Things to do in Panama
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Teatro Nacional
Built in 1907, the interior of the ornate Teatro Nacional has been completely restored, and boasts red and gold decorations, a once-magnificent ceiling mural by Roberto Lewis (one of Panama's finest painters) and an impressive crystal chandelier. Performances are still held here - to find out about them, or just to have a look at the theater, go around to the office door at the side of the building.
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Ushuaia To Anchorage
207 days (Ushuaia)
by Intrepid
Sip local wine and go whitewater rafting in ArgentinaNot LP reviewed
from USD$18,835 -
Glam
In an industrial area north of downtown, Glam proudly stands as the biggest gay dance club in the country. Saturday is generally the best night to go, when a wild and celebratory crowd fills the dance floor until late in the morning, though talented DJs spin house, drum 'n' bass, soul and Latin classics here every night. This place is best reached by taxi - it's located in front of the Club de Montana.
reviewed
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Anchorage To Ushuaia
207 days (Anchorage)
by Intrepid
Sip local wine and go whitewater rafting in ArgentinaNot LP reviewed
from USD$18,835 -
Panama City To Antigua
28 days (Panama City)
by Intrepid
Discover the beauty of El Impossible National ParkNot LP reviewed
from USD$2,610 -
from USD$2,610
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Restaurante Vegetariano Mireya
Mireya is a budget traveler's delight, especially if you're a vegetarian on a desperate search for nutrition in this meat-lover's paradise. Tasty cruelty-free offerings include eggplant parmesan, soy burgers and freshly squeezed tropical juices, and there's no shortage of healthy snacks available for purchase. Even if you're not a vegetarian, skip on the cow for a day and mix things up a bit - your body will thank you.
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Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos
Established in 1988, this was Panama's first marine park. Protecting various areas of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago including parts of Isla Bastimentos and the Cayos Zapatillas, the marine park is an important nature reserve for countless species of Caribbean wildlife.
Get current park information from the IPAT or ANAM offices in Bocas del Toro town. To camp out anywhere in the park, you are required to first obtain a permit from ANAM.
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Mi Pueblito
At the foot of Cerro Ancón, on the western side of town, Mi Pueblito features life-size replicas of rural villages found on the Península de Azuero, in Bocas del Toro and in the Darién. It also features extensive shops selling handicrafts from throughout the country and a handful of decent restaurants. Folk dances accompanied by live music are staged on Friday and Saturday at around 18:00 - they're touristy but still worth a look.
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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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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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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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Marine Exhibitions Center
Operated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), the Marine Exhibitions Centre includes an informative marine museum with signs in English and Spanish, two small aquariums and a nature trail through a patch of dry forest containing sloths and iguanas.
At the museum you can also learn about the role that Panama's marine resources play in the country's economy, and the destructive and wasteful effects of harvesting fish and shrimp by net.
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Parque Bolívar
In 1826, in a schoolroom opposite Parque Bolívar, Simón Bolívar held a meeting urging the union of the Latin American countries. After many struggles against Spanish domination, Bolívar succeeded in liberating Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, and he created Gran Colombia, which encompassed all these states. Although Bolívar was unable to keep Gran Colombia together, he is nonetheless venerated as a hero throughout Latin America.
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Lum's
Occupying an old cavernous hangar that once housed machinery for the Panama Canal, Lum's has a long history of serving up ribs, steaks and other hot-off-the-grill mains. Today it's the expat's restaurant of choice, especially since its satellite TV, pool table, foosball and healthy offering of tap beers packs in the crowds on weekends. Located just west of La Exposición in Ancón on the edge of the canal, Lum's is one of the most popular restaurants in the Canal Zone.
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Parque Arqueológico del Caño
This is one of only two archaeological sites in the country that are open to the public. Its museum displays objects that were found nearby. There's an excavation pit in the park as well; it contains a burial site where five skeletons were found in the exact same position as visitors see them today.
The museum contains dozens of pieces of pottery, arrowheads and carved stones. The objects are believed to date from a culture that lived in El Caňo about 1500 years ago.
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Isla Carenero
In recent years, the small, sparsely populated island of Isla Carenero has become popular with business folk hoping to lure tourists off Isla Colón and into their own establishments. The island takes its name from 'careening', which in nautical talk means to lean a ship on one side for cleaning or repairing.
It was in Careening Cay in October 1502 that ships under the command of Christopher Columbus were careened and cleaned while the admiral recovered from a bellyache.
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Birdwatching at Finca Lérida
Finca Lérida is a coffee farm owned by the Collins family, who are long-time residents of Boquete. Bordering their farm is prime habitat for the quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala that's nearly extinct there, but has found refuge in Chiriquí Province. In total, several hundred bird species have been identified in these woods, which makes Finca Lérida one of the premier bird-watching spots in Panama. The quetzals are most likely to be seen January through August.
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Mirador Perú
On a hill overlooking Santiago and much of the bay is a small but well-preserved watchtower called Mirador Perú, which was built after an attack on the city by British Admiral Edward Vernon (during which earlier forts were destroyed). There are steps carved into the hillside to reach the lookout and the views of the coastline from here are expansive. Unfortunately for the Spanish, however, the views weren't good enough to save their city from being repeatedly sacked by the English.
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Café de Asís
Located on the ground floor of a beautifully restored 19th-century building, Café de Asís is perhaps the most charming spot in Panama City. With outdoor tables spilling out into the Parque Bolívar and overlooking the soaring spires of the Iglesia de San Francisco, the Old World atmosphere here is Casco Viejo at its best. The food at Asís can easily hold its own, and the fresh Peruvian-style ceviche and the house sangria pretty much complement everything on menu perfectly.
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Masala Indian Cuisine
Nothing complements hot and humid tropical climes quite like a fiery plate of Indian curry and an ice-cold Kingfisher lager. Housed in a historic Bella Vista mansion that's been redecorated with colorful textiles and Indian art, Masala offers a full complement of traditional dishes from the subcontinent. Although non-adventurous eaters can stick to more Westernized dishes like tikka masala and tandori chicken, iron-stomach masochistic types should pile on the heat with dishes like lamb vindaloo.
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Granclement
Nothing beats the tropical heat like a cool scoop of mango gelato and there's no better gourmet spot in the city than this European-style ice-cream shop. With French owners who refuse to skimp on quality or authenticity, Granclement serves up the perfect accompaniment to a leisurely stroll through the old streets of Casco Viejo or along the waterfront.
If you want to speed things up a bit however, there's also a real Italian espresso machine on the premises that will get you exactly where you need to go.
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Manolo Caracol
Arguably the most famous restaurant in the city, Manolo Caracol offers prix-fixe five-course lunches and seven-course dinners that change daily. The menu emphasizes seasonal produce, locally raised meats and freshly caught fish, but it's the imaginative recipes and flawless presentation that have helped vault the restaurant's reputation.
Manolo is also located in a historic colonial mansion complete with the original tiling, historic tapestries and hewn-wood furniture, which completes the warm and intimate atmosphere.
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Eurasia
Dining at Eurasia is a rich, sensory experience, starting with the lavishly adorned restaurant complete with marble floors and hanging original artwork. The experience continues with impeccable service and daring fusion cuisine including Vietnamese shrimp rolls with orange sauce, and onion soup with tofu and duck breast.
Entrées similarly range across the continents with dishes such as jumbo shrimp in tamarind sauce and coconut milk with rice pilaf to tuna breaded with ajonjolí seeds and caramelized in honey.
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Cathedral
The city's soaring cathedral dates from the 18th century, but was substantially re-modeled in 1988. Today, the entire ceiling is made of polished mahogany, the walls are adorned with near-life-size figures of saints and large, vivid stained-glass windows depict momentous events in the life of Jesus, and the stations of the cross are marked by 4m teak crosses and intricately carved figurines. Unlike many cathedrals that impress through ostentation, this one is striking for its elegant simplicity and fine balance of gold and wood.
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