Cerro Punta sits at 1,970 metres on the western side of Volcán Barú, the highest settlement in Panama and the country's main vegetable-growing area. The valley floor is a checkerboard of strawberry, lettuce, broccoli, and onion plots that supply Panama City's restaurants and supermarkets.
The town itself is small and functional rather than picturesque, but the surrounding scenery is exceptional — steep green valleys, dairy farms, and the back side of Barú looming overhead. La Amistad International Park, a UNESCO biosphere reserve shared with Costa Rica, begins just above the village; the entry point at Las Nubes is a 20-minute drive from town.
The climate is properly cool — nights can drop to single digits Celsius — and the slow pace, after the gringo influx of Boquete, comes as a relief. The Haras Cerro Punta horse ranch on the edge of town has produced several internationally successful Thoroughbreds and welcomes visitors during the day.