The town is located in the flat wide caldera of a 6 km wide
El Valle volcano that is active -- there is evidence that it erupted as
recently as about 300,000 years ago <Defant et al. 1991: Andesite and dacite
genesis via contrasting processes: the geology and Geochemistry of El Valle
Volcano, Panama; Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., v. 106, p. 309-324> Because of
its elevation (600m), it is cooler than the Panamanian lowlands. 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
