Panama is a fabulous country for anyone to visit. It has everything you could want: amazing wildlife, scenery, shopping, a gleaming modern city with towering skyscrapers and lovely people.
For those of us who live in Jamaica, it has to be the ultimate destination for a short break. There are six reasons to make this claim:
- We don’t need a visa – Applying for a visa is a time consuming and costly process, and there’s no guarantee that our application will be approved. This is not a problem for a Jamaican visiting Panama. We even listed Panama as one of our top 10 countries for Jamaicans to visit visa-free in our recent post.
- It’s easy to get there – Panama City is one of Copa Airlines’ major hubs and they have regular flights from both Kingston and Montego Bay. Currently, Copa operates direct return flights three times per week from both major Jamaican airports. Before, the COVID-19 pandemic, they operated five times per week, so let’s be optimistic and expect that they will soon return to that level of regularity.
- It’s super affordable – Panama is rapidly becoming a favourite retirement location for Americans due to the low cost of living and strong infrastructure. Overall, costs are about 30% lower than the USA, with restaurants, hotels, transportation and entertainment all significantly cheaper than in America.
- It’s a very different culture – One of the joys of travel is to visit cultures that are different from our own, and there is no doubt that the Latin culture in Panama is a stark contrast from those we experience at home in Jamaica.
- Great Public Transport – Aside from New York City, you typically need to head to Europe or Asia to find good public transport, but Panama City is a rare exception in the Americas. There is a modern and reliable subway system and an extensive bus network. It’s also extremely affordable with a single ride costing just $0.35.
- It’s safe – Panama is ranked in the 2022 Global Peace Index as a close second to Costa Rica as Central America’s safest country. It is rated as safer than the USA, France and, of course, Jamaica. While nowhere can guarantee your safety, with a little care and common-sense, Panama is a safe place to visit.
Because your time is limited, one of the keys to an enjoyable short break is to do some advance planning. It doesn’t mean that you have to have a detailed itinerary cast in stone, but you should have an idea of what you want to see and do.
You should also do a little research to find out if you need to book in advance, what the opening hours are and if there are other things you need to know, such as dress codes or accessibility challenges.
To help you ensure that this doesn’t happen to you, these are our top seven recommendations for things to do to have a fantastic short break in Panama.
Table of Contents
1. Experience the Panama Canal
There are some things that you just have to do when you visit a city or country, and the Panama Canal is up there with the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and Big Ben. You simply can’t go to Panama and not see their world-famous canal.
If it’s a reasonably clear day, you will get an idea of the canal’s importance and function as your flight descends into Tocumen International Airport. When you look out you will see dozens, possibly hundreds of cargo ships patiently waiting their turn to traverse the canal.
The easiest, cheapest and, probably, best location to experience the canal is Miraflores Locks. You can take an organized tour, which will pick you up from your hotel or Airbnb rental.
Alternatively, you can easily get there on public transport, as it’s a 0.35c bus ride from Albrook Station, the main bus terminal. The entrance fee for the visitor centre is $25, which may seem a bit pricey, but it is worth it, especially as you will have spent so little getting there.
The highlight has to be the viewing platform and you may be surprised how enthralling it can be watching massive ships being gracefully raised and lowered by the locks.
There is also a fascinating museum and a film, which we recommend that you watch. You will come away with at least a passing understanding of both what an engineering marvel it is, the human costs that went into its construction and the canal’s impact on the economy of the entire planet. I particularly enjoyed learning a little about the Torrijos–Carter Treaties and the handover of the canal from the United States to Panama.
2. Take a Boat Tour
Another way to experience the Panama Canal is as part of a boat tour. This way, you don’t just get to watch boats be lifted and raised in the locks, you get to experience it yourself. You’ll also get to sail under the Bridge of the Americas, which until 2004 was the sole road connection between North and South America.
The canal is 82km and while you can, you probably wouldn’t want to cruise the entire length. We recommend finding a boat tour that includes both the engineering marvels as well as giving you a glimpse of the astonishing biodiversity that makes Central America so special.
We were lucky enough to take in Gamboa rainforest, Monkey Island, and Gatun Lake. The latter is actually manmade but has become a haven for wildlife. There are plenty of companies offering tours and almost all of them will pick you up from your hotel, Airbnb or other accommodation in Panama City.
3. Visit the Biomuseo
Biomuseo, the world’s first biodiversity museum, was my personal highlight of our few days in Panama City. The building is stunning: a striking mix of colourful, geometric shapes. It is sure to become iconic in the same way as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, which like Biomuseo, were designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.
There are eight indoor galleries which contain permanent and temporary displays, and they are absolutely fascinating. We learned that Panama is an Isthmus that joins North and South America which, in geological terms, was created relatively recently. It also forms a barrier between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This resulted in a unique and rich biodiversity that has a worldwide impact. We also found out that millions of years ago, the island that we now know as Jamaica was part of the South American landmass. Who knew that!
There are also some spectacular outdoor spaces at Biomuseo, including the Garden of Crops, the Garden of Microdiversity and The Garden of Evolution. Be sure to spend some time in these too.
Biomuseo is located on the Amador Causeway, which is a short taxi or Uber ride from the centre of Panama City.
4. Walk Casco Viejo, the Historic Heart of Panama City
We took an Uber to the bustling Mercado de Mariscos or seafood market. Here you can purchase a vast array of the freshest seafood to be found anywhere. There is also an area full of restaurants where you can eat freshly prepared dishes while sitting on simple plastic chairs at equally basic plastic tables. I adored the ceviche, raw fish and shellfish that is cured in seasoned citrus juices, highly recommended!
From the mercado, it is a short walk to Casco Viejo, which is the oldest inhabited part of the oldest city on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Some of the buildings date back to the 17th Century, which might not be impressive in Europe, but is borderline unique in this part of the world.
The area is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which means that the beautiful Spanish colonial buildings are being maintained and carefully restored, although there is still a fair way to go. It is still a work in progress which means one building will be beautifully restored, while the one next to it may be little more than an abandoned shell.
As part of the revival of the area, a number of hotels have opened or been restored recently including the American Trade Hotel and the Central Hotel. There is also a thriving nightlife, especially at weekends, with some lively rooftop bars.
We especially enjoyed strolling along Paseo de Las Bovedas, eating snow cones (shaved ice) and taking in the views of the gleaming skyscrapers of the modern city. You can also delight in the open squares, old churches and even the Presidential Palace, a relatively modest building by the standards of most world leaders.
5. Enjoy Historic Panama Viejo
Even older than Casco Viejo is Panama Viejo. It is the ruined remains of the original city destroyed in 1671 by the British privateer Sir Henry Morgan, who like us, travelled there from Jamaica. It is another UNESCO World Heritage site and is rather incongruously located in the suburbs of the modern city. This does mean that it’s pretty quick and easy to get there.
It is now an interesting collection of ruins that, rather refreshingly, have not benefited from any form of restoration or improvement. I enjoyed climbing the bell tower, the city’s original skyscraper, from where the views of the modern city are fabulous. It also allows you to appreciate the layout of la Vieja from a birds-eye point of view.
There is a small craft market on-site and the area is home to some particularly large iguanas. Panama Viejo was a 30-minute bus ride from our hotel and a 10-minute Uber ride back later
6. Panama Rainforest Discovery Centre
The Panama Rainforest Discovery Centre is a 35-minute drive from the centre of the city and a fabulous half-day excursion into nature. To get the best experience and see the widest selection of animals aim to get there as close to sunrise as you can. Even, if we did, you arrive a little later you are sure to see different birds, some monkeys and maybe even an agouti, which looks like a really big guinea pig.
The trails are extremely well maintained, and easy on the foot. You should definitely climb the 174 steps to the top of the 32-metre-high observation tower for amazing views and close-up encounters with birds and monkeys. Thanks to the feeders, you are sure to see hummingbirds at the visitor centre. You can get a glimpse of local aquatic life by taking the path to the banks of Lake Calamito.
7. Shopping
While spending time in a shopping mall is my definition of hell, I understand that shopping is important to many travelling Jamaicans, as our choices at home are limited and the prices can be pretty high. I will confess that the choice and value in Panama City are excellent, and I will confess to leaving with a pair of Clarks shoes at a super low price along with a couple of shirts from the Zara bargain rail.
There are at least a dozen shopping centres in Panama City and the largest is the Albrook Mall. It’s actually the second largest mall anywhere in the Americas (North and South). As it has its own subway station and is located next to the main bus station, it is incredibly easy to get there.
You will find a mix of well-known global brands and some lesser known Latin American labels. It is difficult to understand why the same shirt can be found here for half the price as you’d pay in Florida. I know that rent and wages are lower here, but there has to be more to it than that!
Other shopping options are the Multicentro Mall, which is closer to the city centre and Multiplaza Pacific Mall, which both offer fantastic choices of stores and great prices.
We know that most neighbouring Caribbean Islands are beautiful and that it is easy to get to the USA, especially Florida and New York. However, for the best value, convenience and experience of a different culture, our first choice for a short break from Jamaica is simple. It’s Panama every time!
Author
Nick Abbott
Hi, I’m Nick. Visiting foreign countries has been an important part of my life since my parents moved to Kano in Nigeria in 1977. Since then, as both a military officer and in later jobs I have enjoyed the huge privilege of being exposed to many different countries and cultures.
I am delighted to be able to support my wife Monique and Yes2Yolo primarily by contributing travel articles, providing editing and proof-reading services and being a general sounding board.
I really loved this article. Thank you for writing it 🙂 I took your customer service training when I worked at BCIC I loved it!
Thank you Tiffany. Glad you enjoyed the read! I remember you from the course…my most outstanding and interactive course attendee. Cheers!
Great article. My daughter had visited Panama a few years ago on her Spanish trip, we had plan to go as family still haven’t gotten around to it. Might let it happen before the year ends.
Hello Natasha! Thanks for reading our article. We really appreciate the positive feedback. It would be great if you make to Panama this year! We promise you won’t regret it. Cheers!