Due south of Panama City and the Amador Causeway is Taboga Island. This tiny island seems to a favorite day-trip for tourists and locals alike. The tiny town is a mere 30 minutes away by Taboga Island Fast Ferry ($24/person), has great views of the city, and for most, provides a great beach upon which to sit all day long. However, we think the real opportunity is hiking Taboga Island itself. This also fits our goal of living to 100 far better...
Amador Causeway is one of the top attractions referenced both by Panama Tourism as well as virtually every other tourism related website. They tend to focus on shopping, bike rentals, and generally the more touristy activities. This isn't our thing. Instead, we loved the Amador Causeway for the walk, the views, and more importantly as a mechanism for understanding Panama history and its strategic importance to the United States. /*!...
A short trip from nearly anywhere in Panama City, the nature preserve of Metropolitan Natural Park is an amazing way to experience the plants and animals of a tropical jungle as well as views of the city. As foreigners the entry fee is $4/adult and $2/child. Walking to the park is a hard pass for us as there don't seem to be good safe routes with sidewalk. And while we could have taken a bus the time involved when compared to the...
The Cinta Costera (literally Coastal Strip), is a hidden gem in Panama City. It's a strip of park next to the Pacific Ocean that runs from Democracy Plaza and Punta Paitilla all they way to Casco Viejo. The park is well manicured with lots of different types of trees and plants. You will see date palms, golden pothos vines, birds of paradise, and many more. The Cinta Costera also features a wide bike and rollerblade path next to an equally wide...
Previous Next One of the most enjoyable parts of travel is finding and trying very local cuisine. Part of the planning a good trip is figuring out what are the key dishes and beverages that are consumed by the locals and are there any specialties that may be impossible to get elsewhere. These meals all have histories worth understanding and very much reflect local culture.On a personal note, I cringe every time I see an American fast food chain...
Flying from Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) to Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) was a piece of cake on Copa Airlines. We were in the air just shy of 5 hours and the PTY airport was virtually empty on Thursday afternoon at about 2 PM local time. We breezed through immigration and customs and then set off with a few immediate goals. First, Panama Metro to our Airbnb in Bella Vista. Second, Find the Airbnb itself and get checked in. Finally, get food...
This summer (2023) we are planning our next trial run in preparation for the next phase of life. We plan to radically downsize once our son heads off to college. At that point I'll retire from technology sales, we will sell, donate, or get rid of virtually everything (save a few items put into storage) and spend several years, perhaps even decades, traveling around the world. At least, that's the plan. It's an early, retirement reimagined.In...
