El Valle de Antón
Encyclopedia
El Valle de Antón, generally called El Valle, or Anton's Valley in English is a town
of 9,000 in the Coclé province of Panama
.
that has been dormant for around 5,000,000 years. Because of its elevation (600m), it is cooler than the Panamanian lowlands. Natural attractions near El Valle include the Chorro El Macho waterfall, Las Mozas waterfall, "square" trees behind Hotel Campestre, and a group of small thermal pools (which consist of three cement pools of mineralized water that varies in color depending on the specific minerals present at that moment). The area around the town is also known for being one of the last habitats of the critically endangered Panamanian golden frog
. Some of the forests around the town are protected areas.
El Valle has one main road, called Avenida Central or Calle Central, which runs east-west across the town. A main landmark is the town's public market, which is open 7 days a week although it is sometimes referred to as "El Valle's Sunday Market". El Valle has a very small historical and geological museum
, as well as a small zoo
("El Nispero", named after a type of tree), a small serpentarium
, and an orchid conservation center, called APROVACA
, which displays over 100 native local orchid species.
Most of the people that own properties in the heart of El Valle are usually wealthy people from Panama City
that use this as their vacation or weekend home. Popular activities in the area include, off-road motocross, biking, hiking, horseback riding, birdwatching and many more. El Valle is home to around 500 species of birds.
The town is about 25 km off the Interamerican Highway by a two-lane road. The road is generally in good condition, with a few potholes that are repaired regularly. Buses to Panama City
are frequent and take approximately 2.5 hours. To reach other locations in Panama, it is generally necessary to take a bus to San Carlos and transfer there.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of 9,000 in the Coclé province of Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
.
Location
The town is located in the flat wide crater 6 km wide of a volcanoVolcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
that has been dormant for around 5,000,000 years. Because of its elevation (600m), it is cooler than the Panamanian lowlands. Natural attractions near El Valle include the Chorro El Macho waterfall, Las Mozas waterfall, "square" trees behind Hotel Campestre, and a group of small thermal pools (which consist of three cement pools of mineralized water that varies in color depending on the specific minerals present at that moment). The area around the town is also known for being one of the last habitats of the critically endangered Panamanian golden frog
Panamanian golden frog
The Panamanian golden frog is a critically endangered toad which is endemic to Panama. It has been considered a subspecies of A. varius, but is now generally regarded as a separate species. While the IUCN still lists it as critically endangered, it may have been extinct in the wild since 2007...
. Some of the forests around the town are protected areas.
Features
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, as well as a small zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
("El Nispero", named after a type of tree), a small serpentarium
Serpentarium
A serpentarium is a reptile zoo or reptile park specializing in snakes. Many serpentariums milk snakes for venom for medical and scientific research.-History:The Miami Serpentarium opened in 1948 and closed in 1984.-Notable serpentariums:...
, and an orchid conservation center, called APROVACA
APROVACA
APROVACA is a non-profit organization established to conserve and protect native orchids in El Valle de Antón, Panama....
, which displays over 100 native local orchid species.
Most of the people that own properties in the heart of El Valle are usually wealthy people from Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
that use this as their vacation or weekend home. Popular activities in the area include, off-road motocross, biking, hiking, horseback riding, birdwatching and many more. El Valle is home to around 500 species of birds.
The town is about 25 km off the Interamerican Highway by a two-lane road. The road is generally in good condition, with a few potholes that are repaired regularly. Buses to Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
are frequent and take approximately 2.5 hours. To reach other locations in Panama, it is generally necessary to take a bus to San Carlos and transfer there.
Works cited
- Friar, William. Panama. Moon PublicationsMoon PublicationsMoon is a travel guidebook publisher founded in 1973 in Chico, California as a collective of world travelers and writers. the company started with travel guides to Asia and later became the top publisher of guides to the Americas. Moon was an early advocate of independent travel, and their authors...
(2008). ISBN 159880085X. - Reid, Robert et al. Central America on a shoestring. Lonely Planet (2007). ISBN 1741045967.