el explorador gardens

Walked 45-60 minutes from town to this garden, as the reviews seemed good. The walk is uphill and a bit strenuous (bring water). Pretty views of the city from up top. The road is well-marked to find the garden. When I arrived, I attempted to read the signs (my spanish is poor), read there is a 3$ entrance fee, rang a bell and walked up to the house, where there was no one to greet me. I walked through the garden for a while and was ready to leave. Without knowing spanish, it's hard to get an idea of the humor/education these pieces are trying to get across. There is a small restaurant and grocery on the way to stop at, if you need.

I hiked the two or so miles out of Boquete up into the hills to this place. It is a funky garden on about four acres surrounding a residence. There are all sorts of cultivated flowers, trees, and other plants, in addition to some very unusual man made decorations and hand made signs all over. It was a quiet and delightful place to wander around and there were many birds to watch throughout the gardens.

This huge and amazing garden is unique ! You really need to discover it by yourself, and have fun with the decoration in the gardens. Also a nice spot to bring children, and there is a nice playing ground for them!The walk from the center of town goes uphill and takes about 45 minutes, or you can take a cab/car

this garden is owned by a family who left everything from town to live in the nature. the garden is worth it . you have plenty of different plants, flowers, trees, fruit trees and bonsais. there's also a little coffee place at the entrance that serves the best hot chocolate

I loved the Garden, which was so imaginative und passionate.We walked there from our Hostel in Boquete and enjoyed walking the steep roads up to the hills. The views are fantanstic and worth the "pain".

Good for halloween time. Scarecrows, faces on trees, scary trails, etc. Kids 3yr - 7yr may like this place. This place used to have a long swing with spectacular view...but the view they used to have is now blocked by trees.

We had a few hours on our last day in Boquete and decided to check out El Explorador Jardins. First of all, don't even think of visiting if you require any kind of walking assistance or are unable to walk up steep inclines. This private sanctuary is on a steep hillside overlooking Boquete and you will be walking uphill to explore the entire visit. We were charmed and somewhat baffled by the compound, which includes most of the native trees and plants to the region, herbs, flowers, fruits, and "special family members." These family members are in the forms of trees dressed like people, bottle collections with faces, antique dolls, and more. The whimsy is both weird and charming at the same time. We were followed on our tour by a delightful dog and cat and were led by the amazing owner and caretaker. This unique place deserves an open mind and it is certainly a great place for views and for a little exercise. We took a cab from town who came back for us in 1.5 hours, which was perfect. There is a cafe and bathrooms on site.

If you don't have a car, it's kind of a pain to take a taxi or make the big hike up here. Admission is $5 and, while I understand it takes a lot to maintain this garden, I wasn't particularly excited about it. It has fewer plants and more objects with faces painted on them. It was fun to have a picnic at one of the little sitting areas, but overall it wasn't too exciting. It does have a good view of Boquete.

This place is great for a nice walk, slow down and take in all the beautiful things.There're are fun ideas if you are into recycling, of things you could do with things you would otherwise throw away.Its like a playground for kids and grownups. There is a huge swing that is a joy to get on and fly as high as you can !Recomforting and empowering messages hang on trees, giving you a positive vibe.There are beautiful gardens and if you're lucky you'll find certain fruits on the way such as guayabas that you can eat throughout the walk and if you are really, REALLY lucky, a small white dog called Tomasa will walk with you :) she's the only guide.

Nice garden over the hill with nothing special considering botanical species but funny ready-made and recuperation sculptures with taught about life... "I have to work because God made me pretty not rich..." says the sculpture on the entrance... The fee is a bit expensive for what it is.. Now you know why

Lovely garden with lots going on. I'd imagine kids would love it here as there's lots to see! Get a taxi there though as it's a bit of an uphill walk!

It's more than a beautiful garden. It is full of whimsy, fun, signs with quotations, crazy decorations, and many interesting little touches. The owner said she has been there for 50 years, and works on the gardens with love for everyone who comes to enjoy them. When I saw how much work and thought went into this place I didn't mind handing over the entrance fee. I think it's well worth a visit, and allow enough time to really explore and enjoy it. I have a bunch of photos on my blog - http://blog.thepanamaadventure.com/2014/03/08/el-explorador-in-boquete-panama/

Bit of a walk from town, take a taxi if you are not up to walking for at least 50 minutes and the last bit uphill is quite steep to reach the location. We quite enjoyed our afternoon and given that we visited in November could only imagine how much more beautiful it would have been in full bloom. The views into the mountains and surrounding area were also fantastic from this site. We even managed to run into the family that lives on site and had a very nice visit with them as well. If you are used to well manicured gardens this may not be your cup of tea. However if you come with an open mind, enjoy exploring and using your imagination than this is for you!

A couple people from the hostel and I walked through the rain to get to the Explorador Gardens. The guys were a little upset at first about the $5 per person charge to enter (maintenance only) and tried to bargain. The woman who greeted us was pretty strict so the guys handed over the money. It was raining while we walked through the gardens. We were lent umbrellas. I was thoroughly enjoying the adventure of it. The gardens themselves are lovely, set above Boquete. The most interesting part is that the woman who runs the gardens recycles everything and has put spiritual and conservationist messages throughout, along with any object you can imagine with a face added on. Bottles, shoes, etc. It's very cute. However, what really made our visit magical was interacting with the woman who owns the land. She came out after a while and, although she seemed gruff at first, ended up walking around with us, showing us particular things, and eventually inviting us in for tea. Her son prepared the most delicious tea I've ever had with pineapple, guava, lemongrass, sugar cane, etc., all from the gardens. She and her son then shared with us. She has the most delightful smile and spirit. We all left feeling so lucky that this time-killing trip to the Explorador turned into a Panamanian EXPERIENCE.

Go to this quirky garden for a gorgeous view of the mountains, an amusing tour of repurposed pots, pitchers, and sewing machines, and take the time to read the philosophy quotes. Expect some odd details and you will be pleasantly surprised with the heartfelt guided tour by the landowners and their clear love of nature.