Panama City

American influences on the city and a great base to visit the Panama Canal and the gorgeous San Blas Islands.

Some fore-planning: I knew that my flight would get in quite late at night, and I was coming from a pretty stressful last few days in the UK. So instead of checking into my AirBnB that night, I opted to spend my first night in Panama in a hotel that included meals. This way I wouldn't have to worry about navigating a new country, checking-in to an AirBnB, or finding food.

I lived in Panama City for about 3-weeks. After my first night in the hotel, I stayed 10 days in a private AirBnB in Casco Viejo (Old Town) where I spent the majority of my time writing my PhD thesis and rewarding myself with day trips out of the city. Later, I moved to a more central location, staying at El Machico Hostel for 7 days and really exploring Panama. For other hostel options, check here.

Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo is beautiful and recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s been regenerated for tourism purposes and home to many shops, restaurants, and bars - everything I ate here was good! It is also a pretty safe area that is patrolled 24/7 by police guards. I felt very comfortable living here. However, the area’s investments and potential expansions have been a source of contention with the local people in the area. Redevelopments threaten to drive local businesses and people out from their homes, and some argue that spending should be more focused on social investment (the people) rather than big businesses. In the outskirts areas of Casco Viejo you can see graffiti and posters protesting the redevelopments.

Things to do in Casco Viejo:

Visit the Panama Canal Museum - I didn't do this as I felt a Panama Canal tour would cover this and then some.
Walk along the coastal beltway, Cinta Costera 3, and see the city from a different angle. Make sure to take water with you, it's hot!
Walk around Casco Viejo and explore its architecture, from historic buildings to beautiful ruins. There are loads to discover and perfect for pictures.
Visit France Square and the surrounding area. Paseo de las Bovedas, the path along the water front, sometimes has stalls set up selling handmade crafts.
Bar crawl across rooftop bars. Or pick one and hunker down for sunset. There are so many to choose from, but Selina Hostel & Cowork is a great option if you want a no-purchase-necessary, surrounded by fellow travellers, oh and a rooftop pool experience.
Eat some award-winning, gastronomical Panamanian food at Lo Que Hay. It also has a very cool vibe - unsuspecting store front, sunny open courtyard, plenty of liquor.
Order a flight at La Rana Dorada and try some locally brewed craft beers

Vine covered walkway with local craft stalls in Casco Viejo.

Paseo de las Bovedas, Casco Viejo

San Blas Islands

You will find plenty of blog posts about the San Blas Islands, but to be honest with you, the descriptions given in the tour guides basically covers all you need to know. You cannot visit the San Blas Islands on your own, you have to do it by booking through a tour. There are plenty of tour options to choose from depending on your length of stay, amount of comfort, and specific islands (from day tours, to overnight tours, to tours that double up as your transport to Colombia). These islands belong to the tribe of the Guna Yalas. As such, they follow a traditional way of life, and so these islands are not built with the modern comforts one may be used to. I'm talking minimal electricity and basic facilities - traditional island-life living. The San Blas Islands are close to what I imagine paradise island looks like - soft sand beaches, clear blue waters, sparse palm trees, freshly caught fish.

I booked just a day trip, in part due to the price, and in part because there is only so much sunning I can take. I booked a group tour through Viator (linked below). Group tours are a good way to meet people as a solo traveller. My tour group was made up of 5 other guys from the USA who were on holiday together. They kindly absorbed me into their group, and we got on well enough to keep in contact after the tour. I had a very early 4am start with a 3.5 hours journey across the width of Panama with one rest stop at a gas station. The second half of the journey, through the Guna Yala county, is twisty and bumpy. I would recommend anti-sickness tablets for this, as it is a loong ride. (PS. you will also need your passport to enter the Guna Yala territory, You spend about 6 hours in the San Blas Islands, with lunch provided, before making the same journey back. I arrived home around 8pm and was absolutely knackered, couldn't even make it to dinner.

Clear turquoise waters in the San Blas islands.

White sand beaches overlooking an island in the San Blas.

The Panama Canal

Whilst it is possible to visit the Panama Canal yourself (travel to Miraflores Locks and time your visit with the boat times), I opted to join a half-day group tour as it didn't cost that much more than paying for transport myself. The tour involved viewing the canal from the Miraflores Locks, watching the ships pass into and out of the canal, and then a water tour on the canal itself to see wildlife. I highly recommend the tour. I learnt so much about the canal (design, construction, USA involvement) and about the history of Panama itself - our tour guide was really knowledgable. The tours also know the best times to catch the boats moving through the locks, but I'm sure there is somewhere online you could find that. The boat tour, after viewing the lock, was also great. Again, I learnt some history and geography behind flooding the land to create the canal and the subsequent 'islands' that this created. Boating around these 'islands' we saw plenty of wildlife: capuchin monkeys, tamarin monkeys, spider monkeys, crocodiles, bats, iguanas, and sloths. I booked my tour through Airbnb Experiences with Cesar, however it seems that he is no longer including a stop at the Miraflores Lock as part of the tour. Here's a link to his tours.

Things to do in Panama City:

Experience the rainforest from the city and visit Metropolitan Natural Park. It's a bus ride or two up, and a small fee if you stop by the visitor centre to sign-in. The paths are clearly marked, at varying degrees of difficulty, and provide fantastic views of the city.
Walk/skate/cycle along the water front on Cinta Costera. Buy some souvenirs, eat some raspados
Take your pick of morning fresh fish at Mercado de Marisco. Get yourself some ceviche.
Walk around the original Panama City in Panama Viejo. Personally, not a favourite of mine. It’s kinda far out, very vast area, which you walk around in the heat, and mainly crumbling ruins.
Rooftop infinity pool? Make your way up to the JW Marriott.
Eat authentic Panamanian food at El Trapiche. Absolutely a ‘must eat'!

to El Valle de Anton

Ruins of the old panama city, Panama Viejo.

Ruins of the old Panama city, Panama Viejo

Need to knows

To use public transport around the city you will need to get a metro card. They can only be bought from a metro station, so make sure to make the trip to your nearest station. It’ll be worth it.

Special Recommendations

Food: El Trapiche

Attractions: Metropolitan Natural Park

Accommodation: El Machicho

R’s take

Some of the comforts of America without having to visit the States. Felt totally comfortable at all times of the day and night. There are some very deprived areas which could feel unsafe, but I didn’t visit any of these places.

How sweaty I was post Metro Nature Park hike

Sand bank in the middle of the sea, San Blas

Pollo con arroz and maracuya (passion fruit) juice

At the top of the Metro Nature Park trail

Views from the rooftop pool at JW Marriot