Sp ecialist Pro g ram

Specialist Program
PANAMA
a supplement to
february 2012 1
urismo de á Dear Travel Partner,
We are delighted that you are taking the Panama Specialist Program
with Recommend magazine. We have created this specialist program with
the intention of giving you, our industry partners, the necessary tools to
generate sales and increase your profits. As a travel agent, you are a key
contributor to the growth of Panama’s tourism sector.
With your help, Panama welcomed two million visitors last year, and we
foresee a continued susbstainable growth in the years to come.
This specialist program showcases the variety of attractions and options
your clients will enjoy during their stay in Panama.
The very nature of Panama and its rich biodiversity makes sure that your
clients will enjoy natural wonders from coast to coast. Comprised of nine
provinces and five indigenous territories, our country is home to a variety
of microclimates and astonishing natural wonders: mountains, rainforests,
volcanoes and cloud forests are just some of the diverse landscapes.
Our outdoors are diverse and spectacular. Top-tier golf, fishing, worldclass scuba diving, birdwatching and more are all available in different regions of the country. From ziplining through the cloud forest to horseback
riding on the beach or a walk through one of a dozen national parks or
reserves, life in Panama is definitely best enjoyed outdoors. Panama is also
home to ideal waters for surfing, white-water rafting and kayaking. Dozens
of beautiful beaches are a given.
And of course there are always new and important things
happening in Panama.
n Beautiful old Panama, Casco Viejo, is becoming the new center of
capital life, with the restoration of historic buildings, openings of small
cafes and restaurants, introduction of small boutique hotels in former colonial buildings, lively street scenes in the plazas—day and night.
n Panama Canal Expansion
n Opening of the Frank Gehry-designed Biodiversity Museum
Thank you for your interest in Panama.
23, 2011 With warm regards,
Salomon Shamah Zuchin
Minister of Tourism of Panama
P2 APRIL 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ............................................. P4
History in a Nutshell.................................. P4
Panama Provinces..................................... P6
Panama City..............................................P8
The Panama Canal.................................. P10
The Panama Canal Zone......................... P12
Call to Adventure.................................... P14
Exam....................................................... P17
Beach Bound...........................................P22
Spotlighting Panama’s
Cultural Crossroads................................P24
Fiesta Time..............................................P29
Panama, Naturally...................................P30
Getting There..........................................P34
Fast Facts................................................P35
recommend.com
Florida
Honduras
Nicaragua
PANAMA
Costa Rica
Colombia
C A R I B B E A N
S E A
San Blas Islands
Portobelo
BOCAS DEL TORO
ARCHIPELAGO
Nombre de Dios
S A N
Colón
Chiriqui Lagoon
Gulf of Mosquitos
T
San Cristóbal
ASA
RA M
OUN
B e l é
n
TA I N S
C O N T I N E N T A L
Santiago Hill
David
Boca Chica
P
A
N
Soná
S a n Pa b l o
TA B
Ustupo
B L A S
M O U Yantupo
NT
AI
N
Chepo
Chiriqui
Grande
Volcano
Mandinga
A
M
Sa
D E
D I V I
A
nta
Balboa
o
a
b
★Panama City
Panama Bay
La Chorrera
r e
Chimán
THE PEARL
ISLANDS
Penonomé
San Miguel
Río Hato
San José Island
Gulf of Paríta
Chitré
Gulf of Chiriqui
La Palma
Rey Island
Aguadulce
Ma
Santiago r í a
Gulf of San Miguel
Garachiné
Pocrí
Azuero Península
N
Tonos
í
W
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
▲▲
▲▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
NW
▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲
▲▲
▲▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
SW
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
▲▲▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
▲
▲▲
Cebaco Island
NE
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
▲▲
▲▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
▲▲
P A C I F I C
O C E A N
Coiba Island
S
E
SE
S
The Panama Specialist Program was written by Carla Hunt.
APRIL 2012 P3
Panama
Specialist Program
Welcome to Panama, a tropical country by nature, and nowadays certainly a “hot”
destination, making top of the list of “the 45 Places to Go in 2012” in The New York
Times travel section (1/6/2012). During the Age of Discoveries, Columbus and Balboa
came to call. Today’s visitors are choosing Panama in order to explore the national
parks, kick-back and relax on pristine beaches and reef-bound islands, go casinohopping in Panama City, swing out at Carnival time, and discover historical sites and
places dating to the age of discoveries.
Panama is a small country
full of big surprises. Roughly
the size of South Carolina,
Panama forms the land bridge,
shaped like a horizontal S,
which joins North and South
America. Located between
two oceans, Panama is tropical and mountainous, and its
great outdoors is truly great.
The Panama Tourism Authority
invites you, our travel industry
partner, to get on board and
learn about our truly special
destination: friendly and fun, amazingly affordable, well connected by air services to
the U.S., and above all, rich in client-satisfying experiences and good times.
We are pleased you have chosen to become a Panama Destination Specialist, a
country you can be sure is safe, hospitable and accessible. We are confident that
the more you know about Panama, the more you will understand what an exciting
and profitable vacation destination it can be. In completing this course, we believe
you’re going to also discover how especially interesting Panama is going to be for
your special-interest clients: honeymooners and nature lovers, traveling families and
corporate incentive groups. We look forward to greeting them all in Panama.
And we certainly hope you too will visit or revisit Panama soon to enjoy our very
special vacation experiences—the welcome mat is always out.
Your Clients will love Panama because:
n Panama’s official currency is the U.S. dollar
n Many residents speak English
n Panama City is a modern, sophisticated capital with active commerce, arts,
fashion and dining
n Panama is for the birds—972 species at last count—and for 1,200 species of
orchids thriving in lush tropical forests
n Panama’s two-ocean coasts boast world-class sportfishing, surfing,
snorkeling and scuba diving
n Travelers make themselves at home in world-class and boutique hotels,
private villas, beachside resorts, luxury eco-lodges and highland haciendas
n Panama’s well-known for its excellent medical care, making it a popular medical
vacation spot (Johns Hopkins manages the modern Hospital Punta Pacifica)
n With a low crime rate, Panama is considered a very safe place to visit and live in
P4 APRIL 2012
History
The Isthmus of Panama was visited by
the Spanish conquerors for the first
time in 1501, under an expedition
organized by Rodrigo de Bastidas.
Bastidas traversed the north coast
from the Gulf of Darien through the
San Blas Islands to what is today the
port town of Portobelo. After filling
his ship holds with gold and pearls,
Bastidas set sail for Spain; however,
due to the poor condition of his ships,
his expedition was abandoned in
Haiti and only a portion of the treasury
reached Europe.
On Oct. 10, 1502, Christopher
Columbus sailed on his fourth and final
voyage to the New World. He landed
on the coast of today’s Veraguas
province and was mesmerized by the
gold jewelry worn by the Indians. His
primary quest, however, was to find a
sea route to the Far East, and although
he never did, several weeks later
the “great discoverer” came upon a
beautifully protected bay, which he
baptized Portobelo. Meanwhile, Vasco
Nuñez de Balboa, who was a first mate
aboard the Bastidas voyage, founded
Spain’s first settlement on the isthmus:
Santa Maria la Antigua del Darien. In
1513, Balboa was the first European to
set eyes on the Pacific Ocean, which
he called the South Sea, because he
had crossed the isthmus from the
Atlantic (the North Sea). Having linked
the two bodies of water for the first
time, he forever sealed Panama’s
strategic importance as the land
bridge of the Americas. By the end
of the 16th and throughout the 17th
centuries, Panama was an important
center for conquistadors, smugglers
and famous pirates such as Henry
Morgan and Francis Drake.
In the 19th century, Panama cut its
ties with Spain and joined the Americas, gaining its independence from
the Spanish crown to become part of
Simon Bolivar’s Gran Colombia that
ran from Venezuela all the way down
the west coast of South America to
Bolivia. This great military leader
recommend.com
in a Nutshell
Opposite page: Isla Iguana
This photo: Polleras, a traditional Panamanian dress
Memo:
El Camino Real
hoped to create a grand confederation between Gran
Colombia, Central America and Mexico, but his dream was
never realized, and when Gran Colombia was dissolved,
Panama became part of Nueva Granada and thereafter
Colombia. Panama gained independence from Colombia, with
the support of the U.S., in 1903.
The site for the new city of Panama was chosen in the 16th
century for its location on the South Sea Coast, and because
of an indigenous trail that led from it across the isthmus to the
Caribbean. The Spanish paved the trail with cobblestones—using slave labor—and it became the highway used for transporting Americas’ plundered wealth from Panama to Nombre de
Dios, and later to Portobelo, where it was loaded onto ships
Canal Debuts
bound for Spain. It came to be called “El Camino Real,” The
The 19th century, however, was a time of building, with the first
transoceanic railway completed between 1850 and 1855,
connecting Panama’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts in a trip of
less than two hours. In 1880, the French began construction of
an inter-oceanic canal under the leadership of Ferdinand de
Lesseps, an effort that never succeeded due to a workforce
plagued by tropical diseases and serious financial problems.
The United States government took over this enormous project,
completing the Panama Canal in 1914. The 50-mile-long waterway, linking Panama City to Colon, took 10 years to build, with a
labor force of over 75,000 at a cost of approximately 400 million
dollars. The canal opened officially to maritime traffic on Aug.
15, 1914, and the U.S. retained control of the Canal until, under
the Torrijos-Carter agreement, its sovereignty was transferred
to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999 at noon.
Royal Road. By 1600, Spanish records show that 200,000 tons
Panama Today
A safe, peaceful and prosperous nation, today Panama has
one of the most stable and rapidly growing economies in Latin
America. It’s chiefly a service-based economy, with the Panama
Canal and related maritime and transport services, tourism,
international banking center, and the largest free trade zone in
the Americas. Bananas, shrimp and coffee are the major agricultural exports. And from the United States, among Panama’s
leading “imports” nowadays are U.S. citizens, investors,
entrepreneurs and retirees coming to make a home away from
home or even become permanent residents in a country whose
welcome sign is out. j
of silver had passed along the road. No estimates exist for the
gold and jewels.
Memo:
Panama Canal Tidbits
n The Canal was officially inaugurated on Aug. 15, 1914, with
the transit of the ship USS Ancon. Since then, more than a million vessels have passed through.
n A typical transit of the Canal by a cargo ship takes approximately from eight to 10 hours.
n 52 million gallons of fresh water are used for every vessel that
passes through the Canal locks.
n In 1928, adventurer Richard Halliburton paid the lowest
toll—36 cents—to swim the canal. It took him 10 days.
n The highest toll was $419,420, paid by the cruise ship Norwegian Pearl in February 2011.
n The Panama Canal is the only place in the world where military commanders must relinquish control of their ships; Panama
Canal pilots guide all ships through the waterway.
n Before the Canal was built, a ship traveling from New York
to California had to sail around the tip of South America, a distance of 14,000 miles. Today, the sailing distance is 6,000 miles.
APRIL 2012 P5
Excerpt from “The Tailor of Panama” by John le Carré.
@ The Canal & Beyond
Chiriqui Province
Separating two great oceans
and the entire American
continent, Panama is a long
narrow country, aligned roughly
east-west, measuring between
30 and 120 miles wide and covering in all around 30,000 sq.
miles. Its neighbors are Costa
Rica to the west and Colombia
to the east. Panama is made up
of nine provinces and five province-level indigenous regions.
Below find a thumb-nail sketch
of the provinces that attract the
most foreign visitors.
Panama Province
Where: Panama City, facing the
Pacific Ocean is the international air gateway via its Tocumen
International Airport; roads and
air services fan out to all corners
of the country.
What: Panama City, the Panama
Canal, the Canal Zone and the
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
“
We’ve got everything God needed to make paradise. Great farming,
beaches, mountains, wildlife you wouldn’t believe, put a stick in the
ground, you get a fruit tree, people so beautiful you could cry….”
Panama
P6 APRIL 2012
of Panama la Vieja and Casco
Viejo are here, a complete cultural and adventurous vacation
all combined, yet close-by to
beach resorts and active sporting options.
Why: Culture, adventure,
ecotourism, history
Colon Province
Where: Colon, which anchors
one end of the Canal, is an hour
and 30 minutes by car from the
capital.
What: Colon, a major cruise
ship port, offers a good base for
exploring the Canal Zone, the
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
of the forts of Portobelo and
San Lorenzo, and the beaches
and marine sports around Isla
Grande.
Why: Adventure, history,
beaches, ecotourism
Where: David is the air gateway
and Panama’s third largest city;
it’s an hour by air from the
capital, seven hours by road.
What: Orchids grow in profusion and visitors come to cool
off in the beautiful highlands.
Boquete and Bambito are leading visitor centers for horseback
riding, white-water river rafting,
coffee plantation touring and
hiking in Volcan Baru
National Park. Another part of
the province borders the Gulf
of Chiriqui, offering top diving
and fishing.
Why: Adventure, beaches,
culture, ecotourism, agricultural
tourism
Azuero Peninsula
(Los Santos,
Veraguas,
Herrera Provinces)
Where: Overland, the drive is
between five to seven hours,
recommend.com
Provinces
Opposite page left to right:
San Lorenzo; Panama City; red tree frog in Bocas;
Guayacan at Darien; Bocas del Toro; Star fish
beach at Bocas; and Pelican Island at Guna Yala
What’s
In A Name
southwest from Panama City.
What: The Azuero Peninsula,
Panama’s heartland, is the most
culturally rich region of the
country. Although it juts south
into the Pacific Ocean, it is also
Panama’s dry quarter, as well
as a ranching center, while the
coastal area is washed by high
surf.
Why: Culture, adventure,
beaches
archipelago offers a quintessential Caribbean eco-adventure
vacation. Lively Bocas Town
provides a convenient base
from which to explore the fauna
and flora of the rainforests;
boats go from here to Bastimentos National Park and the
Zapatilla Cays.
Why: Adventure, beaches,
culture
Bocas del Toro
Province
San Blas Islands
(Guna Yala
Indigenous Region)
Where: Bocas Town is served by
regular domestic flight service
from Panama City, as well as
being linked by international
flight service to Costa Rica;
visitors like to come overland
from Chiriqui, and connect from
the mainland by boat to Bocas
Town, located on Isla Colon.
What: This northern coast’s
Where: Just off the north coast,
an hour by small aircraft from
the capital to Porvenir, as well
as landings on other island air
strips.
What: The Guna’s ethnic group
inhabit the San Blas Islands
(over 365 islands), and run
the small comfortable hotels
where visitors stay on various
islands. Here, one can swim off
the beaches, snorkel along the
coral reefs, taxi between islands
by dugout canoe, and cruise
aboard chartered live-aboard
sail boat.
Why: Adventure, culture,
beaches
Darien Province
Where: The Pan American
highway ends in the middle
of Darien, leaving the rest of
the province blanketed in the
Western Hemisphere’s second
largest rainforest.
What: Come to explore the
legendry Darien jungle; extraordinary wildlife and marine life
off the coast; home to three nations of indigenous people; and
great deep-sea fishing offshore.
Why: Adventure, culture,
ecotourism j
There are several legends
about the origin of the word
Panama.
n According to one, the site
upon which Panama City
was founded was full of trees
bearing an edible fruit (think
chestnut), whose Amerindian
name was Panama.
n Another put forth by the
Guna Indians explains that
the word comes from the
Guna phrase “pa na ma,” or
“pana-mai,” meaning “way
over there,” often used in
response to the Spaniard’s
insistent questions about
where the Gunas found the
gold with which they adorned
themselves— presumably
referring to the Incan empire
and its gold.
n The story now officially accepted is that Panama means
“abundance of fish and butterflies” in the language of the
pre-Columbian inhabitants.
APRIL 2012 P7
A
t the center of Casco Viejo is lovely and lively Plaza de la
Independencia, and surrounding buildings—many now
restored—represent a riot of architectural styles.
Panama
City
Capital Highs
P8 APRIL 2012
Left: Casco Viejo; top: Panama City
The main gateway to the rest of the country is Panama City, a burgeoning and
bustling capital on the move, dashing into the 21st century with a skyline of shimmering glass skyscrapers and a bevy of classy new hotels—grand and boutique. At
the same time, its citizens are mellow and fun-loving, slowing down to stroll or jog
along the new Cinta Costera promenade that sweeps along the edge of Panama
Bay; to dine around at great restaurants serving up cuisines of every nation; to shop
‘till they drop at classy shopping centers; to enjoy all-night clubs and nonstop casino
action. Of course, beyond the buzz, locals and visitors take time to appreciate the
historic & UNESCO World Heritage Sites attractions that come with a city sitting at
the crossroads of the Americas for more than five centuries.
Old Panama, called either Panama Viejo or Panama La Vieja, was founded
in 1519, and its ruined remains sit on a site above the sea on the outskirts of the
city, about four miles from the downtown area. In 1671, Englishman and infamous
pirate Sir Henry Morgan and his men set fire to this settlement, ending with all the
remaining wooden structures and leaving only the stone walls of the most impressive buildings. Today’s ruins capture a part of the early city’s former grandeur, and
before entering the site, we recommend you stop in at the excellent Panama Viejo
Museum, a modern two-story building that attractively documents this first settlement in its heyday. Take time also to browse the good crafts market, a cooperative
venture whose incomes go to the artisans of the participating indigenous groups.
recommend.com
After Morgan’s attack, Panama was moved westward
to a more secure spot, even some building rocks were
moved. Protective walls still shield the area known as
Casco Antiguo or Casco Viejo, or Colonial City, founded
in 1673. Its oldest part, the San Felipe district, is an official
UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is Panama la Vieja. On
foot and with a guide is the way to tour this fascinating
historic quarter, starting with a stroll along Paseo de las
Bovedas, which runs atop the defensive sea wall built by
the Spanish. The panorama embraces the city skyline,
ships lining up to enter the Canal and the Bridge of the
Americas. Below the wall on the French Plaza, Las Bovedas
Restaurant is built into one of many restored dungeons
that also house an art gallery run by the National Institute
of Culture—displayed here are works by Panamanian
painters and other Latin American artists.
At the center of Casco Viejo is lovely and lively Plaza de
la Independencia, and surrounding buildings—many now
restored—represent a riot of architectural styles, from neorenaissance to art deco, while side streets are bordered
by pastel-colored houses on whose balconies laundry
dries amid cascades of flowers. The majestic Metropolitan
Cathedral is on this plaza, as is the Museo del Canal Interoceanico, dedicated to the history of the Panama Canal.
It occupies a building that started life as the Grand Hotel
in 1874 and in its last incarnation, was the capital’s central
post office. (Note: Dramatic murals depicting the Canal’s
construction are on view in the rotunda of the Panama
Canal Authority headquarters—the Panama Canal Administration Building—located on Cerro Ancon and also
available for visitation.) Other points of particular interest
include the Santo Domingo Church and Convent, the
opulent National Theater, San Jose Church and its Golden
Altar, and the Municipal Palace housing the Museum of
Panamanian History.
Get an introduction to the flora and fauna of Panama at
the Parque Natural Metropolitano, covering 655 acres
right in the city. The park is home to some 45 species of
mammals (monkeys and two- and three-toed sloths), and
254 species of reptiles and amphibians. Hiking along one
of three loops (the longest takes two hours) is the best
way to spot many of the 254 bird species recorded. Three
times a week, visitors can take advantage of the Smithson-
ian Tropical Research Institute’s canopy crane to take an
airborne tour of the forest canopy, in the company of a
naturalist guide from Ancon Expeditions.
Take a break from sightseeing and drive out along the
beautiful, palm tree-lined Amador Causeway, located
alongside the southern entrance to the Panama Canal.
The causeway, connecting three islands and constructed
of rock removed during Canal construction, was occupied
until recently by U.S. military installations. Here’s the place
to go to hike and jog, rent bicycles (family bikes for up
to four are available) and in-line skates, enjoy lunch while
watching the parade of ships pass by or line up for Canal
entry, and end the day with a sunset drink as the Panama
City skyline lights up across the bay. j
Coming Attraction
The Bridge of Life Biodiversity Museum, which will showcase
Panama’s biological and ecological diversity, is scheduled to
open in 2013-14. Designed by Frank Gehry and under construction on the Amador Causeway, the museum will certainly be one
of Latin America’s finest.
APRIL 2012 P9
T
he Panama Canal has been called, “The Eighth Wonder of
the World”...and with good reason. It took over 75,000 people
from all corners of the globe more than 10 years to build.
The Panama
Canal
P10 APRIL 2012
A.K.A. the big ditch
Once upon a time, Panama ran a promotion campaign under the banner,“Panama, It’s More
Than a Canal,” and without doubt that is true. Yet the famous waterway—now undergoing a
multi-billion dollar expansion—is the country’s central lifeline, and the importance of the Canal to
Panama’s commercial well-being, natural resources preservation in the surrounding Canal Zone,
and even cultural identity, is immeasurable. And a “Canal Experience” that captures this most
awe-inspiring of all human endeavors can be the super-star memory every client takes home from
Panama.
Visiting the Canal
Controversial. Revolutionary. Amazing. The Panama Canal has been called, “The Eighth Wonder
of the World”…and with good reason. It took about 75,000 people from all corners of the globe
more than 10 years to build. Seeing and learning about the Canal is a unique experience, and a
must-do visit includes the state-of-theart Miraflores Visitors Center whose
four exhibition halls cover:
n The Canal History: the background,
technological innovations and sanitary
initiatives that went hand-in-hand with
the construction of the Canal;
n Water: Source of Life: about the
importance of water, conservation of the
environment, protection of the Canal
watershed, and the diversity of flora and
fauna;
n The Canal in Action: how the Canal
operates and allows visitors the experience of being inside a locks’ navigation
simulator;
n The Canal of the World: focusing on
the importance of the Canal to world
trade, as well as descriptions of the trade
routes it serves and the different types of
vessels that transit the waterway.
The center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5
p.m., and from various terraces, visitors
view ships passing through the Miraflores
recommend.com
Locks. The onsite restaurant also enjoys excellent views of
the comings and goings along the Panama Canal. Panama
ground operators can check at what times the big ships
will come through these locks—often early morning and
late afternoon.
Opposite page: Approximately 40 ships pass the Canal daily
Top: The Centennial Bridge and inside the Canal Museum at the
Miraflores Visitors Center
Transiting the Canal
You have to plan carefully to make the Canal transit, undoubtedly the best way to appreciate the size and scope
of the operations, as well as enjoy a top deck view of the
natural wonderland the whole Canal Zone watershed
embraces. To make what is called the “full Canal transit”
(a 7- to 8-hour excursion that goes all the way to Colon
on the Atlantic coast), day-trippers board for breakfast
as the excursion boat heads to the Miraflores Locks that
lift passengers above sea level in two steps to enter the
Miraflores Lake. At the Pedro Miguel Locks, all craft are
raised once again to sail into the Gaillard Cut—which, slicing through the Continental Divide, was the toughest part
of the Canal to dig and the most dramatic to see—that
opens up into the enormous Lake Gatun. At the Gatun
Locks, travelers are then again lowered to sea level to disembark at the port of Cristobal for the return to Panama
City by motorcoach or aboard the famed Panama Railroad
(originally built for the Forty-Niners during the California
gold rush), making the ride back from the Atlantic Ocean
to the Pacific Ocean in just one hour.
The full transit operates only on Saturdays: Panama
Marine Adventures (pmatours.net) offers the sailing on
the third Saturday of the month, except in May, and Canal
& Bay Tours (canalandbaytours.com) on the first Saturday
of the month. More departures are offered on the “partial
transit,” a 4- to 5-hour outing, whose itinerary is basically
the same, with the exception of the vessels turning around
at Lake Gatun and not passing through the Gatun Locks.
Sailings are offered on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
during the high season (January through March), and
Saturday only during the rest of the year. All sailings come
with lunch, soft drinks and narration by very
knowledgeable guides. j
The “Big Ditch”
gets bigger
The $5.2 billion widening and deepening of the Panama
Canal be will completed in 2014, and opening ceremonies are expected to take place on the 100th anniversary
of the waterway’s official opening on Aug. 15, 1914, with
the transit of the SS Ancon. When completed, ships
double the size of those that currently go through the
Panama locks will be able to make the trip. The centerpiece of the expansion is two new sets of locks, one near
each ocean. Larger container ships will be able to carry
12,000 or more normal containers, better than double the
5,000 they carry today. Ships wide enough to fit through
the Canal today are called Panamax; those that will go
through the wider Canal are called post-Panamax.
APRIL 2012 P11
A
must is to experience the magnificent Chagres River,
which was used by the conquistadors to move their gold
across the Isthmus of Panama en-route from Peru to Spain.
The
Panama
Where Nature’s in Charge
P12 APRIL 2012
All photos: From wildlife viewing and hiking to
birdwatching and exploring untamed landscapes,
Panama offers a naturalists wonderland
Clients are going to love day-tripping around Panama’s Old Canal Zone, a natural
wonderland whose attractions include world-famous birding trails, the Soberania
tropical rainforest, the powerful Chagres River and Lake Gatun, the largest manmade lake in the world. The original Panama Canal Zone was an area of land controlled by the U.S. that included the Panama Canal and its surrounding areas. Today
it is known as the area revertida or land which was handed over back to Panamanian
control, including the Panama Canal and the former U.S. military bases, on December 31, 1999.
On the way into the Old Canal Zone, you come to the Summit Botanical Gardens
& Zoo. Created by the Panama Canal Company in 1923 for the study of tropical
plants, this lush tropical environment is home to more than 150 species of trees,
palms and shrubs from around the world, with the names of hundreds of plants
marked along the gardens’ trails. Fenced exhibits enclose such elusive creatures
as ocelots, peccaries, margays and jaguars, while Baird’s tapirs make themselves at
home around the watering hole in their own private grounds. Of special interest is
the compound housing endangered harpy eagles, the world’s largest predator bird,
and the tropical jaguar.
Soberania National Park, located about 45 minutes from Panama City, is one of
the most accessible tropical forests in the world. Covering 55,000 acres, this rainforest park protects much of the Panama Canal watershed. Soberania is home to 105
mammal, 79 reptile and 55 amphibian species. There are many well-maintained trails
recommend.com
Canal Zone
Trail Talk
Attention hikers, birders and history aficionados:
n Along the Pipeline Road—considered the Holy Grail for
birdwatching and particularly well known for its trogons—
birders might spot five different species on a lucky day. The
10-mile road runs from Gamboa town along the east bank of
the Panama Canal, into Soberania National Park, and early
birds have a chance of seeing such rare species as yellow-eared
toucanets, crimson-bellied woodpeckers, and other gorgeous
feathered friends.
n Anchiote Road, along the Caribbean west bank of the Canal,
starts near Colon and is contiguous to San Lorenzo National
Park. During one annual Christmas Bird Count, the total for the
day was more than 340 species. (Similar numbers have also been
recorded along the Pipeline.) Interesting birds range from the
along which early morning hikers may encounter such
critters as sloths, coatimundis, toucans and kinkajous.
In the middle of Lake Gatun, you’ll find Barro Colorado
Island, a 4,000-acre biological reserve, declared a protected area in 1923, and since 1946, an open-air laboratory
for scientists around the world administered by the
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). Flora here
(480 species of trees, for instance) is almost as magical
as the fauna (more than 120 mammal species and 385
species of birds) that occupy the island’s hilly forests. Visits
here are by appointment, and the program includes a 2to 3-hour rainforest hike during which howler monkeys and
agoutis may count among your many animal sightings;
a tour of the visitors center (a steep staircase climb); and
lunch at the field research station.
A must is to experience the magnificent Chagres River,
which was used by the conquistadors to move their gold
across the Isthmus of Panama en-route from Peru to Spain
and by the gold prospectors who attempted a “short cut”
from the U.S. East Coast to the gold fields of California.
Flowing through the Chagres National Park, the river is
now the lifeline of the Panama Canal, supplying almost 50
percent of the fresh water necessary. Explore 16th century
Fort San Lorenzo, built by the Spaniards—it’s located on
a cliff at the mouth of the Chagres, in an excellent birding
area. Or, travel the river by kayak for a chance to see river
otters, crocodiles and caimans. Along the river banks,
you’ll also meet indigenous people, the Embera and the
Wounaan, who relocated from the Darien jungle. j
pied puffbird and great antishrike to the Montezuma oropendola.
n The famous and gorgeous Camino de Cruces (Las Cruces
Trail), started in 1527 to link Panama City to the port of Ventas
de Cruses on the Chagres River. Its paving stones were laid in
the form of the Christian cross, and today’s trailhead starts near
km marker 6.3 on Madden Road. The hike to the Chagres takes
about five to six hours.
APRIL 2012 P13
Panama invites its visitors to
“Feel the Freedom”—to step out
into the countryside and tread
lightly through the rainforest,
learn the art of basket-weaving,
ride the waves of two oceans,
dine deliciously everywhere.
Panama’s a small country full of
the memorable vacation
experiences that travelers seek
nowadays: adventurous, cultural,
nature-oriented and involving.
Your clients are going to find
Panama a many-splendored
destination.
Call to
Adventure
In Panama, the adventure traveler’s spirit soars…suspended
above the rainforest canopy, rafting a white-water river, or diving
along coral reefs teeming with marine life. Then, too, they can
surf some serious waves, visit remote villages or climb to the
summit of a dormant volcano and gaze out over two oceans. Yes,
Panama’s great outdoors is really great, and her rugged natural
terrain and surrounding waters provide the perfect backdrop to
an adventure vacation. The possibilities are endless.
Take a Hike
Hiking is the best way—actually the only way—to explore
Panama’s national parks, reserves and untamed wilderness.
P14 APRIL 2012
recommend.com
The Chiriqui Province offers many possibilities, including:
n Volcan Baru National Park—there is no better place to
take a hike (or two) than in the Chiriqui Province, where
the town of Boquete is a popular base for highlands hiking. From town, roads wind up and down slopes among
coffee plantations and go farther afield to hike (a 4- to 5hour ascent) to the top of Volcan Baru, Panama’s highest
peak. On a clear day, you see both oceans.
n La Amistad National Park—only 158 acres of La Amistad National Park (abutting Volcan Baru National Park) are
located in Chiriqui Province, yet the principal entrance and
most accessible trails are here. And hiking in La Amistad’s
lush cloud forests is reason enough to visit this region.
Three trails begin at the main entrance, which is four miles
from the town of Cerro Punta: the Sendero La Cascada is
a mile long, with a spectacular waterfall en-route; the Sendero El Retono, a bit longer, ascends into the cloud forest,
as does the more challenging Sendero La Montana.
Saddle Up
In Central Panama, in the peaceful mountain town of
Santa Fe (north of Santiago in Veraguas Province), ground
operators offer horseback riding trips through pasture
lands and rolling hills. Closer to the capital, there’s a good
stable in El Valle de Anton where visitors saddle up for
a ride through the wooded hills with a guide. In Chiriqui
Province, visitors can take day trips combining highlands
and coffee plantations. The lodges around Boca Chica
on the Gulf of Chiriqui easily arrange rides through the
forests and rolling hills, pastures and beaches.
Head for the Tees
Reflecting its mix of business and leisure visitors, Panama
offers a fine collection of 18-hole championship courses
that lie just outside the capital or not far away along the
Pacific coast. Closest to Panama City is the Summit Golf
and Resort, an 18-hole course plus a 6-hole executive
course for juniors or beginners, all designed by Jeffrey ➤
Opposite page and top: Birdwatching, exploring indigenous
traditions and diving—in Panama, there’s something for everyone
The Ultimate Trek:
El Camino Real
Centuries before construction began on the Panama
Railroad and Canal, the “path between the seas” was a
Spanish-built cobblestone thoroughfare winding 50 miles
across the Central American isthmus. In the 1500s, mule
trains laden with Inca gold followed the Camino Real from
the Pacific to the Caribbean to meet galleons bound for
Spain. Once wide enough to fit two passing horse carts, El
Camino Real is now hidden in the dense jungles of Chagres
National Park. Several U.S. tour operators (working with
adventure companies in Panama) offer a 6-day trek that
follows the “King’s Road” route through Chagres Park.
Trekkers spend the first night at an Embera Indian village
and three nights tenting in the park, before reaching
Nombre de Dios, the original terminus of the Camino Real
on the Caribbean Sea, replaced by present-day Portobelo.
APRIL 2012 P15
Travelers can choose from
award-winning deep-sea
fishing or riding
challenging surf
Myers. The Coronado Hotel & Resort’s seaside golf
course, located an hour from the city, is an 18-hole course
designed by Tom Fazio. The top golf course pick along
this coast is the Mantaray Golf Club in Farallon, 1.5 hours
from Panama City. The 18-hole, par 72-course, designed
by Randall Thompsen, includes two driving ranges, a
practice putting green, and six flood-lit par 3 holes for
evening play.
There is also a 9-hole golf course on Contadora Island
in the Pearl Islands, and a 9-hole course in Boquete.
Gone Fishing
More world records for catching the big ones have been
set and broken in Panama than anywhere else on Earth.
The big catches are black marlin (season from December
to April) and sailfish (from December to June). Worldclass areas include Bahia de Piñas whose famous Tropic
Star Lodge holds approximately 200 world records, which
in turn is a world record for any fishing location on the
planet. (This fishing ground is located off the southern
coast of Darien province.)
Just a short hop from Panama City are the Pearl Islands,
an archipelago made up of more than 100 islands and
islets that were the location for one of CBS’s “Survivor”
seasons. The islands are a hub for deep-sea fishing, with
charter boats going out from Contadora Island and from
the Hacienda del Mar resort on San Jose Island.
Due to size and the variety of fish near Coiba Island and
in the Gulf of Chiriqui, fishing is legendary. The catches
are black marlin, rooster fish, sailfish, cubera snapper and
other large fish. *Of note: only catch and release fishing
is permitted within a mile of the boundary of the national
park-protected area.
For freshwater fishing, bass is the big catch in Lake Gatun, and trout fill the rivers running down Volcan Baru near
the towns of Boquete, Volcan, Bambito and Cerro Punta
in the Chiriqui Province.
P16 APRIL 2012
Shoot the Rapids
Few countries in the world rival Panama as a paddling destination. And it’s the more than 35 world-class white-water
runs that put the Chiriqui Province on the main circuit for
international rafters. The challenging rivers here are Rio
Chiriqui and Rio Chiriqui Viejo. Both of these fast-running
rivers descend through beautiful landscapes and are run
during the rainy season from May through December, but
they can be rafted year-round. Skill levels run from Class II
to Class V, depending on the section of the river to be run.
For those who are new to the sport, there are stretches of
Class II/III white-water on the Rio Majagua. And for those
looking for a heart-pounding experience the Palon section
of the Rio Chiriqui Viejo draws enthusiasts from around
the globe.
Additionally, in Cocle Province, three hours west of
Panama City and near Valle del Anton, the Rio Grande is
an up-and-coming white-water haunt, with class II to IV
runs through awesome Rio Grande rocky canyons. Beginner rafters and nature lovers may want to raft more peacefully in the Chame River’s marshlands through Pacific
mangroves rich with local and migratory birdlife.
Dive Right In
The Pacific coast is tops for diving thrills. Santa Catalina
is one gateway to the Coiba Island National Marine
Park, home to the second largest coral reef in the eastern
Pacific. The waters around Coiba Island and neighboring
islands (off the coast between David and Panama City)
are habitats for hammerhead, whale and white-tip sharks,
as well as dolphins and sea turtles; sightings of orcas and
humpback whales are fairly common, too. This dive experience is usually offered in a week-long dive boat package,
geared to divers but with enough shallow waters for snorkelers. Additionally, reefs around the small islands off the
Azuero Peninsula are virtually untouched and unexplored.
On the Caribbean coast, offshore from Portobelo (30
miles from Colon) the best diving is at Buena Ventura
Island—with both shallow and deep diving—and Saladina
Reef, where wooden galleons rest on the sea floor and 75
ft. down divers can explore a sunken C-45 aircraft. Closer
in are the colorful coral gardens off Farallones reef near
Drake’s Island, which teem with reef fish.
The beautiful islands of the Bocas del Toro archipelago
are another favorite, sheltering 74 of the Caribbean’s 79
coral species, a variety of sponges, neon fish, peppermint
shrimp, eels and dozens of little invertebrate creatures.
The waters are clearest at the end of August to early
November, and there are plenty of dive shops in Bocas
Townthat arrange for half- and full-day excursions,
offer lessons or a certified PADI course. Dive sites include:
n Cuevita—one of the best dives on the outer reef, lots of
caves and swim-thrus;
continued on page P21
recommend.com
Call to Adventure
continued from page P16
n Punta Manglar—corals in great condition, no current,
great place for a night dive;
n Sachen—a shallow dive with a strong current, often
nurse sharks and good diving for advanced divers;
n Zapatillas Cays—a little farther away than other dive
spots; most beautiful islands in archipelago; nice swimthrus.
The historic waters of the vast Gatun Lake of the Panama Canal are littered with French machinery and a train
submerged during early attempts at canal-building. Diving
here is for super-achievers and requires the assistance of a
good dive company, perhaps one that offers a 1-day “dive
two oceans and the canal” adventure, starting on the
Caribbean coast, moving to the canal, and finishing off the
last dive in Pacific waters.
*Of note: Clients who will be diving in Panama should
bring what proof of certification they have, and in turn, ask
for certification of a local dive master.
Ride the Waves
On the Pacific Ocean, the best surfing beaches and
most challenging surf are along the coast or just offshore
from the Azuero Peninsula, with such locations as Playa
Santa Catalina (south from Santiago, provincial capital
of Veraguas), which offers a surfing experience that many
call the best in Central America. While there is something
to ride here every month of the year, the best time for the
really big waves is February-August. Also on the Azuero
Peninsula, Playa Venao (20 miles southwest of Pedasi),
whose surf offers an exceptionally long and gentle ride
that breaks right and left, is a good place for beginners.
Close to Panama City, surfing is at its best at Playa Teta
from May through August, and farther up the coast, about
halfway to David, Playa Rio Mar is another favorite, with
the best surfing May/August.
In the Caribbean, the best surfing is in the waters
around Bocas del Toro, whose advantages over the Azuero Peninsula surfing include accessibility, a wide choice of
accommodations, and plenty of surf shops offering board
rentals and lessons. Bocas del Toro swells are at their
largest and most consistent from December to March.
Spots where the swells roll in include Playa Bluff on Isla
Colon with a big and powerful surf break, at Red Frog
Beach with both sand and reef bottom breaks—left and
right—and Carenero Island, rated one of the best surf
breaks in Bocas. Closer to Panama City, the best windsurfing waters are off Isla Grande, offshore from Portobelo,
where the reef boom break has three peaks. Punta Chame
offers great windsurfing and kite surfing as well, and many
beginners can take classes available on the beach.
Don a Mask
Snorkeling is a sport that requires little equipment—flippers, a mask and a snorkel—all of which are easy to rent in
Panama. And anyone who can swim can probably snorkel.
It’s a pleasant way to explore the sea bottom, which can be
endlessly interesting in various waters. Note however that
water on the Atlantic coast is clearer than on the Pacific, although with the many islands on either side of the isthmus,
the sport is accessible on either coast. Many beaches are
skirted by superb coral reefs, which add to the beauty of the
underwater scenery. Among the snorkeling “hotspots” are:
n On Isla Contadora in the Pearl Islands, good snorkeling
beaches include Playa de las Suecas, Playa Ejecutiva and
Playa Larga;
n Isla de Colon in Bocas del Toro, where the best snorkeling tends to be in the placid protected waters on the south
side of the islands. Top spots are Hospital Point and the
area near Cayo Crawl;
n Marino Golfo de Chiriqui National Park has many good
snorkeling spots; among the best is Isla Bolanos;
n San Blas Islands is a snorkeler’s dream. For easy access
to great snorkeling with great visibility, head for Achutupu
Island.
Sea Kayaking ¡Si!
The abundant coasts of Panama offer both the beginner
and the seasoned kayaker boundless opportunities for
exploring island-hopping and touring. Single and multi-day
trips are available to the islands in Golfo de Chiriqui and
Laguna Chiriqui, as well as around Coiba Island National
Park. Sea-kayaking is one way to navigate around the San
Blas Islands, and local operators offer kayaking expeditions along the Chagres River in
Chagres National Park. j
Panama’s
Best-in-Show
Adventures
n Birdwatching from a dugout canoe on the
Mogue River in the Darien.
n Kayaking among the
San Blas Islands.
n Ziplining through the tree
tops on a canopy adventure.
n Reeling in a billfish at Piñas Bay.
n Surfing in Bocas del Toro.
n White-water rafting on the
Chiriqui River.
n Snorkeling and diving off
Coiba Island.
APRIL 2012 P21
P
anama offers beach lovers a wide choice of places in the
sun: from the white sands in the Caribbean to the Pacific’s
remote-island Boca Chica beaches in Chiriqui Province.
Beach Bound
P22 APRIL 2012
This page: Pearl Island beach
(left); Taboga Island Beach (above)
Opposite page: Bocas facilities
Never too far from the sea, Panama is richly endowed with beaches. With about a thousand
miles of Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea coastline, and over a thousand beach-fringed islands,
Panama offers beach lovers a wide choice of places in the sun: from the white sands of the San
Blas Islands and the Bocas del Toro in the Caribbean to the Pacific’s remote-island Boca Chica
beaches in Chiriqui Province and the resorts of Santa Clara and Farallon, two hours away from
Panama City. Depending on where one is staying, beach resorts and lodges big and small have
lots of recreational activities close at hand: snorkeling, diving, fishing, windsurfing and golfing.
The Pacific
Sun-worshippers will find Panama’s best Pacific coast beaches start an hour’s drive along the
Inter-American Highway from Panama City, stretching west for 30 miles between the sands at
Punta Chame to Coronado, to San Carlos, to El Palmar and to Farallon beaches. They come in
colors ranging from powdery-gold to salt-and-pepper to volcanic black. This is where people
from the capital come on weekends to swim, body surf and laze about. Punta Chame is known
for windsurfing and kite surfing, and there are some beaches where surfers come just for the
waves. However, clients interested in diving and snorkeling need to head farther west for excellent spots in the Chiriqui bay or the impressive reef surroundings of Coiba Island, or go to the
Caribbean side of the isthmus.
You’ll know the beaches by the resorts that are most frequented by North American visitors,
and there are several that are new to the scene. And a relatively new trend seems to be allinclusive resorts.
Playa Bonita, closest to the capital and about a 30- to 45-minute drive from Panama City,
is basically the terrain of two international hotel chain resorts, with assets such as their own
crescent of white beach, pools, boat tours and watersports, and spectacular locations near the
entrance to the Panama Canal. recommend.com
Island where there are 13 beautiful beaches, and nearby
Pacheca Island is a roosting spot for magnificent frigate
birds. While there are a couple of full-service hotels, it is
the new B&Bs that are particularly attractive.
The Captivating Caribbean
Drive another hour along the InterAmerican highway
and you turn in to the roads leading to the Santa Clara
and Farallon (a.k.a. Playa Blanca) beaches, which offer
about the most picture-perfect stretch of powder-white
sand on this coast. This is also a corner of Panama that
receives less rain than other parts. Santa Clara was once
little more than a sparsely populated fishing village edging between patches of dry tropical rainforest and the vast
blue expanse of the Pacific. Coming off the highway, you’ll
find two Santa Clara turnoffs: one for town and the other
to the beach and hotels. Farallon lies a couple of miles
farther on, a continuation of the same beautiful beach.
And indeed, with new hotels, condos, gated communities,
this is the fastest growing Pacific beach destination. Newcomers to the hotel scene include two luxury all-inclusive
resorts, and Farallon is home to the excellent Manta Raya
golf course.
Needless to say, in a country with hundreds of islands,
many beach attractions lie offshore. Closest to Panama
City is pretty, flowering Taboga Island, an hour by ferry
from the capital—a great ride, past the Pacific entrance
to the Canal and under the Bridge of the Americas. It is
known for fine beaches and as a shelter for one of the
largest breeding colonies of brown pelicans in the world.
Just at the edge of town is Playa Restinga, the island’s
best—a bit rocky—beach, and while many visitors just
come for the day, the choices for overnighting are not
many, but are small and pleasant. Hiking up to the 20-ft.
cross in Taboga is also a fun and invigorating opportunity
for the more adventurous who wish to mix up beach with a
jungle experience.
The Pearl Islands are just a 25-minute plane ride from
Panama City to Isla Contadora. Once a thriving pearl diving center, today the major attractions of this archipelago
are its aqua waters, lush vegetation, brilliant marine life
and lovely beaches. (Calm waters make the islands a good
pick for family vacations.) Made up of some 200 islands
and islets, the Pearl Islands gained fairly recent fame as
the location of CBS’s “Survivor” series. Off the beaches
you find pristine waters, perfect for snorkeling, with manta
rays, dolphins and schools of colorful fish, plus the chance
to see migrating humpback and pilot whales July through
October. The largest tourist infrastructure is on Contadora
Panama’s Caribbean coast is fringed with sandy beaches
and dotted with lush islands. One of the most popular is
Bocas del Toro, an archipelago located in the northwestern point of the country with a classic Caribbean profile:
aqua blue water, palm-lined beaches set against a naturedense rainforest and a laid-back capital called Bocas Town
on Colon Island. Guests at some of the waterfront lodgings
built over the water can step right from their rooms and
into the sea, and the islands of Bastimentos and Carenero
have a variety of small eco-resorts and small hotels that are
right on the sea. And exploring the terrain on land or under
the sea is just plain wonderful. Bocas del Toro offers a great
variety of accomodations from several backpacker hostels
to hotels and luxurious private villas.
From Bocas, little boats ferry visitors to nearby islands for
beaching, snorkeling, diving, dolphin observation, rainforest hikes and visits to indigenous villages. Bocas can’t be
beat for couples seeking romantic natural surroundings
and families who want to have quality fun and natureeducation experiences together. Cocoa farm tours are
available as well for those who wish to learn the process of
harvesting and producing chocolate. The best beaches on
and around the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park
are gorgeous Red Frog Beach and the Zapatillas Cays.
Up-and-coming in the beach-loving world are the islands
that are part of the Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park,
which lies off the east coast of David, capital of Chiriqui
Province, with boats departing from the fishing village
of Boca Chica. Embracing some two dozen islands and
their surrounding waters, the park is a refuge for all kinds
of wildlife, including whales that come to calve between
September and November. This area was for years the
well-kept secret of backpackers and deep-sea fisherfolk,
but more recently, it’s taken off for more mainstream visitors who have several choices of boutique lodgings on the
mainland and two or three luxury island-bound resorts offshore, where excursions range from stretching out on your
own beach or booking your own hotel boat—complete
with snorkel and mask—to go island-hopping from one
deserted white-sand beach to the next: Robinson Crusoestyle.
Again, we’re talking about tiny little islands with pristine
beaches when we point to the uninhabited islands of the
Guna Yala (San Blas Islands), palm-covered paradises of
white sand and clear blue water. Certainly the best way to
access these outposts is aboard a charter yacht; however
many of the larger inhabited islands have fine little lodges—owned and operated by the Guna’s ethnic group—
which have small boats for deserted-beach excursions and
sea kayaks that permit you to navigate yourself between
tiny islands that are all beach and a couple of palm trees. j
APRIL 2012 P23
P
anama’s vacation pleasures include seaside fortresses,
colonial architecture, fascinating museums, historic trails
and Indian communities.
P24 APRIL 2012
Spotlighting
Panama’s
Cultural Crossroads
Because it is the narrowest strip of land separating the Atlantic and Pacific oceans,
Panama is most often cited as one of the world’s most important natural crossroads.
This same geographical good fortune has made the Panamanian isthmus a vital
crossroads for world trade and travel that has helped create a fascinating cultural
mosaic of people and history, traditions and lifestyles. Your clients are going to
delight in the discovery that Panama’s vacation pleasures include seaside fortresses,
colonial architecture, fascinating museums, historic trails and the indigenous communities that are accessible and welcoming. In sharp contrast, modern Panama offers a great selection of international restaurants and inviting shopping that include
native markets, boutiques, malls, splashy nightclubs
and a bevy of casinos.
Spotlight on Colonial Heritage
Christopher Columbus sailed on his fourth and last
voyage to a region he named Veragua (now Veraguas
province on the Azuero peninsula), just north of the
present site of the Panama Canal. Then, he continued
south along the Caribbean coast to what is now Portobelo. Two highlights to visit in the steps of Columbus:
Portobelo
The historic port of Portobelo (62 miles from Panama
City) is a small fishing village on the Caribbean coast,
but was once the New World’s most important port
on the trade route to Spain. Still perfectly intact are
the fortified ramparts and cannons that guarded the
harbor from the well-preserved forts of Santiago and
San Jeronimo. In the 17th century, they defended the
entrance to the Chagres River from pirates such as
Henry Morgan and Francis Drake. Treasure brought
across the isthmus was once counted and stored in the
Royal Customs House before being shipped to Spain.
The building was restored in 1989 and now houses
recommend.com
Opposite page: Portobelo; This page: Winnies from Guna Yala (top); “Devil” in Azuero
(right); below: traditional pollera dresses
a small museum. Nearby is the village’s Church of San
Felipe, dating from 1814, next to the ruins of the much
older Church of San Juan de Dios, built in 1599. Inside
San Felipe stands the famous Black Christ of Portobelo,
honored by thousands of worshipers who converge on
the town—some traveling the last miles on their knees,
others wearing purple robes and crowns—for its Oct. 21st
pilgrimage.
Azuero Peninsula
If you want to introduce your clients to the “undiscovered”
Panama, plan for a few days of exploration in the Azuero Peninsula—an area known for its colonial traditions,
festivals and handicrafts. The peninsula is made up of
three provinces: Herrera, Veraguas and Los Santos whose
colonial gems are Villa de Los Santos and Las Tablas.
Chitre, about a 3-hour drive from Panama City and a
major ceramics center, is the main gateway, and just across
the river from Los Santos. Panama’s first “cry” for independence was issued in Los Santos, an event recognized
in the National Museum, which occupies the handsome
residence where the declaration for independence was
signed in 1821. Its attractions today are the exhibits of
pre-Columbian artifacts and religious art. The baroquestyle Church of Saint Atanacio is a national monument for
almost everything in its magnificent interiors is original.
The town of Las Tablas, 16 miles south of Chitre, also has
a fine church, but is most famous for both its Carnaval
and its polleras, the country’s elaborate national costume
whose origins are the Spanish peasant dresses of the 17th
and 18th centuries. Visitors can visit some of the polleramakers’ ateliers here, as well as in the village of La Enea (in
Los Santos). ➤
Let’s Dance
Today, most of Panama swings to the contemporary beat
of the salsa. Nonetheless, Panama’s folklore tradition runs
deep, although musica folclorica is performed today only
in festivals and stage presentations. This tipico music
utilizes a five-string guitar and African bongo drums,
along with various gourd rattles. Traditional dancing
is based on the stylized Spanish paseo, with men and
women alternately circling each other, accompanied by
much “yup-yipping” and the tossing of scarves and straw
hats. Among those dances are the punto, the mejorana
and the tamborito (Panama’s national dance).
APRIL 2012 P25
Right: Guna molas and tourists;
below: lobster Guna Yala region
Spotlight on Panama’s
Indigenous People
The indigenous population constitutes a sizeable minority
in Panama, and visits to their villages, to observe their
traditions and lifestyles are among the country’s most
popular travel experiences. There are seven native groups,
each with a separate language: the Ngäbe and Bugle
tribes (also called the Guaymis) are the largest group; the
fiercely independent Guna’s ethnic group who live in the
San Blas Islands; the Embera and Wounaan (also called
the Chocoes) who live mostly in the Darien jungle; and
the Teribe and Bri Bri, the smallest tribes living mainly in
Bocas del Toro and Veraguas region. The Gunas and the
Chocoes administer their own territories, called comarcas,
and their native lands are particularly interesting. Let’s take
a closer look at possible close encounters:
San Blas Islands
The half-hour flight from Panama City to the San Blas
Islands is a journey back in time. This Caribbean domain
is the exclusive territory of the Guna’s ethnic group and a
visit here can be an extraordinary experience. Although
the origins of the tribe are vague, its ancient culture—including female control of social and commercial affairs—
has remained remarkably intact. And indeed, it is the
ladies of the clan who steal the show, decked out in their
beaded arm and ankle bracelets, gold earrings and nose
rings, dressed in sarong-style skirts and mola blouses with
front and back panels decorated with dazzling, colorful
panels of reverse appliques. Molas, sold everywhere on
major islands (and on the mainland), are of primary importance to the local economy, which also includes fishing
and cultivating coconuts.
P26 APRIL 2012
There are just a handful of small, comfortable inns
on just a few of nearly 400 San Blas Islands. Only 40 of
the white-sand islands are inhabited, but all washed by
blue-to-green-to-turquoise waters with coral reefs that
are pristine playgrounds for serious snorkelers. Visitors
join the locals’ version of a mass-transit system when they
travel by motorized cayucos (dugout canoes) to visit different islands, visiting their settlements of palm-leaf thatched
houses and communal meeting centers and finding one’s
place in the sun on a white-sand beach. May through
November is the best time to be there.
Darien Province
Panama’s Darien province is its least developed region. It
is also home to the nation’s newest and only communitybased ecotourism circuit, The Paradise Trail, a program
designed (with the help of the U.S. Agency for International Development-USAID) to bring modest, sustainable
benefits to a group of small communities. Along the circuit
and in addition to nature on a grand scale, travelers will
enjoy such attractions as the rich traditions of flat basketry
and traditional dances of the Embera-Afro-Panamanians
in Sambu; the community development project “Ecodic”
with its impressive murals and the agro-forestry project at
Finca Sonia in Santa Fe; traditional Wounaan dancing; and
fine baskets and tagua seed carvings at Boca Lara. Travel
during a 3- to 7-day circuit is by small boat, with simple
community-run accommodations and food service. Higher
standard but nonetheless rustic hotels and restaurants are
found in La Palma, Santa Fe and Metiti. Air service to the
Darien province is available to La Palma and Sambu several times a week aboard Aeroperlas and Turismo Aereo.
recommend.com
Old Canal Zone
Close to Panama City, the Embera have migrated in the
last quarter century from the Darien to the jungles of
Chagres National Park, where they live in small communities along the Chagres River. Traveling by car, motorized
canoes and on foot, travelers can take a day tour from the
capital to visit one of these communities. The welcome
will include a music and dance presentation, a fresh-fish
lunch, a chance to buy their crafts and to be painted with
the traditional jagua, a natural dye the Embera use to
adorn their bodies. While there, visitors can walk medicinal trails with a native healer or swim in the river.
Spotlight on Craft Traditions—
and Shopping, Of Course
In general, things uniquely Panamanian are paintings by
accomplished local artists; clothing at its most elegant
among the Via España boutiques; jewelry, often reproductions of pre-Columbian designs, always of high quality at
excellent prices; wood carvings and finely made baskets
of collector quality. From the Azuero peninsula in southern
Panama come the famous lacy, intricately sewn pollera
dresses, while the central provinces are noted for their wax
candles, furniture and woven hammocks, to name a few
items. Other handicrafts of particular importance include
patterned, beaded collars called chaquiras of the Guaymi
ethnic group, whose fashion style is all copied in indigenous-style dress for ladies and loose-fitting guayabera
shirts for men; wood and tagua nut carvings, ceramics,
masks and straw hats; and those famous applique molas
of the Guna’s ethnic group.
Among the best shopping places in Panama City for
regional crafts from all over the country are the YMCA
Handicrafts Market in Balboa, the Gran Morrison department stores, and the Artesanias craft center next to the
Panama Viejo historic site. Outside the capital, the Sunday
market in El Valle de Anton carries a wide variety of Panamanian handwork. In visual arts, the nation’s largest collection of works by Panamanian artists is found in permanent
and revolving exhibition in Panama City’s Museo de Arte
Contemporaneo.
In the Casco Viejo quarter, the Reprosa jewelry store is
an institution, most famous for its reproductions of gold
and silver huacas (figures recovered from pre-Columbian
graves); make note that the store offers an interesting tour
of its factory near Panama Viejo.
Spotlight on Good Living
Dine Around
As an international crossroads, Panama offers a surprising
variety of fine cuisine at affordable prices. The El Cangrejo
and Bella Vista are the capital’s major dining districts, with
dozens of wonderful restaurants featuring indoor and/or
patio settings.
Restaurants in the capital represent international fare
(tops is Manolo Caracol), as well as Italian (Mostaza is a ➤
People to People:
Let’s Meet in Panama
Panama City has been a hub of travel and trade in the
Western Hemisphere since Pizarro sailed for Peru in the 16th
century and gold began coming in huge quantities to the
isthmus. Centrally located between the Pacific and Atlantic
oceans, today’s multinational metropolis is ideally positioned
to welcome meetings of companies and organizations with
interests in both North and South America.
Now is the perfect time and Panama the perfect place
to combine business with relaxation south of the border.
The capital’s major meeting place is the Atlapa Convention
Center offering the most modern facilities for every kind of
meeting, convention, exhibition or cultural event. Climatecontrolled throughout, its innovative design includes a
32,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall accommodating 3,000 for a meeting
or banquet, as well as space for 200 booths. Moveable,
soundproof walls can divide the main hall into three sections
for 1,000 persons each, while drive-through truck lanes permit exhibit materials to be transported directly into the hall.
Cultural and theatrical productions take the stage in
Atlapa’s two professional theaters, one holding 3,000 people
in fixed seating, the other 500 in flexible seating. For smaller
groups there are 16 meeting rooms, ranging from a capacity of 40 to 400. There are full travel services, simultaneous
translation in six languages and a modern sound system
throughout the convention center.
Where one stays is particularly important to meeting
planners, and Panama City offers a full roster of deluxe and
boutique hotels, including international chains, offering fine
accommodations, along with pools, spas, and their own
conference facilities. Equally important is fine dining, an activity that has a special place in Panamanian life. In addition
to hotel dining spaces, the capital is indeed a gastronomic
melting pot of international cuisines—served up in a variety
of appealing restaurants that often occupy colonial houses
and historic sites.
Panama offers planners a variety of a day-away from the
capital activities, from teeing off on championship golf
courses or world-class deep-sea fishing to a dinner cruise
at sea or a catered sailing along the famous Panama Canal.
And above all, Panama City is fun, with a varied nightlife of
folkloric ballet entertainment, government-regulated casino
gambling, and lively nightclubs.
APRIL 2012 P27
good bet) and French (everyone loves Las Bovedas, with
live jazz on Friday and Saturday).
Argentina and Cuba, Lebanon and Thailand are well
represented on the restaurant dine-around-scene, and
Madame Chang’s is a classic for Chinese fare.
For a Panamanian food experience, clients can’t go
wrong at Las Tinajas, El Trapiche and Barandas. With dinner at Las Tinajas, guests also enjoy a folkloric dance show
four times a week. Or alternately, for Panamanian fusion
dishes there are several in the capital such as Maito and
Don Patacón.
In addition to the grand variety of international cuisine
to choose from, dining in Panama also features many
dishes special to the country. Panama’s national dish is
sancocho, a steaming bowl of chicken soup (sometimes
with corn on the cob added) flavored with garlic, oregano
Panama offers many casinos
and culantro (similar to cilantro) served with rice on the
side. Other delicious local specialties include ceviche—
marinated corvina, a native sea bass; ropa vieja—shredded beef with fried onions, tomatoes, green peppers and
garlic served with rice; chicharrones—pork cracklings;
and tamales—corn meal patties with a tasty stuffing
and wrapped in leaves. Panama also has on the table
absolutely luscious fruits from papayas and pineapples
to mangoes, chirimoyas, avocados and raspberries—for
starters. Favorite local snacks are raspados (snow cones)
and patacones (fried plantain rounds).
And in a country whose name translates to “abundance
of fish,” it is no surprise that fish and seafood are high on
almost every restaurant menu—and house specialties at
Di Mare and La Casa de Marisco. For clients who want
to have some fun with fish, recommend a visit to the Mercado de Mariscos, leading distribution center for fresh
seafood pulled from the Pacific and Caribbean. There is a
restaurant upstairs, and stalls sell snacks like ceviche. Next
door is the new Mercado Publico, the covered farmers
market spilling over with fresh fruit and vegetables, meats,
nuts and spices, plus a food court with stands dishing up
Panamanian fare.
That’s Entertainment
Panama City is known for its lively nightlife. Panamanians
love a party, a fact reflected in a variety of nightlife spots
including discos, pubs, nightclubs and casinos. The most
popular area is a densely packed grid of restaurants, clubs
and bars bounded by the Bella Vista district to the West
and Marbella to the east; the center of it all here is along
Calle Uruguay. Additionally, in the upscale business district
of Marbella, music clubs along Calle 53 are popular hangouts. With the renovation of the Casco Viejo, seek out this
quarter for clubs and sidewalk cafes. The newest and most
contemporary entertainment area is out on the Amador
Causeway where the Cafe Barko has live music and ocean
views, and the Ancla disco is set within the former U.S.
military tunnels under Flamingo Island. Clients should
keep in mind that club life in general in the capital doesn’t
really get going until midnight.
And for visitors pursuing games of chance, Panama
offers many casinos, all in hotel locations. In Panama City,
the action is at the Hotel Caesar Park, Hotel El Panama
and Hotel Continental. Additionally, the Radisson
Decapolis Hotel has a suspended glass walkway connecting the hotel to the Majestic Casino, part of the Metrocenter Shopping Mall, the largest in Central America. Outside
the capital, the city of Colon has a casino at the Panama
Canal Melia Hotel and in western Panama, there is a
casino at the Gran Nacional Hotel in David. j
P28 APRIL 2012
recommend.com
Fiesta Time!
January
Fair of Flowers & Coffee: Flower
farms and coffee plantations
surround the highland town of
Boquete in Chiriqui province. This
lovely fair is spread out through
the town, celebrated with food,
music and dancing. One highpoint
of the festivities is the somewhat
competitive “cupping” or coffee
tasting, but for flower lovers, the
orchids will be the prize, among
some 35,000 plants displayed in
more than 40 gardens. An orchidsonly fair is held in April.
Panama City Jazz Festival: For
one 3-day weekend, the capital
throbs with live jazz performances
by outstanding international
musicians. Some concerts are held
outdoors and free.
February/March
Carnaval: The granddaddy
of all festivals, a riotous 4-day
celebration, throughout the
country, held four days before Ash
Wednesday. On stage are float
parades, masked dancers, confetti,
congo drums, whirling polleras
and stomping devil dancers. The
biggest party is in Panama City,
the most traditional in Las Tablas in
Azuero province.
Year-round
festivals range from
jazz to Carnaval
livestock and technology exhibits,
there are folkloric dance contests,
traditional music, crafts displays,
rodeos, horse shows, and a tasty
variety of foods to sample.
Devils’ and Congo Festival:
Large crowds gather at Portobelo in Colon Province to join the
Congos and devils performances
featuring drama, music, and
dance that recounts the history of
Panama’s Afro-Antillean people.
april/may
Panama’s International Film Festival: First edition to be held April
26-May 2, during which international film stars and film professionals will convene to “Come
for the Stars, & Stay for the Sun”
with an international panorama of
critically acclaimed films as well as
a Panamanian film program with
outdoor screenings. The festival
is open to the public and hopes
to add the seventh art as another
important cultural activity to the
ever-expanding arts events circuit
in Panama.
June
Corpus Christi Festival:
Observed all over Panama, but
particularly festive in Villa de los
Santos on the Azuero peninsula.
March
The spectacle, dating back to the
The David Fair: Officially called
Middle Ages, includes dancers in
masks and elaborate costumes,
Feria de San Jose de David, this
large international fair draws exhib- confronting each other: diablos
sucios (dirty devils) representing
itors and attendees from all over
Central America. In addition to
evil, and the diablo blanco (white
devil of St. Michael) representing
good.
San Juan Bautista Feria: Isla
Grande celebrates its patron saint
with a festival that is a waterfest
of canoe races and swimming
competitions.
July
Festival of the Pollera: Takes
place in the town of Las Tablas,
and nowhere else in the country
can one find such a fashion show—
a beauty contest, if you will—of
the country’s beautiful, most traditional and lacy pollera dresses.
This is also an occasion for fine
typical music, regional dances, and
religious observances honoring
the town saint, Santa Librada.
September
International Festival of the
Sea: The 5-day event in Bocas del
Toro features food stands serving
local cuisine, handicrafts booths,
exhibits by the Smithsonian Institute and the park service, folkloric
presentations and dances.
October
Festival of the Black Christ: Held
in Portobelo every Oct. 21, the
festival draws thousands of supplicants and observers who come
to this historic Caribbean town to
offer thanks to the “miraculous”
statue that answers their prayers.
According to legend, Portobelo’s
townspeople prayed to the statue,
asking to be spared from a cholera
epidemic that swept the country in
1821. Indeed, Portobelo escaped
the disease and prayers were
answered. Some believers travel
the last few miles to town on their
knees; some dress in royal purple
and others carry heavy wooden
crosses or wear crowns of thorns.
Feria de Rio Tigre: The colorful
San Blas Islands hold a 4-day fair,
dressing up in their colorful best
to enjoy typical foods, dances and
music.
November
Independence Days: Panama celebrates two Independence days:
Independence from Spain on Nov.
3 and Independence from Colombia on Nov. 28. Bands throughout
the country practice for months to
be ready for parades held in towns
throughout Panama.
One Thousand Pollera’s Parade:
This parade congregates more
than 1,000 ladies wearing the
polleras from different parts of
Panama. The parade is known
for its luxury and splendor, with
everyone from children to elderly
women showing off their traditional dresses, some of which have
been passed on from generation
to generation.
APRIL 2012 P29
O
ver 29 percent of Panama’s land is protected byh 15 national
parks, seven forest preserves and 10 wildlife refuges.
P30 APRIL 2012
Panama,
Naturally
Ecotourism. Green Travel. Environmentally sensitive vacations. These are terms that
have become increasingly familiar to today’s travel planners and travelers, who will
find that nature has indeed been generous with Panama. Thanks to its prized position at the meeting of two continents, Panama enjoys one of the richest and most
complex ecosystems on the planet. And despite its location entirely within the tropics, vast extremes of elevation spawn a profusion of microclimates, and there are
huge differences in the natural world between the Pacific and Caribbean sides.
The country’s natural wonders are being preserved in bird sanctuaries, botanical
gardens and national and marine parks, while rural tourism projects are welcoming
visitors to meet the people, visit their schools and farms, sample their special meals
and join in their fiestas. The country’s great outdoors offers a pristine playing field
of activities, from hiking and horseback riding along cloud forest paths, to guided
birdwatching tours, turtle nesting watching and whale spotting. The country’s
natural attractions draw tourists from all over the world who come to walk the trails
with local guides and spy on red-napped tamarin monkeys or capybaras, the world’s
largest rodent; soar through the canopy on an aerial tour; or spend the night in a
treetop jungle lodge.
Getting to Know Panama’s National Parks
Panama has set aside 91 protected areas covering close to seven million acres of
land, or about 25 percent of Panama’s total land area and a substantial portion of its
territorial waters. Most of these protected areas are part of an extensive system of
15 national parks and marine parks. Included in that
list is the giant Parque International La Amistad, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, which extends over
the border into Costa Rica. Additionally, there are
numerous wildlife refuges, buffer forests and protected
wetlands.
The protected areas are a relatively new phenomenon in Panama. The first national park, Altos de
Campana, was set aside in 1966, and all others have
been created in just the last 25 years. While all now
have rudimentary ranger stations, only a handful have
developed visitor facilities or trails.
On the other hand, many are perfect natural wonderlands for visitors who love to hike, kayak, go birdwatching, and just enjoy being in the great outdoors, and
those with marine territories offer stupendous snorkeling and diving. These certainly include those nearest
Panama City: Soberania, Camino de Cruces, Chagres
and San Lorenzo. Elsewhere in the country add Volcan
Baru and part of La Amistad, both in the Chiriqui
Province; Bastimentos in Bocas del Toro; Darien and
Coiba National Park—the new hotspot for snorkeling, diving and sportfishing and also UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.
recommend.com
Opposite page: Harpy eagle; This page: humpback whales (top); cloud forest (right)
Panama Province
n Camino de Cruces National Park: Recently established
to serve as a biological corridor between the Metropolitan
Natural Park and Soberania Park, the region is part of the
“Trans-Isthmic” road used more than 400 years ago by the
Spaniards.
n Chagres National Park: This is the largest park in the
system protecting the Panama Canal Basin; this beautiful mountainous region is also home to the indigenous
Embera communities.
n Altos de Campana National Park: One hour west of
Panama City, the 12,000-acre park embraces spectacular
cliffs and mangrove estuaries and offers a temperate climate for walks on good hiking trails. Established in 1966,
this was the country’s first national park. The mountainous,
northwest corner (near El Valle de Antón) is the only habitat for the endangered golden frog, an icon of Panama.
Cocle Province
n Omar Torrijos National Park: Covering 62,454 acres,
this park is one of the last refuges in central Panama for
the jaguar, puma and tapir. A web of trails is maintained by
the U.S. Peace Corps, with an easily hiked interpretative
trail and another short trail to a mountaintop mirador, or
lookout, starting at the visitors’ center.
Colon Province
n Soberania National Park: Just 25 minutes from the
capital, this park protects the Panama Canal Basin and is
the only bird sanctuary for the harpy eagle.
n Portobelo National Park: The attractions of this parkland include exploring forest paths, visiting colonial forts
and discovering lost treasures while diving in the Caribbean Sea.
n San Lorenzo National Park: Spreading over 23,852
acres of coastal wetlands and semi-deciduous and moist
forests, this park was once a jungle-survival training
ground for U.S. forces. Since 1999, it’s been developed for
ecotourism, and despite its small size, an astounding 430
bird species have been identified here, as well as 81
mammals. In the park are the Achiote Trail, El Trogon Trail
and the San Lorenzo Castle (a UNESCO World Heritage
Site), looming above the mouth of the Chagres River.
Veraguas Province
n Santa Fe de Veraguas National Park: This territory, 280
sq. miles, covers montane wet forest and cloud forests.
It was created to protect a wealth of wildlife within a vital ➤
Did You Know?
n Panama has 12 zones of the more than 30 necessary to sustain the principal land ecosystems.
n Over 29 percent of Panama’s land is protected by 15 national parks, seven forest preserves and 10 wildlife refuges.
n Over 1,580 islands are located within Panama’s
territorial waters—1,023 in the Caribbean and
495 in the Pacific.
n Over 500 rivers run through the country.
n More species of birds live in Panama than in all the U.S. and Canada combined.
n Panama has approximately 10,000 species of plants, including 1,200 varieties of orchids, over 900 species of ferns and 1,500 varieties of trees.
n The famous red frog is found in the archipelago of the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park in the
Bocas del Toro province.
n Panama holds world records in the number of
different bird species observed in one day.
APRIL 2012 P31
corridor: agoutis, anteaters, deer, jaguar and tapirs. With
more than 400 bird species recorded, it’s no surprise that
the Panama Audubon Society runs birdwatching trips
here.
Chiriqui Province
n Volcan Baru National Park: The Baru Volcano is located
in the Chiriqui highlands. It is the highest elevation (11,401
ft. above sea level) in the country, and home to the resplendent quetzal bird.
n La Amistad International Park: Administered jointly by
Panama and Costa Rica, this park keeps intact one of the
oldest highland tropical forests in Central America.
n Gulf of Chiriqui Marine Park: This park is known for its
glorious beaches and pristine coral reefs, and the birding
is stupendous. On Isla Bolanos, hawksbill and leatherback
turtles come ashore to lay their eggs.
Azuero Province
n Cerro Hoya National Park: Located in one of the least
explored regions of the country, this beautiful park calls
the southern end of the Azuero Peninsula home, offering
spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.
n Sarigua National Park: Archaeological discoveries are
the highlight of this park, whose arid coast is located in
the eastern part of the Azuero Peninsula, 45 minutes from
Chitre. Half of this 20,000-acre park embraces a marine
environment.
n Coiba National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage Site
and World Biosphere Reserve embracing 38 islands to
form Central America’s largest marine park (1,043 sq.
miles), its largest is Isla Coiba (194 sq. miles). Boasting the
healthiest, most extensive coral reef in the western Pacific,
the park protects three different habitats: reef, marine life
and on-island. Once a penal colony, today’s focus is nature
tourism or ecotourism. And with good reason, for the
wildlife is very special. For instance, the resident howler
monkey is a sub-species endemic to Coiba, as are 21 of its
147 bird species. And Panama’s largest nesting colony of
scarlet macaws congregates here. Offshore, the waters are
filled with very big marine species, as in orcas, dolphins,
humpback whales, sharks (whale, white-tip, hammerhead
and tiger), plus giant manta rays.
Bocas del Toro Province
n Bastimentos Island National Marine Park: Coral reefs,
mangroves, white sand beaches and crystal clear waters
create a beautiful environment for the first marine park
in Panama. Every year, thousands of marine turtles return
instinctively to the beaches to lay their eggs.
Darien Province
n Darien National Park: Declared by UNESCO as both
a World Heritage Site and World Biosphere Reserve,
the park embraces more than 1.2 million acres of virgin
tropical forest along the border with Colombia. Rich in
nature, the park is home to 300 bird species, including the
endangered harpy eagle. Rich in culture, the Darien is also
P32 APRIL 2012
the land of the Embera, Wounaan and Guna Indians on
San Blas Islands.
Where (Some of) the Wild Things Are
Birding
Among natural history pursuits, tour operators have
learned that Panama is for the birds. Smaller than the state
of South Carolina, Panama has more bird species than the
U.S. and Canada combined. Birders have counted 976
species so far—those include migrants from both North
and South America, as well as the 107 regionally endemic
shared with Costa Rica, Colombia and Panama, and 12
species found nowhere else in the world. That means
that one can spot not-so-easy-to-spot birds without much
effort.
While June and July are the hardest months to see
birds, Panama nevertheless offers good birding yearround. However, you can’t beat the isthmus September
to April when the North American migrants come to town
to escape the cold. A special event during this time is the
spectacular raptor migration of millions of broad-winged
hawks, Swainson hawks and turkey vultures that takes
place October to mid-November. The Canal Zone offers
the best seat in the house for this spectacle. Long-established lodges and inns are dotted around the top birding
areas, with knowledgeable owners who can supply expert
naturalist guides and detailed birding information. Panama shares a border with Costa Rica, and both countries make great efforts to protect every visitor’s favorite
sighting: the iridescent-green resplendent quetzal, considered to be the most beautiful bird in the Americas. From
December to May is the best time to see a quetzal in the
Chiriqui highlands cloud forest of Volcan Baru National
Park, but they say that spotting a quetzal at Finca Lerida
in Boquete comes with a quetzal sighting guarantee, particularly for those early-risers staying at the inn. More than
500 other species fill the woodlands bordering the finca,
which is also well known for its coffee plantation tours.
Also in the Chiriqui highlands is the Sendero Los Quetzales (the Path of the Quetzals), a popular trail through the
Volcan Baru National Park, linking the towns of Boquete
and Cerro Punta. The trail through real wilderness averages out to a 6-hour/12-mile hike. It’s not a technically difficult walk, and it’s one that takes in both cloud forests and
palm vegetation, with streams coursing by. While there are
signs pointing the way, many hikers enjoy the company of
a knowledgeable guide.
The Darien National Park is the habitat of the endangered harpy eagle, largest by far of the nation’s 50 or so
raptor species. While conservation breeding programs are
in place—at the Summit Botanical Gardens & Zoo outside
of Panama City, for instance—the harpy eagle is usually,
although not easily, spotted in Darien around the Cana
Field Station, managed by Ancon Expeditions, a private
for-profit organization that spun off as a separate entity
from ANCON (Asociacion Nacional para la Conservacion
de la Naturaleza). ANCON has played an important role
in Panama’s efforts to protect its environment, through
recommend.com
establishing national parks and training park rangers.
The association actually owns the country’s largest private
nature reserve, Punta Patino Reserve on the Darien Coast,
which is another great place for clients to capture in relative comfort some of the best rainforest experiences.
Turtle Nesting
Five of the world’s seven species of turtles lay their eggs
on Panama’s beaches—the Olive Ridley, hawksbill, Pacific
green, loggerhead and leatherback. Only the female
comes ashore, normally to the beach where she was born
and usually at night. Major nesting sites, to be visited only
with a qualified local guide, include:
n Azuero Peninsula: Cañas Island Wildlife Refuge (access from Agua Buena, off the road between Pedasi and
Tonosi) was created in 1947 to protect Panama’s most
important marine turtle nesting site, patronized by all five
species nesting along the shores of this 9-mile-long island:
peak season is August through November. This is a unique
site in Panama for nesting Olive Ridleys. The cooperative in charge of the island provides the boat access and
compulsory guide service, with arrangements most easily
made at the Panama Tourism Authority office in Pedasi.
n Bocas del Toro: Four turtle species—hawksbill, green,
loggerhead and leatherback—come ashore between
March and October. The sites include Playa Larga on
Bastimentos Island and in the Zapatillas Cays. The most
accessible site is Playa Bluff on the eastern side of Colon
Island. April and May are peak nesting months for the
enormous leatherbacks (largest of all sea turtles), which lay
their eggs throughout the archipelago.
Whale Watching
The waters around Panama are full of whale excitement.
The humpback whale, and occasionally other species,
begin arriving in the Gulfs of Panama and Chiriqui in June,
and start returning to southern Pacific waters in October.
Although whales can be seen off the Caribbean seaboard—dolphins are the marine super-stars of Bocas del
Toro—the prime Panamanian habitats are Pacific waters.
n The Pearl Islands Archipelago and Taboga Island:
Humpback whales come to these waters—close to
Panama City, making an easy day trip from Panama City.
Panama’s environmental authorities recently declared
Las Perlas archipelago a marine corridor and have joined
forces with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
to protect whales and draft appropriate whale-watching
guidelines.
n Azuero Peninsula: From August to October, humpbacks are seen in the vicinity of Playa Venao (18 miles
south of Pedasi village), and June and September, offshore around the Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge. In February
and March, orcas may be seen here, and spotted dolphins
and bottle-nose dolphins are here year-round.
n Coiba Island and the Gulf of Chiriqui: September and
October are good months for humpback whale watching
in these waters, and during the same months, orcas are at
home on the east side of Coiba Island. j
A canopy tour via zipline is a must-do.
Canopy Touring:
An established
eco-adventure
Canopy Adventure zipline tour in El Valle de Anton
mixes nature hiking and ziplining. Adventurers must
walk uphill for 30-45 minutes through the rainforest, then
harness onto the zipline, for a descent in four stages
downward, past a waterfall, to the trail head.
Boquete Tree Trek is the longest and most impressive
of the ziplines—it’s an exhilarating, adrenaline-rush ride.
It features 12 stages and 14 platforms spread over a mile
and passing over two waterfalls.
On a clear day, you can see the Volcan Baru as one of
the runs passes about 300 ft. above the forest floor.
The ride lasts about 1.25 hours, and requires a bit more
upper body strength than most, for riders must be
able to apply enough pressure with gloved hands to
slow down.
Another zipline west of Portobelo, in the province of
Colon in an area called Rio Piedras, is operated by a
group called Panama Outdoor Adventures and consists
of nine cables strung between platforms that are up to
100 ft. above the forest floor. The tour lasts about 2.5
hours, including a forest walk.
APRIL 2012 P33
Getting There
Getting Ready
Getting Around
Air Panama. (You may find frequent mention that AeroPerlas also flies domestic routes; this regional TACA affiliate
ceased operations in February 2012). When flying on to
local destinations, the baggage weight allowance is 25
lbs., including checked and carry-on luggage.
By Rental Car: Renting a vehicle is easiest at Panama
City and David airports. To rent a vehicle, the driver must
present a valid passport and have a current driver’s license
from his/her country; this license may be used for 90
days. Panama has one of the best road systems in Latin
America; highways and even many secondary roads are
good. 4WD vehicles, often essential during the rainy season, are recommended for travel in remote areas and for
access to many national parks. Rental cars may not leave
the country.
By Boat: Travel between islands within the San Blas and
Bocas del Toro archipelago, as well as along the coast
and rivers of Darien, is primarily by motorized water taxis
(lanchas), motorized dugout canoes (piraguas) or paddled
dugouts (cayucos). A partial or complete transit of the
Panama Canal is available on Saturdays, and four times a
year, the 24-passenger Discovery does a week-long sailing
around Panama (pmatours.com).
By Train: The country’s sole railroad connects Panama
City with Colon on an hour-long ride that runs alongside
the Panama Canal. Trains leave Panama City’s Corozal
train station daily at 7:15 a.m., with the return departure
from Colon at 5:15 p.m.
Staying There: Throughout Panama, there are lodgings for every budget and taste, from luxury to up-scale
to hostel-hopper. Accommodations most popular with
the U.S. market are international chain properties and
boutique hotels in the capital; seaside resorts—small and
intimate; all-inclusive resorts that are on the increase along
the Pacific beaches; and eco-lodges in the highlands and
rainforest, on offshore islands. As in most tropical destinations, rates are highest mid-December to April, and the
“green” season is full of true vacation value.
By Air: Panama City’s main domestic airport is Aeropuerto de Albrook. Presently, the sole domestic airline is
For more information, go to www.visitpanama.com.
Entry & Exit Requirements: For U.S. and Canadian citizens, only a valid passport is required for entry;
however, passports must be valid for at least six months
beyond the date of entry. The airport departure tax for
those leaving the country is $40; however, it is now generally included in the price of the air ticket.
Getting There
Tocumen International Airport (airport code: PTY), located 20 miles from Panama City, is the point of entry to
Panama. The following airlines offer nonstop flights from
10 cities in the U.S.:
American Airlines: (800) 433-7300 or aa.com; from Dallas,
Miami
Copa Airlines: (800) 265-2672 or copaair.com; from
Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (JFK), Orlando,
Washington, D.C.
Delta Air Lines: (800) 221-1212 or delta.com; from Atlanta,
New York (JFK)
Spirit Airlines: (800) 772-7117 or spirit.com; from Ft.
Lauderdale
United Airlines: (800) 241-6522 or united.com; from Houston, Newark (EWR)
Note: U.S. travelers are beginning to combine Panama
and Costa Rica into one vacation. The two countries are
linked by air from Panama City to San Jose on Copa Airlines and Air Panama. Flights are also available between
David and San Jose on Air Panama and TACA Regional,
and between Bocas del Toro and San Jose aboard Air
Panama and Nature Air. Overland travel is becoming
increasingly popular, and there are three border crossings: at Paso Canoa on the Pacific side of the isthmus, the
most traveled route using the InterAmerican Highway; at
Rio Sereno in the highlands; and at Guabito-Sixaola when
crossing to/from Bocas del Toro.
Panama has the largest air
and cruise hub in the region
P34 APRIL 2012
recommend.com
Fast Facts
Geographic location:
The isthmus of Panama unites North America and South
America and is situated between 7º and 10º North Latitude, and between 77º and 83º West Longitude in the
tropical zone of the continent.
Coasts:
A combined total of 1,547 miles of coastlines including the
Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Climate:
Tropical. The dry season starts in January and ends in April
and the rainy season begins in May and ends in December. During the dry season, Panama experiences continuous sunshine and during the rainy season rain usually falls
intermittently during the afternoon with generally clear
skies in the morning hours.
Average temperature:
90°F during the day and 70°F at night.
Time:
There is only one time zone for the entire country and
year-round, normally the same as East Coast Standard
Time for the United States of America (GMT-5). The day
lasts 12 hours, with the sun rising at 6 a.m. and the sun
setting at 6 p.m.
Language:
Spanish. A high percentage of Panamanians speak English
as well.
Currency:
The Balboa is Panama’s local currency; however the U.S.
dollar is also accepted and used.
Accommodations:
There are over 20,000 rooms available in the country with
just over half in the capital city.
Attire:
Clothing generally worn is that which is appropriate for the
tropical climate. Light summer clothes are recommended.
For business, a light suit is recommended. For visiting
the more rural parts of Panama a wide-brimmed hat and
sunglasses are recommended.
Service tips:
Between 10 and 15 percent of the total bill. Some restaurants include the tip in the bill.
Driver’s license:
Visitors may drive in Panama with a valid, foreign driver’s
license for up to 90 days (three months).
Nature-embraced lodges are idyllic accommodations
Electricity:
110 volts; 60 cycles
Medical emergency:
If you are a tourist and you have a medical emergency,
Panama covers you under the country’s free tourist
insurance for up to 30 days.
useful TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
• Emergencies: 911
• Citizen inquiries and attention: 311
• Tourism Authority of Panama: 011-507-526-7000
For more information, go to www.visitpanama.com.
APRIL 2012 P35