5 nights, 4 days
Panama Overview
Panama has a lot to offer, and I’m surprised it took me so long to get here. First convenience. It’s a 5 hour flight from NY and in the same time zone! For comparison, it’s ~5.5 hours to Mexico City and 6 hours to SFO (+ 3 hour time difference) assuming you’re flying non-stop. Their economy is pegged to the dollar and the only time I handled local currency (the Balboa) was when receiving change
The coasts are developed; Panama City sits on the Atlantic, Colon on the Pacific. Both are connected via the Panama Canal, in addition to numerous land routes. The rest is a lush rainforest/jungle landscape. I traversed the country by helicopter in 30 minutes, flying parallel to the Canal and at an altitude of 500 meters. I also did it by land and almost by train (what a miss.. it looks amazing.. quick summary below). - By helicopter: 30 minutes on a Robinson R44 (4 person helo) - By Car: 1.5 hours Panama City to Colon; 3 hours Panama City to Guna Yala (indigenous reserve, more on this below) - By Rail: 1.5 hours - By Ship: 4 hours
There’s a subway! It has one line (called Line 1 :D), line 2 will open soon which will connect the airport to the city center. Line 1 is practical and modern, connecting several points of interest. I traveled almost 100% on uber, as it’s super cheap and reliable. Most trips within the city cost < $5 and the drivers are extra friendly and often worldly. The U.S. has a long and colorful history with Panama, many Panamanians (including several drivers) have family in the US or have at least traveled stateside. I had at least two long chats re: Modern US/LatAm history, it was epic.
Where to stay
Avenida Balboa is strategically located between the old town "casco viejo" and shopping areas. It's also next to the water front. The water front features great running/biking opportunities and totally lights up at night (it becomes lined with street vendors; do check out).
We stayed at "Le Meridien" a Marriott property. I've had a good run a Le Meridiens recently, check out my rave-review on Cambodia's Le Meridien here. As far this Marriott property is concerned, the structure itself is nothing special, the service on the other hand was phenomenal. I must have spent a total of 2 hours strategizing with the concierge, restaurant and bar staff made made the stay better. Bottomline, anywhere in this general location is fine... if you ever find yourself in Cambodia/Siem Reap (post coming shortly) then staying at LM is an experience in itself :) Now onto the experiences...
Fly the Panama Canal
There are several reputable helicopter/small aircraft companies in Panama City which generally provide 3 tours: Panama City, Panama Canal, Nearby islands. Prices range from $500-$2000. It's definitely one of the pricier things you'll do here, but super cool to do with others. My tour details below:
Company: Helipan Corp. http://www.helipan.com/
Route: Panama Canal + Panama City (1 hour)
Aircraft: Robinson R44 (4 person helicopter; pilot + 3 passengers)
Cost: 900 USD
This included transportation to and from the hotel. Onsite, we were treated to coffee service and a ~15 minute debrief of our route from the pilot. It was very cool, we went over interesting flight details such as where we would experience the most turbulence, where you really need to hold onto frame (really, you do) + altitude, major highlights, etc. The pilot was a total nerd and super happy to deep dive on anything. If you're at all worried about your first flight then skip the details and just hop on. We had the option of flying with doors on or off; definitely go for doors off - you really "feel it" when you're up high and the views are well... unobstructed. P.S: you are firmly tied to the frame of the aircraft.
The route was breathtaking. We flew at 1500 ft / ~500 meters; which means you could distinguish individual treetops. In select areas, where there was no ship traffic, we went down just over the river surface in "apocalypse now" style. When we broke through to the Atlantic ocean we straddled the rocky Ocean front. It's hard to describe.. you're cutting through the wind as you feel the Atlantic crash onto the rocks full force to rise above a massive man-made structure - aka the Panama Canal entrance. It's stunningly beautiful. All the while our pilot is glee-fully dishing out facts (and we're definitely keeping him going, my dad and I are also geeking out). You really appreciate the shape of the country, how it's highly concentrated in the coasts with pristine jungle in between. For a fuller appreciation, I strongly recommend reading up on Panama's history (wikipedia) plus checking out a documentary on Netflix.
Word to the wise; do not stick your hand our (with your camera) more than ~1ft. The wind force will knock your arm back and potentially your camera.
Back on land, we asked our driver to drop us off at "Miraflores" which is the Panama Canal museum in Panama City. This is also one the key control points for Panama Canal traffic. Oh and that note, onto Miraflores.
Miraflores
Miraflores is the main stop for the Panama Canal in Panama City. It's also a museum which lays out the history of the canal over 3 floors; it's really well done. If you're lucky, you'll be there when a cargo ship is passing through. You should spend ~2 hours here (+1 to get to and fro city center)
Central Market & Casco Viejo (Old Town)
Take an uber to the fish market, which doubles as an eatery. Most stalls feature the same menu from what I could tell and often provide free ceviche and/or a beer. I would grab the catch of the-day, fried (of course).
From here, you can walk to uphill to the old town for awesome city and bay views and colonial architecture. I spent ~2 hours here (not including the fooding).
Gamboa Rainforest National Reserve
A bit of a hidden gem, this is a resort right on the canal near the center of the country. It's built on the remains of the old U.S. enclave (when the Panama Canal was owned and operated by the U.S.A). It's a resort geared towards exploring the local flora & fauna, with a great menu of excursions. Would definitely spend a night and 1-2 days of touring.
Amador
This is a biking activity. Amador is a thin stretch of road that juts out into Panama Bay. You'll find excellent views of Panama City and Bay Area; it also hosts the "Biomuseo", a museum focused on Panama's natural history (did not visit; wish I had the time). I recommend taking an uber to Amador and ask to be taken to the bike rental area (it's near the farthest island). From there, grab a bike for $5 and bike the whole thing (worth it).
Guna Yala / San Blas reserve
This is a full day thing (at least). Guna Yala (formerly known as San Blas) is a series of islands on the Atlantic side of Panama city (e.g. facing the Caribbean). It's home to indigenous peoples and the local government has done a good job of making their lands and culture accessible to tourism. Grab a full day tour, these will often include rountrip travel + island hopping at Guna Yala. Here you'll enjoy a history lesson + some of the nicest beaches in the area. Some choose to do overnight stays nearby (options are highly limited). Do a tripadvisor search and book your tour ahead of time.
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