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…
Nature
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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: WHALE WATCHING IN PANAMA
Every year locals and visitors alike take to the waters off the Pacific coast of Panama in search of the magnificent humpback whale. Even though it tends to fly under the travel radar, Panama is one of the most reliable, least crowded whale watching destinations in the world. Panama’s western shores offer calm water, warm temperatures, and an extensive viewing season between the sheltered bays of the Gulf of Chiriquí,…
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SMITHSONIAN’S GEM IN LAKE GATUN
Imagine hiking through a dense, pristine tropical rainforest while massive container ships glide silently just beyond the tree line. That’s what it’s like visiting Smithsonian’s gem in Lake Gatun, Isla Barro Colorado Island. It’s one of the world’s most important biological research hubs, managed by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). If you’re looking to escape Panama City for an unforgettable day immersed in nature, science, and history, this is…
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THE EMBERÁ OF PANAMA: TRULY A WORLD AWAY
Jungle waterfall on Embera tour, Panama
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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: CERRO CHAME PANAMA
They say the third time is the charm and Cerro Chame did us in twice before we ever made it to the top. Thankfully, that third time was perfection with cool winds, clear skies and epic views for as far as the eye could see. Cerro Chame is one of the most underrated trails in Panama offering a unique ridge-line experience with sweeping vistas of the Pacific, mangroves, and the…
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ADVENTURE TIME IN ALTOS DE CAMPANA
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…