pulpoloco
Registered
Thanks GB. You've been a lot of help. I appreciate it. We leave for PTY in 15 days.
Questions about land activities in Panama
- Thread starter jake11
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Agree with GB... It's been a hot one down here this dry season. Have been up to El Valle a couple of times in the last few weeks and you'll be fine in shorts/shirt during the day, but may need a long sleeve shirt at night. Rainy season has not kicked back in yet but the humidity is creeping back up. You will LOVE Coiba!! Has been one of my favorite places to dive ever.
I would for sure do Miraflores visitor center. They have just redone the museum and it is really nice. Ship traffic usually picks up between 2 and 5. I would plan for an after lunch trip and do the film and museum first. If you are staying out on the Causeway we love going to a little local place called Mi Ranchito, there is also a cute little Smithsonian museum out there. Regarding the hikes I second the Metropolitan Park suggestion. The main trail takes you to a look out where you can see a lot of the city. We go there to hike quite often with our kids. The mail trail will not take you any where near Corundu. I would also recommend getting a cab to take you up Ancon Hill while you are here. It will be near where you are staying and (other than the cab fare) is free. The views are amazing.
We live here full time so if you have any questions feel free to contact me!
I would for sure do Miraflores visitor center. They have just redone the museum and it is really nice. Ship traffic usually picks up between 2 and 5. I would plan for an after lunch trip and do the film and museum first. If you are staying out on the Causeway we love going to a little local place called Mi Ranchito, there is also a cute little Smithsonian museum out there. Regarding the hikes I second the Metropolitan Park suggestion. The main trail takes you to a look out where you can see a lot of the city. We go there to hike quite often with our kids. The mail trail will not take you any where near Corundu. I would also recommend getting a cab to take you up Ancon Hill while you are here. It will be near where you are staying and (other than the cab fare) is free. The views are amazing.
We live here full time so if you have any questions feel free to contact me!
pulpoloco
Registered
Thanks, Surly. 10 days and we will be in Panama!! I'm waiting for an email from Herbie down at Scuba Coiba on water temperature. Hopeful that a 3mm will be warm enough. In our 20 day visit to Panama, we will spend 3 days in the city (with a partial transit of the canal and a day fishing on Lake Gatun), then 2 at Pedasi, 5 at Santa Catlalina and Coiba, then 3 at El Valle. Is there any place we should absolutely not miss? Thanks in advance.
I would try to get out to Casco Viejo (also called Casco Antiguo) while you are in the city. It is where they moved the capital city to after Henry Morgan sacked Panama City 1671. It is like Latin America meets New Orleans. I would for sure get a cab ride up to the top of Ancon Hill. The Miraflores Locks/museum/visitor center is worth the trip too. Of course if you will be seeing the locks from the inside on your partial transit. I haven't been to Pedasi yet...it's on my short list! Are you going to be staying in Santa Catalina and traveling to Coiba each day, or are you going to be staying on Coiba? Santa Catalina is a small fishing village. I love it out there. The diving is absolutely amazing!! If you are into surfing at all I would go over the Oasis Surf camp on the other side of the river (you have to go at low tide). The break there at Catalina is world class. El Valle is great for hiking and there are several waterfalls/streams to swim in. There are some trails that are clearly marked but some of the coolest places we have found here is when we talk to the locals into taking us to the off the beaten path places.
If you want to check out my pics from our trip over to Coiba feel free to check them out on my FB page.... link is here
Facebook
If you want to check out my pics from our trip over to Coiba feel free to check them out on my FB page.... link is here
pulpoloco
Registered
Wow! Thanks for the great info, Surly. I've read about each of those places in Lonely Planet, but it's difficult trying to pick and choose what to cram in to a 3 week trip. I don't want to feel like a pomeranian chasing my tail for 20 days. We will have a rental car, so we will drive to each of the site you mentioned. I'm not on facebook, but when our son (who is on facebook) comes over tomorrow we'll check out your Coiba pictures. Thanks a million!!
DennisS
Contributor
There's a good book "The path between the Seas" that I highly recommend. It will give you a good perspective of the canal.
If you can wangle a trip to the smithsonian research center in Gatun Lake, it's worth doing. Lots of finagling and BSing but worth it.
If you can wangle a trip to the smithsonian research center in Gatun Lake, it's worth doing. Lots of finagling and BSing but worth it.
Yeah... all my albums on FB are open so feel free to browse through them. If you have a rental car the following things are on the canal side of the city (think you said you are staying in Amador) and would all be about 15-20 away w/o traffic (you will sadly learn that traffic SUCKS big time here).
Miraflores Locks (Duration of tour --- about 2 - 2 1/2 hours if you do the museum and movie)
Ancon Hill (about 30-45 minutes once you drive to the top)
Casco Viejo ( plan to park and walk.... about 2 hours -- longer if you are shopping or stop to eat)
Amador Causeway (pretty drive with awesome views... Great places to eat)
Also... if you are shopping for local souvenirs I have heard that the indian artisans are now located behind the Figali Convention Center which is just down from where you will be staying....
I personally like to go over to the ruins on the other side of the city, but I will only drive over there on a Sunday .... Last time we tried to go on a week day we almost had a wreck with a Diablo Rojo and swore we would never go on a weekday again because of traffic.
If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me...
Miraflores Locks (Duration of tour --- about 2 - 2 1/2 hours if you do the museum and movie)
Ancon Hill (about 30-45 minutes once you drive to the top)
Casco Viejo ( plan to park and walk.... about 2 hours -- longer if you are shopping or stop to eat)
Amador Causeway (pretty drive with awesome views... Great places to eat)
Also... if you are shopping for local souvenirs I have heard that the indian artisans are now located behind the Figali Convention Center which is just down from where you will be staying....
I personally like to go over to the ruins on the other side of the city, but I will only drive over there on a Sunday .... Last time we tried to go on a week day we almost had a wreck with a Diablo Rojo and swore we would never go on a weekday again because of traffic.
If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me...
gb_williams
Contributor
While in Panama City, I would strongly recommend NOT renting a car and trying to drive. The reasons why a lot more than just "traffic sucks" ... which is very true. Taxis in Panama City are plentiful and, by U.S. standards, very cheap. But, they don't have meters. They charge by a zone system (for which none of the drivers have a map). So, when getting a taxi follow two important rules. #1, never get into a cab until you've settled on a price for where you're going, and #2, never get a taxi in front of a hotel or a restaurant -- they charge more than double. Example: going from Torres de Alba in El Congrejo to Miraflores, the taxi wanted $15. Crossing the street and asking the first taxi that pulled over (within 15 seconds),the same trip was $7.
I've never had problem going to the ruins of Panama Viejo at any time. But, keep in mind that there is not a lot shade, and in the afternoon, it's much hotter. When you go, the admission covers both the ruins and the archiological museum. They are not next to each other. The museum is actually about a mile or so away. So, make arrangements with your taxi to take you to Panama Viejo, pick you up 45 minutes later (that's all the time you'll need), take you to the museum and pick you up 30 minutes later. The reason to make these arrangments is because there aren't many taxis at Panama Viejo or the museum.
Also, figure that whatever your on-line quote for the rental car ... double it for the actual cost. There are a number of charges not included in the on-line price ... $18 or $22 per day mandatory liability insurance, plus taxes, plus fees.
IMHO, the restaurants on Amador are great for a drink and ceviche and the view at night, but very mediocre and overpriced for meals. There are much better restaurants in the city. For example --
Traditional Panamanian food -- El Trapiche on Via Argentina. Very inexpensive. Go across the street to Manolo's Chorreria for dessert.
Okay traditional Panamanian food, but a very entertaining show to go with it -- Las Tinajas just off Ave. Frederico Boyd. The show is Panamanian folk music and traditional dance. Call for reservations ahead of time.
Seafood - the Mercado de Mariscos (fisherman's market) during the day an Siete Mares at night (El Cangrejo district, just off Via Argentina).
Steaks - Martin Fierro on Ave. Eusebio Morales in El Cangrejo -- excellent Argentinian beef.
El Bodegon - San Francisco district - the best Spanish cuisine west of Sevilla.
I've never had problem going to the ruins of Panama Viejo at any time. But, keep in mind that there is not a lot shade, and in the afternoon, it's much hotter. When you go, the admission covers both the ruins and the archiological museum. They are not next to each other. The museum is actually about a mile or so away. So, make arrangements with your taxi to take you to Panama Viejo, pick you up 45 minutes later (that's all the time you'll need), take you to the museum and pick you up 30 minutes later. The reason to make these arrangments is because there aren't many taxis at Panama Viejo or the museum.
Also, figure that whatever your on-line quote for the rental car ... double it for the actual cost. There are a number of charges not included in the on-line price ... $18 or $22 per day mandatory liability insurance, plus taxes, plus fees.
IMHO, the restaurants on Amador are great for a drink and ceviche and the view at night, but very mediocre and overpriced for meals. There are much better restaurants in the city. For example --
Traditional Panamanian food -- El Trapiche on Via Argentina. Very inexpensive. Go across the street to Manolo's Chorreria for dessert.
Okay traditional Panamanian food, but a very entertaining show to go with it -- Las Tinajas just off Ave. Frederico Boyd. The show is Panamanian folk music and traditional dance. Call for reservations ahead of time.
Seafood - the Mercado de Mariscos (fisherman's market) during the day an Siete Mares at night (El Cangrejo district, just off Via Argentina).
Steaks - Martin Fierro on Ave. Eusebio Morales in El Cangrejo -- excellent Argentinian beef.
El Bodegon - San Francisco district - the best Spanish cuisine west of Sevilla.
pulpoloco
Registered
DennisS, Surly, GB, You are all awesome. This is the best info. I've ever received on ScubaBoard for a trip. I really appreciate it. Surly, I did get a chance to look at youur pictures today and am now getting really excited. Except for sharks, and the puffers, it looks like we'll be seeing the same species I'm familiar with from San Carlos, Mexico (in the Sea of Cortez), except you've got bigger fish and big schools rather than onesies and twosies. The sharks are always an added pleasure! P.S. We're not staying in Amador, we're staying at Medditerranean Dream appartments at Altos del Dorado Calle B Casa No. 27. North end of town. Since we have a flexible traveling schedule for two weeks to Pedasi, Santa Catalina, and El Vlle, I can't see doin that withou a rental car.We have some pretty extensive driving experience in Mexico and Europe, also three weeks in various locations in Greece where AAA says is the most dangerous on earth (In Greece the cycles own the lines in the middle and on the sides, speed and congestion does not affect them. Just another part of the adventure!! Thanks again for all the great information.We will be in the canal a week from Friday, inMiraflores, Casco Viejo, Ancon Hill, amador...Sat. and cancal fishing Sunday. Say a short prayer that all goes well and that we are in the water dicing from Pedasi on Mar.19.
gb_williams
Contributor
Outside of Panama City, driving is not bad. Inside the city, it's the stuff heart attacks and divorces are made of. Anyplace that you are going, be sure to check ahead and get the landmarks for your route. In the city, there are very few street signs. Everyone goes by landmarks, like, "You know BP station on the corner, across from Manolo's? Well, don't turn there. Go up one more block where you see the pink house on the left and turn right, there." It's the same in the countryside AKA "the interior."
Don't rely on a GPS in the city. First, there is a lot of construction going on. One of the major arterials -- Corredor Norte -- is a mess due to building new overpasses at all the major intersections. Downtown is a mess due to the new subway construction. Casco Viejo is a mess due to redoing the streets. (You shouldn't drive there anyway, because it's almost impossible to find a parking place, especially in the evenings.) As a result, there are a lot of detours -- most of which are not marked for rerouting. The city also has a bad habit of changing two-way streets into one-way streets, or changing the direction on one-way streets. As result, driving downtown is like running through a maze with a blindfold. The point being, no GPS can help you with detours and changed street direction. But, perhaps the scariest thing is that GPS's will direct you into neighborhoods (there are only a couple, fortunately) where even the police won't go without an armored vehicle. So, to be safe, get good directions with landmarks before you go somewhere.
Buena suerte y buen viaje.
Don't rely on a GPS in the city. First, there is a lot of construction going on. One of the major arterials -- Corredor Norte -- is a mess due to building new overpasses at all the major intersections. Downtown is a mess due to the new subway construction. Casco Viejo is a mess due to redoing the streets. (You shouldn't drive there anyway, because it's almost impossible to find a parking place, especially in the evenings.) As a result, there are a lot of detours -- most of which are not marked for rerouting. The city also has a bad habit of changing two-way streets into one-way streets, or changing the direction on one-way streets. As result, driving downtown is like running through a maze with a blindfold. The point being, no GPS can help you with detours and changed street direction. But, perhaps the scariest thing is that GPS's will direct you into neighborhoods (there are only a couple, fortunately) where even the police won't go without an armored vehicle. So, to be safe, get good directions with landmarks before you go somewhere.
Buena suerte y buen viaje.
Similar threads
