Panama City is, in my opinion, a shopper’s paradise. There are four main malls in Panama City and each seems to draw tourists and locals inside and out of the heat by the hundreds. While I recommend shopping on the streets such as on Via Espana in El Congrejo the malls are a great way to spend the afternoon in air conditioning, grab a bite to eat and get some retail therapy.
The busiest mall in Panama is probably Albrook Mall near the Albrook air force base. The mall also houses the Albrook bus terminal likely helping keep it jam packed. Albrook offers some of the best prices in several discount stores such as Conway, Titan and El Costo Read more
If you’re searching for a lot of quality Peruvian food for not a lot of money in Panama head straight to La Jarana in San Francisco. If you love fresh seafood, ceviche, piles of fried rice dishes, grilled meats, and Peruvian beer for under $10 a plate then this is your place. The atmosphere of the place is warm, slightly small and very festive. The tables and walls are painted vividly and artwork spans the dining area. The smell however, surpassed the scenery. I couldn’t wait to order and see what all the fuss was about.
Our first course came in the form of arroz con pollo or rice with chicken. The portion was enough to feed 3 or Read more
In spite of a recent decline in the real estate market in the states, when compared with real estate prices in Panama for comparable homes are similar or far lower. I often browse and search through real estate listing in Panama just to see what is out there and what is being asked. Property in areas like Pedasi or Boquette interests me in particular because it always seems to be crazily lower than prices in Panama City. After visiting the Azuero Peninsula on several occasions I’ve set my sights on a small house near Pedasi. As I’ve slowly began browsing real estate in the Pedasi area I’ve came across many clean yet modest 2-3 bedroom, 2,000 ish sq. ft. Read more
I’ll admit, the first time I ever tried ceviche in Panama I was a bit skeptical. Fish that is “cooked” in lime juice sounds a little scary but it’s actually completely safe and incredibly delicious if prepared correctly. Ceviche (pronounced se-vi-chey), a traditionally Peruvian dish, is any type of fresh fish or seafood marinated in a citrus base of limes or lemons long enough for the proteins in the fish to become edible and safe. The recommended soaking time for most fish is about 3 hours, however, very fresh or sushi grade fish can be soaked for shorter amounts of time. The dish comes in hundreds of versions from shrimp and octopus to mango ceviche; however, my personal favorite is Read more
Renting in Panama City is often comparable to renting in similar neighborhoods in major US cities. But, the historic Casco Viejo (or Old City) district of Panama City is surprisingly affordable when compared to similar historic districts. Casco Viejo has undergone a major revitalization in recent years and was also named a World Heritage site in 2003.With a combination of Art Deco, Caribbean, and traditional Colonial architecture apartments and businesses in Casco land a comfortable yet monumental feel that is reminiscent of historic French cities in southern regions of the states.
You can find a newly remodeled 1 bedroom in Casco for about half as much as you would pay for one of similar size in New Orleans French Read more
Albrook Mall near Albrook Airport in Panama City is a popular shopping spot with tourists and locals alike. It’s located next to a bus terminal and has a nice supermarket inside making it popular with bus riders that need to take food home. There are dozens of stores and restaurants as well as a cinema to entertain any shopper or innocent tag-a-long for hours. I recommend trying any of the authentic roasted chicken available for a guaranteed worthy mall meal. They have a store for every interest or need. From Panamanian souvenirs to designer swimwear to purses and backpacks in every color and size, they have a store for anyone to kill some time. You could take the little ones Read more
I’ve been drinking coffee since roughly the age of ten (mine and grandpa’s little secret) so when I first came to Panama many years later I was ecstatic to try some of the beans this place had to offer. Panamanian coffee has been severely underrated and overlooked in the past; however, in recent years many more coffee lovers, connoisseurs and distributors have heard the good word on the amazing coffee Panama has to offer. While you can find seriously select coffees life Café Geisha that can go for up to $125 a pound at specialty coffee auctions in Panama, they aren’t very practical for the everyday Joe. After trying nearly every brand of coffee that I could get my Read more
Decameron Panama, or The Royal Decameron Resort, Golf and Casino, is located just outside of Panama City in Farallon. This all inclusive resort has received mixed reviews from many visitors which leads me back to the issue of expectations when traveling Panama. When visiting this resort you should expect the typical Panamanian treatment and service. Your drink may not arrive at warp speeds, but you will get it. Your room may not be the most lavish nor will the hot water work 24 hours a day, but the staff won’t really care.
What you can expect in the Decameron Panama all inclusive resort is a great deal on food, drinks, fun and sun a short distance from the Read more
Colon, Panama is the second largest city in the Republic of Panama and holds the second largest duty free port n the entire world. The city of colon was formed by Americans in the 1850′s who were working on the canal. Colon gained a huge amount of importance and wealth after the completion of the canal; however, Colon had some major health issues due to the fact that it was built on a swampy island. Colonel William C. Gorgas, who was in charge of the sanitation during the canal construction drained the surrounding swamps, installed new sewage and drainage systems an dramatically reduced the plagues of mosquitoes and yellow fever that hindered Colon in the beginning.
The food scene in Panama is constantly changing and evolving while keeping a strong hold on traditional cuisine as well. In Panama food can be found on nearly every street corner and borough to suit any palette as well as any wallet. If you are looking for traditional Panamanian food I highly recommend you check out El Trapiche in the El Cangrejo neighborhood on Via Argentina. Constantly filled with locals- evidence of the authenticity and quality of its Panamanian food-
El Trapiche offers everything genuinely Panamanian from the chicken soup to the deep fried corn tortillas, empanadas and plantains. You can expect to pay around $10 to $15 a plate at dinner in El Trapiche, but the quality of Read more
