Panama

November 2024

Many backpackers go to Central America but often go to Panama. This intrigued us and it was a direct flight from Aruba Often people say its because it is expensive. So this is how we felt on our trip.

Panama City

We flew directly into Panama City from Aruba. I believe you can go from Toronto or through the USA to get there.

The locks at the Panama Canal. Sadly we never saw a ship.

Where we stayed?

We stayed in Panama City on three different occasions.

Boutique Casa Marichu- First stay in the old center of Casa Viejo. I recommend staying in this area at least once. There are a lot of restaurants and things to do in the area. It is also very walk able. However there are a lot of bars and it was loud at night. The hotel was nice because it had a kitchenette and a roof top patio, I do recommend this hotel. We paid $242 for 2 nights.
Tryp by Wyndham Panama Centro- We stayed here twice. The hotel is in a area with less restaurants and less things to do but it is good if your just stopping over in Panama City. The hotel is new, modern and has a rooftop bar and pool with great views. We paid 93$ each time, so very affordable for Panama City.

Biking the Amador Causeway. You can see all the boats in the harbor and get a shaved ice treat.

Island stop on San Blas Islands, loved the sandbar.

Where did we eat?

Calicanto Trattoria- Amazing pizza place in Casa Viejo.
Baloo Cafe- Great breakfast with rooftop patio.
Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panama- Amazing Panamanian food.
Russian Foodies- Amazing breakfast.
Arepas de Via Espana- Great Columbian food.

Traditional canoe that they use for fishing, they also use motorized long boats.

It was so HOT! The UV was so strong. I was so sun burnt.

What did we do?

Walk around Casa Viejo- There are many interesting buildings and lively squares.
Walk the boardwalk in Casa Viejo- Here you get an amazing view of the city skyline.
Bike the Amador Causeway- We rented bikes at the end of the causeway and biked to the other end. There are signs with information and beautiful views. We also had a shaved ice treat at the end.
Walk along the ocean front- We walked along the ocean front in the inner city and there was a ton of food vendors to buy from.
The Canal Museum- From the Panamanian perspective on the canal. This museum is amazing.
The Panama Canal- Very boring if the boats are not going through, look up the times.

Our island, it was small you could turn in a circle and see it all.

My Thoughts

Panama City traffic is crazy, there is often long waits to get anywhere and traffic jams last hours. Account for this.
We used Uber to get around but apparently the subway is good as well.
We felt safe walking around in most areas, we don’t go out late at night, even at home.
The Panama Canal is very weird in my opinion. The canal has an actual movie theater, like what we have in Canada. They show a English IMAX movie about the canal with Spanish subtitles. The movie gives info about the canal, but not in a Panamanian perspective. I feel it is very important to visit the canal AND the canal museum. The boats do NOT come one schedule. They said they would come at 1 and they did not come until 3. So take that into account.
I would have loved to do a hike where you can see the whole skyline and visit the Bio Museum.
I loved Panama City I would go back and I would layover there over other cities.

Name of the islands in the Kuna language.

San Blas Islands

This archipelago of islands in the north west of Panama is absolutely stunning. I have never seen more beautiful water and beaches in my life. The area is controlled by the Kuna people. Who are indigenous to the area. We took a 3 day 2 night tour. This tour was very expensive and I am not sure if it was worth it. I would saying going to the islands was worth it and staying for 1 night. However there may be better tours out there. Another option you can do is book directly with accommodation on a island. Both options may include your transport from the city, boat to the island, food and drinks. The ride to the water is extremely twisty, I got sick and had to stop twice to throw up. The accommodation was basic and I loved being on the island but we did not get the best sleep.

Walking near the water, little raccoons begging for food.

Boquete

Boquete is in the north of Panama close to the Costa Rica border in a mountainous area. The temps are much cooler and there are plenty of activities. We flew from Panama City to David, then rented a care and drove in. You can take a bus to David, then a bus from David to Boquete.

Waterfall at the end of the pipline hike.

One of the three waterfalls, in the 3 waterfalls hikes.

Where Did We Stay?

We had rented a car so we rented a tiny home home just outside of town. It was quite, had nice views and the groundskeeper was nice. It also had a small kitchen for cooking. You can stay in town and rent a hotel or hostel. Our rental car was 87$ CAD. Our AirBNB was 347$ CAD for 4 nights.

Waterfall on a roadside stop, water is pink from lots of rainfall.

What Did We Eat?

Butcher Chophouse- Amazing steaks.
APIZZA- Thin crust pizzas.
Donde Giselle- Panamanian food.
La Casa del Cafe Panama- Breakfast and coffee.
The Perfect Pair- Chocolate and Coffee shop.

Picking coffee beans at the coffee farm.

What Did We Do?

Pipeline hike- We paid a lady 5 USD to hike through her land to a large waterfall, the hike was easy, not super worth it.
Three waterfalls- We paid a entrance fee of maybe 10 USD. You hike to 3 large waterfalls and they were amazing. Really liked this hike.
Coffee Farm Tour- We booked on AirBNB experiences. This was amazing, its a private tour on a small coffee farm and they go step by step on how coffee is made. They also have a food option I wish we paid extra for that as they are professional chefs. We paid 126$ CAD for two people.
Butterfly Farm- They offer private tours of the butterfly’s, nice place for a snack.
Mount Baru 4×4- You can hike Mount Baru on your own, which I did not bring food shoes, however the 4X4 was super fun as the road is crazy. Sadly we saw nothing due to clouds.
Sitio Barriles- An outdoor museum on someones property. This was a highlight of my trip. These artifacts were found on her property and it is not know which people left them and who they were. The owner takes you on a private tour of the artifacts and she is very kind.
Caldera Hot Springs- Again another place on someones property but natural hot springs.
Los Cangilones de Gualaca-Large canyon for swimming.

My Thoughts

Panama mainly uses USD, so it is expensive with the conversion.
English is widely spoken.
Due to there complicated history with the USA I found them to be friendlier when I told them where we were from.
They use the same plugs as us.
I felt very safe, Panama City has some rougher neighborhoods but we just avoided.
The San Blas Islands was the bluest, whitest, most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.
Id love to go to Bocas Del Toro next time.