Open Road's Best of Panama, 2nd Edition

by Bruce Morris

Overview

The only guide to the best of Panama designed for the amount of time readers really have for their trip.

Open Road’s Best of Panama, 2nd Edition, gives readers great choices and suggestions for trips of various lengths. Readers are not weighed down with tons of useless information – we cut to the chase and give readers short descriptions. Only the top hotels and restaurants in each price category have been selected for this book. Readers will learn the best ways to transit the Panama Canal, relax in the Bocas del Toro area of beaches and tropical resorts, enjoy the cosmopolitan pleasures of Panama City, and tour world-class attractions like Darien National Park, the famous tropical research station of Isla Barra Colorado, and Coiba National Park. We also show readers how to visit the indigenous people like the Cuna Indians, the best spots for viewing wildlife in mountain and coastal parks, and special trips for birders and big-time billfish anglers – for both of which Panama is considered among the top world destinations!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781593601683
Publisher:	Open Road
Publication date:	12/25/2012
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Bruce Morris is a professional travel writer and photographer and is the author and/or co-author of Open Road guides to Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, and the Florida Keys/Everglades.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 9

2 Overview 10

3 Panama City 20

One Great Day 22

A Fantastic Weekend 25

A Wonderful Week 30

Marbella & Punta Paitilla 30

Casco Viejo 34

Amador Causeway 35

4 The Panama Canal 35

One Great Day 37

A Fantastic Weekend 41

A Wonderful Week 45

Balboa 46

Amador Causeway 48

Gamboa 48

5 Bocas Del Toro 52

One Great Day 54

A Fantastic Weekend 56

A Wonderful Week 58

Bocas Town 58

Bastamientos 59

Cayos Zapatillas 61

San San Pond Sack Swamp 61

6 San Blas Archipelago 62

A Fantastic Weekend 64

A Wonderful Week 66

Kuna Yala 66

El Porvenir 66

Corbisky Island 67

Coral Lodge 68

Isla Tigre 69

Eastern Islands 69

7 The Gulf of Chiriquí 70

A Fantastic Weekend 72

A Wonderful Week 74

Islas Secas 75

Coiba 78

Boca Brava 79

8 The Central Highlands 81

A Fantastic Boquete Weekend 83

A Fantastic El Valle Weekend 85

A Wonderful Week in Boquete & El Valle 86

Boquete 87

El Valle 89

Decameron 91

9 Darien 92

A Fantastic Darien Weekend 94

A Fantastic Tropic Star Weekend 95

A Wonderful Week in Darien 97

Cana 97

Punta Patiño 98

Bahia Piñas 100

10 Panama in Two Weeks 102

Day 1 - Panama City 103

Days 2 and 3 - Bocas del Toro 105

Day 4 - Boquete 109

Days 5 and 6 - Canopy Tower 112

Days 7 and 8 - San Blas 113

Day 9 - Canal Train & Panama City Nightlife 116

Days 10, 11, 12 and 13 - Bahia Piñas 117

Day 14 - Panama City 117

11 Best Sleeps & Eats 119

Lodging 120

Food & Eating Out 120

Panama City 122

Best Sleeps 122

Best Eats 124

The Panama Canal 126

Best Sleeps 126

Best Eats 130

Bocas del Toro 131

Best Sleeps 131

Best Eats 136

San Blas Archipelago 137

Best Sleeps 137

Best Eats 139

Gulf of Chiriquí 139

Best Sleeps 139

Best Eats 143

The Central Highlands 144

Best Sleeps 144

Best Eats 146

Darien 147

Best Sleeps 147

Best Eats 149

12 Best Activities 150

Panama City 151

Shopping 151

Nightlife & Entertainment 152

Sports & Recreation 155

The Panama Canal 156

Shopping 156

Sports & Recreation 156

Bocas del Toro 160

Shopping 161

Nightlife & Entertainment 161

Sports & Recreation 162

San Blas Archipelago 164

Shopping 165

Sports & Recreation 165

Gulf of Chiriquí 169

Sports & Recreation 169

The Central Highlands 172

Shopping 172

Nightlife & Entertainment 172

Sports & Recreation 173

Darien 174

Sports & Recreation 175

13 Practical Matters 179

Getting to Panama 179

Getting Around Panama 180

Basic Information 183

Banking & Changing Money 183

Business Hours 183

Climate & Weather 184

Consulates & Embassies 184

Electricity 184

Emergencies & Safety 185

Crime 185

Health & Hospitals 185

Etiquette 186

Further Reading 187

Internet Access 187

Language 187

Newspapers 188

Maps 188

Passport & Visa Regulations 188

Postal Service 188

Telephones 188

Time 189

Tipping 189

Tourist Information 189

Water 190

Websites 190

Weights & Measures 190

Essential Spanish 190

Pleasantries 190

Everyday Phrases 191

Travel Terms 192

Eating & Drinking 192

Panamanian Slang 193

Pronunciation 194

Maps

Panama 11

Panama City 21

Panama Canal 38

Bocas del Toro 53

San Blas Archipelago 63

Gulf of Chiriquí 71

Central Highlands 82

Darien 94