PANAMA
La Laguna, Panama • April 2024
Mountain roads. Quiet mornings. A different side of Panama.
Panama surprised us by being much more than the place we thought we were going to see.
We spent most of our week in the hills near La Laguna, where mornings were quiet, roads wandered through the mountains and doing very little sometimes became the best part of the day.
There were beaches, wildlife, local restaurants and plenty of time simply enjoying where we were staying.
Toward the end of the trip, we spent one long day exploring Gamboa, the Panama Canal and Panama City. It was memorable, but it wasn't the whole trip. Not even close.
This isn't our checklist for seeing Panama. It's what we discovered by staying outside the city, slowing down and exploring from there.
Panama Was Supposed to Be Cuba
Cuba was booked, visas were in hand and then circumstances changed. Because we'd planned for flexibility, we walked away and discovered Panama instead.
One Perfect Day in Panama City
Monkeys on the Panama Canal, ships moving through Miraflores, wandering Casco Viejo, rooftop cocktails and a memorable birthday dinner. We picked the experiences that mattered to us, left plenty of room between them, and never felt like we were checking boxes.
Visiting the Panama Canal: A Harbor Pilot's Perspective
What does a harbor pilot with 35 years of experience see when watching ships transit the Panama Canal? More than you might imagine. From the precision of the lock operations to an unexpected personal connection, our visit to Miraflores offered a fascinating look behind the scenes. We share what we learned, how to plan your visit, and why timing matters if you want to see the ships in action.
Ask One More Local: Some of My Best Travel Advice Never Came From a Guidebook
Do the research. Make the plan. Then ask one more local. From a family restaurant in Spain to a floating fish shack in Curaçao and a coffee farm down a rough road in Panama, some of our most memorable travel experiences started with one simple question: “Where would you go?”
A Week at Hawk’s Nest: The Panama Stay We Were Looking For
High in the mountains of La Laguna, Hawk’s Nest gave us exactly what we wanted from our week in Panama: incredible views, quiet mornings, back-road exploring and absolutely no need for a packed itinerary. But the part we remember most wasn't the infinity pool or the view toward the Pacific. It was the friendship we formed with our hosts.
One Relaxing Day in El Valle de Antón
A farmers market, $60 hot-stone massages, fresh corvina, rustic thermal pools and a few waterfalls we found simply because we decided to stop. Our favorite part of El Valle wasn't checking off attractions. It was having nowhere we needed to be next.