Activities in Panama
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FEATURED
Panama Canal Partial Transit Sightseeing Cruise
6 hours (Departs Panama City, Panama)
by Viator
See for yourself how the Panama Canal works as you transit the Miraflores Locks, one of three locks used along the canal. The construction of the canal was one…Not LP reviewed
from USD$144.99 - All activities
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Habla Ya Language Center
The reader-recommended Habla Ya Language Center offers both group and private lessons. Five hours of group/private lessons starts at around US$50/around US$75, though significant discounts are given for lengthier programs - 25 hours of group/private lessons is only around US$200/around US$300. The language school is also well-connected to local businesses, so students can take advantage of discounts on everything from accommodations to tours.
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Boquete Mountain Cruisers
This expat-owned outfit offers two daily tours through some scenic back-country roads in its open-air trucks. The first leaves at 08:30 and makes a number of stops in and around Boquete - highlights include coffee, basalt formations and waterfalls. The second tour departs at 14:00 and heads straight for the Caldera hot springs. Both tours last four hours. There is no booking office, so call for reservations; trips include pickup at your hotel.
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Spanish Panama
This immensely popular language school gets rave reviews from travelers. It has a similar structure to ILERI's: four hours of one-on-one classes daily and homestays with meals for around US$380 per week (long-term discounts are available). It also offers a 'backpacker special,' which includes classes with dorm stay for US$275 per week.
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Scuba Coiba
Run by an experienced Austrian dive master, Scuba Coiba offers divers a chance to experience some of the spectacular marine life around Isla Coiba. Two-tank dives start around US$70 per person, though diving in the park costs more since the distance is much greater.
Scuba Coiba also offers day trips (around US$130) as well as two-day trips (around US$320) to Isla de Coiba, which include entry into the national park, lodging at the ANAM station on Coiba and meals; there's a two-person minimum for these trips. You can also get PADI-certified here for around US$230, and snorkeling gear is available for hire (around US$6 per day). The dive shop is located on the main road…
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Canopy Adventure
The Canopy Adventure is a suspended ride that uses cables, pulleys and a harness to allow you to view a rainforest from dozens of meters above the jungle floor. You'll be in a harness dangling among jungle trees as you ride from one platform to another (there are six in all), at times gliding over Chorro El Macho. Although its ecological merit is somewhat questionable, there's no denying the rush you'll get as you soar through the air with your legs flailing to and fro.
Of course, unless you like to expose your private parts to strangers, don't do this in a dress or short shorts.
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Ancon Expeditions of Panama
Ancon Expeditions of Panama is the for-profit arm of ANCON (National Association for the Conservation of Nature). This unique model enables a portion of all proceeds from ecotours to be used in the ongoing fight to protect Panama's natural heritage.
Because of its conservationist aims, Ancon Expeditions has been able to recruit the country's foremost nature guides, all of whom are avid birders, speak flawless English and are extremely enthusiastic about the environment. They are excited about their occupations and offer a level of service that is simply superb. In Panama, the standard for nature guides and tours is set by Ancon Expeditions.
Ancon Expedition's tour…
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Panama Railroad
One of the best ways to fully appreciate the extent of the canal is to travel from Panama City to Colón along the historic Panama Railroad. The rails fell into disrepair during the best-forgotten days of the Noriega regime, but in 1998 the Panama government partnered with Kansas City Southern, an American-based railway holding company, to create the Panama Canal Railway Company (PCRC).
The primary purpose of the joint venture was to re-establish the Atlantic-Pacific rail link and create a profitable alternative to the Panama Canal trade route. Starting in 2001, PCRC also introduced a passenger service that included a fully-operational vintage train.
Aimed at foreign…
reviewed
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Fishing
Fishing is a popular local activity. The area around Santa Catalina is famous for its big fish, including yellow fin tuna, wahoo, dolphin, Spanish mackerel, jacks and rooster fish. Although there isn't a major sportfishing operator in town, there is no shortage of local fishermen willing to rent their boat and services to you for the day. Prices vary depending on the amount of the people in your party and the distance you want to go - remember that petrol is very expensive these days.
If you'd prefer to go after reef fish including snapper and grouper, there are some hidden spots along the coast that are perfect for spearfishing. There are also plenty of rocky ledges in…
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Twin Oceans Dive Center
Located inside the Coco Plum Eco Lodge, this professional outfit has over 20 years of diving experience in Panamanian waters. It's best to phone ahead or make a reservation via the internet.
It's not Belize or the Bay Islands, but if you're an avid scuba diver, you'll have a good time here. In addition to the famous sunken cargo ship and military plane, the waters around Portobelo are also home to soft coral-laden walls, off-shore reefs and rock gardens. The good news is that you'll probably see several pelagic animals including nurse sharks, black-tip reef sharks and eagle rays. The bad news is that you probably won't see them very well, especially if it has been…
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Playa Blanca
A 20-minute boat ride from Portobelo will bring you to this lovely white-sand beach, which fronts a tranquil cove and is surrounded by dense wilderness. Since it is impossible to access the beach by car or bus, you'd be forgiven in thinking that Playa Blanca is an uninhabited island floating in the Caribbean. Any boat in Portobelo can bring you to the Playa Blanca, though it's possible to arrange for a pick-up if you make a reservation in advance.
Playa Blanca has some of the least disturbed reefs between Colón and the Archipiélago de San Blás and its sheltered waters have better visibility than in nearby Portobelo. There's a colorful reef in the center of the cove that's…
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Boquete Tree Trek
Although canopy tours are about as prevalent as rice and beans in Costa Rica, they're still quite new to the Panama tourist scene. For the uninitiated, a canopy tour consists of a series of platforms anchored into the forest canopy that are connected by zip lines. Although they were originally used by biologists to study the rainforest canopy, today they function primarily as a way for gringos to get their eco-kicks.
If you're game to strap yourself into a harness and zip along the tree line, the Boquete Tree Trek is located in secondary forest, and consists of 14 platforms, 13 zip lines, a rappel and a Tarzan-swing. Although the company stresses fun instead of ecology,…
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Exploration Panama
This outfit offers a wide variety of excursions in and around the Golfo de Chiriquí. Aboard a 50ft vessel, which is a former US Coast Guard Search & Rescue ship, you can take a 'jungle cruise', exploring the mangroves, small rivers and coastal forests south of David.
Ron Mager, the owner-captain of Exploration Panama, also offers sea-kayaking trips (led by personnel from Chiriquí River Rafting), fishing trips, and scuba-diving trips. He's a very safe and reliable captain - he has his US Coast Guard license and is a former Green Beret. His ship can accommodate up to six passengers on overnight trips, which allow for excursions into some gorgeous unexplored waters.
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Río Chiriquí
Those who seek a bit of adventure shouldn't miss the excellent white-water rafting within a two-hour drive of Boquete. The Río Chiriquí flows from the fertile hills of Volcán Barú, and is flanked by forest for much of its lengths. At some places, waterfalls can be seen at the edges of the river, and the river passes through narrow canyons with awesome, sheer rock walls.
The Río Chiriquí Viejo is most often run from May to December, the Río Chiriquí the rest of the year; the rides tend to last four and five hours, respectively. Depending on the skill level of your party, you can tackle thrilling class 3 and class 4 rapids or some seriously scary class 5 rapids.
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Spanish by the River
Spanish by the River is the sister school to the popular Spanish school in Bocas del Toro. Rates for group/private lessons are around US$70/around US$130 for two hours a day five days a week, though cheaper rates are available for more comprehensive packages and longer stays. The school also offers a popular traveler's survival Spanish course (around US$40) that includes six hours of instruction.
Homestays can be arranged (around US$12 per night with breakfast) or you can rent one of their simple dorms (around US$8 per night) or private rooms (US$12 per night). The school is located 5km south of town near the turnoff to Palmira.
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Sendero El Pianista
A pleasant day hike is along the Sendero El Pianista, which winds through dairy land and into humid cloud forest. To access the trail head, take the first right fork out of Boquete (heading north) and cross over two bridges. Immediately before the 3rd bridge, about 4km out of town, a track leads off to the left between a couple of buildings. You need to wade across a small river after 200m, but then it's a steady, leisurely incline for 2km before you start to climb a steeper, narrow path.
The path winds deep into the forest, though you can turn back at any time.
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Latin Dance Company
Located one block from Vía España near the Hotel Riande Continental, the Latin Dance Company offers classes in salsa, merengue and hip-hop for students aged 5 to 65. Three classes are held in the evenings starting at 17:30, and there are several Saturday classes as well. Classes cost around US$5 plus the US$5 enrolment fee. Or if you plan on sticking around for a while, sign up for 10 days (around US$50) or one month (US$80) of unlimited classes.
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SelvAventuras Hikes
On the main road into town, this adventure outfit is run by a group of charismatic locals eager to show visitors the wilder side of Portobelo. If you're looking to explore the surrounding Parque Nacional Portobelo, these guys can bring you to a number of impressive locales: Catarata de Rio Piedras, a towering 45m waterfall; Salto de Tigre, a tranquil waterfall-fed pond; and Río Iguanita, a rainforest-enshrouded swimming hole. You'll need some Spanish.
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Surfing
The best waves for surfing are generally from December to April, though there is surf here year round. Unlike the Caribbean, the Pacific offers fairly consistent sets, though a good swell will really give a boost to the surfing here. Most of the accommodations in town rent boards in addition to offering surf lessons. Be advised that many of the breaks in the area are over rocks, and can easily snap your board if you don't know what you're doing.
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Café Ruíz Coffee Plantation
Located on the main road about 600m north of the town center, Panama's most famous coffee-grower offers a tour that includes transportation to a nearby coffee plantation, a presentation on the history of coffee in Boquete, a tour of a roasting facility and the obligatory tasting session. Tours depart at 09:00 daily except Sundays and holidays, but you have to make advance reservations.
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Panama Canal Partial Transit Sightseeing Cruise
6 hours (Departs Panama City, Panama)
by Viator
See for yourself how the Panama Canal works as you transit the Miraflores Locks, one of three locks used along the canal. The construction of the canal was one…Not LP reviewed
from USD$144.99 Advertisement
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Panama City and Canal Sightseeing Tour
4-7 hours (Departs Panama City, Panama)
by Viator
Enjoy a guided sightseeing tour and visit the most important sites and landmarks of Panama. Tour both the historical and modern areas of Panama City and visit…Not LP reviewed
from USD$104.99 -
Kotowa Coffee Estate
This gourmet grower offers the most comprehensive coffee-estate tour in the area. It features a description of the estate's history (beginning with a Canadian's arrival in 1918), a full tour of the production facilities and processing mill, and again, the obligatory tasting session. The estate requests 24 hours' notice prior to your visit.
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Panama Rafters
Panama Rafters is one of the country's two best white-water rafting outfits. The other is Chiriquí River Rafting. Both companies staff bilingual employees, so can get all the information you need in either English or Spanish. All-day trips are offered for around US$75 to around US$100, depending on the run and the size of the party.
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Gatun Lake and Monkey Island Sightseeing Cruise from Panama City
4 hours (Departs Panama City, Panama)
by Viator
Join an exciting half-day eco journey along the Panama Canal and experience some of Panama's secret sights and sounds. You'll hop aboard a high-speed motorboat…Not LP reviewed
from USD$209.99 -
V-Land Beach
Although it's one of Panama's least surfed provinces, there are a number of great breaks to be had in Colón. And of course, the lack of crowds means that you won't have to share your wave with anyone. This beach is near Devils Beach, in Sherman. Unbelievable right-point reef break with great tubes when big swell and glassy.
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