Volcán Barú

Barú is a dormant volcano rising to 3,474 metres, the highest point in Panama, and its particular claim is a matter of geography: the isthmus is narrow enough here that from the summit on a genuinely clear morning you can see both the Pacific and the Caribbean at the same time. Getting there means either a rough summit road used by four-wheel-drive tours or a hike from Boquete of around six hours up, almost always started around midnight so as to be on top for dawn. The upper slopes are bare volcanic rock and the summit is crowded with radio masts. It is cold enough at the top to need proper layers, which surprises people who set off from tropical Boquete.

What you actually see

• The two-ocean view - both coasts visible on the clearest mornings at dawn.
• The night ascent - the midnight start and the walk up in the dark.
• Cloud forest on the lower slopes - quetzals in the forest around Boquete in season.
• Boquete coffee farms - the estates on the mountain's flanks, open for tours.

When to go

December to April, the dry season, gives the best chance of the clear dawn that the whole trip depends on. Even then, cloud frequently blocks one or both oceans. The quetzal season around Boquete runs roughly February to May.

Honest expectations

The two-ocean view is genuinely rare; most people who make the climb do not get it. The ascent is long, steep and done in the dark, and the summit is bitterly cold and disfigured by antennas. The four-wheel-drive option is rough and uncomfortable rather than easy. Judge the trip on the experience rather than the promised view.

Nearby

Boquete's coffee farms and hot springs are below; the Caldera valley lies south.