PANAMA CITY : 10 THINGS TO DO

10 THINGS TO DO IN PANAMA CITY

Visit Casco Viejo. It’s the cute and charming old town of Panama City. Small enough to visit by walking around and getting lost in the streets, it boasts many beautiful churches and cute squares: Plaza Central, Plaza de Francia, Plaza Herrera, Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza Simón Bolívar, etc. You'll also find two interesting museums: the Museo de las Molas, which focuses on local crafts and is free, and the Museo del Canal Interoceánico, which recounts the canal's history through the years and costs $15 for tourists. It's also the best place to buy your souvenirs. Casco Viejo also has lots of nice restaurants, cafés, and bars; we'll share our recommendations in "Panama: Bars & Restaurants." But we can already advise you to try a local craft beer at La Rana Dorada and to eat at Fondo Lo que Hay. 

Walk on the Cinta Costera and eat at the fish market. The Cinta Costera is a walking path next to the sea, offering a really nice stroll with beautiful scenery. Lots of people are running, biking, or playing sports. You can also see some raccoons, and there's the Panama sign. On the Cinta Costera, you'll find the Mercado de Mariscos (fish market). Here, you can eat very cheaply, and just behind the restaurants is the market itself. A street behind you is the Mercado Felipe Neri for fruits, vegetables, and meat. You can also find cacao and coffee, natural and for a good price.

Go to the canal. Panama is world-famous for its canal, and here you can see it up close. The part you can visit is called Miraflores Locks. Be sure to check the boat schedule on their website. Before or after watching the boats crossing, you can see a movie explaining the canal's construction, which is included in the $17 ticket.

Meet the monkeys on Islas de los Monos. You can book a tour that includes Miraflores Locks and Monkey Island, or you can go on your own. You'll need to go to the Muelle Público de Gamboa. Negotiate the fare well with your Uber or taxi for the ride there and back to the city. It will cost you around $40 for transport, and the tour costs $30 per person with @isla_monos, which we booked via Instagram. You'll take a boat to see crocodiles, cross the canal, and meet many monkeys. In the area, you also have the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve, which offers activities but is a bit pricey. If you're traveling on a budget, you can also visit Parque Municipal Summit, which costs $5 and where you can see animals.

Meet the Emberá community. You can book a tour, or if you have a car, you can contact them directly to book a visit and meet them at Puerto Corotú. The Emberá community lives along the banks of the Río Chagres. There are different villages; we went to Emberá Drua. You'll visit their village, understand how they live, and have lunch. The Emberá are lovely people, happy to share their culture. To reach the village, you have to take a piragua (dugout canoe); the landscapes are beautiful. You'll also stop at a beautiful waterfall where you can swim.

Go to San Blas Islands. San Blas is an indigenous province, also called Guna Yala. It's a little paradise composed of more than 300 islands. You can book a day tour, which costs $130 and includes lunch and different stops. You can also spend a night if you want to disconnect, but be aware that the conditions are very basic, and there are no services.

Walk to the top of Cerro Ancón. We advise you to go early in the morning (around 7 am) to see animals like monkeys, capybaras, toucans, etc., and at the top, you have a beautiful view of the city. It’s not a difficult walk; you can take your time and appreciate this little natural spot in the middle of the city. You can book an Uber to drop you off at the start of the walk.

Discover Panamá Viejo. It’s basically the first city of Panama, now in ruins thanks to Henry Morgan. There's a small museum where the history of Panama is explained. The entrance fee is $15 for tourists, and it's closed on Mondays.

Have a walk at Amador Causeway. It’s a really nice walk surrounded by the ocean. You'll also have a nice view of the skyline on one side and the canal on the other. There are restaurants, and you can rent a bike. There's also the Biomuseo, a museum about biodiversity and the environment, which costs $18. We recommend having a drink and some food at the Canal House; it has chill vibes with a beautiful view of the canal, and the prices are okay.

Go to a Pacific island. From Amador Causeway, you can take a ferry to one of the Pacific islands. 

The closest one is Taboga Island (30 minutes). Ferries run regularly during the day, but we advise you to book online in advance; it costs $24 round trip. There's a cute town and a beach that gets crowded quickly during the day. We advise you to go during the week. You can rent a chair and relax all day. The beach isn't the most beautiful, as it's a popular island. 

A bit farther are Contadora Island and Saboga Island (1 hour). The beaches are more beautiful and natural, but it's pricier to go there, costing around $100 per person just for transport. You can also book a night; there are nice hotels. Day tours are also available; these islands are part of the Islas las Perlas (Pearl Islands). And during whale season, you can also book a day tour to see them.