Panama is an off the beaten path paradise, a place that could serve to remind a person what a vacation is really meant to be. After 10 days in beautiful Panama I realized that before this trip I hadn’t had a real vacation in a long time. As someone who plans luxury adventure travel as my job, my scouting trips are usually very immersive, adventurous and fast-paced.. I’m so thankful my 10-day Panama itinerary included the perfect mix of relaxation, adventure, exploring, and indulging. An incredible yin/yang experience that included both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts and Panama City, sunrises and sunsets, white and black sand beaches, glass-like water and rolling waves, drenching rains and intense sunshine, and nature in varied forms – curated and serene, raw and rugged. Thank you Panama.
Why go to Panama?
A few travel industry peers told me that Panama is like Costa Rica was 20 years ago and my ears perked up. I prefer a path slightly less traveled when I go on an adventure, a place where there isn’t a ton of development, where hotels with familiar brand names don’t cluster together along otherwise pristine beaches. I was pleased to learn that Panama doesn’t (as of 2023) have any big international chain resorts at all. And when I got there, my experience was exactly what I’d hoped. My partner Patrick and I went together for a quiet romantic getaway where we could experience a new culture and immerse in nature (and warm up from the cold New York winter!) and it was everything we needed.
Panama is made up largely of huge swaths of wilderness, lonely beaches, thick mysterious jungle, and locally owned coffee plantations. It’s a sliver of a country and you can drive from the Caribbean Coast to the Pacific coast in just a couple of hours. Panama City’s Casco Viejo is a lovely place to spend a day or two walking around, with great coffee shops, bars and restaurants in a very manageable area where, again, no overly obtrusive development seems to have taken place. The food I ate was made with love and pride, the people know their country is a special gem and that someday, the rest of the world will know. So the time to go to Panama is now.
Where to go in Panama
I visited three distinctly different parts of the country on my 10-day trip to Panama – Panama City’s Casco Viejo, Bocas del Toro, and the Bay of Chiriqui. I spent ten days in Panama but you could shorten a trip to half of that time if you want to include just Panama City and one beach property. The combination was perfect: a quick taste of the capital, time to explore the Caribbean coast with its glassy turquoise water and distinct cultural influences, and an experience immersing in the wilder, more rustic Pacific side of the country where I never wore shoes and had some of the best swims of my life in the warm, dark blue rolling waves.
At both beach areas I stayed at private island resorts, which I highly recommend if you have the budget. The remote, natural environment provides the perfect atmosphere to really kick back and relax, and the beach properties are happy to cater to guests who want privacy, design-forward surroundings, a beautiful pool, great service and a curated wine list, but don’t want to get dressed up for dinner (barefoot luxury!).
Itinerary days 1-2 – Panama City
It was a quick 24 hours or so on the front end of the trip, arriving in the early afternoon and leaving in the late morning on the following day. We checked into the American Trade Hotel, in a prime location in the Old Town or Casco Viejo. The hotel feels freshly furnished clean, spacious and welcoming, with a distinct old world feel in all the right ways. There is a rooftop pool, a library, a gym, a beautiful lobby and great breakfast (though I will say service was a bit slow). We had a lovely, comfortable room.
Panama City’s Casco Viejo is small enough that you can wander around without a plan or even a map. For a nearby coffee, Cafe Unido (there are a few locations – a local chain) is a good spot for a pick me up and maybe even a little pastry with local flavor. Then for a little pre dinner cocktail hour we made it to Pedro Mandinga, a little rum bar on a busy street great for people watching. For dinner, I had heard Fonda Lo Que Hay was a casual but fun foodie spot with amazing food, and it did not disappoint.
The pandemic had hit this small city within a city hard and many previously beloved places in the old town had lost their businesses, but there are still many places thriving and I’m sure it will continue to rebound like the rest of the travel industry has over the last couple of years. After dinner we grabbed a nightcap at La Rana Dorada, a welcoming craft beer bar with a large space and a buzzing, young weekend crowd.
Itinerary Days 3 – 6: Bocas del Toro
Nayara Bocas Del Toro is situated on a private island edged with mangroves and perfectly laid out for just enough privacy without having to walk miles to breakfast. Our villa faced the most epic sunrise. Manta rays circle the gorgeous Elephant House restaurant where dinner is served. You can kayak, snorkel, or paddleboard from your villa to the overwater beach on stilts and post up at the beach bar for a cocktail (you can of course take the boardwalk too). The dedicated community of people taking care of guests feel like new friends, whether they’re making your breakfast smoothie or your pre-dinner blueberry bramble, driving the boat to take you to a deserted island or answering requests on the in-room tablet.
Nayara Bocas Del Toro is off the grid and runs entirely on solar energy and purified rainwater. When the resort was built over the last couple of years, they took every consideration and brought in a team of experts to ensure they wouldn’t disturb the island’s delicate ecosystem made up of mangroves and coral reefs. There are opportunities to connect with the local culture by touring an indigenous village or chocolate farm.
When we first arrived I was completely enchanted by our over water villa, and even when it rained – as it does frequently and without much predictability in Bocas del Toro – we were blissfully happy in our little luxurious hut.
We spent a mix of time relaxing on our own deck, at the resort’s pool, and at the man-made beach. Because the island was covered in mangroves, there is not natural beach so the developers created one, like a big adult sand box! It’s better than nothing though I will say it’s not the same as having a real beach.
The good news is that you can hire a boat and driver who will take you out for the day to visit beaches on uninhabited islands, among other activities. We went out for a day, with a driver/guide Marvis who grew up in the islands. He took us through a sloth “alleyway” aka a water canal in the mangroves where sloths tend to hang on low branches. We visited one of the small islands with a little village for an incredible seafood lunch at a restaurant called Alvin Donde Kecha, right on the water.
The food was clearly made with love. When we finished eating Marvis asked us if we liked it. Patrick proclaimed it one of his favorite meals of all time. That’s when Marvis told us that it’s his cousin’s restaurant, and that the chef is his grandmother, who we could see moving among the steaming pots in the little kitchen.
Itinerary days 7-10: Gulf of Chiriqui
At first glance, the islands in the Gulf of Chiriqui can look scrubby and rustic, with marbled black and cream sand and ominously shaped trees. The bliss and beauty of the region really bloom when you realize that you’re surrounded by an unspoiled wilderness that feels truly cut off from the rest of the world. Curious iguanas and sea turtles are unafraid of humans because they haven’t felt their habitat shrink for development.
If Isla Palenque sounds like it was dreamed up by some wayfarer’s castaway fantasy, that’s because it was. Isla Palenque’s owner was inspired by Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe, and spent time sleeping in a hammock on the island’s untouched shores before building what is now an intimate resort with just eight casitas and one private villa, each of which is surrounded by lush vegetation just steps from the beach.
This remote, 400-acre private island paradise is a small dot on the map with a significant archeological history. It’s a destination for truly adventurous spirits that feels far removed from the rest of the world. A place with a soul. Without exaggeration, one of my very favorite travel experiences anywhere in the world.
But Isla Palenque is for a certain type of traveler and will not suit all travel styles. The casita bathrooms are entirely outdoors, you’ll wake up at dawn when the howler monkeys find breakfast, the beaches have fine grain black and cream marbled sand that inevitably becomes part of your wardrobe. There is nothing resembling civilization within walking distance. And while there are aspects of traditional luxury the most luxurious aspects here are the opportunity to connect with nature at its wildest, the space for solitude if you want it, the slow pace punctuated by moments of surprise and discovery. If the idea of bathing in the middle of the jungle, seeing wildlife without even trying, and abandoning your shoes for the duration of your vacation sounds like perfection, then this might be as much your dream destination as it was mine.
I could not possibly decide on a favorite thing about Isla Palenque. Our little rustic hideaway in perfect jungle/beach proportions, hiking through ancient primary forest to the seven empty beaches, the magic of the island’s mysterious history, the monkeys that danced around in the trees above the pool, snorkeling with giant sea turtles, the mouthwatering food, the jaw-dropping sunsets. Perhaps above all the extremely warm and welcoming staff, one of whom picked mangoes on the other side of the island to make us mango margaritas for us, on HIS own birthday, because it’s Patrick’s favorite fruit.
The eight secluded casitas that sit at the edge of the beach surrounded by vegetation, each with its own deck swing, lounge chairs, shady hammock, and outdoor bathroom including a tub with locally made bath salts and soaps.
The many ways to explore the island, like a tour with an onsite naturalist who can explain the unique archeological history that contributes to the island’s mystique or monkey walks or visits to the expansive garden where a lot of the food comes from. My favorite was roaming the many hiking trails on our own, happening upon multiple empty beaches where we could kick off our boots and go for a swim.
But one of the many aspects of Isla Palenque that makes it extraordinarily special is their true commitment to the highest standards in sustainability. When the resort was developed the goal was to “tread so lightly on the land that our footprints go almost unnoticed.” Produce and meat are locally sourced (much of it from their own organic farm, which I got to see), and menus change with the seasons and are designed to celebrate Panamanian culinary traditions. They serve only grass fed beef and responsibly caught seafood, and are certified through Dock to Dish meaning deliveries of seafood caught by local fisherman. Coffee is from nearby Boquete, Panama’s famous coffee region. Almost all of the resort furniture has been crafted in the onsite woodshop from fallen wood on the island. The staff is almost exclusively Panamanian. They’re proud to show off their country and their culture. They love their little island home. And of course, single-use plastic has been banished from the island.
When it comes to sustainability in the travel industry there is a lot of greenwashing but this place really walks the walk. Isla Palenque is run by Cayuga Collection, a small group of sustainable resorts that also has properties in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
How to get there – transportation in Panama
Air Panama and Copa Airlines both operate regular flights to both Bocas Del Toro and David, which is the airport near the Bay of Chiriqui (where Isla Palenque is). But if you’re going from one of the resorts to another, there aren’t direct flights – they always fly through Panama City (PTY). If you’re open to a splurge you could take a private seaplane from one coast to the other, or if you’re feeling adventurous you could drive or hire a car. We hired a driver to take us from the Caribbean to the Pacific coast, a drive of about three hours. It’s a drive not for the faint of heart, with winding mountain roads that skirt the edges of cliffs. But it’s also beautiful, with long drives through farmland and coffee plantations, and old growth forests. The closest I got to a sloth on the whole trip was when we slowed down to look at one on the side of the road.
Best time to go to Panama
Panama’s dry season is November to March, with October and April offering slightly lower prices that come with the risk of some rain. Bocas Del Toro is rainy year round, even in the dry season. We had beautiful weather every day but also rain every day there. If you get upset by rain on your beach vacation, if you don’t have the imagination to realize how beautiful angry weather can be, then this is probably not the place for you. The Pacific coast is a bit more predictable but this is still a tropical climate and a little rain is always just a day or few away.
General Panama Travel Tips
Panama is generally pretty safe although I have been told to stay away from the eastern side of the country that borders Colombia. I would also suggest going with a trusted local guide if you’re taking a long hike anywhere unfamiliar and always ask in local areas what kinds of wildlife to be wary of – certain snakes or spiders etc.