Direct decendants of Panama

The region is great for hiking, cycling, dirt road bikers and for nature lovers. One of the highlights of the valley are the square trees. They are found in the foothills of Cerro Gaital behind the Hotel Campestre. Canopy tours, hot water pools, and the beautiful endemic golden frogs are other highlights.

During Saturdays and Sundays the local marketplace near the Catholic Church is bustling with local farmers selling their produce and and artisans selling artcrafts. All kinds of fruits, vegetables, legumes, flowers, hand-woven molas, stone sculptures, wood work, native indian crafts, jewelry....

Barro Colorado Island is part of the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, a research station and nature reserve founded in 1923 and administered by the Smithsonian Institution since 1946. The ~1500 hectare island and the five surrounding mainland peninsulas added to the reserve by the Carter-Torrijos Canal Treaties in 1979 comprise the primary lowland tropical forest site in Panama under study by staff, visiting scientists and students at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Since it is mainly a research station with modern laboratory facilities, only a limited number of tourists and students may tour the island with a Smithsonian guide during the day. As you tour the island through thick jungle, you may see spider-, howler-, white-faced and tamarin monkeys, anteaters, rodents, tropical birds, exotic plants and flowers, and you will ocassionally encounter scientists from around the world doing their research. There is an inventory of 1369 plant species, 93 mammal species (including bats), 366 avian species (including migratory) and 90 species of amphibians and reptiles.

The only way to get there is by taking an early morning, beautiful boat ride from a small port at about 38 km from Panama City in Gamboa.   All visits are  to arranged with STRI. The best way to arrange one is with a Panamanian eco-tour operators. Be sure you that are being taken to Barro Colorado ISLAND, not to one of the other islands within the natural reserve.

Panama's Chiriqui province is the westernmost province on Panama's Pacific Coast. A rich agricultural region, it contains a range of climates from the hot lowlands near the Pacific to the high mountain valleys and Volcan Baru, which has an elevation above 4000 meters. Although there has been much deforestation, the higher elevations still contain some of the original cloud forest cover, and are one of the best places in Central America to view exotic wildlife, such as the resplendant quetzel.

Most land transportation through Chiriqui is along the Pan American Highway, a two lane paved road in most places, which runs from east to west. The principal city in Chiriqui province is David, but David seems like a distant backwater next to Panama City. Only a single road crosses the continental divide between Chiriqui and Bocas del Toro province, providing access to the Carribean port of Chiriqui Grande and several ecological reserves.

The most popular tourist destinations in Chiriqui province are the towns of Boquette and Cerro Punto, both on the flanks of Volcan Baru. They are situated in high mountain valleys with a temperate climate. The lands around these towns grow dairy products and vegetables for Panamanian markets and some coffee for world markets.

Boquette and Cerro Punto are not connected directly by road. To get from one town to the other, one must return to the lowlands, or hike for a day on a well-marked footpath that connects the two. This footpath is one of the best nature trails, well maintained and accessible for hikers of average ability. Other trails are poorly marked and rugged, often with difficult conditions. A local guide can be hired.

Either town is an excellent starting point for exploring the volcano and the ecologically rich precincts nearby. Boquette is a good starting point for white water rafting, which is available year round, but is best during the rainy season, from June through November. Cerro Punto is a good starting point for exploring the international Parque de la Amistad (Friendship Park), shared by Costa Rica and Panama, still largely pristine and undeveloped.

Contadora Island is located on the Pacific Ocean side of Panama. It's south of Panama City and is a part of the Archipielago de las Perlas (Pearl Islands). The Island's name comes from the legend that English pirates and Spanish conquistadors used to "count" all the pearls they acquired on this island.

The island is known for its 13 beaches of white sand and clear water. There are two resorts on the island, but it is also popular as a second home destination for panamanians. Beautiful beach houses line the beaches or roads.

The area is great for fishing and scuba diving.

Daily 16 minute flights connect Panama City (from Albrook national airport) to the island.

Besides from its turtle phenomenon, you will also find a great amount of world class surfing spots. Venado is one of them and good for beginners to advanced surfers depending on the swell size. It counts with 3 points breaking on sand and its best during our dry season (December to March) as it gets full offshore winds.

During the months of April – December you can expect more consistency on swells but some onshore from 11 am to 4 pm.   In order to learn more about Panama the surf you can log in http://www.panamaprivatetours.com/tours/surf.php  

 Furthermore, the Pedasi area is considered to be one of the world’s best spots for Tuna and Wahoo fishing. You can expect to catch at least 20 large tunas in a period of 5 hours and fishing charters are the least expensive in the western hemisphere. You can find “panga” fishing charters in this area at http://www.panamacruise.com.pa  . As a matter of fact, the Achiotines institute has a branch at the eastern tip of the Peninsula . The Achiotines institute is related to the Smithsonian  Institute

Accomodations are either local style (various), backpacker (DIM's Hostal in Pedasi) or over-the-top (two new, as-yet-unamed hotels near Pedasi).

Miraflores locks on the Pacific entrance (new visitors center)  During the guided tour, you will be taken to a room with a scale map layout of the canal, where they will show you how the route goes from the Caribbean to the Pacific.  And,  outside, you can also see ships going thru the small locks.

But, if you want to really see the locks in action, it would be worthwhile to rent a car and drive east to the Gatun locks, past the former Ft Davis military base...near Colon.

Gatun locks on the Atlantic entrance.  These are by far the largest locks.  As you sit on the platform, you can see the ships approaching from the caribbean side... they are lining up,  one by one.  And then, each one goes thru 3 sets of locks, in each one, the locks are closed, filled with water to raise the ship, and then it moves on to the next one, and then the cycle repeats.  Finally, you see the ship moving out to the Lake Chagres...the former river which was dammed to accummulate water to fill out the locks...  luckily Panama gets a lot of rainfall. 

Further down,  halfway to the Pacific, there is the city of Gamboa.  Here the ships leave the Lake Chagres and go in the Gaillard Cut (Culebra cut in Spanish). This  is the most challenging, the narrowest part of the canal, this is the portion where  the mountains literally had to be cut to create the waterway.  At this stage, only one ship can go in  one direction, but currently there is construction to widen it.  From here, then there are two more sets of lock, the Don Pedro and the Miraflores, which are much smaller... and from here then the ships continue west to the Pacific side.

The Panama Canal is definitely worth checking out, considering it was such an engineering feat  at the turn of the century.  (that is, 100 yrs ago) It has been under full Panamanian control for a few years now, and it is still running very smoothly, and they are constantly improving the facilities. 

While in Panama City, be sure to visit the Canal Administration Building on top of the hill... they have these incredible murals (about 7 of them) in the ceiling depicting the process of building the canal.    Entrance is free.

Right under the Gamboa Bridge the mighty Chagres River drains water into the Panama Canal. Been part of the North to South corridor of forest alongside the Canal, Soberania park offers refuge for lots of wildlife. Birdwatching calls the  attention of the nature travelers, been the most visited area the Pipeline Road , where the Panama Audubon Society established a record of 385 species of birds counted in 24 hours period. This road is a very good place  to do an easy nature walk or just to do some wildlife viewing (early morning).

Resources:
Hotels:www.gamboaresort.com
Local guides and transportation:  www.birdingpanama.com

The caribbean architecture, the local cuisine, the people and their festivities, have made these islands a nice place to stay for a couple of days.

The main city and the most common place of arrivel is Bocas del toro town. There are two main beach areas on the main Island, both at opposite ends of the town. the first one is Bocas del Drago, and the other one is Bluff Beach, favored by surfers from all over the world.

The best place to go for diving and relaxing are probably the Zapatillas keys.  The article was done by Antonio khatemi from visitpanama.com. Copy is permitted but author must be credited.

This Darien Gap Travel Guide will help you maneuver your way to Darien Gap easily. The reason why you need a travel guide is that Darien Gap is a large undeveloped swampy forest that separates Panama from Colombia.

An Exciting Destination for Backpackers

Darien Gap is a place that lacks finer necessities in life such as roads and big buildings. It is also regarded as a "no man’s land," due to the fact that there are some parts in Darien Gap that are over-run with rebels. Due to its vast and virgin forest, it is still regarded as a haven for naturalists and nature trippers. 

A Place Simply Not For the Faint-Hearted

Darien Gap is a very exciting destination for backpackers. Once you get to the border of Darien Gap and Panama, you are left with a single recourse, riding a motorcycle in order to reach the town of Darien Gap by land. However, you can also use motorcycle boats to maneuver your way in the swampy forests or walk on foot if the water is too muddy for the motor to work. Traveling in Darien Gap is simply not for the faint-hearted and not recommended for children, the elderly or family trips.

Natural Attractions

What is great about the place is that it simply boasts of unspoiled nature. Thus, be sure to bring your camera and get ready to shoot pictures of interesting wildlife at Darien National Park. You can also tour the network of rivers in Darien Gap such as the Rio Tuguesa and Rio Turia, using a banana boat or a motor-powered canoe.  

Shopping in Darien Gap

Darien Gap lacks shopping malls for you to buy souvenirs, you can just go back to Yaviza to buy local souvenirs from handmade beadwork and other handicrafts sold at cheap prices. These souvenirs make perfect gifts to give to your friends and family back home.

Options for Lodging

Darien Gap does not have many hotels and lodging places. In fact, the only decent hotel is the Tropic Star Lodge which surprisingly costs more than most expensive hotels in the city. A night in the Tropic Star Lodge can cost from $100 to $300. On the other hand, camping is not an option for security purposes because Darien Gap has a lot of rebels and military personnel roaming the jungle and swamps. For travelers who want to break out from their comfort zone, then traveling to Darien Gap is their perfect choice.

When you want to go to Colombia and do not want to cross through the thick of the jungle, the only alternative is going to Colon and trying to get a boat, or a plane, to Puerto Obald�­a near the Colombian border from there.

   While it is considered exceedingly dangerous to cross through the Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia, it is still possible to have a reasonably secure experience in the province, visiting native communities such a Mogue, Boca Lara, and Union Choco. All of these communities can be visited by taking flights or a bus to the last land location, and from there by water taxi. Probably the best method (if you have an open schedule) is to find one of the rusting cargo ships that supplies Darien villages. Some of them also take passengers. They leave from the municipal dock in Panama City - an area known as Salsipuedes (translates to 'leave if you can').

There hasn't been much written about Darien in the past few decades, other than a handful of short adventure sprints (Robert Pelton in National Geo Adventure, and Karl Bushby in his book 'Giant Steps') The only travel book to tell Darien's incredible story - from ancient geology, to native histories, mythology, and on-going problems with politics and kidnapping - will be released in April 2008 by a writer who traveled with native guides and on his own throughout the region for a year and a half by foot, dugout canoe and sailboat.  A description of the book can be found by searching 'The Darien Gap: Travels in the Rainforest of Panama 

Now it is a laid back place on the Carribean coast with a distinct Rasta atmosphere. After this it becomes hard to follow the road along the coast to go to Portobelo the last port of call before Colombia.

Panama City is a very beautiful city. The first thing you see in Panama's skyline is the contrast between the old (the Casco Viejo, old part of town, founded in 1673) and the new (Balboa avenue, banking area and Punta Paitilla). While the modern part of town is a fast moving city with skyscrapers everywhere, all kinds of restaurants and night clubs, a lot of small shops as well as big department stores and shopping malls, cellphones ringing allover, the Casco Viejo takes you way back in time with it's narrow streets, cafes and it's great architecture.

Nice things to do include a visit to the Amador Causeway that connects three small islands to the mainland. Grab a bite in one of the many restaurants it has to offer, ride a bicycle, rent a boat http://www.panamacruise.com.pa/listing-Boat+Rental+in+Panama+City-25.html and go fishing on one of the worlds best spots for sport fishing, watch the cruises dock at the marina at the end or to just take a walk and enjoy the sea breeze. Hop on a ferry from Amador to Taboga Island for the day or several quiet days at a Bed and Breakfast to enjoy the quaint village by the beach with rich history of pirates and conquistadors.

At the periphery of the modern town you will find the ruins of Panamá la Vieja, the first town founded by Spaniards at the Pacific in 1519.

Just outside the city center in the former 'Canal Zone' you'll find the Miraflores locks where the ships enter the famous Panama Canal.  It has an visitor center well worth your visit and a restaurant with a million $ view.

Within view of the Miraflores locks you'll find the City of Knowledge, formerly Ft. Clayton.   This cluster of academic institutions, NGO's and tech companies includes a Spanish language school  (ILISA).

The San Blas islands are a bit of unspoiled paradise. The Kuna indians live on these hundreds of tiny islands just off the coast of Panama. They dress just as you would expect with the women wearing the family capital in the form of gold around their neck, in their ears or in their nose.

Snorkling is absolutely fantastic with many corals and lots of fish. Bring your own gear, because not all accomodations have these available for their own guests. Diving is not allowed in San Blas.

Next, it is possible to visit the villages of the Kuna Indians, or to explore the jungle on the mainland. Ususally your accomodation can and will provide you with guides for activities like this.

The problem with the islands is, that it takes a little effort getting to them. There are a number of options, such as taking the boat from Colon. But by far the most easiest an comfortable way is by booking a national flight from Panama City. See the Getting There section for more info.

Although more and more eco resorts are being developed, accomodation is still pretty basic. It usually consist of a small number of cabins and a restaurant. Don't expect things as CableTV here. Usually the hotel also will provide you with meals.

It is possible to stay with Kuna families at home for a small amount. But you'll have to know someone and to try to arrange that. With more hotels available it is not the usual way of tourist accomodation  

When you take pictures of the women on the islands they expect a tip. One dollar is a normal fee.

Sights on the island include the Church of San Pedro, a small Museum, and altar honoring the Christ of Buga, which contains a small garden exhibiting a profusion of flowers in different colors and species. On the back side of the island lies the Toboga Island Wildlife Reserve, containing various species of sea birds that use the island as a refuge for their reproduction during the months of December-July.

Fuerte Amador, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal is an artificial peninsula jutting out into the Pacific from Balboa that connects three small islands to the mainland.  It is now a bourgeoning tourism complex where local city dwellers enjoy cycling, walking, and enjoying the breeze and the incredible view of the Panama City skyline and on the other side, the ships entering the Panama Canal.

It is separated from Panama city by Ancón Hill. It is a major port of call of cruise lines, there is also a Marina, the Flamenco Yacht Club.

If you arrive here and have limited time you can arrange trips to Panama City or the Canal with one of the tour operators in the portal zone. If you have some more time and want to see something of the country, you might want to move on to Panama city to find accommodation there.