Aprovaca Orchid Garden Tour: El Valle, Panama 

Many years ago, I visited El Valle, and one of the few attractions there, was a sign that read.. Hot springs 👉.. When I dipped my foot, the water was less than lukewarm..😏.. Gotta keep in mind that El Valle is what's left of an ancient volcano. I've been living in the USA for 35 years, and what you have shown in your videos makes the place totally foreign to me, and I'm Panamanian. I really appreciate your videos.. they keep me informed.

Hey there. I'm glad you love El Valle so much. I'm a 'Vallero' so can help out a bit. Sra. Viviana runs APROVACA, which is an orchid rescue center. (It's an acronym, whose initials I can't remember what they stand for.). After storms, they go and collect fallen orchids. A few times a year they go back into the wild and replant the fallen orchids. It's also a teaching center for orchid awareness. Sadly, it looks like you were there during the off blooming season. I think you might have missed one of the nooks and crannies of APROVACA, b/c they have an area with miniatures, which almost aways have some wondrous jewel in bloom. Yes, there are epiphytic (trees), terrestrial (in the ground) and lithophytic (on rocks) growing orchids. Don't start to study orchids! It's an obsession from which you will never recover. lol (But do look up Oncidium ampliatum, which is now called Trihocentrum ampliatum. You'll love the flowers on that species, which you said you wanted to look up later.)

OMG!!! What a beautiful garden Loved 🥰 it!!!

awesome

Darn, I was just in El Valle last month and missed this place. But I did go to the Butterfly Haven and loved it.

We stayed in El Valle de Anton back in December 2022 and absolutely fell in love with the place but haven't gotten to travel over to your side (Bocas del Torro) yet. I'm thinking that we will love Bocas as well! Keep up all of the quality content! Thanks 👍

Back in the days they used to have bilingual tour guides or volunteers

Orchids can be addictive, beware