I had my first taste of Panama when I had a long layover on the way to Colombia for my first trip to Latin America. I got a hotel and went out partying for the night, only to return to the hotel for about 4 hours sleep before departing to Colombia. The nightlife was fun and the architecture of Casco Viejo was cool, so fast forward a few years and I wanted to return to get the full experience Panama had to offer.
I had been learning Spanish online and practiced while travelling to Colombia and Mexico, and I wanted to continue the learning. One of the top rated international Spanish schools is Habla Ya, so I booked one week of Spanish courses in their Panama City campus, and another week at Bocas Del Toro. I thought, I can learn the language and meet people at the school while travelling solo, so it was a win-win.
I arrived in Panama City during the summer, during rain season, although don’t worry, when it rained it was shortly lived. I got there on the Friday before my course started on Monday. I decided to book a different hostel for the first 3 nights and then check into the recommended accommodations across from the campus on Monday. I ended up spending the 3 nights at Selina in Casco Viejo, Panama’s historic district which was built when parts of Panama City were destroyed in the late 17th century. Casco Viejo is a UNESCO world heritage site and is known for it’s French and Spanish colonial and even art deco architecture. There is a vibrant night life and has the typical buzz of Latin America with bars with rooftop terraces and views and a solid food scene. Selina was in a great location and had a rooftop pool and bar which was buzzing. To read more about Selina Panama City and Selina Bocas, click here.
I partied hard for the weekend and met a few locals, but mostly hung out with other tourists. Asides from parting I took a tour of the El Chorillo neighborhood with Victor of LOCALINPTY which was fabulous. You can read the review here.
On Monday, I headed over to the El Carmen residential area where the Habla Ya campus is and where my hostel was located. To learn more about my experiences with Habla Ya, click here(coming soon). The El Carmen area is quiet, but is safe, easily walkable and next to the El Cangrejo neighborhood which is full of a host of restaurants including the popular El Trapiche.
While staying here, I met a local who I hung out with for a few days of the week, visited some more bars in Casco Viejo and he even took me to a hidden local bar with cheaper beer, good music and it was vacated by 100% locals. I also went to the Canal and visited the Ambador Causeway while staying in Panama City.
After Panama City it was time to take an overnight bus to the town of Almirante where we took an early morning boat ride to Bocas town(Isla Colon), the main island in the archipelago of Bocas del Toro.
Bocas town is a fun party town and a central location to explore the other islands and beaches of the archipelago. Try the Caribbean cuisine, party with other tourists and explore the islands and beaches, these are the main things to keep you busy on the laid-back islands. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try surfing, which was fun and challenging at the same time. There is also Filthy Fridays, which is an epic island crawl (a pub crawl, but to different islands by way of boat).
The town, and even the Spanish course itself had a more laid-back vibe than Panama City, and if you’re used to island time and island life, you’ll like Bocas Del Toro.
Upon return to Panama City for a few final days before my flight home, I visited Taboga. Taboga is a town with plenty of history and known as “the island of flowers.” It has one of the oldest churches in the Western Hemisphere, has some nice views and a beach you can relax at. You can take a tour and learn the history of the island and it’s only a short boat ride from Panama City. There is also Portobelo which is a historic town which was ransacked by pirates, has forts and a nice beach. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to visit here, but if I return I will.
All in all, Panama is a relatively safe and easy country to explore in Latin America. It is the furthest country south in central America and has plenty to do. Most people speak English, which is good if you want an easy vacation, but if you’re trying step out of your comfort zone and practice your Spanish, you’re kind of at a stand still, as most Panamanians will be wanting to practice their English. Panama is said to be one of the happiest places in the world, and the people seemed happy and friendly. But they aren’t as keen to socialize with tourists and foreigners as other locations I’ve travelled, and most of my interactions were with Colombians and Venezuelans who immigrated to Panama. It has a stabler economy and uses the American dollar, so many immigrants from Latin America migrate there, so you’ll find a diversity of cultures and foods there. With that being said, Panama won’t be as cheap as your typical Latin America vacation. But if you want a less adventurous, but busy vacation with plenty to see and the combination of big city and island living, Panama might be right for you.
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