The Ten Top Things Do and See Right Near Panama City
RECOMMENDED DAY TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Embera Indian Village Tour
This is the real thing- an authentic, unforgettable encounter with a living Indian culture. Incredibly, you can have this experience just 1.5 hours from Panama City, where you'll take a motorized canoe, the only means of transportation in the jungle, up a scenic rainforest river to an authentic Embera Indian village on river bank- right out of the pages of National Geographic. The village Indians will perform a tribal dance, and offer authentic body paintings and handicrafts, share a typical meal and explain their way of life, traditions and beliefs.
Tour Operators.
2. Monkey Island
Tour by boat in the Panama Canal waterway through pristine rainforest to an island where you'll see four types of monkeys cavorting in the jungle and ready to greet you. In fact they often jump onto your boat to the excitement of all. This trip is a thrilling and fun encounter with nature and will delight virtually everyone. Go with Jungle Land Explorer or Ancon Expeditions.
3. Gamboa Rainforest Resort at the Panama Canal
Considered to be one of finest and most complete eco-resorts in the Americas, it combines the luxuries of a 5 star resort with a variety of ecotourism experiences. Developed in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research, it offers ecotourism tours, a jungle aerial tram, recreational activities and nature exhibits. If you can't stay overnight, Call 314.5000 and ask about a day trip package which includes a ride on the aerial tram through the rainforest canopy and dining at a restaurant with views of the Chagres River. Just an hour from Panama City in the the Panama Canal Rainforest. Check out Gamboa Rainforest Resort
Los Lagartos Restaurant at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort:
Dining at Los Lagartos Restaurant at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort is both a dining and an eco-event. Located along the historic and scenic Chagres River at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort and specializing in excellent tropical and international dishes, with an excellent international buffet on Sundays. The restaurant has another attraction: Panama Canal views and a natural show of tropical wildlife. From your table as you dine there is a view of the Panama Canal with huge ships floating silently by. Secondly, from the terrace you can observe a flurry of tropical wildlife activity. Ask a waiter to give you some bread to throw to the river below. Alligators, colorful tropical birds, dozens of large turtles and fish will all flock to gobble up the bread pieces. Guess who wins this tropical animal food fight?
Hours: 11am to 6pm. Sunday Brunch is recommended. Tel: 314-5000
4. Canopy Tower
Called by Travel and Leisure magazine (July 2003) one of the top 25 ecolodges in the world and praised by more travel publications than any other Panama hotel, Canopy Tower offers a close-to-nature experience, world class birding and nature observation. Even if you are not a birder your experience here will be one of your tourism high points. From this tower in the tree tops which is like a giant tree house, you'll have a panoramic view of the jungle and see florescent colored birds, hear howler monkeys roar, see monkeys and sloths in the trees and tropical mammals on the ground. The accommodations are very comfortable and the food excellent. Minimum 2 night stay. Located just 30 minutes from Panama City in Soberania National Park, part of the Panama Canal rainforest. Check out Canopy Tower.
5. Portobello Day Trip
This is a day trip. A picturesque bayside town with the ruins of four Spanish forts and a restored customs house. About a two hour trip from Panama City on the Atlantic Ocean ,Portobello is set on a scenic Caribbean bay. During the Spanish Colonial era it was the trans-shipment point for all the treasure Spain looted from Inca Empire. Treasure was stored, displayed in fairs and then shipped to Spain. The fabulous treasures stacked high in the customs house made Portobello the favorite target of English pirates like Sir Francis Drake who attacked the cities forts repeatedly. Sir Francis met his demise in waters nearby.
6. Barro Colorado Island
Barro Colorado Island is a living tropical laboratory run by the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research unique in its class. Located in a man-made lake forming part of the Panama Canal, it hosts an amazing 381 bird species, 102 mammal species and 1316 plant species. Previously only research scientists were allowed on the island, but now tour operators can take tourists on day trips along its nature trails. See Tour Operators
7. Summit Gardens and Tropical Zoo in the Former Canal Zone
A tropical zoo with exotic animals and birds unique to Panama's jungles set in a lush 80 year old botanical garden. Located 30 minutes from downtown Panama City, the zoo also has Harpy Eagle compound with a film presentation and huge birdcage that provides a close up look at this magnificent, almost extinct bird-the world's largest and most powerful bird of prey and Panama's national bird. The zoo is run-down by US standards, but if you enjoy intense tropical vegetation and a close look lots of tropical critters, this is the place.
8. Pipeline Road
Experts consider Pipeline Road to be one of the top places in the world for nature observation and bird watching. It is also the most accessible- just an hour from Panama City. For this day trip, it is essential to hire one of Panama's fine nature guides through a tour operator to take full advantage of this extraordinary nature opportunity. See Tour Operators.
9. Taboga Island
A trip to the "Island of Flowers" is a pleasant day trip from Panama City. Like most
small Panamanian towns, Taboga is quite run-down so if you don't care for anythingbut the upscale, this is not the trip for you. The ocean ferry trip from Panama City ispart of the attraction-you'll enjoy ocean breezes, views of Panama Citys' striking skyline and ship activity at the entrance to the Panama Canal. On Toboga, you can sun-bathe on the pretty beach in front of the Taboga Hotel and stroll around town (the second oldest church in the Western Hemisphere -1550- is here). Boats leave to and from Taboga everyday. Call Argo Tours at 232-5395 for schedule and price info.
10.Golf at Summit Golf Club
Just thirty minutes from downtown Panama City, Summit Golf Club offers extraordinary tropical scenery, a championship course designed by Jeffrey Myers with a par 72, 18 hole, 6,626 yards and sand based Bermuda Tidway grass. The course is host to several international tournaments and has the only computerized GPS system in Central America, 100 golf carts, outstanding practice facilities and a beautiful club house with a restaurant. See Summit Golf Club.