As travelers continue to rediscover the world again, Central America is again a favored destination for lovers of nature, culture and history. One of my personal favorite places to visit in Central America is Panama, because it offers so many different types of experiences, from its super-modern capital city, Panama City, to the stunning natural beauty that awaits just outside the city limits.
I’ve visited Panama about 20 times since 2000, and after a pandemic-related hiatus, I was thrilled to be back in one of my favorite Central American cities again, ready to write multiple assignments for various travel media outlets.
I also rediscovered why I love this destination so much. Here are the top reasons you should have Panama City, Panama on your vacation wishlist.
1. The Historic Heart. The Casco Antiguo, the city’s historic downtown, is populated with a marvelously eclectic range of landmark-worthy architecture. And it’s looking better than ever, as restoration efforts continue and interesting new businesses sprout up, including the fantastic new Hotel La Compañía, the first member of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt in Central America, Fonda Lo Que Hay, a very in-demand eatery that presents a contemporary take on traditional Panamanian cuisine, and Diablo Rosso, an excellent gallery and artists’ collective.
2. The Canal: It’s been around for more than a century, but the Panama Canal is no less impressive than when it first opened. The most recent expansion project — which widened and deepened existing channels and added new sets of locks — helped to bring this feat of engineering into the 21st century. Head to the Miraflores Visitors Center to get the details, and watch a ship or two transit the locks. We enjoyed an amazing day tour with an expert guide from Kensington Tours that included a visit to Miraflores.
3. The Food and Culture: Considering that Panama City is an international hub for finance, business and transportation, it’s no surprise that the cuisine is quite international. But don’t leave without sampling a few Panamanian specialties, including tasty patacones (fried green plantains), supremely satisfying sancocho (a rich stew), mouthwatering carimañolas (made from yucca and stuffed with pork) and fresh-caught seafood. A fun — albeit touristy — place to sample an array of these dishes is Tinajas, a restaurant that stages an entertaining dinner show of traditional Panamanian dance.
There are lots of ways to appreciate Panamanian culture. One of the most rewarding, I’ve found is a visit to an Embera village, where knowledgeable locals explain the traditions of one of the nation’s five indigenous groups. I paid a visit during a Kensington Tours excursion and highly recommend it. Also, make time to stop at the Biomuseo, an eye-catching natural history museum with architecture designed by world-famous architect Frank Gehry.
4. The Hotels: Few cities in the Western Hemisphere can compete with the wide range of hotels that operate in Panama City. And, as I wrote about recently in TravelPulse, you can choose from a variety of luxury hotels at value prices, so this is a great place to indulge yourself with sumptuous digs. Some properties have yet to reopen following the challenges of the pandemic, but there are still lots of great options. Among the best hotels in Panama City, Panama are the gorgeous and well-located Hotel La Compañía (mentioned earlier), hip and sexy W Panama, the luxurious JW Marriott Panama, which is set in the tallest building in Central America. It’s easy to find great accommodations at a great price when you visit Panama City; it’s just a matter of choosing the hotel style and location that suits you best (my current favorite location is the hip-and-historic Casco Antiguo, since you can walk to so many restaurants, bars and shops, but the hotels along the Cinta Costera waterfront parkway offer some of the most impressive views of the city).
5. The Progress: Visiting Panama City offers a rare opportunity to witness a metropolis that’s evolved on a grand scale. It’s with good reason that Panama City has been compared to Dubai and Singapore. Sparkling skyscrapers continue to sprout, and the sleek Metro system continues to grow (it even has air-conditioned rail stations; something we New Yorkers only dream about) . You can cruise along the Cinta Costera, the city’s master-planned waterfront boulevard, en route to Multiplaza, one of Panama City’s most upscale shopping malls, to browse the top international designer wear on display. Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport, a major connecting hub thanks to fast-growing Copa Airlines, continues to expand, with a shiny new Terminal 2 that is truly a pleasure to transit, especially if you get access to the glorious new Copa Club, the largest airline VIP lounge in Central America. This is a city on the move.
I’m a travel writer, travel blogger and Mexico travel specialist, and I love sharing travel tips to make your next vacation or business trip better. My new memoir was just published: Prepare for Departure: Notes on a Single Mother, a Misfit Son, Inevitable Mortality and the Enduring Allure of Frequent Flyer Miles. Please click and check it out!
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