This year, we made it down to Panama for the first time. We decided to divide our week. The first half was at one of three "Canopy Family" properties, namely The Canopy Tower --- a former US military site turned eco-lodge located in Soberania National Park. See http://www.canopytower.com. For the second part of our trip we sought a cool place in Panama City to spend a few days, see Gehry's BioMuseo and maybe pass through the canal. Happily, the two destinations we chose are only half an hour away by car, and transport is provided by The Canopy Tower's 3- or 7-day packages.
Copa Air is now flying direct from Boston to Panama City, at least seasonally. This is a wonderful behoovement and great improvement over the Boston-Houston or Miami-San Jose route that we've used traveling to Costa Rica in the past. Flying direct to Panama City, we've already saved connections, time and money by the time we've arrived. And, as mentioned above, ground transport is mostly taken care of, at least until leaving Panama City (an inexpensive Uber ride).
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| Trogon in the tree... |
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| Mot Mot |
The Canopy Tower has an open-air rooftop for easy viewing, a fine communal dining room, and is quite suitable generally, except that its walls are paper thin. In fact, I think parts of the tower are built with sound-conductive materials. This may not be the place for making whoopee. But everyone keeps the same hours with meals, tours and activities planned for all guests, so 10:00 pm to 5:00 am is "quiet time."
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| Night Monkey (iPhone on scope) |
The guides are superb; we were all fond of Michael and Jenny. Birds are the main attraction, (and I saw 135 species over two full days of activity) but there are also lots of animals, plants and cool butterflies, like the electric blue morpho. Everyone we met was friendly (birders generally are, in my experience) and the three squares were tasty; morning coffee on the rooftop is an especially great way to start the day. All in all, a very fine eco-lodge experience. I must report that Canopy Tower does not quite compare to somewhere like Bosque de Cabo in Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula; the latter has a pool, better do-them-yourself trails and an array of optional activities. But the Tower checks all the important boxes, is less expensive and much easier to get to.
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| old facade, Casco Viejo |
The lodge's driver delivered us to Casco Viejo, the revitalized UNESCO area that is part of old Panama City. We stayed at The America Trade Hotel, http://www.acehotel.com/panama a beautiful property located on a shady square in Casco Viejo. Once a local crack house (as a heard from a native), the ATH property is now a jewel in the hottest part of an upcoming town. The hotel just opened in 2013 and boasts lovely floor tiles, lots of light and very upscale service, with prices to match. We booked the Panorama Room on the 4th Floor, which is large and has awesome views from a corner space, but there is one serious problem. On Thursdays through Saturday nights there is an rooftop dance club across the square from this room. From 10 until 2 am (4 am on Friday and Saturday nights) there can be no sleeping. I mean, I tried sleep remedies, earplugs, everything. A room change to the opposite side of the hotel was required, unfortunately.
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| lobby tile at American Trade Hotel |
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| Panorama Room, American Trade Hotel |
Casco Viejo is a small peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides, and invites exploration on foot. With the able assistance of our new friend and travel goddess Dianna Upton of Travel Beyond (a native of Panama City), we arranged a pleasant and informative walking tour of Casco Viejo with Rina. Over the course of two hours we visited some sites of interest, and were given an historical appreciation for this area. Rina also offered some shopping and eating suggestions. A walking tour is a fun and worthwhile way to make the acquaintance of a new town, reasonably priced and highly recommended.
We also booked a partial Canal transit half day. From the hotel we were driven down to an embarkation point on the canal in Gamboa. We boarded a boat called Isla Morada formerly owned by Al Capone and used for running rum back in the day, and sailed the Canal southbound through two locks before disembarking on the Pacific side. Lunch and soft drinks were included onboard. And the whole event was MC'd by expert tour guide JC or Juan Carlos, a 12-year Canal veteran who was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The trip was supposed to be five hours, but it was really eight hours. There were a lot of aging American tourists onboard from a Caravan Tour, so the boat was pretty crowded. And the cost, with transport to and from the hotel, was not inexpensive (disclosure: transit on the Canal is never inexpensive, and requires a Canal-approved pilot on board). However, this is a YOLO item, isn't it? And great educational value. So if you feel inclined and don't mind the freight, go for it.
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| Canal transit on the Isla Morada |
Here are some additional steers:
There is some wonderful food in Casco Viejo, but prices generally reflect the emerging upscale vibe. We enjoyed Tantalo (try the Signature Octopus sautéed with coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger and creamy fellow Peruvian chili) and its sister restaurant, Calliope (we loved the yuca gnocchi in a brown butter with enoki mushrooms and truffle). For a splurge we had a tasting dinner in the new part of town (yes, there is a Trump Tower). This was Intimo Restaurante https://www.intimorestaurante.com where maybe a dozen interesting and delicious small plates were charmingly served and explained. The tasting menu was priced at $85. per person.
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| Yuca gnocchi at Calliope |
There is also superb coffee is Panama City. Panamanian small-production coffees are grown up in the hills a few hours away, and are served at very cool coffee shops dotted around Casco Viejo. Geisha coffee is a specialty brew that sells for a premium price per cup. Bajareque Coffee House is popular, as is the Unido Coffee Shop attached to the American Trade Hotel. One place I highly recommend is Super Gourmet on Avenida A. It features several freshly made juices, excellent breakfast options, empanadas, sandwiches, an amazing chocolate jungle pie, and great local coffee. Also on sale there are Carribean Chocolate Company chocolate bars, which have a rich cocoa taste that's addictive. See our friend Mark, who expedites, offers suggestions and specials, and makes everyone feel welcome.
Finally, don't you dare miss the BioMuseo, designed by Frank Gehry and a wonderful place to learn about Central America's role in creating a Bridge of Life between North and South America. The museum opened in 2014, but it is still in development, with enormous aquariums in the works for the near term. The BioMuseo is full of young volunteers ready to interact at almost every point of interest. There is a short movie shown in 360 degrees. After your visit, there is a cafe with a good view. Someone told me that from overhead, the museum looks like a scarlett macaw. Please tell me if you can confirm this.
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| BioMuseo designed by Frank Gehry |
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