Panama
ESMy trip
Path through tall grass on a hillside at El Valle de Antón.

Panama · El Valle de Antón

El Valle with kids

Short, easy stops: the short Chorro El Macho trail with hanging bridges, the Square Trees, the butterfly house, the zoo and the hot springs. The zipline requires a minimum age of 6.

5 places

  1. 1

    NatureOpen

    Chorro El Macho waterfall

    Road to La Mesa and Río Indio, north of town.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    Short trail US$3
    Hours
    8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
    Booking
    Not stated

    Waterfall of about 35 m in a private cloud-forest reserve. A short trail with hanging bridges leads to the viewpoint; the same operator runs a natural pool and the zipline.

    Source: Sendero Chorro El Macho corto – Canopy Adventure · 2026 · +4

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Prices published by the operator (checked October 2026): short trail US$3; natural pool US$5; pool and trail combo US$6.50; guided long trail US$20. Visit Panamá (2026) quotes "from US$5 to US$65" when the zipline is included.
    Hours
    Daily, 8:00 to 17:00, per the Chorro El Macho hours the operator publishes (checked October 2026); these are not its office hours.
    Booking
    Booking and payment online on the operator's site. Fully closed sports shoes are required on the trails.
    Time needed
    Short loop trail: under an hour. Guided long trail: about 3 km and 2 hours, passing behind the falls and ending by the pool.

    Nearby: Zipline over Chorro El Macho (0.1 km) · Piedra Pintada petroglyphs (1.7 km) · Cerro Gaital Natural Monument (1.9 km)

    Sources: Sendero Chorro El Macho corto – Canopy Adventure · Sendero Chorro El Macho largo – Canopy Adventure · Tienda – Canopy Adventure · Senderismo en Panamá: senderos de la Riviera Pacífica – Visit Panamá (ATP) · Políticas y horarios – Canopy Adventure (Chorro El Macho)

  2. 2

    NatureOpen

    Square Trees trail

    Next to Hotel Campestre, north-east of town.2.8 km from the centre

    Entry
    Last known: Feb 2, 2023
    Hours
    Sources disagree
    Booking
    Not stated

    Short trail with a hanging bridge among Quararibea asterolepis trees, whose trunks are almost square for the first few metres. Birds, butterflies and, with luck, agoutis and sloths can be seen.

    Source: Square Trees Trail – Ven al Valle · 2026 · +3

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Donation: US$4 adults and US$1 up to age 15 according to EVACC's visitor page of 2 Feb 2023; Ven al Valle (checked Oct 2026) gives the same figures. Current amount not confirmed.
    Hours
    EVACC's own sources disagree on the days: its website home page says Wednesday to Monday, while its visitor page of 2 Feb 2023 says every day from January to April and closed on Thursdays from May to December; both give 9:00 to 16:00. Confirm before going.
    Time needed
    About 1 km and 30 minutes; easy.

    Nearby: EVACC Golden Frog Sanctuary (0.4 km) · Cerro Gaital Natural Monument (1.6 km) · El Níspero zoo and plant nursery (1.8 km)

    Sources: Square Trees Trail – Ven al Valle · EVACC Foundation – Square Trees Trail & Golden Frog Sanctuary · Valle de Antón itinerary – Visit Panamá (ATP) · Visit the Square Trees Trail & Golden Frog Sanctuary – EVACC Foundation

  3. 3

    WildlifeOpen

    Butterfly Haven

    Town centre, two and a half blocks from Avenida Principal.0.1 km from the centre

    Entry
    $7
    Hours
    9:00 to 16:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    Butterfly house with a short talk on the life cycle and an enclosure where you walk among hundreds of local butterflies, such as the blue morpho.

    Source: Mariposario Butterfly Haven – Ven al Valle · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    According to the Ven al Valle directory (checked October 2026): foreigners US$7 adults, US$3 children and US$3.50 retirees; Panamanians US$5 adults, US$2 children and US$2.50 retirees; infants aged 0–1 free. The local guide el-valle-panama.com (checked October 2026) quotes US$5 adults and US$1.50 under 13. Current official fee: not confirmed.
    Hours
    Not confirmed by an official source at the time of review. The local guide el-valle-panama.com (checked October 2026) lists 9:00 to 16:00, closed Tuesdays, last entry 15:30.

    Tip: Its official website is no longer active: check that it is open before going.

    Nearby: El Valle craft and produce market (0.4 km) · Victoriano Lorenzo Museum (0.6 km) · APROVACA orchid centre (0.8 km)

    Sources: Mariposario Butterfly Haven – Ven al Valle · What to do – El Valle de Antón (guía local) · 33 Things to Do in El Valle de Antón (2026) – PanamaSpot

  4. 4

    WildlifeOpen

    El Níspero zoo and plant nursery

    North of town, Avenida Los Guayacanes.1.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    $4
    Hours
    7:00 to 17:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    Private zoo with more than 90 native and exotic animal species —tapirs, monkeys, birds— and a plant nursery. It began as a private collection and opened to the public with an entry fee.

    Source: Zoológico El Níspero anuncia incremento de sus precios de entrada – Panamá América · 2022 · +4

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Since January 2023: Panamanians US$4 adults and US$2 children aged 1–12; foreigners US$6 adults and US$3 children (zoo announcement reported by Panamá América; same figures in Ven al Valle, checked Oct 2026). PanamaSpot (June 2026) quotes US$5 adults and US$2 children.
    Hours
    Not confirmed by an official source at the time of review. Two 2026 guides list daily, 7:00 to 17:00; a local blog gives 8:00 to 16:00.

    Tip: Some guides still say golden frogs can be seen here: the zoo's amphibian centre closed in 2019. To see them, visit the EVACC sanctuary next to Hotel Campestre.

    Nearby: Victoriano Lorenzo Museum (1 km) · El Valle craft and produce market (1.1 km) · Cerro Gaital Natural Monument (1.2 km)

    Sources: Zoológico El Níspero anuncia incremento de sus precios de entrada – Panamá América · El Nispero Zoo – Ven al Valle · History – Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project · El Valle de Anton – Things to do – Visit Panamá (ATP) · 33 Things to Do in El Valle de Antón (2026) – PanamaSpot

  5. 5

    WellnessOpen

    El Valle hot springs

    South of town, at the foot of Cerro Cara Iguana.0.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    8:00 to 17:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    Small pools of warm mineral water on the slopes of Cerro Cara Iguana. Admission includes mud to apply to your face and neck before bathing.

    Source: Valle de Antón itinerary – Visit Panamá (ATP) · 2026 · +4

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Not confirmed by an official source at the time of review. Guides disagree: US$5 (PanamaSpot, June 2026), US$3 adults and US$1 children 6–12 (local guide el-valle-panama.com, checked October 2026) and US$4 adults (Recorriendo Panamá blog, updated January 2023).
    Hours
    Not confirmed by an official source. The local guide el-valle-panama.com (checked October 2026) lists daily, 8:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30.

    Tip: Bring swimwear, sandals and a towel. It gets crowded on weekend afternoons; weekday mornings are quieter.

    Nearby: Cerro Cara Iguana (0.7 km) · El Valle Museum (Padre José Noto) (0.9 km) · Butterfly Haven (1 km)

    Sources: Valle de Antón itinerary – Visit Panamá (ATP) · El Valle de Anton – Things to do – Visit Panamá (ATP) · What to do – El Valle de Antón (guía local) · 33 Things to Do in El Valle de Antón (2026) – PanamaSpot · Relaxing Experience in Hot Springs – Recorriendo Panamá

More guides for this destination