A Journey Beyond the Panama Canal

Panama was once simply the answer to a trivia question in the back of my mind. Now that I've explored its living history and natural beauty for myself, I wonder how it ever missed my travel bucket list.

It’s mid-September, the heart of Panama’s rainy season, and my drive from the airport unveils the remnants of the Panama Viejo ruins, the last standing relics of the oldest European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas. My guide, Jorje, tells me and my group that Panama Viejo was the first Panama City, thriving over 150 years before devastating fires, earthquakes, and a notorious pirate raid in the 17th century left the city ransacked and in ruins. I try to imagine what it must have been like to watch an entire city burn and crumble as we continue along the Pan American Highway into the heart of Panama City, driving past skyscrapers, modest apartment buildings, and a statue of Vasco Nunez of Balboa, the Spanish explorer who first crossed Panama from the Caribbean coast to the Pacific. I eventually arrive at my hotel in Casco Viejo, Panama City's UNESCO-listed Old Town, perched on a peninsula overlooking the Pacific and the Amador Causeway, reaching out to Perico and Flamenco Island.

"Enjoy my country!" Jorje tells me, as we shake hands and part ways. I would do just that.

Narrow brick-paved streets flanked by colourful colonial buildings lead us to the Metropolitan Cathedral in Plaza Mayor, its stunning Neoclassical and Baroque architecture transporting us to the earliest days of Panama City. We finish our Panama City crash course over dinner at one of Casco Viejo's renowned restaurants that upholds the city’s UNESCO-recognized gastronomic reputation.

The next day, we’re out of the city en route for the Panama Canal. Three red kayaks are waiting for us at Soberanía National Park on the edge of the Canal. After a short safety lesson, we begin our paddle into the Cagres River, carving through the park's lush rainforest. It takes me a few minutes to figure out how to steer our kayak using the foot pedals, but we are flying across the water once I do. Hidden howler monkeys echo along the shoreline as we watch massive cargo ships pass through the Canal, from which we would later stand only a few feet away at the Miraflores Locks.

Returning to shore and venturing deeper into the rainforest, we learn about the thousands of local and migratory birds, amphibians, and mammals living in Panama's rainforests, mangrove wetlands, and mountain cloud forests, all part of the vital Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. We hike further, eventually winding our way above the rainforest canopy in a spiral observation tower, watching tiny hummingbirds dart across the now clear and sunny sky.

My journey takes me to Boquete next. The town sits at the foot of the Chiriquí Province highlands, with winding roads bringing us up the mountains to a tree-top hotel where we depart on a tree trek, bouncing across bridges suspended across the trees.  

Nearby Don Pepe Coffee Estate is our next stop. We begin with a tour of the estate before sipping on its world-renowned coffee, the estate's rolling green hills gradually disappearing behind the clouds and enveloping us in a refreshing blanket of mist; the experience simply puts any other cafe to shame.

Winding mountain views and rural farmland roll by as we drive to Bocas del Toro on Panama's Caribbean coast. We eventually hop into a water taxi and race to Colon Island for the final days of our trip, where we snorkel above vibrant coral reefs and relax on the postcard perfect Zapatilla Key.

When travelling, I usually write as much as possible to ensure I remember the people, stories, and places I discover. But I avoided my pen and paper in Panama. I knew that the memories I made here were ones I would never forget.

Discover Panama on a tailor-made trip.