One of the main reasons I moved to Panamá is my love of hiking. Panama trails are so different from any trails I have ever done in the U.S.: jungly, slippery and super-exotic, they are usually well worth the effort. Nowhere is this more true than Sendero La Cruz, in Altos de Campana National Park. A little over an hour from PTY, this first Panamanian national park has everything: cooler…
Nature
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SEA TURTLE HATCH IN PANAMA
Lately, I’ve been able to check off a lot of items on my bucket list and for that I feel super-grateful. Most of my bucket list items are about traveling to exotic locations, but a few select nature things make my list as well like seeing a puffin in the wild, spotting a resplendant quetzal or, in this case, seeing baby sea turtles make their way to the ocean. Honestly,…
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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: ISLA MAMEY, PANAMA
City dwellers eventually tire of being city dwellers. Fortunately, beautiful beaches are plentiful here in Panama–many just a couple of hours away from the capital. These are the types of places that will make you forget your troubles at least for the day. Locals love a good “pasadía” or day trip to one of these idyllic spots. I just got back from Isla Mamey and it was a welcome change…
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ADVENTURE TIME ON ISLA OTOQUE, PANAMA
I don’t have too many vices, but my latest bad habit is too much TikTok. As embarrassing as it sounds at my age, sometimes my scrolling turns up some really interesting things like my latest excursion a couple of hours outside the city. I had never heard of this place, but there it was in my feed. I was hooked watching the colorful panga motoring toward another Panamanian Pacific paradise…
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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: MONKEY ISLAND
Just minutes beyond the world famous canal lies one of Panama’s most beloved tourist attractions, “Monkey Island.” Located in the heart of Gatun Lake, these remarkable islands that dot the waters running parallel to the canal are home to three different monkey species offering visitors an unforgettable, interactive glimpse into Panama’s rich biodiversity. What makes this place truly special isn’t just the playful howler monkeys or the curious capuchins you’ll…
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SMITHSONIAN BAT NIGHTS: OUT OF THIS WORLD
Have you ever wondered what happens in the jungle after sundown? At the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s Bat Lab, in Gamboa, you’ll not only get up close and personal with bats, scorpions, and frogs, you´ll get to explore their world under the cover of night. With over 120 bat species calling Panama home, this little country offers numerous opportunties to catch a glimpse of these often misunderstood nocturnal creatures. Just…