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Introduction
Panama offers a wide variety of tourist attractions, including excellent shopping. Its position as a crossing point between the Atlantic and the Pacific has naturally made it a major commercial route. Panama City’s Central Avenue, Colón’s Front Street and the newer shopping sectors around the hotels, and Tocumen’s duty-free stores have grown because of this trade.
Note: The Fiestas in the various cities are all worth attending, particularly the one at Panama City during the Carnival. This is held on the four days before Ash Wednesday. Others are held to celebrate local patron saints. Las Balserías, a Ngöbé-Bugle Indian celebration held in Chiriquí Province every February, includes feasts and a contest in which the young men toss Balsa logs at one another; those who emerge unscathed may choose their partners.
PANAMA CITY: The capital is a curious blend of old Spain, modern America and the bazaar atmosphere of the East. In the old part of the city with its narrow, cobble stoned streets and colonial buildings, most of the interesting sights are to be found. These include the Plaza de Francia, the Court of Justice Building, the Paseo de las Bóvedas along the massive stone wall, San José Church with its magnificent golden Baroque altar and the Santo Domingo Church, next to which is the Museum of Colonial Religious Art. The old historic city with the Salón Bolivar is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Overlooking the bay is the President’s Palace, the most impressive building in the city; further along the waterfront is the colourful public market. The most interesting museum in town is the Museum of the Panamanian Man north of the market and near the shopping centres. A worthwhile excursion from the city is a visit to Panamá Viejo and its ruins including the square tower of the old cathedral, 6km (4 miles) away. This is the original Panama City which – like Fort San Lorenzo – was, in 1671, sacked and looted by Henry Morgan.
Excursions: An interesting excursion can be made to an easily accessible strip of rainforest within nearby Soberania National Park (40km/25 miles north of the city), particularly renowned for its many bird species.
PANAMA CANAL: The Panama Canal, to the west of the city, is Panama’s main tourist attraction and naturally draws many visitors; recommended is a train or bus ride alongside or a boat trip on the Canal – the scenery is beautiful, and the mechanics of the Canal equally fascinating. There is a new Panama Canal Museum in the Casco Viejo area. The Canal was opened in 1914, and an average transit takes eight hours to complete. On December 31 1999, Panama took over full control of the canal from the USA. Some 50km (30 miles) northwest of the capital lies Barro Colorado, the largest island in Gatun Lake, a man-made stretch of water created during the construction of the Panama Canal (and one of the world’s largest artificial lakes). The island is a biological reserve managed by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and reputed to be one of the world’s leading natural tropical laboratories. Day trips to the island from Panama City take visitors to the small town of Gamboa from where special tours (either on foot or by boat) can be arranged.
BALBOA: A rather Americanised suburb between the Canal quays and Ancón Hill. An hour’s launch ride away is the island of Taboga, where fine beaches and quality hotels abound. The main method of transport is by water taxi, known locally as panga. A longer trip by launch is necessary to get to the Pearl Islands, which are visited mainly by sea-anglers.
BOCAS DEL TORO: The Bocas del Toro province lies in the northwest of the country and includes an archipelago (of the same name) consisting of seven large islands and hundreds of smaller ones. Many of the islands lie in the Laguna de Chiriqui, which is particularly popular with diving enthusiasts. Parts of the province are located in two national parks: the International Friendship Park, administered jointly by Panama and Costa Rica; and the Bastimientos Island Marine Park, a marine nature reserve located on one of the islands. Small planes from Panama City arrive daily at the town of Bocas del Toro and, although the area currently remains fairly undeveloped (with limited accommodation available), it is being targeted for major tourist development.
CHIRIQUI: Located some 450km (270 miles) west of the capital, the Chiriqui province is characterised by volcanic highlands with many waterfalls, rivers and spectacular mountain scenery and is known for its cattle and thoroughbred horses as well as banana and coffee plantations. The province also contains the dormant Baru Volcano (3,475m/11,400 ft), located near the popular resort town of Boquete and the mountain resort Cerro Punta. Also nearby is the Baru National Park, famous for its many Quetzal birds. There are several daily flights from Panama City arriving at David (travel time – one hour).
COLÓN: The second-biggest city in Panama lies on the Caribbean end of the Canal, visitors should see the cathedral and the statues on the promenade known as the Paseo Centenario. Front Street is famous as a shopping centre for duty-free luxuries, though it is now rather run down. The city is bustling and quite rough – most visitors just pass through rather than spend a lot of time here.
DARIÉN GAP: This is a sparsely populated wilderness area linking central and southern America and also the only break in the Pan-American Highway (which runs from Alaska to Argentina). Much of this region lies within the Darién National Park, which contains an exceptional variety of habitats, ranging from sandy beaches, rocky coasts, mangroves and swamps to tropical rainforest. The park is also home to two Choco Indian tribes. Trips to the park are available, but visitors are strongly advised to use an experienced guide; the area around the Colombian border, in particular, is a dangerous guerrilla flash point and kidnappings of Western tourists have been reported.
SAN BLAS ISLANDS: An interesting trip can be made from Colón to the San Blas archipelago which comprises 365 islands. It is the home of the Cuna people, the most politically organised of the native groups in Panama, who live on about 40 of the islands and who administer their own autonomous province. The Cuna also operate the region’s hotels and can assist visitors in organising trips to nearby villages. There are no roads, but small planes fly to several landing strips. For details on how to organise overnight stays, contact the Panamanian Institute of Tourism (see Contact Addresses section).
PORTOBELO: Situated 48km (30 miles) east of Colón, Portobelo was a Spanish garrison town for two centuries with three large stone forts facing the entrance to the harbour. Also in the town are an old Spanish cannon, and the treasure house where gold and silver from Peru and Bolivia were stored before being shipped to Spain. Along the Caribbean coast, between Portobelo and San Lorenzo, are numerous notable 17th- and 18th-century military fortifications.
AZUERO PENINSULA: Much more relaxed and peaceful than Panama’s cities is the Pacific Peninsula de Azuero, where charming small colonial towns, quiet villages and near-empty beaches await visitors who do not expect to find big hotels.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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