I was the first to arrive to Tocumen International Airport, our group was traveling from Iowa by way of Minnesota, Indiana, Florida & London. PTY airport was extremely quick and easy to get through. There are two terminals, I landed in terminal one and took the shuttle to terminal two to meet the next set of passengers arriving. A heads up, the shuttle location is not clearly marked, after you pick up your bags and go through customs you will head left a ways and exit the doors on the right where the shuttle runs a continuous loop back and forth between the terminals. Anyone flying via Copa Airlines will always land in terminal 2. Over the course of the next couple hours the rest of our group arrived. We then ordered two Ubers to the resort just outside of Panama City. If you plan to use a share ride app, make sure you have Uber installed, Lyft is not used in Panama. We stayed the first night at the Summit Rainforest & Golf Resort. Dubbed appropriately so, as it located in the middle of a rainforest. It was about a 45 minute drive from PTY. Keep in mind we made the drive later in the evening, if we were traveling at peak travel times this ride would have been much longer. The resort is beautiful, and although there were minor odds and ends that visibly needed
attention, at a price of $53 a night there were zero complaints on my end! This price also included a breakfast buffet on the mezzanine next to the pool that overlooks the rainforest. The buffet was a typical breakfast buffet that included fresh fruit and plenty of hot & cold options. The resort has a butterfly and frog farm, sloth rehab, nature trails, golf and an all-inclusive package option. Sadly, I was only here for one night and did not get to experience anything else the resort had to offer. Another feature to note, you will pass directly by Panama Canal when making the drive. The resort provides shuttles to and from the Canal as well as several other locations and guided tour options. Lastly, the resort is dog friendly!
The next leg of the trip was spent at Casa De Playa ! We got a rental van to make the drive to San Carlos, about 2 hours from the city. Should you chose to get a rental car be sure to download the Waze app for directions. Apple Maps does not work at all there and google maps was hit or miss. I had the privilege of staying in an absolutely beautiful Airbnb for five nights. Located in a quiet gated community by the name of Costa Esmeralda in San Carlos, Panama. This one of a kind beach house was nothing short of amazing! The 3 story property has 7 bedrooms/7.5 bath, sleeps 25 and offers multiple patios, a rooftop pool/jacuzzi and endless views. Just minutes from a stunning black sand beach known as Coronado Beach. Our superhost, Sergio, took fantastic care of us from arrival to departure. Always responding quickly to any questions, assisting with a transfer back to the city and arranging a spectacular rooftop dinner in celebration of my sisters 20th wedding anniversary. You can choose the menu or enjoy authentic Panamanian dishes (tamales, empanadas, fried fish, plantains, coconut rice and beans). Again, this option was extremely well priced, especially splitting it between several guests.
Over the next five days we spent plenty of time relaxing on the rooftop, soaking up the sun, enjoying the gorgeous views and planning out a few of our adventures. Coronado Beach, a short walk from our house, was beautiful and very quiet. The first afternoon we visited we were the only ones on the beach.
One of the mornings we made the drive to El Valle de Antón aka Anton Valley. Located at the bottom of an extinct volcano and surrounded by mountains. This beautiful little town was one of my favorites. Small and charming, yet buzzing with people within the busy market, a true landmark in this town. Our first stop in Anton Valley was Chorro el Macho, a beautiful waterfall within a nature preserve with several trails for all skill levels of hikers. The waterfall itself is a short 15 minute hike from the starting point and costs only $5 usd to enter. Zip-lining and a natural swimming pool are other options. If you visit Chorro el Macho keep your eyes open for the infamous and nearly extinct Panamanian Golden Frog. After our visit to the waterfall we went back into town to shop the markets. In the very back corner of the markets there was a small restaurant that served authentic Panamanian food such as empanadas and freshly squeezed fruit juices of any fruit you could imagine. It was outdoor seating only with maybe 8 tables. I got a mango/passionfruit juice mixed and three empanadas, a combination of both chicken and beef. You will notice stray dogs everywhere in Anton Valley. Don't be too fooled though, they are well fed by tourists and locals alike. One pup came up to me and politely placed his paw on my hip while I was eating. I gave him a whole empanada and he only ate the meat out of it and moved onto the next person. Spoiled and very smart pup!
We ate out a couple nights, all of the food was amazing. I probably tried ceviché at almost every place we went. One of my favorite places was Boga Bar. Located in Vista Mar Marina. We sat outside on the patio with a fantastic evening view of the water. I had ceviché de Pescado, shrimp cocktail & octopus. I enjoyed all of the food. The atmosphere was beautiful, I could have sat there all night enjoying the views and my chardonnay.
My last day in Panama was spent traveling alone in the old town. This historic district goes by many monikers, Casco Antiguo (Spanish for Old Quarter), Casco Viejo or San Felipe to name a few. Completed and settled in 1673, it was built following the near-total destruction of the original Panamá city, Panamá Viejo in 1671, when the latter was attacked by pirates. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 1997. This is the city's heart and I could literally feel the history within. I fell in love with this town the moment I set eyes on it. Tiny cobblestone roads lined with old buildings tightly nestled block after block. These buildings are now occupied by restaurants, shops, bars, coffee shops and even hotels. Each being a hidden gem to the next. I stayed at The American Trade Hotel. Occupying a lovely restored 1917 building across the street from Plaza Herrera. This hotel boasts beautiful 360 views no matter which room you occupy. This property is an absolute dream, member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World nonetheless. Part of the first floor is where you will find The Club, a small, intimate venue for international artists and local talent ranging from jazz, salsa, broadway etc. I was able to catch the end of jazz band while enjoying a craft cocktail in a beautiful, ambient setting.
While my trip was made during spring break I did not see the typical spring break rush or crowds. Nor did I feel the accommodations were higher priced for peak travel dates. Panama isn't your typical spring break destination. I spent 8 days in Panama and my biggest recommendation for anyone traveling there is schedule your trip for at least 10-14 days . There were so many things I wanted to do and see that I did not get around to, mainly due to the travel times. When I return I will definitely make a trip to San Blas via helicopter, visit one of the several indigenous communities, tour a coffee or orchid farm and see slothes to name a few!
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