The wooden cross on the ridge above the village is the obvious short hike on Taboga: a steady climb of about 30 minutes from the church, mostly on a paved path through gardens and past a few houses, then a stretch of dirt track at the top. The reward is a panoramic view across the Bay of Panama, with the skyscrapers of Panama City rising on the horizon, container ships queuing for the canal in between, and the smaller islands of Urabá and Taboguilla just offshore.
Go early or late in the day. There is almost no shade on the upper section and the path can feel relentless under midday sun. The summit is also a good place to watch ships line up for the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal — a steady procession of bulkers and tankers visible from one of the most low-key viewpoints in the country.