Thoughts on Panama City, Panama

What happens when you want to go somewhere warm, but you’ve already done Cabo, Cancun, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica more times than you can count?

I understand why many vacationers visit those places. There’s safety in knowledge and numbers. These places are heavily visited which makes them feel safe. Anything that’s not heavily touristed or discussed feels dangerous by comparison. I get it.

If you’re willing to look outside of the norm, just a little further, I often suggest Panama to people looking for a new spot to travel. Many of those same people look at me as though I suggested a visit to a war zone. I stand by my Panama suggestion, and more specifically, suggest checking out Panama City.

Central America is not exactly known for its cities. When most people visit Central America, they’re looking for beautiful beaches and natural splendor. The cities in this part of the world tend to be quite gritty, grey, and congested — not exactly the picture of pristine that many travelers (especially those who do it for the ‘gram) desire.

Panama City challenges all of these preconceived notions about Central American cities. Its rooftop bars, fresh seafood restaurants, and vivacious atmosphere make it a fun and attractive place to visit.

Many people wouldn’t put this city on their radar, but I’m hardly the first to write about it. So, why listen to me? Plainly put, because there is a good chance that I’m exactly like you. I’m a young woman who grew up in the suburbs and feels apprehensive visiting places like Panama City — places deemed as “unsafe” off the bat by friends and family because they’re cities, and because the major language spoken there is not English.

I’m not examining the city from the lens of a wide-eyed, world wanderer. I look at it from the view of a 24-year-old novice traveler with a concerned family and group of friends. Why? Because that’s who I was when I went there. I’m examining this from the lens of a “typical” traveler or vacationer, not an adventurous backpacker.

Why Would I Go to Panama City?

Panama City has a lot to offer. There is a more cosmopolitan, modern, sleek side to the city with rooftop bars, tall buildings, and great restaurants. If that feels too much like home, there is Casco Viejo, or the old part of town, which is more charming with its weathered facades and brick streets. It has a historic yet trendy ambiance where you’re sure to find great shopping, top-notch coffee shops, and bumping night clubs.

Seafood Paradise

This is hardly a unique suggestion, but make sure to grab a bite at the Mercado de Mariscos. This seafood market is famous, and its fun to look at each of the stands, which are overflowing with crabs, lobsters, and different types of fish, all freshly caught. Many of the stalls are run by Indigenous Guna/Kuna Yala people. 

For under five dollars you can order some fresh and tangy ceviche, which you can then take with you on a stroll down to the harbor to check out the boats.

If you don’t get to Mercado de Mariscos, it is imperative that you do check out one of the seafood restaurants in the area. (Most of them buy their seafood from the market.) Families and groups of friends can snag spots at colorful plastic tables and enjoy lobster, octopus, clams, and more, sometimes at shockingly cheap prices.

The Biomuseo

If you’re sick of eating and drinking, you can check out the Biomuseo. When arriving, you might be surprised at its exterior. Usually, some grey, drab, Soviet wet dream of architecture is what we picture when we think of arriving at a museum. The Biomuseo is comprised of bright, colorful varying shapes that are smashed together to house collections and exhibitions about life and biodiversity in Panama. Past exhibitions have included:

• Learning about chili peppers and how they became part of the culinary world
• The fossils and ecosystems uncovered during the building of the Panama Canal
• The fascinating world of viruses and the bacteria that cause them

The museum includes projects, hands-on exhibits, and various gardens that you can stroll around to learn more about nature. The people’s square allows museumgoers to reflect on the actions that contribute to climate change, and how they can be a part of fixing the climate crisis.

The Panama Canal

And, of course, you won’t want to miss a trip to the Panama Canal. The iconic canal began construction in the early 1900s and uses a series of “locks” to connect the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most popular reasons to visit the canal as a tourist is to watch the cruise ships navigate through the series of “locks.” It’s astounding and exciting to watch the process of the water being leveled and each lock opening while another closes. However, be prepared that it can take a very long time for a ship to go through the process from start to finish.

At the Miraflores Visitor Center, there is plenty to do beyond watching each ship move through the canal. There are plenty of exhibits to investigate, and the amount of information and facts in each one is dizzying to say the least. People might not consider the biodiversity within the environment of the canal, but there is an exhibit dedicated to it. You can learn about the lives of the many types of people who built the canal. (I had no idea Armenians were hard at work in the trenches??) In addition, you can learn about the logistics of the building, the history, the famous people involved, and how the ships operate once inside the canals.

I’ll be honest, much respect and props to the geniuses who figured this shit out and the hardworking people who built the Panama Canal. However, the huge amount of nuanced information was too much for my literary/poetic-type brain to understand and retain. Still, the exhibits were interactive, and I do feel that you can’t visit Panama City and NOT see the canal!

Panama’s Chinatown (Barrio Chino)

Panama has the largest Chinese population in all of Central America. Many immigrated to Panama for the building of the Panama Canal, and those who remained after the construction opened up businesses, grew crops, and became essential components of the economy. If you feel inclined, you can take a stroll and support the local businesses by grabbing some dim sum for lunch or buying some merchandise, such as Chinese lanterns.

British Brew

Last…if you find yourself missing “home” I really think you need to check out the Londoner Pub and Restaurant. We stopped here for a nightcap late in the evening and felt like we were catapulted into one of the pubs in the UK. The place has really well done décor and beer on tap. I’m hoping it’s still around when you read this.

But…Is It Safe?

Let’s just establish upfront that what makes me feel unsafe might be different from what makes you feel unsafe. My life experiences have dictated that when I experience the following, I feel unsafe:

• ongoing catcalling from men
• inappropriate attempts to get my attention
• leering/staring for a prolonged period of time
• stalking/following
• dimly lit streets/dark streets

I will say that while walking with my best friend, a fellow young woman, I did not personally feel unsafe. I did feel that need to keep my guard up, but mostly because I was in a new city where I did not speak the language.

We experienced catcalling a few times from men, but never in a way that made us feel unsafe or that we were in danger. If anything, it was just annoying. But, for me personally, it never felt dangerous.

I did not experience anyone following me. People seemed to mostly mind their business and were trying to get from point A to point B. I didn’t notice anybody staring in a way that made me feel uncomfortable, or really, at all. Panama City is kind of like any large city in the USA in that respect. In fact, I asked someone for directions and she rolled her eyes. For most people, that would feel rude. For me, it felt like home. I straight up wanted to hug her. Gotta love New York City.

As for dimly lit streets, we did not hang around the city at night. In general, when I travel, I do not walk around at night. Instead, I stay inside the hotel and relax, check my social media, make calls, watch movies, or grab a drink in the lobby. The nighttime can give a certain anonymity to people looking to do harm, so as a general rule, whether in the US or abroad, I avoid being out at night. The only exception usually is New York City, but that’s because I live there and I’m more than familiar with the way the city works.

I think common sense safety rules apply here. Do not carry large amounts of money. Do not walk aimlessly around. Try to have an idea of where you are and where you’re going. I wouldn’t walk around when it’s dark, but if you do, don’t venture too far from your place of accommodation.

When practicing these things, I did not feel unsafe in Panama City. Your experience may be different depending on who is around you, where you stay, where you go, and so on and so forth.

Specifics

Here are a few specific scenarios that allowed me to come to this conclusion:

1. We visited a really nice part of town called Casco Viejo. After a great lunch, Amanda and I left the restaurant and began to stroll through town. An hour later, I realized that I left my $200 Michael Kors sunglasses behind at lunch. I was SURE they were gone. We began running back toward the restaurant, and someone stopped to ask if we were OK. I told him what happened and he said, “Oh, they’re at the restaurant. The owner is holding them for you!” In fact, several people stopped to see if we were OK and apparently all knew about my sunglasses. When we arrived, they were safe and sound.

1. We had to take money out of an ATM, but in doing so, we realized that we didn’t know how to read the instruction on the machine. They appeared in Spanish with no option for English. We asked several people to help us (naïve, I know) and each one declined with the same reason: They didn’t want to see our banking information. We literally had to beg one woman to help us, and she felt extremely uncomfortable about the whole process. Any of these people could have made this a sinister situation, but none did.

1. We asked for directions several times from young men. I was surprised that none of these interactions ended in us being followed, harassed, or badgered into giving them our names or numbers. This is typically the case wherever we go. However, in Panama City, all interactions were professional and cordial.

1. We enjoyed a seafood dinner in the busier part of the city. This was the only time I felt slightly uncomfortable. We were the only tourists at the eatery, and that made us stand out from the get-go. In any situation, even a normal one, it’s just plain uncomfortable to feel like you stand out. As such, we got a lot of curious looks. We had inquired about lobster because we LOVE it and had heard so much about Panamanian seafood. Sometime later, our waiter brought out a platter of food that I don’t think an entire NFL team could have carried. We were so appreciative, but didn’t know we would be getting so much food. This apparently was a thing they made for us and is not on the menu. If we didn’t stand out before, we did now. I grew uncomfortable because it was becoming evening, and I felt that this showy platter marked us as two people who were carrying a lot of money. The stares were uncomfortable and even a little embarrassing, but no one bothered us.

1. At the beginning of our trip to the city, we stayed in a hostel. We took off to the Kuna Yala islands and Bocas del Toro for a few days and then came back to the city where we stayed in an immaculate hotel for around 30 US dollars. Given the choice between the two…I’d pick the hotel for just a few bucks more. Click the link to find out why!