Panama City is an interesting city. It’s in Latin America and is a developing country. But because of the American’s influence over the construction of the Panama Canal, they use the American dollar. The country also has a good transportation system and many amenities that you would find in America. Besides a few neighborhoods (and even they weren’t that bad), Panama is relatively safe. You have to take precautions and will be offered illicit substances while on the streets, but that even happens in the USA and Canada.
Being in a fairly successful country, with a lot of history and pride, the Panamanians walk around with confidence and pride, and don’t bat an eye when they see a gringo. Most of the people speak English, so it’s easy to get around, and you won’t have to worry about your Spanish as much. I was there to learn Spanish, so that was kind of a downfall, as most of the people wanted to practice their English with me. Also, unlike Mexico and Colombia, the police aren’t as corrupt; therefor white guys wearing jewelry and with tattoos won’t be subjected to random searches.
A cool feature of Panama City is that you get a variety of neighborhoods to visit. And I stayed in 3 of these neighborhoods, at Selina Casco Viejo, at Panama House Bed and Breakfast in El Carmen and after I returned from Bocas, I stayed near the Amador Causeway at the Radisson Hotel Panama Canal. You get Latin America vibes followed by big, developed city feels. There is Casco Viejo with a vibrant nightlife, historic buildings with Art Deco styles and views of the water. Next door to Casco Viejo you have the raw and rugged El Chorillo, so be careful where you walk at night when partying in the streets. There is also El Cangrejo which is one of the few easily walkable neighborhoods with a variety of different restaurants including El Trapiche, a favorite restaurant to try local Panamanian dishes. There is also the Amador Causeway, the roadway and boardwalk that jut out to the small Flamenco Island. And there is Cinta Costera, where there isn’t much to do, but there are beautiful views overlooking the water, a pathway to cycle or jog on and the Panama sign. Then there’s the luxurious Punta Pacifica with condos and hotels, jutting out from the mainland and onto the waterfront.
Partying in Casco Viejo was fun. There are rooftop terraces and a variety of different nightlife experiences. And at the end of the night, wander off for some street food. Unlike Colombia though, the nightlife wasn’t as raw and authentic. It felt like partying with rich people that don’t care to socialize with outsiders. The only time the nightlife felt like you could interact with the locals was when I went to a hidden local club outside of the main areas with a local that I met. If you get bored while partying in Casco Viejo, walk to the next place or hop in one of many cabs that are available. Just be prepared to deal with pushy cab drivers. Casco Viejo also is home to the Bajareque Coffee house where you can try Panama’s famous Geisha coffee, the most expensive coffee in the world. The coffee was good, but I thought it would be better for el cafe mas caro en todo el mundo.
The Amador causeway’s views were phenomenal, but many of the restaurants seemed to be run down and empty. Most of the tourists go to Casco Viejo so due to the lack of visitors on the causeway, there is less attention to detail at the restaurants and bars. I had ceviche at a small restaurant there and the views and ceviche was good though until I could spot a thunderstorm on the way. On the causeway you can rent a bike, enjoy the ride and views and go across to the marina and stop at one of the cafes.
When I found out Trump’s Ocean Club and casino was there, I headed down to Punta Pacifica. In Punta Pacifica, there are a variety of restaurants and Trumps casino, where you can get panoramic view of the skyline and water while sipping a beer on the terrace. Asides from the view, the ocean club was nothing special.
And a trip to Panama City wouldn’t be worthwhile without a view to the Panama Canal, one of the 7 engineering wonders of the world. The canal joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and saves shipping companies millions of dollars, all the while bringing dollars into Panama City. It’s a worthwhile experience to see the sheer size of the cargo ships crossing through the man made canal. There is also a museum where you will learn a number of interesting facts and information about the canal if engineering is interesting to you.
There is a lot of history to the canal and Panama so it’s interesting to learn about this. Like the fact that Panama has the only Coca Cola café in the world. It is also the oldest café in all of Panama City, opening its doors in 1875. During the construction of the canal, Coca Cola opened a bottling plant and filmed commercials of canal workers sipping their tasty and refreshing drink.
Panama City doesn’t feel as “Latin” as some of the other places I’ve been, but it has a rich and colourful history. The city is diverse, so it is a cultural hub and there is a wide variety of food options there. The food was very good in Panama. There are lots of options for nightlife, but the nightlife is better in other Latin countries and cities. For me the best part of Panama City was the canal and the tour of El Chorillo by Victor of LOCAL IN PTY. If I go back to Panama, I’d stop in Panama City as a starting point, but wouldn’t need to spend more time than a few days there to explore the rest of the country.
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