Cocle Province

Cocle Province is one of Panama’s central provinces, and is located on Panama’s southern coast, near the provinces of Panama, Colon, Veraguas and Herrera. It is about 1 ½ hours by car from Panama City. Cocle is primarily an agricultural area, but is fast developing into a popular tourist destination. Cocle provides produce to much of the country of Panama, and is most famous for the production of tomatoes and sugar. The capital of Cocle is Penonome, which is located on the Chiriqui river in central Cocle.

El Valle de Anton

One area worth visiting is El Valle de Anton, a beautiful and exotic valley which has become a popular tourist attraction. It is the only place in the country where you can find the square trees, and is one of the best places to find the famous golden frogs. Here you can also go hiking, rappelling, bird watching, horseback riding, or bicycling. There is also the Nispero zoo and a botanical garden. Another feature of this area is the local market, which is held on the weekends and is known as one of the best in the country.

Cocle encompasses many sites of archeological importance, with significant artifacts being recovered from burial sites and ruins throughout the region. Two important sites are the El Cano archeological site, and Sitio Conte, which was the location of the first major find. Cocle artisans were known for their pottery, featuring colorful bird, animal and human decorations.

Tourist Attractions

Parks and museums located in the province of Cocle include the Museum of the History and Traditions of Penonome, The Archeological Park of El Cano, The Museum of Salt and Sugar, The Museum of the Valley of Anton and El Cope National Park.