Volcán Barú in Panama offers a view of both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Irazú Volcano in Costa Rica also offers a similar view. Allen, South Dakota is the most landlocked spot in the Western Hemisphere.
The Atlantic and Pacific oceans are separated by thousands of miles of land across much of North America, but in Central America there are a few places where you can see the world’s two largest oceans at once. One such place is the summit of Volcán Barú in Panama, a country only 50 miles (80.5 km) wide. If you take the long, steep, strenuous trek up Volcán Barú on a clear day, you can see both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which is technically a sea in the Atlantic Ocean.
Near and far oceans:
At 11,398 feet (3,474 m), Volcán Barú is the 14th highest peak in Central America. Although located in the tropics, high temperatures on the volcano can drop below freezing, and two people have died of hypothermia there.
You can also see both bodies of water in neighboring Costa Rica, if you climb Irazú Volcano, an 11,260-foot (3,432m) peak, and if there is no cloud cover, which is rare.
In contrast to the coastal areas of narrow Central America, the most landlocked spot in the Western Hemisphere is the small town of Allen, South Dakota. Allen is 1,025 miles (1,650 km) away from both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
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