David is a city in Panama, located in the west of Panama. Even though David is not very big - the population is roughly 125,000 - it's the third largest city. The city has the least poverty in the country: every family has decent housing with all the necessary facilities. It is also the capital of the Chiriqui province.



The Chiriqui province is the newest tourism destination in Panama. It has an abundance of natural resources like mountains, sea, islands, rainforest, coral reefs, trails, volcanos, beaches, most of them enclosed in national parks and natural reserves. Chiriqui has also rich indigenous cultural roots, a large population of the Ngobe people. Areas surrounding David are naturally suitable for a lot of activities like travel, scuba diving, trekking, snorkelling, rafting, kanoing, fishing, bird watching and many more.

The city of David has quite a lof of history for a new world town. The City of David was founded in 1602 by mandate of the governor Juan Lopez de Sequeiro. It was founded as a gold-prospecting camp. The name of the city - David - was given by the Indians, according to successfully obtained old documental information.

In the middle of town there's a central park. Residents of David come to relax there and meet their friends. Cheap cold drinks and fruits are readily available. The whole city is full of affordable shopping opportunities.

David is close to many other important destinations within the province of Chiriqui, like the flower and coffee highlands of Boquete and Cerro Punta. The landscape around the city is amazing. The city is surrounded by the beautiful and picturesque highlands of Chiriqui. You can find cheap transportation in the city to visit sites in the near vicinity.

It also serves as a center for the province's commercial activities. The main economic activities of the region are agriculture and cattle raising, but tropical fruits, coffee, cacao, and sugar are also produced. It also functions as port of exports and imports with other countries in the region, especially Costa Rica. It is connected to the rest of the country by the Pan-American Highway, and the Enrique Malek International Airport. David is one of the highest industrialized cities in the country and is a hub for manufacturing, heavy industry and high technology standards and communications.

In January a week long Flower and Coffee Festival takes place in a nearby town of Boquete (30 minute drive away) and features exotic flowers and a coffee cupping (think wine tasting event). In March David hosts the Feria International de David, where International companies arrive for a week long stay to promote their products and services to Panama. Another yearly festival is the "Childrens Day Festival" which concluded on the 17th of July.

The city offers several options for hospitality: mostly small B&Bs and hostels that are more suitable for backpackers and young adventurers, but you can also find more comfortable hotels in David at very affordable prices. As Chiriqui is gaining popularity as a tourist destination, more hotels are being built.