10 Things to Do in Panama City – Part II

OK guys, here it is. Part II of my personal guide to Panama City. Hope it helps you enjoy this city or at least inspire you to travel there.

6) Grab a pre sunset drink at Casa Casco – a rooftop bar with a cool Miami vibe and delicious selection of signature drinks

Panama City offers a number of places to chill out and grab a cocktail after sunset. The drink selection is delicious. I always go for the mojito though. I’m just a mojito type of girl, you see 🙂 Casa Casco has that bonus of being a rooftop bar – I adore rooftop bars. You can sip your Mojito and contemplate life from a higher perspective…Things always end up looking very different from an elevated vantage point.

7) Take a stroll on Avenida Balboa for people watching

I mentioned this earlier in Part I when I talked about Mercado de Abascos and Cinta Costera. Avenida Balboa stretches along the coast of the ocean and is the place where locals come to hang out, jog, walk their dogs or watch the skyscrapers light up in the distance. Monia and I went there just for that reason (minus the walk the dog part – wish I had my doggies there to walk! would love to travel with Franio everywhere). We chose the time right before dusk, so we could watch the sun go down and the city lights to come up. I set up my tripod ahead of time to capture the reflections of the lights in the water. I love city lights. They always make for a great photo subject. Plus they make me nostalgic about New York City, a fond memory for me always.

8) Go sunset watching on Amador Causeway

 I believe this is one of the prettiest places in Panama City, especially during the late hours of the day (I’m starting to see a pattern here…almost every place is best visited late in the afternoon). The causeway juts out into the waters of Panama Bay, thus making this a truly scenic roadway.  On one side you have the distant hills of adjacent islands butting directly out of the water, their slopes enveloped in the orange glow of late afternoon light. On the other side you have the cityscape in the distance, both of which make for a wonderful photographic backdrop. Monia and I went there Sunday night and it was packed with locals enjoying the last hours of their weekend. There were families flying kites and couples enjoying each other’s company in this quite romantic setting. The Causeway is a really nice place for a chilled out end to your day.

9) Grab a ferry to Taboga island and spend the day strolling the streets and swimming in the calm waters of the Pacific Ocean

Our visit to Taboga instantly transported me back to my Caribbean island days. It’s a quaint little island located just off the coast of the city. The place is super easy to get to: simply purchase a ticket for a morning ferry leaving from the Amador Causeway. We chose the express ferry, which took about 30 minutes to get to the island. There are a few departure times available and a couple of options for the return trip. It was quick, easy and convenient. The ferry drops you off at a dock and you can stroll the island at your own leisure. The quaint streets are lined with palm trees and tropical flowers and are pretty much traffic-free (I don’t even think there are any cars on Taboga island). There is also a nice beach with calm ocean waters for swimming. Several dining options are available throughout. We stopped by for a home cooked meal at Calaloo Fish Bar, a cute little eatery offering local cuisine dishes and freshly squeezed fruit juices. The place feels instantly familiar – like your local mom and pop shop. You can also learn a little about the history of the island while waiting for you food by browsing the few books they have available for reading.

I would image that Taboga Island is also an amazing spot to enjoy the sunset, but unfortunately we had to leave before that. The last ferry for the day takes off for the mainland around 5PM, however, for the more determined ones there are options available to stay overnight. We noted a few small hotels around and there might even be an Airbnb for rent. I am definitely interested in trying that out in the future.

10) Dance the night away to Latin tunes at Casa Jaguar – an upscale night club in Casco Viejo

OK, I admit I did not actually do this one. I ran out of time. But Monia has been there and she swears it’s totally worth going if you are in the mood for dancing. Which I always am. Sadly, I am also always in mood for sleeping by 10:00PM, two activities which completely contradict each other. Oh well, maybe next time…

So to summarize, I am by no means a Panama City expert, even with Monia’s insight as my guide. There are still a few things I have not seen or done over there. I would love to explore more past the city limits. I dream of San Blas Islands and Bocas del Torro. We’ll just have to leave that for next time…