Location and Population

David, an urban city is the third largest city in Panama and the capital of Chiriqui Province. It is located on the western side of Panama on the David River and land south of a volcanic mountain range. It is about 45 minutes from Paso Canoas, the border of Costa Rica, and also within driving distance to Bocas del Toro. It is surrounded by the beautiful and picturesque highlands of Chiriqui. The city was founded in 1730s as a gold prospecting camp and is currently home to 100,000 inhabitants.

David Thrives as a Marketing and Transportation Center

It is a trade center along the Inter-American Highway and crops located in the area include sugar, bananas, rice, coffee, cacao, and timber. This Panamanian city functions as a hub for the Province’s commercial activities, mainly agriculture, which is thriving and raising cattle. It is known as “cattle country” and the Nation’s prime thoroughbred-raising area.

Despite being a busy commercial city, and the focus of Chiriquí's strong regional identity, it retains a sedate provincial atmosphere. Hot and dusty, with unexceptional modern architecture spread out on a well-planned grid, David has few attractions but is a good place to break a journey between Panama City and Costa Rica, Bocas del Toro or the Chiriquí highlands. It is a very convenient stop over point for several important destinations within Chiriqui, such as the flower and coffee highlands.

David’s Main Attractions

It is a colonial neighborhood where the main attractions are the Jose de Obaldia History and art Museum. The Museum is open Mon.-Sat. from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jose de Obaldia was the founder of Chiriqui.

In this city you will find a casino at the comfortable Gran Hotel Nacional, and ten minutes down the road from the city’s main plaza, is the Port of Pedregal, where boats can be chartered for fishing. It has been said that this is a fisherman’s haven, and if you are into beaches, Las Olas Beach Resort and LaBarqueta Beach to the west of the city welcome visitors, as well as the extensive Las Lajas beach.

This Panamanian city is also the home of the Feria Internacional de San Jose, a one-week cultural and agricultural fair.

If by chance you are in David on a Sunday, be sure to take in a rodeo at one of the clubs in the cattle country around town where visitors are treated like royalty.