City or the Outskirts? Panama has that and more!

Panama City is known for its enthusiastic night life. Everything happens in three divisions of the city:

The business area, Casco Viejo, the memorable Spanish Colonial division of the city and fabulous Amador Causeway interfacing a string of Panama Bay islands with sea and city sees both day and night. The city offers a wide mixed bag of nightlife spots-bars, discos, pubs and club. Rebuilding and restoration inside the city has made Casco Viejo one of the city's most trendy ends of the line for a night out. Exquisite bars, restaurants, and walkway bistro's are opening. The appeal of the old keeps on being revitalized.

Panama tours outside the city incorporate the Panama Canal, the sixteenth century remnants of Panamá Viejo, the Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo, the tropical downpour woods of the Parque Nacional Sobreranía and the 655 section of land Parque Nacional Metropolitana.

There are several islands off both banks of Panama, and snorkeling, swooping, angling, surfing, and swimming are all well known interests. Panama is a common area connect that join North and Central America with South America. Both the northwestern and eastern parts of Panama and in addition the trench zone are commanded by downpour backwoods abounding with creature and plant species from both mainlands. More feathered creature species live in Panama than in all of North America.

Experience this intriguing association between two endless seas for yourself. Visit the Republic of Panama, and get ready to experience a get-away that will never be overlooked. After your get-away you will love Panama so much you may even ponder resigning in Panama.

Let’s Cruise the Panama Canal

One of the few building wonders on the planet with its own particular palindrome, the Panama Canal ought to be on everybody's rundown of must-see places. Commending its centennial in 2014, this connection between two extraordinary seas is as fundamental and energetic as ever. It is additionally one of the best demonstrations of great dated Yankee inventiveness that the world has ever seen. 

A large portion of the significant lines and some littler ones offer in any event a couple of Panama Canal sailings each one season. Princess planned two boats, Island Princess and Coral Princess, to cruise the channel; each one boat has more than 700 gallery staterooms, and both sail the waterway lasting throughout the winter. The Panama Canal is likewise a prominent repositioning journey in the middle of Alaska and the Caribbean. Travel boats, for example, Lindblad, and visit organizations known for stream travels, for example, Grand Circle and Tauck, likewise make the adventure. 

Picking An Itinerary 

At one time, Panama Canal tours took after the same standard agenda: 14 days from Florida to the West Coast, with stops in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. In the previous decade, voyage lines have stretched their offerings, avid to bait new travelers to the oceans. 

Separated from length of cruising, the greatest choice you'll have to make on a Panama Canal voyage is whether to settle on a conventional trans-channel experience or take a halfway intersection. 

Best Time To Go 

The Panama Canal voyage season runs from October to April. The best time to go is after the stormy season closes in November.

Taste Panama with these Panama Restaurant Recommendations

After tiring Panama excursions, it is best to reward yourself a satisfying meal and where to find the best meal? It is only on the best restaurants around!

A blend of Afro-Caribbean, Latin American and European societies, Panama's culinary scene reflects the nation's differing legacy: from basic and flavorful solace sustenance to perfect gourmand investigations, to entice any sense of taste. The Panamanian cooking ordinarily incorporates meat or fish with coconut rice joined by nearby products of the soil, for example, yucca (a root vegetable), corn, coconuts and plantains. Numerous restaurants add to the Panamanian social experience, giving their visitors significantly more than simply a choice of dishes. 

El Trapiche 

Spend significant time in common Panamanian cooking since 1983, El Trapiche is a well known end for any guests to Panama City whose culinary interest matches their voracity. In Spanish, 'el trapiche' is a plant which presses the juice out of a sugar stick – and the restaurant satisfies its name by utilizing the absolute best of neighborhood produce, transforming it into an assortment of wholesome Panamanian dishes. A mark delicacy incorporates the 'Panamanian Fiesta', a complex eight-dish invention offering the best of neighborhood cooking. 

Restaurante El Caribe 

For the best Afro-Caribbean cooking with a home-cooked feel, Restaurante El Caribe is a culinary must-go. Famous for its amazing and conventional solace sustenance, El Caribe utilizes just the freshest, regular fixings and prides itself on its awesome hand crafted coconut oil and scotch hat pepper-based sauces. Specialities incorporate the oxtail in Lima beans with dumplings, bastard chicken and octopus in coconut sauce

Tantalo Kitchen 

An outright culinary jewel, Tantalo Kitchen offers a globally propelled tapas-style menu with a Panamanian touch. Each one dish is an innovative blend of nearby meats, fish and vegetables with Indian, Mediterranean and Latin American impacts, served as Spanish tapas in shares perfect for imparting on the long mutual tables in the restaurant.

Let’s Go Coast to Coast at Panama

Panama, the southernmost Central American country, has something for each geographic taste: a worldwide enormous city, man-made wonders, uninhabited islands, detached shorelines and mountain rainforests—all generally near one another.  This is the reason why Panama tours are common desires for travelers all over the world.

In the event that you need to get to know Panama, there's no substitute for going by street. In spite of the fact that taxis and transports are shoddy and abundant all through the nation, rental auto is a moderate (even a 4×4 SUV rental will cost just $550 a week including protection and assessment) approach to go between Panama's most famous ends of the line, Panama City on the Pacific south drift and the Bocas Del Toro archipelago on the Caribbean north—approximately 300 miles. 

Notwithstanding being short of what a five-hour flight from the southern a large portion of the States, Panama is shockingly unsullied by North American corporate greed. Indeed the chain restaurants of Panama City are few and far between. The capital, with its cosmopolitan charm and abundance of remote venture, can be forgotten for some horizon improving over-advancement, yet dissimilar to in its pricier northern neighbor, Costa Rica, the field hasn't fallen prey to the condominium bubble or its blasting. What's more once you're off the Pan-American Highway, progress is consigned to the small towns of rural Latin America. Obviously, if Panama goes the method for Costa Rica, it won't generally the case. 

A half hour ride from Tocumen airplane terminal, Panama City's oldie but a goodie permits guests to lose their feeling of time and spot. To be sure, along the modest landmass' hundreds of years old eastern divider is a surrounding perspective of downtown's shockingly high present day horizon. Age-old and hip, restless yet protected, besieged out however excellent, the territory has been revitalized however not overexposed. But who knows until when?

A half-hour ride south of the Pan-American Highway from the Horconcitos turn-off, the water-taxi man is holding up for you at the Boca Chica town dock. Furthermore for $2 each he'll whisk you away to Boca Brava. 

Before turning north off the Pan-American at the small town of Chiriqui to Almirante—where a port to Bocas Del Toro sits—verify you or your driver has procurements, for example, gas, food and water; there's no development for no less than two slowing down. The street is not named and it is not said in any manuals, yet it is plainly checked on generally maps. Owing to Panama's status as mainland connector and global exchange course, the street is cleared smooth with at least potholes (much simpler on the nerves than the well known yet rough way up Costa Rica's Monte Verde)

Panama Beyond the Panama Canal

Notice Panama and most individuals think Panama Canal. There is undoubtedly the 50-mile-long channel, finished in 1914, that cuts crosswise over Panama from the Atlantic to the Pacific is a standout amongst the most astounding accomplishments of cutting edge building. It would be a misstep for any guest to Panama to miss at Panama tours having a halfway travel of the Canal or, coming up short that, a visit to Miraflores Locks to see the secures up close and operation. 

Anyhow Panama offers such a great deal all the more other than: for a begin, tropical rainforests for untamed life and winged animals, shorelines and islands for unwinding, and mountain towns for climbing. At that point there's Panama City with amazing inns, great eating, a couple of great historical centers and two magnificent authentic regions — La Vieja and Casco Viejo — both rich in remainders from Panama's pioneer p

Panama City

The more seasoned of these two areas is La Vieja (The Old One), found at the eastern edge of Panama City. Established in 1519 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro Arias de Avila, Panama la Vieja — the first Panama City — developed rapidly to turn into one of Spain's most vital urban communities in the Americas. 

Arranged on the Pacific, it served as a course for the gold and silver spilling out of the mines of Peru and Bolivia which was transported here to be conveyed over the isthmus of Panama to Caribbean ports and thereupon by boat to Spain. 

Panama la Vieja had a regal treasury, a house of God, eight communities and cloisters, places of worship, many distribution centers and scores of rich chateaus and a large number of humbler homes. In 150 years the city developed and thrived, its populace arriving at an expected 30,000. Everything reached a sudden end in 1671 when the privateer Henry Morgan and a thousand of his companions assaulted the city, steered the Spanish troopers safeguarding it and afterward continued to plunder and plunder. A flame finished the decimate.

Casco Viejo 

After Henry Morgan's decimation of the first Panama City, it was chosen to revamp five miles southwest on a landmass that was more solid. The new settlement, Casco Viejo (Old Casco), was encased inside tough stone dividers guarded by cannons.

Panama City Year Round Events

Like never before, Panama City is blasting with occasions and events everyone in the family will love. Make a plan for Panama City tours and enjoy the events when many peeple visit fine shops, restaurants and shows. Find why Panama City is recorded as one of the best craftsmanship towns in America for Cities with a populace of short of what 50,000. 

Year-round occasions include: The Blessing of the Fleet, A Classic Car Show, Spring Festival of the Arts, The Annual Independence Day Celebration, Oktoberfest, First Friday, and Concerts in the Park.

The Blessing of the Fleet

The occasion started in Panama City in 1997 however the convention of gift a watercraft goes once again to southern European angling groups when the gift from the nearby minister was to guarantee a sheltered and plentiful season.

Spring Festival of the Arts

The Spring Arts Festival, held in and around delightful Mckenzie Park, commences the season with an extraordinary cluster of excitement and exercises for all ages. Bring the entire family for a weekend of workmanship and music. Affirmation is allowed to the overall population.

Annual Independence Day Celebration

Panama's official Independence Day is commended on November 3. The Annual Pre-autonomy Day Parade pays tribute to Panama's social legacy with music, moving, sustenance and fun.

Oktoberfest

This is a throughout the day occasion, with bounty to keep the children occupied while the grown-ups make their rounds of the different brewskie tents! Festival rides, face-painting jokesters and an assemblage of other family exercises are on offer.

Panama: A Go to Destination for All

Overflowing with history and balanced for the future, Panama is the ideal destination and incentive destination for different sorts of gatherings. 

Panama is a tropical nation by nature, as well as these days a hot end of the line making more than a couple of "top" records including No. 1 in The 45 Places to Go in 2012, as indicated by a January 2012 survey by the New York Times. 

At a Glance 

Panama City: 

By far Central America's most agreeable capital, Panama City is generally supplied with enough enormous brand extravagance inns, modern restaurants and ethnic-strength restaurants, an energetic music and nightlife scene, provincial appeal and club betting to fulfill gathering representatives of each stripe. Definitely, Panama city tours are what you don’t have to miss when traveling to Panama. What's more the Panama Canal is an exceptional encounter that can't be replicated anyplace else on the planet. For organizers, it’s the most extraordinary venue of just for visiting, eating on location, traveling by pontoon or train. 

The Beaches: 

With more than a thousand miles of coastline on both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, Panama's top extravagance shoreline resorts lie along the Pacific sands, beginning just outside the capital and extending westward. The vast majority of the resorts are smooth new properties, prepared for aggregate solace, great administration, state-of-the-art gathering spaces, and also a full offering of watersports and golf. 

Bocas del Toro: 

The main Caribbean attraction most loved is the Bocas archipelago, an unwinding, casual, marginally bohemian play area of white-sand shorelines, huge surf, immaculate coral reefs and wide range of animal species. The people are really entrancing, as well, with a rich blend of differing people groups that incorporates indigenous Indians and Afro-Caribbean tenants who've called Bocas home for several years. The lodging base is little, yet the great times prizes are terrific. 

The Mountains: 

The cool good countries of Panama are home to the nation's most astounding mountain, Volcan Baru that towers above Boquete, an immaculate retreat for little official gatherings and team building, adrenalin-filled and thrilling enterprises, while the mountain town of El Valle de Anton is a fun-filled simple day's exposing from Panama City and the Pacific shoreline resorts. For game angling devotees, there's no preferable excursion over to travel to David in the good countries, then set out down toward the ocean to do fight with marlin, sailfish and fish.

Celebrating Panama Canal’s 100 Years

Trivia: Did you know that the most popular waterway in the Caribbean now celebrates its centennial anniversary after it has opened to the public as a major waterway in the nation?

Panama commemorates the 100th celebration of its acclaimed waterway last month, with a service and function, even as it mixed to set aside a few minutes by growing it to keep up its aggressiveness in the 21st century.

To celebrate the feat, more than 2,000 women visitors dressed in astonishing night outfits, men of honor in dull suits and ties—turned out at the enormous Figali Convention Center here on Friday night for what you may call the function of the century. It was the 100-year-commemoration festival of the opening of the Panama Canal.

The fundamental occasion was a singing and moving party that recounted the story of Panama from its land climb from the ocean three million years back to the present day. Tumblers undulated over the stage and whirled from above on ropes and trapeze swings to mimic the conception of the isthmus that would separate two incredible sea.

The trench, a building masterwork that changed worldwide trade, opened on August 15, 1914, joining the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and sparing ships the long, hazardous outing around South America.

More than a million vessels have passed through the Panama Canal since it opened. Actually for prepared cruisers, it remains a voyage to appreciate. The conduit gives 10,000 employments and has helped make Panama a standout amongst the most dynamic economies in the locale, with 8.4 percent development a year ago.

Marking the start of its 2nd century now, the Panama Canal will still continue to be not just a major waterway but a most love Panama destination providing the best tours in Panama through its cruises.

Political analyst Jose Isabel Blandon has said, "it was born as a colonial enclave, and today it's an engine of development."

Discovering the Gatun Lake

The flickering, simulated heart of the Panama Canal, Lago Gatún (Gatun Lake) blankets what was previously the rich Chagres River Valley, until 1907 home to scores of little towns and wondrous rainforested tracts. When it at last filled, by 1913, it was the biggest man-made lake, buttressed by the greatest dam, on the planet. 

Gatun Lake has a range of around 163 square miles and was structured when the Chagres River was dammed. It sits between the Gaillard Cut and the Gatun Locks. 

Today, swathed in rainforest and scattered with islets, Lake Gatún is the most grand spot on this extremely popular section between the seas. This overall watered world encompassed with secured parkland, lovely cabins, monkeys and uncommon tropical flying creatures, and also a fine choice of family-accommodating beguilements, including zip-line overhang visits and ethereal trams. Watercraft visits can without much of a stretch be masterminded to incorporate angling, trekking and that's just the beginning.  

You'll cross the beautiful 33km (20mi) transportation channel through Lake Gatún on any travel cruise of the waterway. It's much less expensive, simpler, and speedier to take a taxi or transport from Panama City, and book watercrafts for shorter trips here. 

What to do? 

Take a pontoon visit through the Panama Canal into mystery conduits to discover shrouded islands that are the monkeys' top picks. This one is among the best tours in Panama city. Capuchin and howler monkeys could be seen hopping on the trees above. Infrequently, they get to be interested of the guests and wander down to examine. The Monkey Island escapade visit starts on the edge of Gamboa, intersection the Chagres River, up to the Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal, one of the greatest counterfeit pools of the world with a range of 425 square kilometers. In this extraordinary experience you will have the chance to visit a few islands, where you will see the vegetation, watch up close amicable capuchins and crying monkeys, and in addition watch various fledgling species. 

This visit is perfect for nature beaus who will be enchanted with the sea-going life, while in the meantime getting a charge out of the grand rainforest.

New Orchid Specie Found in Panama

Researcher from the United States and Mexico have depicted another orchid species from a mountainous region in focal Panama. You may stumble this orchid specie in your next Panama excursions.

The Orchid family known as Orchidaceae, contains the biggest number of plant species on the planet – up to 30,000. Panama alone has around 1,100 known species. 

Orchids are special in that the bloom's female and male regenerative parts are combined. They can without much of a stretch hybridize or cross and, accordingly, almost 300,000 orchid mixtures are man-made and industrially accessible to the general population. 

The newfound plant has been named Lophiaris silverarum. 

The specie belongs with Lophiaris, an orchid class that contains comprises of 25 species and 3 characteristic half breeds found in southern Florida, the West Indies, from northern Mexico to southern Brazil and northern Argentina. 

Lophiaris silverarum, portrayed in a paper in the diary Phytotax), is known to develop just in central Panama. The plant sprouts in November, the blossoms enduring around a month. 

“Orchids are a difficult and confusing taxonomic group. People who specialize in the Orchid family usually spend years naming different species based on DNA and morphology. Sometimes plants can look alike morphologically, but DNA informs us that they are very different species, which makes naming the species difficult,” explained Dr Katia Silvera from the University of California, Riverside, who, along with her father, discovered the new species.

“The diversity of orchids is best seen in the tropics, where, unfortunately, habitat is being destroyed very fast. As a result, we are rapidly losing the diversity of orchid species. Although there are many orchid species unnamed in nature, it is actually quite difficult to determine for sure that an orchid is unnamed. They are difficult to find and difficult to tell apart.”

“Orchid species are the raw materials for hybrids, and there is a lot to discover about how these species evolved and became such a successful group. Orchid research will only thrive if efforts to conserve tropical rainforest are put in place.”

“We are in the process of propagating the species in vitro in Panama for commercial purposes.” Dr Silvera added on his interview.

He added, “My father, Gaspar Silvera, is the owner of a small orchid company in Panama that specializes in propagating native orchid species but because Lophiaris silverarum grows slowly, taking about four years to reproduce in vitro, from seed to the first bloom, it will take many years before it is available to the public in Panama first, and then made commercially available outside of Panama.”

The Bridges down Panama Canal

When you are at Panama and doing your cruise down the Panama canal, you won’t miss to notice the bridges that connects two main lands of the city. These bridges add to the attractions upon your tour. We’ll give you a rundown of the bridges you will see when you cruise the Panama canal. 

Bridge of the Americas

Rising at a height of 118 meters (354 ft.) and width of 1,669 meters (5,007 ft.), the Bridge of the Americans join the two area masses divided because of the development of The Panama Canal. It was constricted by the United States, at an expense of $20 million dollars, the Bridge of the Americas now structures an essential piece of the Interamerican Highway, associating both North and South America.

While it is presently known to as the Bridge of the Americas, it was initially named after Mr. Maurice H. Thatcher, the one who cut the tape during the inauguration of the bridge. Now, very few if none have been referring to the bridge as its old.

Puente Centenario or The New Millennium Bridge

The Centennial Bridge or Puente Centenario is the second major bridge of the Panama Canal.  It stretches at 15 km (9.3 mi) north of the Bridge of the Americas and crosses the Culebra Cut (Gaillard Cut) near the Pedro Miguel locks. New turnpike segments, associating Arraijan in the west to Cerro Patacon in the east through the scaffold. It is essentially built to limit the congestion of crossers on the Bridge of the Americas.

During the time when this scaffold was opened, 9,500 vehicles crossed the extension every day; now over 35,000 have been crossing the bridge each day, most of them crossing in the rush hour.

So next time you plan to visit Panama or during one of your Panama tours, you will take a look of these bridges and with knowledge in mind of its history. 

Visa and Passport Requirements to Panama

If you are planning to have Panama tours with your family, friends, or just by yourself, aside from the itinerary, you must also know the necessary requirements regarding visa and passport must haves in visiting this beautiful Caribbean nation.

Passport Requirements

To enter Panama, you must have a passport legitimate for at least six months that is needed by all nationalties

Visa Requirements

Extra necessities arise as indicated by nationality and are liable to change. Nationals from specific nations require a tourist card; others require an approved visa and others needn't bother with anything. To know whether you oblige a visa relying upon your nationality please bear on perusing or click here. You are prescribed to check with a Panamanian Consulate, Embassy or ticketing executors for aerial transports that travel to Panama to acquire the most upgraded and correct data. 

In practice, the ticket prerequisite is primarily for the individuals who enter Panama by transport or by vessel however, here and there they do check at the air terminal. 

On the off chance that you are flying into Panama the most likely situation is that you won't be asked to demonstrate a return ticket and on the off chance that you are, make certain to in any event have a return ticket legitimate inside 1 year of entering the nation. In the event that you want to be in Panama for more than 180 days, then it is likely that you will be seeking some kind of visa in the wake of entering the nation and the powers may have a couple of inquiries regarding your plans. For this situation you ought to have the capacity to clarify your arrangements and afterward permitted to enter the nation after effectively educating the powers about what you need to do. 

On the off chance that you enter Panama by transport or by watercraft you will need to buy a return ticket via land or by water in light of the fact that the powers may request it and on the off chance that you don't have it you will run into unnecessary inconvenience and you will wind up purchasing it anyways. 

On the off chance that you hope to leave the nation in an alternate manner then the way that you want to enter Panama regardless you don't have that return ticket, then our recommendation is that you buy any return ticket. For instance, in the event that you enter Panama through Costa Rica by transport, yet want to leave via plane regardless you have not purchased that ticket, then simply purchase the shabby transport ticket: it will just cost you $10 and you will maintain a strategic distance from any unpleasant circumstance.

Ensuring Safety During your Panama Visit

When traveling, it is always a concern that every place you will visit will bring you no harm but just enjoyment. With Panama’s warm weather and interesting culture, tourists are drawing interest to visiting the much anticipated Caribbean destination. To add more interest to your Panama visit, here are some tips and important matters to take in mind.

How safe is Panama for travelers?

Risky street conditions and wrongdoing are the essential security concerns influencing visitors in Panama. Guests can expect the same sorts of wrongdoings that influence real urban areas in the United States, including negligible burglary, fraud on credit cards, shootings, equipped thefts, assaults and killings. Staying in traveler regions and utilizing your Visa just when important can decrease the risk that you will be an exploited person.

Panama has delightful, unspoiled rainforest, woodlands and sunny shores, however some of these ranges are viewed as risky on account of their remote areas. Remote zones are more averse to offer present day therapeutic mind and more inclined to be a safe house for medication traffickers, especially those regions by the Colombian fringe, for example, Darien Province. The area is home to Darien National Park, a vacationer end of the line known for its tropical woodland and wide assortment of winged animal species. It is advisable that you go on a group Panama tours when visiting this side of the nation.

Filtered water is sold all through Panama. Faucet water in metropolitan zones is normally sheltered, however water in rustic ranges may be polluted. It is best to bring your own water and if you are buying one, make sure that it comes from potable sources.

Travelers ought to verify routine immunizations are up and coming before traveling to avoid getting yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis A and if. Guests to country territories of the nation may need to take antimalarial medications, since intestinal sickness is available in the rustic regions of Bocas Del Toro, Darien, Veragaus, San Blas and San Blas Islands, as indicated by the U.s. Places for Disease Control and Prevention. Flare-ups of dengue fever additionally have been accounted for in Panama and other Central American countries since 2011, as per the CDC. Visitors are urged to steadily secure themselves from mosquito chomps, incorporating booking rooms in lodgings that are aerated and cooled or generally screened and utilizing insect repellent.

Panama's Top Cultural Pursuits

It has always been interesting to get accustomed to a place's culture. Probably it's human nature that as a certain place captures one's heart, that heart will be more eager and hungry to delve deeper into that place's know-hows. The arts, musics, dances, and the people's way of life living in a particular area still remain as a topic of interest for most people now. It's just like an appetizer that introduces and prepares you to a more substantial meaning of existence.

Did you know that the largest city in Panama, Panama City, was declared as the 'American Capital of Culture' in 2003? In fact, visiting here without exploring its cultural perspectives would be a vacation wasted. There are merely a hundred ways to spend your cultural quest make the best out of your Panama City tours, and here's how:

1. Drop by at the Museum of Contemporary Art. This is said to be the only contemporary art museum in Panama that displays  not just the country's best works of art but also those of Latin America as well. Let the masterpieces like ink drawings, oil paintings, and ceramic works speak the Latin American voice straightly to your soul. This art edifice at situated at the bottom of the popular Ancon Hill and features the genious works of the commended artists from Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, and all other Latin American nations. Don't hesitate in coming, for venturing a museum is never boring and worthless for those who have the heart for art.

2. Come and celebrate the Panama Carnival. Of all the Panamanian events and parties, the Panama Carnival is considered to be the superior of them all. Hordes of tourists and locals gather together every start of spring to partake in one of the world's biggest festivals. What does this festival has to offer? Well, a fusion of national dances, music, traditional costumes, and an overflow of local cuisines will warmly welcome you at the start of the spring season. Come and have fun while learning at Via España, the main avenue at the country and experience yourself the best of all Panamanian festivals.

3. Spend the night at Panama City Folkloric Nightshow and Dinner. If you are seeking for an awesome production incorporating the colorful culture and tradition of Panama, then come and get entertained at Panama City Folkloric Nightshow and Dinner. Witness the brilliance of Panamanian skills, wisdom, and elegance as performers teach you the way to their culture and life through a variety of music and dances. While having satisfaction with your eyes, why not have satisfaction for your appetites as well? Here you can also taste the best of Panamanian dinner offered in your own comfort.

Panama: The Best Place to Make your Dream Retirement Come True

Everyone dreams of a perfect retirement. After decades of dedicating yourself to the career you've chosen in order to raise the family and to pursue your personal goals as well, it is just right that at one point, you'll be able to get the sweet rewards of all your efforts throughout the years. Retirement is really something to look forward to, but before even reaching that point, one must first create a fitting plan. If you're one of those persons who are wanting to take their retirement on a place other than his home, then the country of Panama is a perfect suggestion for you.

Panama is considered as a retiree-friendly destination as the U.S. and European countries do. In fact, several publications like the Forbes and the New York Times have published articles that describe the country as one of the world's top retirement havens. One great thing about Panama that attracts more and more foreigners around the world is that it is active in encouraging retirees to becoming residents of the country. As a matter of fact, the government has passed a law creating an appealing incentive program for retirees; as they call it, the Pensionado Program. Upon grasping the numerous benefits that entitle retirees whether a local or not, you'll realize that Panama is indeed a wise choice in selecting a place to write the remaining stories of your life with.

Aside from the aforementioned benefits that crowned Panama as retirees' haven, here are some other reasons to consider that might make you say yes to Panama:

1. Being a foreigner, you'll get to experience the lowest expense of living in Panama. As compared to other retirement destinations in the world, this country holds fewer costs of living primarily because inflation rates are very minimal. Besides, affordable prices of real estate properties await those who want to settle down at Panama--whether you prefer living in a condominium, an apartment, or in a tranquil region, a variety of choices are available that may suit your budget and your lifestyle. Inexpensive healthcare is also offered for retirees and they are also entitled to great discounts regarding transportation, hotel accommodations, housing loans, and medical privileges.  

2. In Panama, your safety is well-taken cared of. Speaking of crime rates, any retiree who are seeking for a peaceful and hassle-free life after work can find that exact set-up in this country. Nothing to worry about being victims of theft or robbery because Panama is considered to be the safest place in the world for tourists and for retired persons as well. Moreover, Panama is not just safe when it comes to crime but in terms of natural disasters as well. 

3. You'll never run out of worthwhile activities to indulge in at Panama. Though it is just a small country in terms of size, the scope of activities that it has to offer is large enough to keep everyone asking for more. Not to mention the world-class Panama Canal that no other structure in the world can ever compare to it; you can also get to experience first-class Panama City tours and have a taste of life at its finest.

Top Panama Excursions

Lost? Just starting with your Panama tours and don't know where to go and what to do? Well, let this article be your guide and find out the best Panama activities that most tourists are talking about. Don't just sit back and have your time wasted; instead, head out, put your adventure shoes on and let what you have learned here be your guiding light. Here are some of the must try Panama excursions that anyone should dare undertake:

Go Birdwatching. Panama is one of the best spots in Central America to unleash your love for wildlife because of the distinguished biodiversity that it holds. And one of the esteemed class of animals that Panama boasts about is its wide variety of bird species that are of extraordinary beauty and charm. Mainly because of its strategic location that is, in the middle of North and South America, the country is a home to more or less 900 species of that is a combination of the northern and southern birds. Among the most noticed species that you should look out for are the quetzal that everyone dreams to see, the harpy eagle, three-wattled bellbird, and several others that are all worthy to be noticed. If you're interested to go birdwatching, head for Panama's rainforest and look for Pipeline Road, one of the best birdwatching sites in the country. Bring your binoculars for a nearer sight of ringer hingfisher, shining honeycreeper, and a lot of other bird species that magically enchants those who come for a visit.

Overcome the Panamanian Rapids. Not only do Panama's sky boasts of everything it can offer you, but it seems like Panamanian waters has something to say too. The country has challenging river formations that accounts for a perfect whitewater rafting. Everybody who has tried conquering the rapids of Panama varying from Class II to Class IV says that it was such an exciting and worthwhile experience. Who can say that you be the next person to testify the same thing?

Majority of the rivers suited for whitewater rafting are situated at the Chiriqui Province. In fact, the Chiriqui Grande is considered as the best whitewater rafting site at Panama and is very reachable at the same time. What's great about whitewater rafting in the country is that you'll not only see the amazing landscapes that border the rivers, but your eyes can also be gratified with various plants, animals, and even waterfalls that will add up to the beauty of the experience.

Indulge in Panama's Paramount Watersports. Sorrounded by both the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean on other ends, it is no surprise that Panama also offers the best watersports in the world. May it be scuba diving or snorkeling, its waters are of great fascination to experienced and even first time divers. Lots of factors keep most divers all around the world in coming back to encounter Panama's waters once more: its tropical temperature, the unusual convergence of currents, and the richness of underwater life all justifies their arguments. If you're now ready to dive off to Panama, then you should make it during the months of September and October for clearer water conditions.

These are just some of the countless adventures that you can embark on to during your Panamanian tour. Surely you'll never run out of worthwhile activities perfect for an awaited getaway. 

Up and Away the City at Ancon Hill

“I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”

- I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, William Wordsworth

Who won’t love this poem that almost everyone might have grown reciting over and over? This piece might have touched your poetic heart once, and probably inspired you to create one as good as this. But so much for the awesome poem, let’s take a single emphasized word from it and offer a touch of appreciation to Panama’s one piece of land that labels it as a country.

This might not top the ‘favourites’ list of every traveller who have gone doing Panama City tours, but I assure you, this place is really something. Visiting this country will definitely give you a bunch of suggestions of where to go and what to do depending on your own inclination. But honestly, it would be a shame on anyone’s part who has visited Panama if they haven’t took even a glimpse of this hill. Hence, to avoid having any sense of regret upon coming home from here, come, climb, and behold what Ancon Hill can bestow on you.

Whether you are a mountain enthusiast or not, you’ll surely get your eyes and jaws off once stepping on this hill. Ancon Hill, or otherwise known as Cerro Ancon provides you the highest position you can be at Panama. Standing almost 200 meters in height, you can create your own postcard yourself having your camera with you. From above, you can look over picture-perfect views of Panama itself—the Panama Canal, Albrook, and Amador Causeway that will definitely get your heart melting. This hill’s extremely unique in itself, a jungle indeed at the middle of a busy Panama City. 

Why remain a woodland while the surrounding area developed?

Probably you’ll get puzzled how it turned out this way. On the actual, if you’ll stand at the foot of the hill looking at it with all its surrounding areas, you should have a little reflection on its past. Let’s take a sneak peek at Panama’s history way back in the 20th century. That time, the Ancon Hill was under the authority of the Americans making it their base for radio communications, thus, the hill seemed to be left out with the advancement its neighboring regions are undergoing. And when the locals finally get their own authority over the hill courtesy of the Panama Canal Treaty, the very first thing they carry out is to erect a huge national flag at its peak probably to proclaim their ownership of it. 

Let’s thank God for history that resulted for Ancon Hill’s present goodness.

The hill is accessible through hiking, biking, jogging or even by car, that’s why there’s no other reason you can’t come across this astonishing hill. See face to face these amazing flowers, birds, and land animals that you haven’t encountered before and experience yourself what travellers are talking about. View Panama as a whole in varying viewpoints and do not miss the chance of watching the serene sunset in this remarkable hill.

Casco Viejo: A Deeper Look

Next to Panama Canal that undoubtedly defines Panama in whole, there is one place that remains as the seat of culture and history in Panama that amazes many tourists upon coming over.

Casco Viejo, or otherwise called as El Casco or San Felipe is a fascinating old community found at Panama City. This community is better known to be the historic district of the city proved by its centuries old infrastructures that witnessed notable moments in Panama's past that are still standing as of today. It is a must for every visitor here to come and experience the classic Panamanian life and take a look at the richness of its past that brought out the best in it at the present. And by the way, this was proclaimed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site way back in 1997.

Flying Back

The golden story of Casco Viejo started some centuries back, in the year 1673 when it was built as a response to the devastation of the old Panama City known as Panama Viejo. The destruction of this old city in 1671 created a need for its settlers to construct a new place that will protect them from future attacks, and thus resulted to the construction of Casco viejo in a peninsula protected by walls and reefs that prevented future adversaries. This in turn preserved the beautifully architectured buildings and the community as a whole and now became a world-acclaimed heritage site praised by most travellers and is considered as where everything started. At present, this vibrant community houses a mixture of everything every foreigner looks after--new and old, local and foreign.

Just come and experience for yourself just how the Panamanian ancestors created such a wonderful refuge that will surely top your list of Panama tours. 

Going Here and There

Make your precious time count and move from one attraction to another. Here are some of the most visited places at Casco Viejo that you must look forward to:

NATIONAL THEATER (Teatro Nacional). Inaugurated in the year 1908, this world-class theater though undergone series of damages still remains as one of Casco Viejo's finest. Come inside an old world theater and watch amazing performances that are more embellished by frecos on the ceiling made by a famous Panamanian artist.

PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. Also known as Palacio de las Garzas due to African herons that are given as a gift way back in the 13th century. This palace was built in the 17th century and is closed to the public. However, your luck of coming inside to take a sneek peak depends on the guard that is posted outside.

ESTEBAN HUERTAS PROMENADE. Take a walk in this promenade as you reflect on the beauty of Panama City bay and sense the coolness of the breeze from the ocean nearby.

PLAZA FRANCIA. This was once the main square of the walled city where the Instituto Nacional de Cultura and French Embassy are located. Take a nice walk and reminisce the construction of the popular Panama Canal as this plaza was built in dedication to this and to those people who offered lives just to build Panama;s landmark.

Bits of Information about Your Panama

Pleasant folks, busy metropolis, the rainforest with teeming birds and other animals, fresh evening putting out flowers' scent, tranquil warm beaches as well as cool mountains, these are generally one of several remembrances you can take along in one of your Panama tours.

The country of Panama offers significantly diverse attractions intended for visitors of all ages, experiences and expectations to the country. See for yourself probably the most modern-day metropolis inside the American Caribbean and experience how their locals value their native culture and history.

Did you know?

Panama was first discovered by the European conquistador Christopher Columbus in the year 1494.

Panama is found at America, made up of different societies and conventions that have made a special and nature's domain. Indigenous, American, Asian and European societies consolidate to make an intriguing and great nation in the Caribbean.

The city of Panama is the sole cosmopolitan city on the planet where you can discover rainforests within the city. The city offers Panama excursions including, rainforest tours, museum tours, shopping, and delightful parks. You will be delighted to know that you can visit the Panama canal, the Taboga Island, amazing shores, and the Pacific Coastline within an hour!

Panama acts as a natural land bridge that links North and Central America with South America and the islands surrounding it. The flora and fauna of its rainforest is the main attraction to the city.

Whether visiting Panama for the city life leisure or a fun rainforest adventure, the city can cater to both interests! See and explore for yourself the beauty and enjoyment Panama can offer!

Interesting Facts:

1. There are five areas in Panama that have been declared World Heritage sites by UNESCO.
2. Seven of the 12 zones in Panama is important to sustain the land´s principal ecosystems.
3. Panama has a world record-holding fishing grounds.
4. Gatún Lake was named the world's largest man-made lake until 40 years ago. It measures around 262 square kilometers.
5. The Panama Canal took 10 years to build with 75,000 people as workforce with an average cost of $400 million.

How Do You Travel to Panama Canal

Panama canal is one of the Caribbean’s fast growing tourist attraction that attracts cruise lovers, nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Panama canal tours grow in following each year and this makes Panama an eye for travelers all over the world.

Would love to see Panama? Panama excursions need not exclude a tour to Panama’s famous engineering wonder. The Panama canal is built to provide a a water way that will let you cross the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The whole stretch can take up to 8 hours of ship travel. Have a cruise while crossing these two oceans; riding aboard a canal cruise.

The Miraflores Visitor center provides a good view of the vessels traveling the canal. It also has a theater inside, observation terraces and also snack bars and restaurants that gives a good view of the canal. For memorabilia’s there are gift shops and four exhibition halls inside too.

Booking a cruise to the Panama canal is not that hard as you may think of it. Here are some tips you can consider of you want to experience a Panama canal cruise.

1. Book a cruise to the formidable cruise lines. Of course you want to take your cruise to a memorable experience and you may want to have it to the best cruise institution around. Having it booked to the known cruise lines will assure you of a one of a kind touring experience. The known cruise lines that gives Panama canal cruise includes Royal Caribbean, Holland America, and Celebrity and Disney. They give cruise through the canal that also has cruise to and from California to Florida.

2. Read travel resources. Reading blogs, articles and other travel resources that will give you an introduction to the cruise, its important points you must take into consideration to like prices, details of the cruise, and reviews will get you an overview of what to experience on the said tour. It will give you a thing to consider like pre-cruise tips and know how’s. There are things to need to bring to a cruise, which you will see when you check out some travel resources. 

Having a Panama cruise is beyond a doubt the most sought after and dreamt vacation of people who wants to visit the Caribbean. 

Seven Living Indian Tribes in Panama

Despite the evolving generation, there are still ancient tribes living around secluded and under urbanized places of Panama. They are the natives of Panama whom contributed to Panama’s history and the evolution of their economic growth even before all these advancements. 

Include in your Panama tours a visit to one of the ancient village and get to see these ancient tribes; interact with them, and see how they adapt to the modern traditions but still incorporating the old habits they have been used to during the old times.

Learn more about the seven known tribes of Panama. Panama excursions include giving you information about these tribes. 

Panama’s Seven Living Indian Culture

Embera and Wounaan

They live in the Darien forest, Embera Indians migrated from South America when the Spaniards set foot on Isthmus. Men and young boys wear loin clothes while the women and young girls wear colored skirt with a necklace made of coins and a flower on their head. 

Kuna Indians

Kuna Indians inhabit the islands of San Blas. They had their own government separated from Panama’s major governing body. Kuna are a vacation destination in their own particular right, and their generally dressed ladies are a significant component of Panama's urban scene, offering their workmanship at the city's principle vacationer venues.

The Ngöbe Buglé

They are the most populous of all Indian tribes in Panama. Residents are found in the provinces of Chiriqui, Veraguas and Bocas del Toro. 

Bokota

Bokoto people is an ancient ethnic group living in Bocas del Toro Panama. They share residents with the Teribe tribe.

Guaymí

Seen in the Western Panamanian provinces of Veraguas, Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro, Guaymi tribe or the Ngabe speak in Chibchan language. 

Talamanca

Talamanca are autochthonous people of the northern Panama. They used to living by utilizing running water and a very limited amount of electricity. 

Teribe

Teribe are the most diminutive and minimum known indigenous tribes in Panama. Both have populaces of just a couple of thousand and live along the Panama-Costa Rica fringe. Starting now, they have no autonomous areas.

Image credits: vogue.it

The Top Panama Favorites

Not only does the Panama Canal defines what Panama can offer, but there are also a bunch of exceptional holdings that most people can enjoy. Located on the boundary of North and South America, lies this country which incorporates both influences of the northern and southern neighbors. Enumerated in this article are the top favorite Panama city tours, attractions in the metro, and even the rural areas that anyone should not forget to consider upon visiting Panama.

Panama Canal. No wonder that Panama Canal tops our list, for over the past century, this became the most defining asset of the country. When we say Panama, well then, Panama Canal follows. This top pick is also considered as one of the world’s most terrific alternate routes. It directly crosses through the isthmus of Panama thus joining two of the world’s greatest depths: the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. Its primary purpose is to serve as a key channel in international naval transactions. And just as how striking it is to view such huge compartment ships crossing through the canal is the eye-catching scenario of wildlife in its margins.

Rainforest. In any country, it is always a delight for travellers be acquainted with its rainforest, where lives—industrial progress, wildlife, and raw materials came from. Also, exploring the Panamanian rainforest offers an exhilarating natural beauty that will keep you coming back. There are also different rainforest adventures like zip lining and hiking tours that will add up to your eco-journey experiences.

Panamanian Beaches. Another asset worth notifying is Panama’s world-class coast waters. Here you’ll find glorious tropical island beaches that will suit any trip-seeking taste. For thrill finders, you must try surfing through the waves of Panama or just taste the serene ambiance for those who want tranquility.

Panama City. As lonelyplanet.com describes it, Panama City is considered as the ‘most cosmopolitan capital in Central America’. The Panama’s largest city, though constituting of soaring buildings, exuberant nightlife and busy airports, is also surrounded by tropical rainforests. Despite the modernization that probably entered your mind at first, Panama City is also a great place to delve into the country’s cultural heritage through its colonial ruins at San Felipe, and the first European City at the Pacific named as Panama Viejo. Come to Panama City and experience yourself the warm accommodation it has to offer.

Bocas del Toro Archipelago. This is probably the top favorite, described as Panama’s top vacation spot. If anyone wants an unforgettable vacation, then he must try going to Bocas del toro. With its lush vegetation, diving and snorkeling adventures, and different indigenous groups, it’s no wonder that Bocas del toro is a real biological dream.

The Captivating Bocas del Toro in Panama

Bocas del Toro enthralls its guests on account of its astonishing vegetation. Definitely, Bocas del Toro is among the exciting Panama tours you can take and see the land’s treasured possession.

Mouth of the Bull is the literal English translation of this province with a capital city of the same name in Panama, Central America. Its territory is 4,643 square kilometers, embodying the terrain and nine principle islands. The provincial area comprises of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Bahía (Almirante Bay), Laguna de Chiriquí (Chiriquí Lagoon), and adjoining territory. The capital city is Bocas del Toro or Bocas Town on Colón Island. Other major cities are Almirante and Changuinola. Bocas del Toro province has a populace of around 125,400 as of 2010.

Its capital city, Bocas del Toro is a top of the line tourism spot on the Caribbean with its outright heaven of white sand shores, banana ranches, rich rainforests, coral reef, turquoise oceans, outlandish marine life, and mangrove bays.

What to See and Do:

Scuba Diving

Yet a well-known travel end, Bocas del Toro is still fundamentally obscure as scuba diving spot. Nonetheless, it offers an incredible, diverse acquatic life. Because of the smooth conditions of the sea and exceedingly competitive valuing, Bocas is around the most perfect spots to take part in scuba diving.

Surfing

Bocas del Toro is a flawless decision assuming that you are wanting to have a go at surfing in Panama. It offers an extensive variety of effectively assessable surf spots for diverse levels of experience. November to April are the months recognized to be top season, and also June through August. There are two incredible learner spots to begin your surf experience; in the Dark Rock, Carenero and Wizard Beach, Bastimentos Island. Plus, there also a number of spots for the experienced surfer. Bocas del Toro had hosts some major surfing competitions internationally.

Rainforest Adventure

For the travelers who want to experience the wild, and the fauna and fiona of Bocas del Toro, its wondrous rainforest is a must see for you. There are abundant sight of the lush green plants and different species of animals around the major rainforests in the area; Isla Bastimentos and La Amistad International Peace Park. Stay for the different activities to try on the rainforest, plan your Panama excursions, and be ready to connect yourself with nature in this side of the Caribbean. 

Image credits: tripadvisor.com