Panama Seaside Holiday

Welcome to Panama City! Upon arrival, your driver will wait for you at the Tocumen International Airport, and then send you to a comfortable hotel located in the heart of Panama City’s urban area. After checking in, you can rest in the room, or enjoy the outdoor pool at the hotel to relieve fatigue from the long-haul flights. You can also wander around the hotel, to see many spectacular skyscrapers nearby and some good restaurants offering delicious Panamanian cuisines are available.

Travel Tips:
1. Money: Panama has its own official currency, the Balboa, but it has always been tied to the US dollar. Thus the US dollar is widely used in Panama and USD 1 equals PAB 1. American citizens don’t need make money change at all and visitors from other countries need to change some US dollar cash before departure. In general, credit cards are not accepted in most places and some places like San Blas Islands even do not have any ATMs. So cash is very important and it is better to prepare some in advance.

2. Climate & Things to Pack: Panama has a typical tropical climate with hot and humid weather. So it is suggested to take some light airy clothes, a thin coat for the air-conditioned indoor space, and a raincoat for sudden showers. Its warm weather also attracts pesky insects and bugs. So do remember to prepare Bug Spray or Insect Repellent.

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero

Today, you will enjoy a full-day Pearl Islands tour. The driver will send you to a pier along the Pacific Coast. Then you need to take a ferry to Pearl Islands by yourself and it takes about 1.5 hours to arrive there. The Pearl Islands are named for the large number of pearls on the sea bottom and are composed of many small islands. Among them, Contadora is the most popular and smallest one with awesome primitive beaches. So we book the hotel on the island for you. 

After arrival, you can deposit your luggage at the hotel, and then explore the islands freely. You can choose to stroll around the island’s fine secluded beaches like Playa Ejecutiva, Playa Cacique, and Playa Larga or just enjoy sunbathing or fishing. Check-in at the hotel in the afternoon and be ready to enjoy a rich dinner in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Contadora Island Inn

Today is another free day for you to plan your activities on the Pearl Islands. Besides enjoying a peaceful time on white beaches, kayaking, diving, and snorkeling are also great ways to explore the emerald crystal clear waters. What’s more, you can hire a golf cart to discover the whole island. If you happen to visit during the period from July to October, then whale watching is a must-do activity. Of course, taking a boat to visit other islands is also possible. The nearby islands like Saboga and Viveros boasting natural beaches and green forests also worth your visit.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Contadora Island Inn

In the morning, please take the ferry back to Panama City by yourself. Our guide and the driver will pick you up at the pier at the agreed time and start today's guided Panama City exploration. We will start with a visit to the ruins of the first Panama City - Panama Viejo. Want to learn about the old history of Panama? This is the must-visit site. It was the first colonial city founded by Spanish people in the 1500s in the Americas, though later it had been sacked and burned. After tracing the history of Panama’s pre-colonial times, we will head to Casco Viejo, the relocation of Panama Viejo. Also known as Casco Antiguo and San Felipe, this historical district is characterized by its colonial architecture, vibrant plazas and colorful alleys. Stroll around the narrow cobble streets, and it is easy to get cultured in the city’s hippest region.

After lunch, we will drive to see Panama Canal. One of the best ways to appreciate the country’s engineering miracle is to overlook mega ships transit through the canal at Miraflores Locks. Your guide will check the ship transit schedule beforehand and try the best to organize your visit to catch the impressive scene. The Miraflores Visitor Center also features an IMAX theater where you can see a short movie narrated by Morgan Freeman about the canal’s history and operations. Afterward, we will head to see the iconic Bridge of the Americas and take an evening stroll or a bike ride at Amador Causeway to enjoy excellent views of Panama City and canal entrance. In the end, you will be sent back to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero

Today we will arrange a 6-hour Panama Canal cruise tour for you to better explore the famous canal. In the early morning, the cruise will depart from Flamenco Marina, cross the Bridge of the Americas, enter into Miraflores Lake through Miraflores Locks, and then sail through Pedro Miguel Locks. Later, it will cross the southern end of the Gaillard Cut, and reach the Gamboa Dredging Division, where this Panama Canal tour will be over and you will disembark. Breakfast and lunch will be served on board, and soda water will also be offered. On the ship, there will be a professional bilingual guide to detail the canal operation and answer your questions. You can learn deeply about the canal and see how canal systems work at a really close distance. You will also see the Centennial Bridge on the way. After the cruise ship, you will finally return to downtown to travel around Panama City and admire its charming skyline.

Note:
The canal cruise mentioned above is the northbound tour which generally departs early in the morning (check-in about 6:30-7:30 am.). According to your needs, you can also contact us to change it to the southbound canal tour as it always departs at noon. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero

This morning, the driver will take you to the airport for a 1-hour flight to Bocas del Toro, located on the north Caribbean coast. After you arrive, the local driver will pick you up and send you to a beautiful seaside hotel for check in. The afternoon is free to arrange by yourself.  The hotel offers seafront pools where you can just enjoy the sun or go swimming. Bocas del Toro also boasts some of the best beaches in Panama so you can go beachcombing and experience the unmatched beauty of Colón Island on your own.

Dinner Suggestion: Have a Taste of Panama Sea Food!
Panama has rich seafood recipes and Panamanians are good at cooking fresh seafood with savory ingredients, featuring high consumption of rice. Some famous Panamanian seafood dishes include Ceviche De Corvina, Arroz Con Camarones (Yellow Rice with Shrimp), and Guacho de Mariscos (Panamanian Sea Food Stew). Ceviche De Corvina is made of raw fish marinated in lime juice, onions and chili peppers and it is a must-try dish when you visit Panama.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Playa Tortuga Hotel & Beach Resort

Today the trip will begin with an exploration of the Dolphin Cove accompanied by your guide, where you will see many lovely dolphins playing freely in their natural habitat. Next, we will dive in Coral Cay looking for stingrays and other colorful tropical fish. In the afternoon, we will head to Red Frog Beach in Isla Bastimentos, one of the most beautiful beaches in Bocas del Toro Island. You can go snorkeling, sunbathing, or surfing freely. We will return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Playa Tortuga Hotel & Beach Resort

Apartfrom beautiful sandy beaches, Bocas del Toro is also known as being inhabitedby native ethnic groups of Panama. Today, the guide will escort you to visit anindigenous community and learn about their cultures and the way of life of Naso, Ngobe or Bri Bri. Your unique experience starts with boarding on a traditionalraft. Upon arrival, you will have a discovery of local daily life, likepracticing artisanal fishing with local people, learning about the cultivationof cocoa, and hearing about the medical rituals. You will also be guided to walkthrough mangroves and explore wildlife such as caimans, frogs, sloths, monkeys,and so on.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Playa Tortuga Hotel & Beach Resort

The driver will send you to the airport in the morning so you can catch the flight to Panama City. Upon your arrival, you will see the local driver waiting for you at the exit. Then you will be transferred to your hotel. Move freely in the afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero

The driver will pick you up on time at the lobby of hotel, then drop you off at Tocumen International Airport. May you have a nice trip home and have had a great time during the Panama beach holiday.

Meals: Breakfast