This video is closed-captioned Panama is more than a Van Halen song title. It's
the confluence of northern and southern Central America. Glimmering skyscrapers, arid deserts,
and wild rainforests. It's a city of contrasts and well worth spending time exploring.
Join us as we look at ten things you must see when planning a trip to Panama.
Number ten. Boquete. Many wouldn't think to
explore beyond the principal city of Panama. But perched in the highlands
is the small mountain town of Boquete. There's a considerable population of retired
ex-pats in the city, as Boquete sees mild year-round temperatures. The other group
that's attracted to the town are outdoor enthusiasts. It's a great jumping-off
point for backpackers and day-hikers. And if logging miles isn't your thing,
you can tour a coffee plantation, go river rafting or relax in the Caldera
Hot Springs. And bird watching is incredible if avian interests with more than 500 species,
including the jewel-toned quetzal. Number nine. Casco Viejo.
Casco Viejo is an eclectic, trendy neighborhood within Panama City. It's
chock full of Spanish colonial buildings that have been recently restored,
and many have been transformed into rooftop bars, hostels, restaurants, and boutique hotels.
If you're looking for a place to stay while in Panama, we highly recommend
Casco Viejo. It's gorgeous, often empty during the day, but full of nightlife.
If you want insights into the area's history, you can download a self-guided audio tour
of the neighborhood. You'll learn about the plazas and streets and how four hundred years
of history have shaped the area. Independence Square is a central hub, framed
by the Metropolitan Cathedral's white towers and the museums surrounding the rest of the square.
Wrapping up a day with a cocktail on a rooftop bar and enjoying the sunset is a relaxing end
to a full day of wandering. Number eight. Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal is easily the most iconic attraction in Panama City. Some people might not
know where Panama is, but they at least know of the Panama Canal. It's one of the Seven Wonders of
the Modern World; this engineering feat decreases travel time between the Pacific and the Caribbean
Sea by more than 10,000 miles. That's more than a month of travel time saved for each vessel.
The coast on either side of the canal is not at equal heights - the series of locking
bays lifts each ship 85 feet to the proper elevation to transit the canal. It takes up
to ten hours for each vessel to make its way through the canal, and it has seen more than
900,000 vessels pass through its gates. There are a couple of vantage points where
you can watch ships move through the canal system. One option is the road leading to
Soberania National Park, which runs next to the canal for some stretches. A view
from the Bridge of the Americas provides a sense of how large the Panama Canal is.
Number seven. San Blas Islands. Exploring Panama extends beyond the
coastline. A trip to the San Blas Islands will earn you the white sand beaches and
gently leaning palm trees expected in the Caribbean. And there's a reason that visual
is what we expect when traveling to the Caribbean - Microsoft used an image from these islands for
a desktop background option for years! Located off the eastern coast, the island
is run by the Guna tribe that resides on the island. If you want to visit as a day trip,
get ready for an early start, departing Panama City at 5 AM and arriving on the beach at 9:30
AM. If you'd rather take a more relaxed approach, you can stay overnight on the island, giving you
more flexibility to lounge and explore. A third option is a sailboat or catamaran
tour of the islands - you'll still get an opportunity to experience the Guna community,
docking on several islands to partake in adventures like kayaking, hiking, and
enjoying fresh seafood around a beach bonfire. If you enjoy our videos join us on our journey
around the world by subscribing to our channel please click the bell icon to get notified
when we publish a new video. Number six. Pearl Islands.
The Pearl Islands are made up of 90 islands and even more unnamed islets
and are off the western coast of Panama. The islands earned their name from the plentiful
pearls that have been harvested in the area. The Pearl Islands have also played host to
three seasons of Survivor, a reality-TV competition focused on team survival.
Most visitors end up at Isla Contadora, the only island in the group with established
infrastructure. Isla del Rey is the largest island and features an airport,
but there isn't much else to see on this island, so it functions primarily as a travel point.
Whale watching is a huge draw, as the islands are located along primary
migratory paths for humpback whales. Number five. El Valle de Anton.
El Valle de Anton is wholly unique - it sits in a caldera - the remnants of Volcan El Valle.
This town has nearly 10,000 residents, making it the largest settled caldera globally.
Sitting in a caldera creates a one-of-a-kind microclimate with lush landscape and rich
wildlife. One of the biggest oddities of the area is the square trees. Quickly becoming a
thing of the past, it's likely that a farmer framed trees to encourage a square-shaped
growth, hoping to reduce waste when harvesting the trees for lumber.
Picturesque waterfalls can be seen on the well-traveled Sleeping Indian Girl loop trail,
but the most famous is the El Chorro Macho waterfall, which tumbles more than 100 feet into a
pool at the base that is open for swimming. Number four. Playa Venao.
If surfing is your favorite water sport, Playa Venao must be added to your Panama itinerary.
Sitting on the Azuero Peninsula, it's known for world-class surfing and plenty of beaches.
Playa Venao also hosts the occasional music festival, often featuring
electronic music in April and November. And there are other water sports besides
surfing to enjoy. Deep-sea fishing is robust, and with the region's nickname of the Tuna Coast,
it's easy to see why. Bigeye and yellowfin tuna frequent these waters. You can also
catch mahi-mahi, wahoo, and Pacific sailfish. If you time your visit between July and November,
you might be lucky enough to see the massive sea turtle hatching that takes place every year. It's
an awe-inspiring scene to take in - armies of baby sea turtles scuttling towards the ocean,
attempting to reach the safety of the water before predators snatch them up.
And if you'd prefer to get away from the water, you can zipline through the dense jungle canopy
at Canas Jungle Adventure or go horseback riding in the surf on the beachfront.
Number three. Bocas del Toro. This hub for backpacking comes in as
a close second to Panama City when considering the most popular places to visit in Panama.
It's easy to get there, but expect jam-packed shuttles that might make you feel like cattle.
Because it's a mecca for backpackers, it also has a lively party atmosphere. Working hard and
logging miles justifies kicking back and relaxing when you reach civilization!
The water isn't as crystal clear as other beaches in Panama, but it's not an eyesore by
any means. If you're lucky, you might see a sloth - especially if you take a scenic boat ride around
Sloth Island, where they live in abundance. Number two. Volcan Baru.
Visiting the highest point in Panama will take you to Baru Volcano National Park. At over 11,000
feet, it's the only peak where you can see the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean simultaneously - as
long as you are there on a clear day. There are five distinct ecosystems in the park,
and the volcanic soil provides nutrients for some of the most
expensive coffee varieties in the world. Seven craters dot the park, and hiking is the
best way to enjoy the area. Number one. Santa Catalina.
Santa Catalina might be more remote than the other locations on our list,
but that's half the charm. The secret of Santa Catalina is quickly getting out and
getting more and more attention each year. Surfing is one of the biggest draws to the town,
as the breaks provide massive wages and tubes that beckon surfers. And if you aren't a confident
surfer, surf schools offer lessons among the more gentle waves that also exist in the area.
Keep up with the water sports by fishing for marlin, sailfish, tarpon,
and other big-game, deep-sea catches. Staying out after dark might tempt you
to dance among the numerous fireflies that light up the night sky, dancing to the beat
of the resident crickets and toads. That concludes today's list! Are there any
missed areas of Panama that you think belong on our list? Let us know in the comments below!
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