Paradise Gardens in Boquete

One of the things Boquete is known for are the beautiful flowers, gardens and birdlife. It was recommended that we visit Paradise Gardens. Turns out, it is more than a garden. There are beautiful gardens, but the real treasure is the rescued birds and native animals that call Paradise Gardens home. Three years ago, Jenny and Paul came to Panama from England where he was a master stonemason and they both had a strong affinity for feathered creatures. Most of the stones in the Centre were imported from England and Paul seems to have found the perfect spot for each one of them.

Upon entering the gates, you are surrounded by beautiful flowering plants and trees, whimsical garden statues, and the cheerful chirping of many birds. Before beginning the tour, you are asked to make a $5 donation. You can see from just the short walk to the gathering area there is a lot of work with the gardens and animals. Most of the labor is provided by volunteers. But there are a few paid gardeners. Many of the veterinarians offer their services gratis.

This margay (a medium-sized jungle cat) was confined in so small a space, that its tail is permanently crooked. It will never survive in the wild because it needs a fully functioning tail for balance, etc.

Our guide shared a story of how some of the locals would sell birds, the canaries fetch a higher price. However, the canaries they were selling weren’t yellow or canaries, they were ordinary green parrots that had been bleached, and then dyed, so they could be sold for more money.

This tamirin (monkey) and his 2 brothers are affectionately called 'The Gangsters'.

Toucans. If you look closely at the one in the back, you'll notice that he doesn't have many/much tail feathers. This is because he was stuffed in a cage and in order for him to fit (considering his beak is so big), his wings and tail feathers were clipped. Hopefully they will grow back.

In the beautiful Japanese garden.


A very friendly Capuchin monkey.



You can't help but smile when you see this pretty pink cockatiel.



These Macaws have a good life! They have a long 'run' where they fly back and forth all the time.

The highlight of the visit...getting to hold the two-toed Sloth. He and a sibling were just babies when their mother was killed by a local for food. His fur is so soft, but watch out for those nails/claws!

Our experience was amazing and I'm really glad we spent the time we did visiting the Rescue Center!

No visit to the Paradise Gardens Rescue Center is complete until you've stopped up the road at the Strawberry Shack. We had been talking about it all morning and in spite of the weather being a bit cooler (due to unseasonable winds), we were looking forward to strawberry ice cream! We get to the counter and alas....they are out of strawberry ice cream! So, we opted for a strawberry shake, strawberries with whipped cream and a couple of cones with flavors other than strawberry. It was yummy!

Upcoming adventures in Panama....Cafe Ruiz Coffee Plantation!