‘Panama’ means ‘abundance of fish’ in the native Indian language. Panama City is famous as the ‘Central America banking capital’ at present. The landscape of Panama City is breathtaking and languid to say the least. In contrast, the activities of the city are full of high voltage energy, ceaseless, and overwhelming. Apart from Panama City, Panama vacations include the entire Caribbean archipelago of the Republic of Panama, a tourist paradise.
Panama City tourist spots.
Panama vacations start with the tour of Panama City. The major sights that should not be missed in the city are the following..
- The picturesque Panama Bay on which this colonial city lies
- The world famous Panama Canal, an engineering feat linking the Pacific and the Atlantic, considered the eighth wonder of the world
- Casco Antiguo, the colonial section of the city with buildings of ancient Spanish architecture
- San Felipe, the old city center with crumbling churches and fading mansions
- El Cangrejo, the modern commercial and banking district, with towering skyscrapers and bustling businessmen
- Av Central and Via Espana, the shopping districts of the city, where you could buy the local products that include tribal masks, wood carvings, ceramic works, etc.
- Panama Viejo, the ruins of the first European town founded in 1519, now a World Heritage site of UNESCO
- Afro-Antillean Museum tracing the history of Antillean immigrants
- Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Panama displaying the works of native as well as international artists
- Museo del Canal Interoceanico, depicting the birth of Panama canal and the growth of the Panama archipelago
- Religious Colonial Art Museum, housing sacred relics and religious sculpture and paintings
- San Jose Cathedral, with the renowned Golden Altar
- Park Natural Metropolitano, an urban park sprawling for 655 acres and home to 200 or more species of birds
Panama countryside travel
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The moment you leave Panama City for the countryside, the picture changes completely. The Caribbean archipelago, with its idyllic islands, majestic mountains, lush jungles, peaceful coves, and meandering rivers, has your complete attention riveted to nature. Places like Bocas del Toro and David City, with their calm atmosphere and lively water sports offer tourists the peace and relaxation needed to unwind from the stress and strain of the commercial life. Interacting with the native Indians is also a new experience in Panama vacations. Most of the areas in the countryside of the Republic of Panama could be described as destinations of off-the-beaten-path. .
Fast paced business activities
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Panama activities are pictures of contrasts. The large number of free trade zones had ensured that shopping is a major activity in Panama City, next only to the non-stop drinking activity of the residents of Panama. As the banking and finance capital of Central America, the business and investment activities in Panama City are at an all time high. Foreign investment is increasing at a fairly good pace in Panama, particularly in the finance and real estate sectors..
The Causeway in the city is a paradise of leisure, with its idyllic shopping centers, typical Central American restaurants, and bars. Drinking is a full time job for many residents of Panama. They claim that alcohol consumption keeps away the mosquitoes that cause malaria. The restaurants mainly serve seafood from the rich marine species obtained from the Atlantic and the Pacific, as well as the several rivers between the two coasts..
Leisurely water sports facilities
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Compared to this, the activities in the countryside of Panama are totally different. The scenic beaches, the enticing islands with protected coves, and the rivers offer a wide variety of water sports. Boating, yachting, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and dolphin watching are the main Panama activities in the countryside, if you move away from Panama City. Life goes on at a leisurely pace. Tourism related business had enhanced local and foreign investments in areas like Bocas del Toro and David City in Chiriqui province..
Details about Panama vacations would fill up a whole book. You could be reading for days about the city and the country. The best alternative is to go there and enjoy Panama activities in person.