11 Days in Panama
Panama- our first Central American country on the way north to Mexico. Only two months left before we need to get to Canada...we can't believe how quickly 10 months have gone. Coming from an amazing 5 weeks in Colombia, and an even more incredible total of 7 months in South America, we feel like we failed Panama a bit.
We didn't give it our all for two main reasons: 1) We are tired. Travelling is exhausting at times. We haven't spent more than about 4 days in one place in 10 months (aside from our 3 week stopover in Floripa). Going to new places every day is awesome, but it also gets a bit old having to pack your bag and ride another bus to get there. Some days we wish we had no backpacks at all, it would be so much easier with just yourself to worry about! 2) Panama is expensive. They use the USD as currency and prices aren't cheap. Especially coming from Colombia where everything was so reasonable. There are a lot more "organized tours" on offer for most of the major things to do/see, which instantly hikes up the pricetag.
That said, we still managed to see a diverse range of what Panama had to offer, and it was CARNAVAL! Nobody really talks about the carnaval in Panama, since Brazil steals the show at the same time of year. But almost every town in the country celebrates some form of carnaval nowadays, and we checked out the festivities in a few places (Panama City, Penonomé, & Bocas del Toro town).
We didn't give it our all for two main reasons: 1) We are tired. Travelling is exhausting at times. We haven't spent more than about 4 days in one place in 10 months (aside from our 3 week stopover in Floripa). Going to new places every day is awesome, but it also gets a bit old having to pack your bag and ride another bus to get there. Some days we wish we had no backpacks at all, it would be so much easier with just yourself to worry about! 2) Panama is expensive. They use the USD as currency and prices aren't cheap. Especially coming from Colombia where everything was so reasonable. There are a lot more "organized tours" on offer for most of the major things to do/see, which instantly hikes up the pricetag.
That said, we still managed to see a diverse range of what Panama had to offer, and it was CARNAVAL! Nobody really talks about the carnaval in Panama, since Brazil steals the show at the same time of year. But almost every town in the country celebrates some form of carnaval nowadays, and we checked out the festivities in a few places (Panama City, Penonomé, & Bocas del Toro town).
So what did we do in 11 days in Panama?
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1) Explored the old and new of Panama City: Panama City is large, modern, and feels a bit like you are in the United States. Head East to Panama Viejo to explore the historic site of the original city and head West to Casco Viejo to explore the more current old town area. A visit to the Panama Canal is also mandatory, where you can marvel at a modern feat of engineering. |
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2) Made the journey to Carnaval in Penonomé:
When we arrived in Panama, we were right on time to experience the start of Carnaval rolling out across the country. Since we hadn't booked anything in advance, almost all accommodation for the bigger festivals was sold out, so we decided on a day trip from Panama City to Penonome. Normally a 2 hour drive, the trip out took us a painful 5 hours in the traffic rush to escape the city. The small town was transformed by the Carnaval vibe- water tankers filled the main street, spraying party-goers with fire hoses, and the river became the parade route for the Carnaval Princesses and Queen. Carnaval lasts for 4 days, and it is difficult to find any detailed information about what is actually happening in each city, so you just need to show up and see what happens. |
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3) Hopped a couple of islands in Bocas Del Toro:
Everyone who goes to Panama seems to head to Bocas, whether it is for the islands, the parties or the surf. Bocas town on Isla Colon is the busy hub for the area, full of bars, restaurants and tourists. It is a good place to start to get your bearings and see what is available. We spent a night first on Isla Solarte at Bambuda Lodge- a wonderful place for some R&R. We also took the local bus to visit Starfish Beach further up the west coast of the main island. It lived up to its name...there were several starfish in the shallow water near the beach. |
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4) Hung out in a castle in Boquete:
The owners of Bambuda Lodge also decided to open a hostel in Boquete...and for good measure they made it a castle! The valley of Boquete is beautiful, lush and much cooler than both Bocas and David due to the elevation. A short hike through town to the northern mirador provides an awesome view of the town nestled in between the green hills. Keep your eyes peeled for the local wildlife- there might be a coati or quetzal just around the corner. |
5) David:
There isn't much to say about David because there isn't much reason to go there. We stayed one night because we had a 5:25am Ticabus booked to take us over the border to Costa Rica. For anyone taking the same bus, the bus picks you up on the Panamerican Highway in front of the Novey store, opposite a Super Baru grocery store. Your bus ticket will say "Super Baru" only, which isn't really helpful because there are 7 Super Baru stores in David. When we were there, there was only one Novey, so that is the better landmark. Also, for anyone travelling to Panama that needs to book onward travel as a requirement to enter the country, Ticabus now allows you to book bus tickets online.
There isn't much to say about David because there isn't much reason to go there. We stayed one night because we had a 5:25am Ticabus booked to take us over the border to Costa Rica. For anyone taking the same bus, the bus picks you up on the Panamerican Highway in front of the Novey store, opposite a Super Baru grocery store. Your bus ticket will say "Super Baru" only, which isn't really helpful because there are 7 Super Baru stores in David. When we were there, there was only one Novey, so that is the better landmark. Also, for anyone travelling to Panama that needs to book onward travel as a requirement to enter the country, Ticabus now allows you to book bus tickets online.
What didn't we do (that we probably should have)?
1) Portobello:
A cute port city in the north of Panama, complete with forts and stories of pirates. It should only take about 2 hours by local bus, but because it was Carnaval we were told the trip would take much longer, so we decided against it. But if you have a few extra days in Panama, it is apparently lovely.
2) Las Tablas Carnival:
Las Tablas is the place for Carnaval in Panama. This also means that accommodation books up far in advance and transportation is a nightmare, with most of Panama City driving out on Saturady morning trying to reach the party. If you know you are going to be in Panama in for Carnaval, book early and arrive on Thursday before the festivities kick off.
3) Bat cave in Bocas:
The Bat Cave was recommended to us by a friend, and there were tours on offer everywhere, but the cheapest we could find was $25 USD. Because we are on such a tight budget, this didn't seem feasible. But if you are here on a shorter holiday, or have cash to spend, then it seems like a great day trip.
4) More trekking in Boquete:
There are several hiking trails in Boquete that looked really beautiful, including the Baru Volcano, Lost Waterfalls and Pipeline trails. The weather wasn't great while we were in Boquete and all reports told us that the view from the told of Baru was non-existent. Everyone we met that had done the 6 hour summit in the middle of the night was greeted with cloud cover at sunrise. If the rain stops and the sun comes out, the view is meant to be one of the best out there, since you might be lucky enough to see both oceans from the peak.
5) San Blas Islands:
We were so close to doing the sailing trip from Cartagena to San Blas, but backed out last minute because of the wind and cost. By all accounts the trip is incredible, we just couldn't afford the $550 USD pricetag at the tail end of our year travelling. The islands remain on the bucketlist though, and hopefully we will get the chance to return one day.
1) Portobello:
A cute port city in the north of Panama, complete with forts and stories of pirates. It should only take about 2 hours by local bus, but because it was Carnaval we were told the trip would take much longer, so we decided against it. But if you have a few extra days in Panama, it is apparently lovely.
2) Las Tablas Carnival:
Las Tablas is the place for Carnaval in Panama. This also means that accommodation books up far in advance and transportation is a nightmare, with most of Panama City driving out on Saturady morning trying to reach the party. If you know you are going to be in Panama in for Carnaval, book early and arrive on Thursday before the festivities kick off.
3) Bat cave in Bocas:
The Bat Cave was recommended to us by a friend, and there were tours on offer everywhere, but the cheapest we could find was $25 USD. Because we are on such a tight budget, this didn't seem feasible. But if you are here on a shorter holiday, or have cash to spend, then it seems like a great day trip.
4) More trekking in Boquete:
There are several hiking trails in Boquete that looked really beautiful, including the Baru Volcano, Lost Waterfalls and Pipeline trails. The weather wasn't great while we were in Boquete and all reports told us that the view from the told of Baru was non-existent. Everyone we met that had done the 6 hour summit in the middle of the night was greeted with cloud cover at sunrise. If the rain stops and the sun comes out, the view is meant to be one of the best out there, since you might be lucky enough to see both oceans from the peak.
5) San Blas Islands:
We were so close to doing the sailing trip from Cartagena to San Blas, but backed out last minute because of the wind and cost. By all accounts the trip is incredible, we just couldn't afford the $550 USD pricetag at the tail end of our year travelling. The islands remain on the bucketlist though, and hopefully we will get the chance to return one day.