Panama in June or August - where to go
Jan 25th, 2006, 01:47 PM
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Panama in June or August - where to go
We will be going to Panama in either June or late August for about 7 days. We have 3 teenagers and would like to experience some cultur as well as some beach time. From what I've read, it's very rainy at the beaches that time of year. Are there any beaches the would not have a lot of rain?
Also, we're thinking of either staying in PC at the Radisson or on the Canal at the Country Inn & Suites. Which would be a better location? Any info on either hotel would be appreciated.
Also, we're thinking of either staying in PC at the Radisson or on the Canal at the Country Inn & Suites. Which would be a better location? Any info on either hotel would be appreciated.
Jan 25th, 2006, 04:40 PM
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I like the Country Inn and Suites, ask for a room facing the water so you can watch the ships queue before entering the canal.
June and August are part of rainy season in Panama. The weather is hot and steamy but the flowers and jungle are best. You can take a rental car up the coast to the Santa Clara area and hit the beach there. Do visit either the Canopy Tower or Gamboa Rainforest resort to experience some of the jungle. I have posted several times about Panama on this forum and you can read those posts by clicking on my screenname. JeanH, LanSluder and Andrew all have posted excellent information about Panama and I recommend you do a word search with their names as well. I grew up in Panama and it remains very dear to me. It is a beautiful country with a marvelous culture. Very welcoming and very interesting. Enjoy your visit.
June and August are part of rainy season in Panama. The weather is hot and steamy but the flowers and jungle are best. You can take a rental car up the coast to the Santa Clara area and hit the beach there. Do visit either the Canopy Tower or Gamboa Rainforest resort to experience some of the jungle. I have posted several times about Panama on this forum and you can read those posts by clicking on my screenname. JeanH, LanSluder and Andrew all have posted excellent information about Panama and I recommend you do a word search with their names as well. I grew up in Panama and it remains very dear to me. It is a beautiful country with a marvelous culture. Very welcoming and very interesting. Enjoy your visit.
Jan 27th, 2006, 06:53 AM
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cmcfong
Thanks for the info. I went to Panama with my parents about 20 years ago. All I remember is seeing the canal and that it was really really hot. I'm sure a lot of things have changed since then.
Can you tell me is the Canal far from the City? Is it an easy taxi ride? Also, is there any shopping around the Country Inn & Suites. My 3 teenage daughters will want to spend a lot of time shopping for souveneirs.
How many days would you recomend in the PC area? How many elsewhere?
Thanks for the info. I went to Panama with my parents about 20 years ago. All I remember is seeing the canal and that it was really really hot. I'm sure a lot of things have changed since then.
Can you tell me is the Canal far from the City? Is it an easy taxi ride? Also, is there any shopping around the Country Inn & Suites. My 3 teenage daughters will want to spend a lot of time shopping for souveneirs.
How many days would you recomend in the PC area? How many elsewhere?
Jan 27th, 2006, 07:38 AM
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I suggest you hire a driver for the day. Talk to the desk staff at Country Inn and Suites, they will be able to arrange that for you. Go to Miraflores Locks (a very easy drive) and take the tour which will tell you what you need to know about the operation of the Canal and give you and overview of how it works. Fascinating and a must do. Also ask your driver to take you to the Craft market in the old Zone. Be prepared to bargain, they will negotiate prices. There are some splendid gift items there. For general souvenirs go to Gran Morrison in Panama City. While you have a driver ask for a tour of Old Panama (there is a less impressive craft market there as well).
I would stay in Panama City a day or two then get a rental car and head for Santa Clara, stay at a beach cottage there. You might also want to drive to El Valle, the market there is very nice and visit David's gift shop. He has some great stuff.
You might want to click on my screenname and see some other postings I have made about Panama visits. LanSluder, JeanH, and Andrew also offer some excellent travel advise on this site. Put their screenname in the search box and their posts will crop up. Andrew lives in Panama and is a really marvelous resource.
Buen viaje!
I would stay in Panama City a day or two then get a rental car and head for Santa Clara, stay at a beach cottage there. You might also want to drive to El Valle, the market there is very nice and visit David's gift shop. He has some great stuff.
You might want to click on my screenname and see some other postings I have made about Panama visits. LanSluder, JeanH, and Andrew also offer some excellent travel advise on this site. Put their screenname in the search box and their posts will crop up. Andrew lives in Panama and is a really marvelous resource.
Buen viaje!
Jan 27th, 2006, 07:57 AM
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You might also want to check out http://www.czbrats.com a website maintained by folks who once lived in the Zone and return often.
Jan 27th, 2006, 10:14 AM
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I walked by the Country Inn and Suites last year when we were in Panama City. It looks fine, but it also just looks generic. Could be any where. When I travel to another country, I want to know I'm not in the US. We stayed at Sevilla Suites, downtown, loads of restaurants within walking distance. A few larger hotels fairly close by if you wanted to go gambling or whatever. Decent rooms, we had a one bedroom suite with full kitchen for $88.00 per night, taxes included. Roof top pool, decent continental breakfast. There were several other similar properties near by. No view of the canal, interesting city views from the windows.
Jan 27th, 2006, 10:55 AM
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Jean is right, Country Inn and Suites is pretty generic. It does have an excellent view of the ships queuing for the Canal and I guess that's what I like about it. It is clean and comfortable. There is a new Intercontinental on Kobbe Beach which is quite fabulous. Downtown the Bristol is a good choice.
Jan 28th, 2006, 06:43 AM
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I agree with JeanH. We are not loooking fo an American experience. We want to be able to meet the locals, practice our Spanish and see how Panama is unique. We don't really go to Casino's.
We are more into the local culture, nature and some adventure. We went to Costa Rica last summer - Manuel Antonio and Arenal. We loved it. We know that Panama has the nature that we enjoyed last summer, but are hoping to make this vacation a little different.I think Seeing PC and the locks will make this vacation different, fun and interesting.
I have plenty of time to prepare for our trip and have been looking at your other posts. They are informative and very helpful. I only wish that we had more time to spend in Panama so we could see more! Unfortunately, it's a very busy time for my husban workwise, and he can't get the time off.
We are more into the local culture, nature and some adventure. We went to Costa Rica last summer - Manuel Antonio and Arenal. We loved it. We know that Panama has the nature that we enjoyed last summer, but are hoping to make this vacation a little different.I think Seeing PC and the locks will make this vacation different, fun and interesting.
I have plenty of time to prepare for our trip and have been looking at your other posts. They are informative and very helpful. I only wish that we had more time to spend in Panama so we could see more! Unfortunately, it's a very busy time for my husban workwise, and he can't get the time off.
Jan 28th, 2006, 12:44 PM
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We really enjoyed our time at Canopy Tower, but with three kids, it would really be expensive, not to mention, I'm not sure they would enjoy it much. It's a different place. The walls are paper thin, I could hear the guy next door snoring. If you aren't into birding, there's not much else to do.
Jan 28th, 2006, 12:45 PM
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epaula, if you want to see our pictures from Panama, e-mail me at [email protected]
Jan 28th, 2006, 12:52 PM
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A friend just sent me an email with some photos you might also enjoy
http://www.iceportal.com/brochures/i...brochureid=271
http://www.iceportal.com/brochures/i...brochureid=271
Jan 28th, 2006, 02:56 PM
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Haven't been on for a while so thanks for the kind comments CMC....
Radisson (Decapolis) is a new, modern, hip hotel right in the thick of things - next to a large, mall that's not prospering too well, a few blocks from the Calle Uruguay "zona viva" where there's a lot of restaurants and clubs, very safe area...
The Country Inn & Suites Amador is a 3-star at best hotel, very "normal" and has spotty service. Within the hotel is a TGIF's and other eating establishments are a bit of a walk or short taxi ride away further along the causeway...
Some suggestions in town that are not as cookie cutter hotel like: Las Huacas Suites, Sevilla Suites, Deville Hotel and there will be a new one opening probably by the end of March called Le Chateaux de Xello - in a residential neighborhood with great yard and pool - walking distance to lots of things, short taxi otherwise...
You could do the beaches up past Coronado - 1 to 2 hours from PC - Las Sirenas on Santa Clara beach could be an idea, or Bayview on Palmar beach is another decent option...
That part of the coast is drier than the rest so you should get at least a good portion of the day with sun and either morning or afternoon showers - August is usually not as rainy as June...
There are Caribbean beach options but that coast is usually wetter... Isla Grande - Bananas resort or Sister Moon, or Tesoro del Caribe on the mainland...
For culture you could do any of the following:
Panama Viejo - 500 year old ruins of the first Spanish settlement on the Pacific coast
Casco Antiguo - the colonial part of Panama that is slowly being restored - while there see the Canal Musuem on Plaza Cathedral - closed on Mondays
Embera village tour - one of Panama's seven indigenous tribes - easy day trip from PC - they live very much as they have for hundreds of years in the rainforest - Embera Drua is probably the most authentic of the Chagres river villages - various tour operators offer day trips...
Souvenir shopping is best at the Handicraft market in Balboa - just before you head out onto the Amador Causeway - and just up the road is a Kuna market that sells the handsewn molas and other things... One of my favorite souvenirs is the carvings done out of the Tagua nut - a vegetable ivory - incredibly done some of them...
Hope this helps you somewhat, feel free to email me...
Cheers,
Andrew
Radisson (Decapolis) is a new, modern, hip hotel right in the thick of things - next to a large, mall that's not prospering too well, a few blocks from the Calle Uruguay "zona viva" where there's a lot of restaurants and clubs, very safe area...
The Country Inn & Suites Amador is a 3-star at best hotel, very "normal" and has spotty service. Within the hotel is a TGIF's and other eating establishments are a bit of a walk or short taxi ride away further along the causeway...
Some suggestions in town that are not as cookie cutter hotel like: Las Huacas Suites, Sevilla Suites, Deville Hotel and there will be a new one opening probably by the end of March called Le Chateaux de Xello - in a residential neighborhood with great yard and pool - walking distance to lots of things, short taxi otherwise...
You could do the beaches up past Coronado - 1 to 2 hours from PC - Las Sirenas on Santa Clara beach could be an idea, or Bayview on Palmar beach is another decent option...
That part of the coast is drier than the rest so you should get at least a good portion of the day with sun and either morning or afternoon showers - August is usually not as rainy as June...
There are Caribbean beach options but that coast is usually wetter... Isla Grande - Bananas resort or Sister Moon, or Tesoro del Caribe on the mainland...
For culture you could do any of the following:
Panama Viejo - 500 year old ruins of the first Spanish settlement on the Pacific coast
Casco Antiguo - the colonial part of Panama that is slowly being restored - while there see the Canal Musuem on Plaza Cathedral - closed on Mondays
Embera village tour - one of Panama's seven indigenous tribes - easy day trip from PC - they live very much as they have for hundreds of years in the rainforest - Embera Drua is probably the most authentic of the Chagres river villages - various tour operators offer day trips...
Souvenir shopping is best at the Handicraft market in Balboa - just before you head out onto the Amador Causeway - and just up the road is a Kuna market that sells the handsewn molas and other things... One of my favorite souvenirs is the carvings done out of the Tagua nut - a vegetable ivory - incredibly done some of them...
Hope this helps you somewhat, feel free to email me...
Cheers,
Andrew
Jan 30th, 2006, 09:25 AM
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Andrew, thanks so much for the info. I think you've pretty much covered everything I had in mind. I really wanted to visit an indigenous village. Can you recomend any tour companies to take us there?
From your suggestions, it looks like we could stay in two different places. Which is the most I would want to do. Are there any hotels that teenagers would like at the beaches?
From your suggestions, it looks like we could stay in two different places. Which is the most I would want to do. Are there any hotels that teenagers would like at the beaches?
