PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

Feb 3

We flew into Panama City a few days before our full Panama Canal transit on Norwegian Jewel, and the city surprised us. We found sloths on a city hike and monkeys on Gatun Lake. We also picked the wrong hotel. Here are the seven tips we'd give anyone starting a canal cruise here.

Our Visits

February 2023: Pre-cruise days before a Panama Canal full transit on Norwegian Jewel, sailing from Colón

At a Glance

Where to stay: Casco Viejo, the old town. We stayed in the Financial District and wished we hadn't.
Getting around: Uber. Our rides around the city were about $5 each.
Don't miss: Casco Viejo for dinner and a Monkey Island boat tour on Gatun Lake
Getting to the ship: Uber from Panama City to Colón took about an hour and cost about $50
Pack: Binoculars, sunscreen and insect repellent

Where We Stayed: The W Panama

The W caught our eye because it's an artsy hotel in the Financial District. We booked a City View King. The bed was amazingly comfortable, and the robes were a nice touch for morning coffee. The view of the skyscrapers and a nearby cathedral was beautiful, and we enjoyed the complimentary coffee on the pool terrace.

The room had problems, though. The oversized bathroom sink had no privacy wall, and there was nowhere to store our suitcases.

We also ate at the hotel's restaurant, Paul Boulangerie. Our order came out wrong, and nobody checked on us once the food arrived. A quick bite took two hours, which cost us daylight we'd planned for exploring.

Tip 1: We can't recommend this hotel. It isn't up to the Marriott standard we're used to. The location didn't work for us either. We kept taking Ubers to Casco Viejo and should have stayed there.

Tip 2: If you do stay at the W, take advantage of the complimentary spa bath at the AWAY Spa after your flight.

A City Hike With Sloths

After a long flight, a short hike is always in order. We took an Uber to the Metropolitan Natural Park and made a $4 donation each at the entrance. With the visitor center closing at 4 PM, we picked a short trail to the lookout. The path is well groomed and an easy climb.

We saw turtles in the pond and heard birds the whole way up. We also spotted our first sloths in the treetops. They're hard to find because they look like a bundle of sticks. A trail of leafcutter ants stopped us for a few minutes, and at the lookout a family of coatis was busy digging through the trash, just like raccoons back home.

Tip 3: Use Uber. It won't break the bank. Our rides around the city were about $5, no matter where we went.

Dinner in Casco Viejo

We had an early dinner at Santa Rita in Casco Viejo. The food is sourced locally, and Panama City's cooking mixes indigenous, Spanish and Afro-Caribbean influences. The food was delicious and the service was top notch. We recommend it.

Tip 4: Make dinner reservations in Casco Viejo. It's the trendy part of town, and it has the best restaurants.

Monkey Island on Gatun Lake

We booked a tour that picked us up at the hotel and took us by boat to the Monkey Islands in Gatun Lake. The monkeys live in their natural habitat on small islands, and we saw capuchin, howler and tamarin monkeys from the boat. You can't step onto the islands. The jungle is so dense you could get lost a few feet in.

We also saw toucans and bright blue butterflies. On the way back to the bus, we got lucky and spotted our ship, Norwegian Jewel, crossing Gatun Lake.

Tip 5: Don't expect to get close to the monkeys. They live at the tops of very tall trees, and most of the time they look like small black specks. Bring binoculars or a zoom lens, plus sunscreen and insect repellent.

Tell us in the comments: Would you base yourself in Casco Viejo or the Financial District?

Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo is the historic district of Panama City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has colonial architecture and colorful street art on almost every block. It was once run-down and had a rough reputation, but it's in the middle of a big revival. It reminded us of Spain, with plenty of shopping and a lively nightlife.

Tip 6: Don't let the old reputation scare you away. We shied away from booking a hotel here and wish we hadn't. This was the part of the city that kept pulling us back.

Getting to Your Ship in Colón

Our ship sailed from Colón, on the Caribbean side of the canal. We took an Uber from Panama City, which took about an hour and cost about $50.

Tip 7: Go straight to the cruise terminal in Colón. It was one of the scariest places we've ever been. Don't plan to stay or explore there. Get dropped at the terminal and stay inside. Even our Uber driver dropped us off and headed straight back to Panama City.

What We'd Skip, and Our Backup Plan

Skip: A Financial District hotel. Stay in Casco Viejo and walk to dinner.

Skip: A sit-down meal at the hotel on your first afternoon. Grab something quick and get outside while it's light.

Backup plan: If the Monkey Island tours are booked, spend the morning at the Metropolitan Natural Park looking for sloths, then head to Casco Viejo for the afternoon.