Panama first visit itenerary help please
Jan 6th, 2008, 09:58 PM
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Panama first visit itenerary help please
Hi,
Travelling in the second week to April to Panama. Have 7 full days and 8 nights in Panama.
I'm planning something like this.
1) Arrive in Panama city at night
2) Fly to David. Proceed to Cielito Sur B&B. http://www.cielitosur.com/
Rave review from Frommers
3) Hike in PILA (La Amistad national park). stay at cielitosur
4) Take a day tour to Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park
http://www.explorationpanama.net/
stay at Cielito Sur
5) Day hike on Quetzal trail to
Boquette. Stay in Boquette
6) check out boquette/finca lerida
stay in boquette (coffe estate inn)
7) morning flight to panama city.
check out miraflores locks and harpy eagles in summit gardens. stay in panama city. (any hotel recommendations?)
8) Take a day tour or sobernaria park/pipeline road and jungle cruise
evening stay in PC
9) fly back to US.
Please provide inputs/any other alternatives/changes to this itenerary.
we like nature stuff a lot. (we took
your advise to visit CR/Bosque Del cabo and my, I live never forget it for the rest of my life.)
Not really city/wine & dine people.
Travelling in the second week to April to Panama. Have 7 full days and 8 nights in Panama.
I'm planning something like this.
1) Arrive in Panama city at night
2) Fly to David. Proceed to Cielito Sur B&B. http://www.cielitosur.com/
Rave review from Frommers
3) Hike in PILA (La Amistad national park). stay at cielitosur
4) Take a day tour to Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park
http://www.explorationpanama.net/
stay at Cielito Sur
5) Day hike on Quetzal trail to
Boquette. Stay in Boquette
6) check out boquette/finca lerida
stay in boquette (coffe estate inn)
7) morning flight to panama city.
check out miraflores locks and harpy eagles in summit gardens. stay in panama city. (any hotel recommendations?)
8) Take a day tour or sobernaria park/pipeline road and jungle cruise
evening stay in PC
9) fly back to US.
Please provide inputs/any other alternatives/changes to this itenerary.
we like nature stuff a lot. (we took
your advise to visit CR/Bosque Del cabo and my, I live never forget it for the rest of my life.)
Not really city/wine & dine people.
Jan 7th, 2008, 01:28 PM
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The Grand opening is Jan 11
http://www.avifauna.org.pa/
I think it would be well worth your time to visit the project on Pipeline Road.
Your plans sound exceedingly well made to me. The Bristol hotel has some kind of "deal" on rates with Coffee Estate. Check with them. Also do a word search on Panama on this forum, there is another traveler with several similar stops planned. A couple of trip reports have also been posted by glover and shillmac which will be helpful in accomodation selection.
Buen viaje, Panama is gorgeous!
http://www.avifauna.org.pa/
I think it would be well worth your time to visit the project on Pipeline Road.
Your plans sound exceedingly well made to me. The Bristol hotel has some kind of "deal" on rates with Coffee Estate. Check with them. Also do a word search on Panama on this forum, there is another traveler with several similar stops planned. A couple of trip reports have also been posted by glover and shillmac which will be helpful in accomodation selection.
Buen viaje, Panama is gorgeous!
Jan 15th, 2008, 01:39 PM
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Not a bad itinerary at all...
Janet and Glenn are a great couple at Cielito Sur and so are Barry and Jane at Coffee Estate Inn.
If you go out to Miraflores and Summit Gardens on Day 7 you are basically doing the same trip over again on day 8 - Soberania/Pipeline is the same area as Summit Gardens. I would suggest doing a trip to an Embera Village on day 8 - a dugout canoe trip up the Chagres river, visit the village, walk the jungle with their medicine man learning about the different plants etc. These villages are not tourist traps but these people value their culture and want to maintain their centuries old traditions.
Another option would be the trip with www.gatunexplorer.com. Takes you out onto Lake Gatun, to Monkey Island, then to a houseboat which is a base for kayaking, swimming and stuff.
In Panama you might want to look at www.bedandbreakfastpanama.com or www.innonthecanal.com. There is a new B&B opening up in El Carmen area but not sure of exactly when they will be fully operational.
With hotels in Panama City especially, book as soon as you can as there is a definite lack of rooms and many days you cannot get a room for any price.
Hope this helps,
Andrew
Janet and Glenn are a great couple at Cielito Sur and so are Barry and Jane at Coffee Estate Inn.
If you go out to Miraflores and Summit Gardens on Day 7 you are basically doing the same trip over again on day 8 - Soberania/Pipeline is the same area as Summit Gardens. I would suggest doing a trip to an Embera Village on day 8 - a dugout canoe trip up the Chagres river, visit the village, walk the jungle with their medicine man learning about the different plants etc. These villages are not tourist traps but these people value their culture and want to maintain their centuries old traditions.
Another option would be the trip with www.gatunexplorer.com. Takes you out onto Lake Gatun, to Monkey Island, then to a houseboat which is a base for kayaking, swimming and stuff.
In Panama you might want to look at www.bedandbreakfastpanama.com or www.innonthecanal.com. There is a new B&B opening up in El Carmen area but not sure of exactly when they will be fully operational.
With hotels in Panama City especially, book as soon as you can as there is a definite lack of rooms and many days you cannot get a room for any price.
Hope this helps,
Andrew
Jan 17th, 2008, 04:51 PM
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How should I do this ?
On day 7, if I arrive from David
at 11:00AM or so, should I do an afternoon visit to the Embera tribe and chagres river boat tide in the afternoon ?
On day 8, take an early morning ANCON tour to Pipeline road & summit gardens ?
http://www.anconexpeditions.com/daytours_pipeline.html
The embera/chagres river tour is also offered in the morning by ANCON
http://www.anconexpeditions.com/daytours_embera.html
I'm not sure if I can do both in the morning as I'm planning to arrive
in PNC by afternoon on day 7 ?
Do u know of any other company that
does the embera/river tour in the afternoon ?
Also, when should I do Miraflores Locks tour ?
Any particular part of PNC to visit ? (for 3-4 hours ?)
Thanks
TB
On day 7, if I arrive from David
at 11:00AM or so, should I do an afternoon visit to the Embera tribe and chagres river boat tide in the afternoon ?
On day 8, take an early morning ANCON tour to Pipeline road & summit gardens ?
http://www.anconexpeditions.com/daytours_pipeline.html
The embera/chagres river tour is also offered in the morning by ANCON
http://www.anconexpeditions.com/daytours_embera.html
I'm not sure if I can do both in the morning as I'm planning to arrive
in PNC by afternoon on day 7 ?
Do u know of any other company that
does the embera/river tour in the afternoon ?
Also, when should I do Miraflores Locks tour ?
Any particular part of PNC to visit ? (for 3-4 hours ?)
Thanks
TB
Feb 2nd, 2008, 09:04 AM
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Just got back on and saw your questions...
You could do Pipeline and Summit Gardens on your own on the day you get back from David - bargain with a taxi at the airport for a few hours as you are on the right side of the city to get there easily from the Albrook Airport. This is the perfect time to visit Miraflores as well...
Then you could do the Embera on day 8 - it's a full day trip. There are lots of options for this tour - Tourista Internacional, Inside Panama, Pesantez etc...
Half day to see Panama City - Old Panama (first Spanish city on the west coast of the Americas), Casco Viejo (Colonial section) be sure to visit the Canal Museum (closed Mondays), Causeway, and if you want to shop for souvenirs etc the best market is close to the Causeway in the old YMCA building.
Cheers,
Andrew
You could do Pipeline and Summit Gardens on your own on the day you get back from David - bargain with a taxi at the airport for a few hours as you are on the right side of the city to get there easily from the Albrook Airport. This is the perfect time to visit Miraflores as well...
Then you could do the Embera on day 8 - it's a full day trip. There are lots of options for this tour - Tourista Internacional, Inside Panama, Pesantez etc...
Half day to see Panama City - Old Panama (first Spanish city on the west coast of the Americas), Casco Viejo (Colonial section) be sure to visit the Canal Museum (closed Mondays), Causeway, and if you want to shop for souvenirs etc the best market is close to the Causeway in the old YMCA building.
Cheers,
Andrew
