Panama has so much to offer. In Panama City, the five star hotels are beautiful and very reasonably priced, and I could have spent hours wandering into boutiques and grazing at the restaurants in the trendy/elegant Casco Viejo neighborhood. The city is such a fascinating contrast of new luxury and hip development, right beside the numerous slumlike apartments and gray, industrial shipping ports. A fun fact is that Panamanian currency is tied 1:1 with the USD (I know...SO fun), which they accept virtually everywhere, so no need to exchange money or calculate the exchange rate. Driving in Panama City itself is a sh*tshow and taxis are definitely the best way to go, but the roads all around the rest of the country are pristine. Not a pothole to be found. It was great experience to rent a car and explore the nearby beaches and beautiful countryside.
Where to Stay: The Ace Hotel in Casco Viejo, which hadn’t opened yet when we visited. For 5 star options, the Trump Ocean Club and Waldorf Astoria Panama City are in a less cute neighborhood but the hotels themselves are beautiful, we stayed at both. We also traveled further north, about an hour drive and a boat ride from the smaller David Airport, to the Resort at Isla Palenque---on it's own private island, you'll be in eco-chic heaven. We felt like we had the dark golden beaches and a jungle full of wildlife all to ourselves.
Where to Eat: Panama has the best ceviche I have ever had--whether purchased for a dollar in a paper cup right off the fishing boats, or in an elegant restaurant, you won't be disappointed.
Where to Shop: Besides the obvious purchase of a genuine Panama hat, find a shop called Breebaart Boutique. The shop is run by a French woman, Hélene Breebaart, who used to work for Dior in Paris. She moved to Panama decades ago and started this boutique. Meet with her at the start of your trip, as each piece is custom made and takes several days to make (she can ship it, but then you won't be able to see the product to make any final changes). The shop is at #5 Calle Abel Bravo in the Obarrio neighborhood, phone +507 264-5937. Perhaps the best part is that the pieces are made by the artistic Kuna people, who are native to Panama. You will most likely spend hours speaking with this woman about her fascinating life and design ideas, as I did.
