| El Valle de Antón | |
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| El Valle at night | |
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El Valle de Antón
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Panama |
| Province | Coclé |
| Population [1] | |
| • Total | 6,000 |
El Valle de Antón, generally called El Valle, or Anton's Valley in English is a town of 9,000 in the Coclé province of Panama.
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The town is located in the flat wide crater 6 km wide of a volcano that has been dormant for around 5,000,000 years.[2] Because of its elevation (600m), it is cooler than the Panamanian lowlands.[2] Natural attractions near El Valle include the Chorro El Macho waterfall, Las Mozas waterfall, "square" trees behind Hotel Campestre, and a group of small thermal pools (which consist of three cement pools of mineralized water that varies in color depending on the specific minerals present at that moment).[3] The area around the town is also known for being one of the last habitats of the critically endangered Panamanian golden frog.[2] Some of the forests around the town are protected areas.[2]
El Valle has one main road, called Avenida Central or Calle Central, which runs east-west across the town.[4] A main landmark is the town's public market, which is open 7 days a week although it is sometimes referred to as "El Valle's Sunday Market".[5] El Valle has a very small historical and geological museum, as well as a small zoo ("El Nispero", named after a type of tree), a small serpentarium, and an orchid conservation center, called APROVACA, which displays over 100 native local orchid species.[6]
Most of the people that own properties in the heart of El Valle are usually wealthy people from Panama City that use this as their vacation or weekend home.[7] Popular activities in the area include, off-road motocross, biking, hiking, horseback riding, birdwatching and many more.[7] El Valle is home to around 500 species of birds.
The town is about 25 km off the Interamerican Highway by a two-lane road. The road is generally in good condition, with a few potholes that are repaired regularly. Buses to Panama City are frequent and take approximately 2.5 hours. To reach other locations in Panama, it is generally necessary to take a bus to San Carlos and transfer there.[8]