Panama: History, Culture, Beaches, and Volcanoes
Tourism in Panama is growing rapidly and with good reason. This country has it all – a vibrant capital, history, stunning beaches, and volcanic craters. It had been on my bucket list for a while, but the stars didn’t align with my usual travel partners, so I opted to go solo, and it was an amazing, empowering experience that I wrote about for AARP. It felt like 3 mini-trips in one as I had 3 days in the city, 3 days at the beach, and 3 in the mountains.
Panama City – More than Just the Panama Canal
My first glimpse of Panama City was not what I expected, surprising. It’s a sprawling skyline teaming with modern buildings. Casco Viejo, the vibrant cultural hub, is absolutely charming. Cobblestown pedestrian streets, town squares, and plazas with beautiful churches and buildings, modern hotels, elegant rooftop bars with amazing views, and incredible ceviche. And yes, it feels completely safe. I’d highly recommend a walking or bike tour to learn about the city. There’s plenty of history and museums, including the BioMuseo, which focuses on the natural history of Panama on the Amador Causeway, which is another great place to take a stroll or bike ride.
And of course, you can’t go to Panama City without seeing the Panama Canal. Watching the engineering feat of the ships passing through the locks is pretty amazing, and there’s a fantastic IMAX movie explaining the history of the Canal narrated by Morgan Freeman (I learned a lot).
The Stunning Beauty of the San Blas Islands
The San Blas Islands were the reason I came to Panama. I spent New Year’s Eve watching fireworks over palm trees on a gorgeous, remote island where the Netflix series Money Heist was filmed. It was the perfect place to be solo, as you couldn’t help but make new friends here. The islands are still owned by the indigenous people, so you won’t find luxury hotels here. It’s basic cabins and meals with everyone staying on the very tiny island together.
If that’s not your style, there are several ways you can enjoy the Panama beaches. You can take a day trip here, but I’d highly recommend against it as it’s 4 hours of travel time way with the drive from Panama City and the boat ride. There are also yacht charters where you can customize a visit to the islands for 2-10 nights, sleeping on the boat, and even take a private flight to avoid the journey from Panama City. The Bocas del Toro region of Panama offers similarly gorgeous beaches with much more upscale options. There are even overwater boutique bungalow options that are very affordable relative to the Maldives or other similar experiences.
Climbing Volcanic Craters in Valle de Anton
While Panama provides a range of options for every type of traveler, I always gravitate towards nature. If there’s a mountain to climb or walk around, it will probably be part of my itinerary. In Panama, the mountains are really dormant volcanoes, making for some unique and stunning scenery, even if it was a bit overcast while I was there. This was the part of the trip that I was probably the most worried about being solo, and I ended up having some of the most fascinating conversations with the local owner of my small, boutique hotel and international travelers I struck up conversations with on the hiking trail.
Would I Solo Travel Again?
I am a pretty extreme extrovert. I have traveled with partners, friends, and my son, and I love all of those types of travel for different reasons. Solo travel doesn’t mean you are always alone. Solo travel can be whatever you want it to be. I found plenty of people to chat with on rooftop bars, on bike tours, hanging out in the islands, and even on the trails. But if you’ve spent a good part of your vacations compromising and trying to figure out how to do what everyone wants to do, there’s something really freeing about getting to do exactly what you want when you want to without any compromise. And there are moments of yes, I got this, that really are empowering.
There are also a lot of different ways to travel solo. Runway works with amazing tour operators across the world, many of whom specialize in small group and solo travel, so you have a built-in group of friends. I did a mix of a day tour and a group tour in the islands, and some time exploring on my own. If you want to read more specifically about my solo experience, check out the AARP article I wrote.
My advice – if there’s somewhere you want to go, and you have the time to do it when no one else does, go for it.
Need help taking the first step towards solo travel? Contact us! Or if you are ready to experience Panama, we can help with that too.
About the Author
Michelle Zlakowski is a Runway Travel advisor, specializing in outdoor adventure and family travel experiences for any activity or adventure level. Follow Michelle on Gravatar
