Photo by Ser Amantio di Nicolao, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
🇵🇦 Panama · Chiriquí Province, Boquete
Photo by Ser Amantio di Nicolao, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
🇵🇦 Panama · Chiriquí Province, Boquete
♨ Temperature
38°C
⛰ Altitude
1070 m
⚗ pH
7.2
💧 TDS
420 mg/L
🌊 Flow rate
—
📅 Established
Natural springs; known to local communities historically
✓ Verified on 2026-07-22
The Caldera Hot Springs (locally Pozos Termales de Caldera) are natural geothermal springs in the highland township of Caldera, Chiriquí Province, about 20 kilometres from the famous coffee-growing town of Boquete and in the shadow of Volcán Barú — Panama's highest point at 3,475 metres and the country's only stratovolcano. The springs emerge at approximately 35–42°C from the volcanic hydrothermal system of Barú and flow into a series of natural pools set among the highland forest. A small fee is charged at the community entrance. The surrounding Chiriquí highlands are one of the most biodiverse areas in Central America, known for bird diversity including the resplendent quetzal, cloud forest ecology, and the cultivation of highland Arabica coffee. The Caldera springs are a quieter, less-developed alternative to the boutique tourism of nearby Boquete, offering direct contact with geothermal water in a natural forest setting.
| Sodium | 58 mg/L |
| Bicarbonate | 195 mg/L |
| Calcium | 32 mg/L |
| Silica | 28 mg/L |
| Sulphate | 38 mg/L |
The Chiriquí highlands are the traditional territory of the Ngäbe-Buglé indigenous people, one of the largest indigenous groups in Central America, who have farmed and managed this highland landscape for over a millennium. The volcanic geology of the region — shaped by the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the Caribbean — has created the fertile soils and the thermal activity that both indigenous and later settler communities have drawn upon. Volcán Barú is the only volcano from which both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts can be seen simultaneously.
The Caldera springs are woven into the everyday life of the local community rather than packaged as a premium experience. Families from Caldera and surrounding communities use the springs for weekend bathing; international tourists arrive from Boquete seeking something less curated. The springs sit at the intersection of the coffee culture of the Boquete highlands — one of the best Arabica-producing regions in the world — and the elemental geological energy of Volcán Barú, Panama's highest point.
The springs at Caldera flow naturally from a volcanic aquifer without pumping. The local community manages access and maintenance on a self-organised basis, with entry fees covering basic upkeep. The surrounding forest provides a natural buffer protecting the spring source from erosion. The Chiriquí highlands are under increasing pressure from agricultural expansion and tourism development, making community control of the thermal sites especially important.
Websitewww.visitpanama.com
AddressCaldera, Chiriquí Province, Panama