Santa Fé, Veraguas
Encyclopedia
Santa Fé District
Santa Fé District is a district of Veraguas Province in Panama. The population according to the 2000 census was 12,890. The district covers a total area of 1943 km². The capital lies at the city of Santa Fé....
in the province of Veraguas in Panamá
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...
. It has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 2800 and lies at an altitude of about 400m, in the centre of an old crater
Volcanic crater
A volcanic crater is a circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity. It is typically a basin, circular in form within which occurs a vent from which magma erupts as gases, lava, and ejecta. A crater can be of large dimensions, and sometimes of great depth...
. It lies close to the continental divide
Continental divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not connected to the open sea...
and just 30 km from the Mosquito Coast
Mosquito Coast
The Caribbean Mosquito Coast historically consisted of an area along the Atlantic coast of present-day Nicaragua and Honduras, and part of the Western Caribbean Zone. It was named after the local Miskito Indians and long dominated by British interests...
at the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, but is more easily accessible from the Pacific coast to the South.
Santa Fé is known throughout Panamá for its orchids. There is an orchid exposition every August. The mayor of Santa Fé until 2009, señora Albertina de Castrellon, is a part of the "group of orchids", which is made up of locals who have a passion for orchids and gardening. The mayor's house is the "house of orchids" and a tourist spot that isn't quite known. The cool air and pristine forests make the surrounding crater rims ideal for hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and birding. In addition to the hiking and birding that can be done in Santa Fé, there are many waterfalls, or chorros, that tourists can go to. From the center of Santa Fé there are signs and roads that lead you to the different waterfalls.
The Artisan Market in the Cabecera de Santa Fé makes and sells classic sombrero santafereño, a variation of the traditional panamanian sombrero pintao, that are more durable and cheaper than hats found elsewhere in Panamá. In addition to the hats the artisan market also sells handmade indigenous style dresses for women and girls. These dresses are characterized by bright colors and geometric patterns.