Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV) serves David, the commercial hub of Panama's Chiriqui province near the Costa Rican border, and a rental car opens up a region that ranges from lowland city streets to cool mountain coffee country within an hour's drive. The airport sits just outside David itself, with car rental counters run by international and local operators, and the compact terminal makes for a quick pickup before joining the Pan-American Highway, which runs directly through the area connecting David to the rest of Panama.
The most popular drive from DAV is up into the highlands to Boquete, a mountain town known for coffee farms, cooler temperatures and hiking, reached in roughly forty-five minutes to an hour along a well-paved, increasingly winding road that climbs steadily out of the David lowlands. The route is straightforward but gains real elevation, so temperatures and weather can shift noticeably between the airport and the highlands, with afternoon rain and cloud cover common in Boquete even when David itself is sunny. Heading the other direction, the Pan-American Highway connects David west toward the Costa Rican border crossing at Paso Canoas, or east toward Santiago and eventually Panama City, a considerably longer haul of several hours.
Driving is on the right throughout Panama, and the Pan-American Highway near David is a well-traveled paved route, generally in decent condition, though rural side roads into the highlands narrow and can be affected by heavy tropical downpours, particularly in the rainy season from roughly May through November. Fuel stations are plentiful around David but sparser once you climb into Boquete's surrounding countryside, so it is worth filling up before heading uphill. A standard sedan handles the David-to-Boquete drive comfortably, though those planning to explore rougher highland side roads beyond the main paved route may prefer a vehicle with a bit more ground clearance instead.