We’re thinking about a trip around the weekend of August 22-23 to PTY. I’ve read through the forum and I’m hoping that if I provide a lot of specifics, I’ll get some great ideas. Here are the pertinent basics:

1. We’re an active couple in their late 60’s.
2. Neither of us speak Spanish.
3. We prefer to visit places rather than do a straight MR which is the basis for this trip.
4. We don’t do cruises so this is the only way and time that we’ll see the Canal.
5. We have a beach home on a beautiful quiet beach so beaches aren’t a high priority unless they’re really special.
6. Our winter home is in the French Quarter of New Orleans and we both love old Spanish and French Architecture and walking tours. My family is from Quebec and I’ve spent lots of time touring Montreal and Quebec City. We would like to see the ‘Old City’.
7. We plan on travelling down on a Thursday and returning on the following Monday or Tuesday. The route is EWR-IAH-PTY on CO (we’re both Leisure Plats on CO).
8. According to what I’ve found so far, the only Canal Transit tour that weekend is a half tour on Saturday.
9. We’re open as far as hotels are concerned and don’t really have major points in any hotel programs. Lots of AMEX points.
10. We’d rather hire a car and English speaking guide than drive ourselves.
11. Shopping isn’t a priority for me but my wife won’t pass up a bargain.
12. We’re not birders but we both enjoy relaxing nature tours.

Our thoughts are:

Thursday – fly down.
Friday – tour Old City and shop
Saturday – Canal tour and whatever else fits with that (Locks @ Miraflores too)
Sunday / Monday – do interesting things
Monday or Tuesday – fly home

That gives us 3 or 4 full days to do an see things.

Your suggestions and recommendations please and TIA for your thoughts and help. Hotel(s), restaurants, activities ( I really enjoyed a great post by cz4ever in January).

I am a CO PLat and live in PTY so hopefully I can give you some good advice.

In regard to EWR-IAH-PTY, Thursday is a good day to fly as the upgrades are easier. There are two IAH-PTY flights, one that leaves in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The morning flight is very easy to get upgrade as a Plat and both will probably get it on the 5 day mark.
Unless both of you are on expensive fare classes I would fly on Tuesday as Monday mornings can be a bit more challening to get upgrade but is still relatively easy.

Now to PANAMA:

1. You will definately want to go to Casco Viejo which is the "Old City". During the day you can go and see some of the ruins and streets but in reality, it is much nicer at night. I recommend you go there for dinner then drinks. There are many cool bars for people your age and one of them is SCENA. On top of the place is a nice restaurant which is good for dinner. Also, if you like to drink mojitos, there is a cuban bar called "Havana Club" which is awsome. Also, Indigo restaurant and lounge is very good and has more mediterranean/persian cuisine.
2. Shopping, go to Albrook Mall which is a massive mall full of stores which you will find great bargains. You can easily spend 4 or 5 hours walking around and shopping, eating, etc etc. The more premium and fancier shopping is done in Multiplaza and is in the heart of the city.
3. Interesting things to do: I would check out Gamboa Resort as it is close to the canal and has a jungle/tropical feel to it. They have many cool activities such as canopy tours, and various different boat rides to see cool stuff such as monkeys, birds, etc etc... You can also easily spend the day there doing all of their activies or combine it with your canal tour. Other interesting thing to do might be fishing as Panama has excellent fishing. If you guys are really active then there are some jungle hiking tours which essentially take you hiking through the jungle trails and is a really cool experience, however, go with a tour and not alone!!!
4. Hotels- for the city I would recommend the Marriott, the Marriott Courtyard (connected to the Multiplaza Mall), Radisson Decapolis (trendy hotel with trendy lobby bar) and the Bristol Hotel... The intercontinental is regular.
5. Beach: The only place I can really recommend which is worth visiting is Bristol Hotel at Buenaventura (www.lhw.com) or Hacienda del Mar (google it). Hacienda del Mar is a boutique hotel on a private island with virgin beaches. Not cheap but worth it!!

If anything else please feel free to PM me.

Regards,

CO Platinum

CO Platinum,

Thanks so much for the information. We'll talk it over after the holiday weekend and I'll PM you with any other questions.

Your welcome. The thread by Cz4ever is correct and essentially what i recommend you to do EXCEPT for the restaurants.

Las Bovedas, is in Casco Viejo and is good.

Napoli is lousy.

Food at Gamboa is also lousy.

For good restaurants go to:

1. La Posta. Probably the most popular restaurant in Panama City. Google them as they have a website.
2. The Market. Same owner as La Posta and the specialize in meats, gourmet hamburgers, etc.
3. Ten Bistro. In Multiplaza and the Deville Hotel
4. Bella Roma- Good italian food that is run by an italian family. You feel as if you are eating in somebodys house.
5. Sake- modern/fusion japanese cuisine
6. Segundo Muelle- excellent and modern peruvian cuisine
7. Beirut- best arab/lebanese food in town. At night they have belly dancing and you can smoke the "hookah"

Again thanks. I'll PM you once we have our flight and hotel info.

We're EWR-MSY tomorrow AM and will have time to get our plans set. Fortunately we got ou EUA's and are sitting together.