We can’t wait for Panama this summer. Planning is taking a good deal of time for a number of reasons though. First, Hillary and I see this as a second dry run for a minimalist, nomadic, post 2026 period in our lives. And Second DJ will be doing two weeks of camp in Panama as well so we’ve got to make sure he is sorted.
Planning for DJ revolves around making sure he has the right amount of clothing, but not too much. The Amigos International program has given very specific guidelines on how many of each types of clothing, a bed net, bug repellent, a LifeStraw water bottle, and a maximum size of a backpack to carry it all (no suitcase allowed).
All three of us need vaccines including Rabies (for DJ), Yellow Fever, and Malaria pills. And since we were getting DJ a LifeStraw water bottle, we’re getting two more for ourselves plus a 3 liter gravity system (for making ample clean water for tea). These are great as they filter out parasites, bacteria, microplastics, and dirt allowing access to clean water without buying loads of bottled water. For Hillary and I, these should set us up well for Panama and then well beyond into Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, etc.
We’ve also settled on a couple 55 Liter Osprey backpacks as something we think we can live out of for a prolonged period of time. They came with a small attachable daypack too. And finally, for now, Xero TerraFlex II shoes for each of us — they will do double duty for all around shoes as well as hiking shoes in one.
And now on to the fun part…
Where to Stay and What to Do
Week #1 - Panama City
The first week is largely about getting situated in Panama. As in our entire stay (save one night) we will be using Airbnb for housing in place of hotels. Why? Again, planning for a future post 2026, and more important we can find a place away from the main tourist areas and have a kitchen to cook meals for ourselves.
Our first week in Panama will be near the intersection of Calle 45th and 46th East. This is a small apartment in a high rise, nearby to the University of Panama and the Metropolitan Natural Park. Its just blocks from the ocean and a stretch of highway turned pedestrian only on the weekends. We plan to use public transit including the subway from the airport to this first stay.
This first week we will have DJ so among the planned activities are:
- Hiking in the Metropolitan Natural Park (basically a rainforest with trails, wildlife including wild monkeys, and views back over the city).
- Panama Canal Miraflores Visitor Center to see ships transit the canal and learn about its construction and impact on the economy. Hoping its not closed for renovation as I think I read somewhere. This includes exploration by Mibus (the city bus system).
- Exploring Casco Antiguo (aka Casco Viejo), the old quarter of Panama City, which includes the Panama Canal Museum, the Arco Chato (Old Ruins), Museo del Palacio Municipal, Museo de la Orden de la Merced, and Casa Gongora (Spanish Colonial House).
- Coffee Tasting for DJ (we’ll get plenty in Boquete) at Sisu Coffee Studio in Casco Antiguo.
- Exploring the local grocery stores and markets to find local and Argentine beef as well as local fruits and veggies for our meals.
- Finally, we may also do a day trip to Taboga Island via Ferry from Panama City.
Week #2 - Boquete
Boquete is located in the mountains west of Panama City and north of the city of David (yes). It’s a bit of an American sunbird trap from what I can tell because of the low cost of living relative to the U.S. and the average temperature in the 70’s.
Hillary and I will have handed DJ off to Amigos International and taken the bus out to Boquete. Our Airbnb this time is The Casita at The Hacienda, a small studio with 2 beds, a bath, and importantly a kitchen. Its located uphill a bit outside of the town of Boquete but looks to have lush gardens and forest around it. Close enough to the town but far enough outside for some quiet.
This week is likely all about hiking. The big one is hiking Volcán Barú – a 17+ mile roundtrip hike to the summit of the highest peak in Panama. A long dormant volcano this hike provides, weather permitting, views of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In addition, the area offers myriad other trails like The Lost Waterfalls, Pipeline Trail, and El Pianista trail. If we get adventurous we might even hire a car or guide to visit Cascada Macho de Monte.
While we are there, and assuming we can make it work, it appears there is a tea plantation outside Boquete as well and tours available. Billed as the only one of its kind in Central America how would we not.
And of course I can’t forget… Coffee! This part of Panama is known for its coffee plantations and specifically Geisha Coffee Beans. We haven’t settled on which tour or tours we will take but they all seem to provide a few hour tour of the plantation, how coffee is made, and tasting the coffee.
Week #3 - Panama City
On our return to Panama City, Hillary and I will still be on our own so this time we’ll focus more on the things that DJ would be less interested in. The Airbnb this week is a small little cottage in the San Francisco neighborhood of Panama City. It’s probably 20-30 blocks north and east of our first spot.
One day can easily be filled with a trip to The Amador Causeway. This is about a 6 mile stretch of land created at the end of the Panama Canal and joins the mainland to islands further out. Its a wide stretch with lots of pedestrians and bicyclists. It’s also home to the Panama Convention Center, the Biomuseo, the Punta Culebra Nature Center run by the Smithsonian, and restaurants.
Three experiences really caught our eye too. First, is a 4 hr Food Market Tour. While we could visit ourselves we thought it might be fun to take the tour, learn more about local foods and try new things. Even more interesting, however, is a Panamanian Cooking Experience in a Fonda Style Kitchen (a food stand converted to a cooking studio). The third experience certainly seems a bit extravagant but, in Die With Zero style, we may spend the $130 per person for a private dining experience at A to Z Chef’s Table ( Instagram ) featuring a 10-12 course meal of experimental dishes.
Finally, we’re considering a Distillery and Brewery Tour at La Rana Dorada.
Week #4 - Gamboa
For our last week in Panama we’ll have DJ back from camp. We’ll be taking a short taxi ride to Gamboa about 20-30 minutes north of Panama City. The town sits alongside the Panama Canal next to an eco-resort, the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve.
This last Airbnb is a small townhouse called “Ivan’s House“. From this Airbnb its a easy hop to all things outdoors as this is a *very* small town. On the list includes a visit to the Sloth Sanctuary, a Tree Canopy Zipline Tour, multiple hikes, and perhaps a boat tour out to Monkey Island. Also on the list for consideration is the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center but at $30 per person its a big question mark. Pretty pricy for the visitor center, observation tower, and just 1.1km of trails…
Since we will have been doing quite a lot the first three weeks in Panama our thinking is this last week may be a bit more of a slow, relaxing week for the three of us. DJ will be back from camp and hopefully can download all the experiences he had there. Plus he will head right back to Thomas Jefferson when we get back. So one last opportunity for him to “relax”.
In Summary
In just a few short months we’ll be heading off to Panama for a month. It’ll be a mix of Panama exploration, practice living like a local, learning to get comfortable with city subway and metrobus as well as intercity bus between locations, learning to shop local to cook the foods we want in our Airbnb’s, and lots more. Since we still have jobs it also means finding balance between taking time off from work as well as keeping up with business obligations part of the time.
With luck this will be similar to our Cape Cod excursion last year but with a bit more “training” for a future full time nomadic life. 🙂