Panama: More Than Just the Canal

When thinking of Panama, the Panama Canal is probably what automatically comes to mind. Yet this Central American country has much more in addition to this incredible engineering marvel. Panama has both a buzzing capital city and a diverse eco-system. It’s also a producer of coffee, chocolate and craft beer; plus, the US dollar is still its currency.

From time spent in nature, to nights out on the town, here’s a shortlist of what to see and do in Panama along with the Panama Canal.

Delve into Panama’s Biodiversity

Designed by architect Frank Gehry, and noted as his only work in Latin America, this museum along Panama City’s Amador Causeway teaches all about Panama’s natural history through eight galleries, starting from its volcanic formation to being a bridge where animals crossed between North and South America, to the many people who settled there through the years. The country’s current state of biodiversity is also viewed, with awareness about the threats to its continued survival. Nifty glass-encased displays include a giant ground sloth skull discovered there and a set of megalodon teeth inside the museum’s gift shop. In the area “Worlds Collide,” walk between two species depicted stampeding across the isthmus three million years ago.

Head to the Chiriquí Highlands

 An hour flight west to Enrique Malek International Airport in the city of David, deposits you in the Chiriquí Highlands, a mountainous region that is a major agricultural hub. Explore it through both sight and taste. Boquete Tree Trek, a resort and restaurant situated at the slopes of Volcán Barú, contains a seven-kilometer – or roughly four mile – adventure park where visitors can trek through bird watching terrain via 12 different zipline cables, or tour the hanging suspension bridges along a forestry route of six different ones.

Sip Panamanian Coffee

With coffee, Panama may be a small supplier on the global market, but it produces an aromatic and well-priced Geisha coffee that was brought over from Ethiopia and thrives in the Chiriquí Highlands. Consider sampling some beans at coffee plantations. I mean who doesn’t like coffee? The coffee tour at Boquete Tree Trek guides attendees from bean to cup, showing them geisha and other coffee plants onsite and then taking them to a tasting room. Coffee plantations such as at the Hotel Boutique Finca Lerida Coffee Plantation and Boutique Hotel and Hacienda La Esmeralda can also be seen.

Visit the Old Quarter

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a happening nightspot, Casco Viejo, or “Old Quarter,” showcases Colonial-era buildings alongside modern-day bars, small businesses and restaurants. La Iglesia de San Jose is noted for its Golden Altar carved from wood and covered with golden flakes. The story goes that it was saved from pirate Henry Morgan’s pillaging of what was then the Panama Viejo settlement in 1671 because it was painted black. For shopping, you will find mercados and stands selling Panamanian hats and molas, a Panamanian textile handcrafted by the members of the Guna Indian tribe. As a sweet souvenir, Tropical Chocolate Café, an adorable candy store, makes decadent bonbons. In Plaza de Independencia, Casco Viejo’s main square, find historical buildings such as The Panama Canal Museum (or Museo del Canal Interoceánico), presenting the French and American sides in building the canal, and cart vendors selling raspao, a fruity ice-based treat.

Eat at a Culinary Star’s Restaurant

In Panama City’s trendy San Francisco area, Cuquita Cookita is a colorful gourmet restaurant and bakery owned by beloved local chef and cookbook author Cuquita Arias de Calvo. Known for her creative approach to Panamanian cooking often incorporating edible flowers, Cuquita’s menu at her breakfast and lunch establishment presents soups, salads, meat and fish along with sides and desserts. Favorites range from her banana cake to a cotton candy-like take on Baked Alaska.

Get Sudsy over Craft Beer

Recently, a number of craft and microbreweries have opened in Panama. In the town of Boquete, Boquete Brewing Company has an on-site brewery with a terrace hosting live music and a food truck parked out front. Focusing on American-style beer, house creations encompass the pale ales, Boquete SMASH and IPAs Boquete La Colima and ChoLIPAy. A guest beer (made by another brewer) also appears on the menu, its name translating to “the Golden Frog.” La Rana Dorada has locations throughout Panama City, including in San Francisco, Casco Antiguo and El Cangrejo. Beer choices include porter, pilsner, pale ale, grand cru, blanche and IPA.

Take a Boat Tour of Gatún Lake

Various boat excursions sail on Gatún Lake, an artificial body of water that’s part of the Panama Canal, connecting with the Chagres River, and providing water for operating the canal’s locks. Ships transit through the lake enroute to the locks or to Monkey Island where various species live and roam. They include the Mantled Howler, the White-Faced Capuchin, Geoffroy’s Tamarin and the Lemurine Owl. Other creatures to spot are crocodiles. Near the Chagres River, the Gamboa Rainforest Resort was once a town for housing old Panama Canal company workers.

See the Canal at Work

Watching the Panama Canal operate is a must. At the Miraflores Visitors Center, three observation decks provide a full view of ships transiting through the locks then head up to the rooftop terrace and cafeteria. The center has a movie theater, gift shop, and exhibits, where one on all aspects of the canal’s construction and the surrounding protected wildlife areas and the canal’s watershed are explained.