a great hotel). This was the very first coffee plantation ever established in Panama and still produces coffee exported worldwide. The fascinating nearly 3 hour tour demonstrated everything from how the berries are handpicked, to how they are dried in the sun, shelled, stored, and processed. Enjoy wandering the rows of coffee bushes, the ecology of coffee farming, how the plantation is handling new threats of climate change, and finish with with an incredibly unique tasting experience of 6 types. Make sure to try the Geisha type which is especially renowned. Our guide Cesar was incredibly knowledgeable and told awesome stories. Your tour also includes a pastry and coffee in the cafe on site.
Hours: contact Finca Lerida for tour times