by Andre Sanchez

If you are considering a Panama City vacation, the dry season in Panama is from mid December to mid April, and this is the most pleasant and most expensive time to visit the city.  Known as the ‘Bridge of the World’, Panama separates the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, though the Panama Canal also joins them!  The capital, Panama City, is a blend of the old and the new, the old Spanish colonial history mingling with modern shops and hotels.

If you are interested in history, there is  the Museum of the Panamanian Man which is of great interest and situation near the main shopping malls.  There is also the original Panama City that you can visit, that is about 4 miles from the new city.  It is called the Panama Viejo, and contains ruins and remains of the original old cobbled streets.

The old part of the city that was established after the original city was sacked is called Casco Viejo and contains many attractions such as the old Santa Domingo Church with the Museum of Colonial Religious Art next door.  In fact the old part of the city is a UNESCO Heritage Site that contains the Salon Bolivar.  This was where ‘El Libertador’ made an unsuccessful attempt to establish a multinational congress in 1826.

The old town, like others along the coastal areas of Central America, was sacked by Henry Morgan, the Welsh buccaneer, in 1671. It is a relatively poor area, and the Casco Viejo is not the place to be alone at night.  Always travel by taxi in the evening, though it is relatively safe by day due the police bicycle patrols that keep an eye out for tourists in trouble.

No vacation in Panama City is complete without a trip to the Panama Canal.  It lies to the west and boat trips are available.  The canal is Panama’s biggest tourist attraction and while it connects the two oceans, it actually runs northwest to southeast rather than east to west.  Not only is the engineering of the locks a modern wonder, but the scenery, flora and fauna are worth the visit alone.  You can get train trips along the canal, and yacht trips, and you must visit the canal museum in the Casco Viejo area. 

There are also a number of islands just off Panama City that you can visit by water taxi, or panga.  Taboga has a number of lovely beaches and hotels, and the Pearl Islands are popular with sea anglers.  There are plenty opportunity for aquatic sports and many of the islands are a paradise for scuba divers.  Snorkeling is also popular, especially around the reefs at the Isla Grande and the Bocas del Toro archipelago.  Some of the islands have 15 ft surf, and are ideal for surfers.

If you prefer something more sedate, such as shopping, Panama City has a number of modern shopping centers.  Many of these are situated around the newer hotels, and Central Avenue is popular shopping area.  There are also a number of duty free shops around Tocumen Airport.

If you are able to, you should try to arrange your visit to include the weekend before Ash Wednesday because the festivals are fabulous, either in Panama City or Las Tablas, 97 miles along the coast from Panama City.  The scenery, too, is marvellous around Panama City, and in fact if it is a scenic holiday you want, you might be better off vacationing in Chiriqui Province.  This largely unspoiled area has magnificent scenery, including volcanoes, waterfalls and forests.

Finally, the Darien National Park is full of wildlife with beaches, mangroves, swamps and jungle including all the wildlife you would expect of these habitats. It also contains two Choco Indian tribes, but you should never travel there alone.  Make sure that you visit as part of an organized tour to areas specifically for tourists that are protected by the police.  This area is not regarded as safe for individual travelers.

Panama City has a lot to offer, and the Pacific climate is best enjoyed during the dry season. The city and the surrounding area still show traces of earlier civilizations, and can cater for the academic historian as well as the beach-loving sunseeker.  Restaurants of all kind and ethnicity are available in the city, and you will never be short of organized tours to many of the attractions in the area.

Just one or two tips:  make sure you have plenty of American dollars since credit cards are not accepted everywhere, and travelers’ checks rarely accepted. Taxis are relatively inexpensive unless you book them from the hotels, in which case the price rockets, but you should use them at night on your Panama City vacation due to the number of robberies, especially in the old and poorer parts of the city.  Given that you have done your homework before leaving on your vacation, you will never be bored and will return home having enjoyed a vacation with a difference.

Where to Go on Your Panama City Vacation was originally published at http://www.globallifenow.com