Panama
Panama is one of the most underrated destinations in the Americas. Most people know it for the canal, and the canal is genuinely impressive. But Panama is also a country where you can be in a modern, glass towered city in the morning, a cloud forest by lunch, and on a Caribbean island by dinner. It uses the US dollar. It has excellent flight connections from Texas. And it costs a fraction of what you would spend in Costa Rica or the Caribbean islands for a comparable quality of experience.
The country is the narrow land bridge connecting Central and South America, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Caribbean on the other. Panama City is a surprisingly sophisticated capital with a stunning skyline, a UNESCO listed old quarter, and a food scene influenced by every culture that has passed through the canal over the past century.
Where to Go
Panama City starts with the canal. Watching a massive container ship or cruise liner squeeze through the Miraflores Locks is one of those experiences that makes you appreciate the scale of human engineering. The visitor center has excellent exhibits explaining the canal’s history and expansion.
Casco Viejo, the old quarter of Panama City, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site undergoing a beautiful restoration. Colonial buildings have been converted into boutique hotels, rooftop bars, and restaurants. The plazas come alive in the evening with live music and street vendors. It is Panama’s answer to Havana, with better infrastructure and none of the travel restrictions.
Bocas del Toro is an archipelago on the Caribbean coast that has become Panama’s premier beach destination. The main island has a backpacker social scene, but the outer islands like Bastimentos and Zapatilla have pristine beaches, mangrove channels for kayaking, and excellent snorkeling and diving. Red Frog Beach and Starfish Beach are the most popular.
Boquete in the western highlands is a cool, green mountain town surrounded by coffee farms and cloud forest. It is the center of Panama’s specialty coffee industry, and tours of working farms let you see the process from cherry to cup. The Quetzal Trail hike through cloud forest offers a chance to spot the resplendent quetzal, one of the most beautiful birds in the Americas.
The San Blas Islands (Guna Yala) are a chain of small, palm covered islands in the Caribbean governed by the indigenous Guna people. The islands are stunningly beautiful, with white sand, clear water, and almost zero development. Day trips from Panama City or overnight stays in basic over water cabins offer a Robinson Crusoe experience that is hard to find anywhere else.
Where to Stay
The American Trade Hotel in Casco Viejo is a beautifully designed property in a restored 1917 building, with a jazz club on the ground floor. The Santa Maria Hotel in the financial district offers five star luxury with a rooftop pool. In Bocas del Toro, the Bocas Bali eco resort and Azul Paradise on Bastimentos Island offer water front accommodation in stunning settings. In Boquete, the Panamonte Inn and Spa has been hosting visitors since 1914.
Let Us Plan Your Panama Trip
Panama is one of the best value destinations accessible from Texas, with direct flights, US dollar currency, and no visa requirements. Whether you want a city and beach combination, an eco adventure in the highlands and islands, or a quick long weekend getaway, we will build a trip that shows you why Panama deserves far more attention than it gets.
