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Panama [2024]

  • Nov 30, 2024
  • 3 min read

We visited Panama City for a friend's wedding and had a blast. We'd originally had high aspirations to see a bunch of nature to the west, but we discovered the travel time and logistics quickly became a "thing." So, we stuck to Old Town and hung out with friends around areas of Panama we might not have previously considered. That ended up being really special for us and definitely recommend a visit to some of the islands to the north and south!


San Blas Islands
San Blas Islands

Pre-trip Notes

  • Safety: We were warned by the bride, who had been living in Panama for quite some time, that there were parts of town that we should avoid. When we mentioned we might walk to a certain place, she responded with, "Absolutely not." We also had a cabi lock his doors when we drove through one of these areas. Generally, west and southwest of the main old town area were a no-go. So, do your research, and take taxis when you can.


Metropolitan Natural Park
Metropolitan Natural Park

What We Did

Old Town



West

  • Panama Canal: Miraflores Locks - More impressive than we thought it would be in-person. A must visit. You can pre-purchase tickets or buy them onsite.

  • Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial: The groom and a number of his family members are in the military and wanted to share this special place with use. Great grounds with some notable veterans buried here.


Panama Canal - Miraflores
Panama Canal - Miraflores

Islands

  • San Blas Islands: These little islands are magical, and there are so many! The bride organized for us to be bused to a boat that took us to a couple of different islands. There were local foods and drinks had all day. A beach day with friends we truly needed. We didn't book this ourselves, but there are several options via Viator, Get Your Guide, etc.

  • Las Perlas Islands: Our visit here wasn't as "cool" as San Blas (these islands are bigger and more modernly inhabited), but there's still a fun beach vibe here. We specifically visited Contadora Island. After checking out a beached boat, the groom's parent's made friends with a local and we visited her place for a bit.



Food

Old Town

  • Restaurante Pencas: We needed to grab lunch after visiting the nature center, and this place wasn't bad! Also has a nice view.

  • Restaurante La Divina Comida | PANAMÁ: Had a great lunch here seated outdoors.

  • Marzola Parrilla Argentina: We had decent piscos here, and the decor is really fun :)

  • CascoMar: Only stopped in for a drink on the patio across the street. Really nice atmosphere!

  • Enkai peruvian japanese cuisine: This place really surprised us. An interesting blend of cuisine that we both really enjoyed.

  • Casa Catedral | Restaurante: Great food, but the interior was even cooler!

  • Snack Shack: We loved this place for a quick breakfast.

  • OPA Greek Tavern: We didn't necessarily want to have Greek as our first meal in Panama, but we were starving and Ash's food diet choice is...challenging. But, this place's food was actually pretty great.

  • Sunset House Beach Bar: A fun little bar to enjoy the breeze and company. Tip: It's at the back of a gift shop.

  • Diablicos: We'd originally considered dinner here, but after looking at the menu, thought it would be difficult for Ash to order much. So, we had a quick drink and left. Touristy vibe, but seems fun!

  • Lotus House of Coffee | Casco Antiguo: The coffee here was phenomenal. The barista taught us about the special geisha coffee and talked us through the process. It's a more expensive coffee due to its complexity and scarcity, and it's know for its floral and sweet notes.


Sunset House Beach Bar
Sunset House Beach Bar

Panama City

  • Salchimama: Really cool food truck park. Had a really hard time finding anything vegetarian, but the fries were great and lots of other types of foods to try!

  • La Tapa Del Coco: We met up with the bride and grooms families, and the food here was GOOOOD. Actual vegetarian options here that were super tasty!

Las Perlas Islands



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