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At the meeting of two continents and two oceans, Panama is a little country full of history, wildlife, culture, tropical beaches, and anything else you could wish for in a getaway.
View of the modern downtown from the Old Town
Panama is easily accessible via direct 3.5-hour flight from Atlanta. We flew Delta but Copa (Panamian airline) is also great and affordable.
BEST TIME TO GO
The most popular time to travel to Panama is during the country’s dry season. From December to March, tourists from Europe and North America flock here to soak up the warm weather. If you’re planning a trip around this period, you’ll want to book your flights and accommodation well in advance.
For budget travelers (aka US😉) the best time to visit Panama is during the wet season. From April to November, the rain helps to break the heat of the day and the country’s landscapes are a vibrant green. Yes, it rained every day but only for a few hours. I carried an umbrella with me but only used it once in 5 days! Flights and hotels were much cheaper than to any other destination in June.
In June it usually rained 1-2 hours every day either in the morning or evening
Passion fruit (maracuya) drinks here are the BOMB!
LANGUAGE AND CURRENCY
The official language in Panama is Spanish. The currency is the Balboa (PAB), but the US Dollar is used as well.
STAY
We stayed at Residence Inn Marriott downtown (Punta Pacifica). It’s located inside (or adjacent to) an upscale mall with department store, grocery store, boutique and a movie theater. The included daily hot breakfast was outstanding, rooftop pool and gym had amazing views. Our ocean view suite with full living room and kitchen was spacious and service was excellent. We used hotel points for our stay but you can’t beat the value for $100-120 average per night.
Roof top pool of the hotel
Cappuccino included with Free hotel breakfast
ocean view from the room
View from the room
TRANSPORT
UBER is the cheapest and safest way to get around. Our average fare anywhere in town was no more than $5.
HIGHLIGHTS
We explored the Old Town (Casco Viejo) quite a bit. Many of the city’s museums are located in this district, while the theaters here host some of the best operas and musical shows in the region.
View of downtown from Cosco Viejo
American Trade Hotel
Find the Human):
GOOD EATS
Some of the best restaurants are also in Casco Viejo. Some of our favorites were:
Santa Rita had excellent atmosphere, service and Spanish food!
Best tres leches cake I ever tried!!!
Fonda Lo Que Hay
https://www.instagram.com/fondaloquehay/
Very unique and tasty dishes! We had to come back here second time😋
Tantalo Rooftop Bar
Great DJ, craft cocktails and views to entice you to dance the night away
http://tantalohotel.com/kitchen/
Fun rooftop bar with great views, music and craft cocktails
American Trade Hotel
Inside the hotel’s lobby restaurant
https://www.booking.com/hotel/pa/american-trade.en.html?aid=1842811&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
Brunch here was superb! Perfect poached eggs are hard to find 😜
FISH MARKET
And do NOT miss the fish market (Mercado de Mariscos). Tons of small food stalls cooking up ceviche and fresh catch of the day. If you like seafood, this place is for you!
Red Snapper & Plantains
COFFEE
Almost forgot, if you are a coffee lover, Panama has quite a variety including famous GEISHA coffee. It’s a world renowned variety only grown in Panama and can enjoyed here for about $9 per cup ($25-30 in US).
PANAMA CANAL
The Panama canal is the main reason for the city being what it is today, and to see the ships go by in the canal is an impressive sight. You can reach the area by Uber or by taxi, and there is also a visitor’s center at the Miraflores Locks with a great viewing platform and a museum showing off the history of the canal too.
Ship crossing from Atlantic to Pacific ocean thru Miraflores locks
BIO MUSEO
This colorful building is facing the Pacific Ocean near the end of the canal, and is designed to be a museum of biodiversity. There are eight exhibitions located within the museum itself, and the bold design is actually one that was designed by famed architect Frank Gehry.
We rented scooters and rode the bridge to Isla Flamenco which was beautiful
Great Peruvian ceviche
Snack time with 360 views
SAN BLAS DAY TRIP
With over 350 islands in the Caribbean Sea, many say that a trip to Panama is not complete without a visit to San Blas (also known as Guna Yala).
To get to San Blas, you have four options; you can fly from Panama straight to the islands, take a sailboat from Cartagena, take a speedboat from Capurgana, or take the bus from Panama City.
San Blas isn’t your typical vacation spot. Electricity is limited and oftentimes you’ll find that the only light source is the night sky.
Be prepared to live off the land. Many of the locals catch fresh food on a daily basis, especially lobster. If you’re one to snorkel, San Blas is the spot for you
HAPPY TRAVELS!!!
