Cerro Azul, Panama

Altos de Cerro Azul is in the 24 de Diciembre municipality, so you’ll commute along the Vía Tocumen highway.

Once in 24 de Diciembre, you’ll veer left and when you see the Fucer water park, the next turn on the left is the road to Cerro Azul. As you make your way up the mountain, you’ll see stones marked with the remaining distance to the right.

When you get to the 1-kilometer mark, the entrance will be after the hardware store COMASA on the left. When we visited this area 12 years ago, there were mostly plots of land being sold and few houses. Today, the area has been developed. Enviable homes and gorgeous landscaping on each property.

You can enjoy the restaurants, which serve a variety of foods. Hacienda Mi Montañita has spectacular views and is a nice place to stay if you want to scout out the area. There are many other options for accommodation as well.

The area offers a wide range of activities for the adventurer with lots of hiking trails to explore and rivers and waterfalls to dip in afterwards. Las Cascadas de Romeo y Julieta are the most famous waterfalls in the area, but there are plenty of others that you can visit, too.

On Saturdays, the community opens up their mercadito at the Casa del Lago where small businessowners showcase their products for sale and entertain future business investors.

There’s also a small mini supermarket where you can buy fruits and vegetables.

After browsing the market, you can enjoy views of the lake and ducks while sipping on juice or your favorite drink from the always-present food trucks.

Other entertainment options for adults include yoga events and professional and personal development talks. There are also activities for children.

For example, Altos de Cerro Azul is a family oriented community, and hikes and picnics are occasionally planned for people of all ages. They usually happen on early Sunday mornings so attendees can watch the sun rise over the pristine mountains.

Anyone interested in volunteering, can sign up for other group activities such as Scouts Panama, which focuses on the preservation and prosperity of the Chagres National Park region. They also work towards creating a circular economy among community members.