:: Panama City, Panama || Focus Panama ::

Daylife
Nightlife
Dusklife and Dawnlife
Things to do in Panama City
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Panama City earns its sobriquet “Crossroads of the World”. The fact that so many people pass this way, and so many pause awhile, gives this Latin city a uniquely international feeling.

The city has a population of about 450,000—about the same as Portland, Oregon—and a vitality about the same as a parlay of Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, Rome, and Macao. Any resemblance to Panama City, Florida, means your tour conductor has goofed.

Scholars have put it forth, after fusty etymologic foraging, that Panama is an Indian word meaning“an abundance of fish.” Any tourist could have told them so after 30 seconds of foraging through a restaurant menu here.

Panama City offers its visitors nightlife, daylife, dusklife, and dawnlife.

DAYLIFE -- Shopping, for a start: everything from bond issues to boa constrictors is on sale here.

Panama receives visitors from the world around, and sells products from the world around, many at duty-free prices. Somewhere along the line, a tourist is going to find himself wondering why he came all this way to buy something from the old home town.

Solution. Buy something from someone else’s home town.

After shopping: tours. First and foremost, see the Canal. To visit Panama without taking in the Canal would be like visiting Niagara without seeing the Falls. Or Mount Rushmore without noticing certain semblances.

NIGHTLIFE -- Casinos, restaurants, discotheques, bars and floorshows.

Read all about it further along in this booklet. The rhythm of tropic tamborito now has competition as Panama’s night sound from the carillon--pealing of slot machines.

As for peeling, there’s that too. Withall, the dark is lively, lively. There are restaurants of a dozen culinary allegiances. You can even choose between Peking, Tokyo or Seoul.

DUSKLIFE AND DAWNLIFE -- For dusklife, the ritual of ancient antimalarial precautions. On the rocks. Malaria was eliminated from Panama two generations ago. Do not tell your barman.

Dawnlife consists of (a) the bustle of the market at Salsipuedes with its crowded wharves and produce boats from the interior and (b) tourists trying to remember where they parked their hotel.

Things to do in Panama City

TOUR THE CITY
Travel agencies offer city tours which take about two and a half hours. A typical city tour will take in the ruins of Old Panama, Colonial Panama (El Casco Viejo) and the modern sections.

For greater flexibility you can hire a tourist taxi outside all the main hotels.

Their drivers speak English.

VISIT THE CANAL
Tour agencies also offer a tour of the Canal area which takes about two and a half hours.

VISIT THE PANAMA CANAL MUSEUM
The museum is situated in Cathedral Plaza, Las Bovedas, the old colonial section of the city which is being restored and makes an interesting side trip.

VISIT THE REINA TORRES DE ARAUZ ANTHROPOLOGICAL MUSEUM
Situated on Cinco de Mayo Plaza, it has a fine collection of gold huacas.

VISIT MI PUEBLITO
An exact replica of a small interior town at the turn of the century. Government offices, shops, a school and a tiny church surround a cobblestone plaza, complete with fountain. A museum is devoted to the “pollera”, Panama’s national dress and folklore shows are offered Friday and Saturday evening.

There are also replicas of villages of Panama’s two other major ethnic groups, the Afro-Antilleans and the Indigenous tribes of San Blas, Choco and Guaymie Indians.

TRANSIT THE CANAL
See our advertisers index.

TAKE A FERRY
Make a visit to the Island of Taboga, situated at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. • Call: (507) 264-6096 or (507) 261-0350.

GO RACING
See horse racings at President Remon Race Track. Meets are held in the evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. every Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

WATCH A FOLKLORE SHOW
Folklore shows with colourful typical costume and traditional dances. These are offered by the Tinajas restaurant, the Plaza Paitilla Inn Hotel and the Mi Pueblito theme park.

GO ECO-TURING
Consult a tour agency. There a number of options:
• Gamboa Rainforest Resort – see our section on the Panama Canal.
• Metropolitan Park– a rainforest reserve situated surprisingly within the city’s limits.
• Barro Colorado Nature Monument which is situated on an island in Gatun Lake. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is the custodian and visits can be arranged through them or with a tour company.
• The Canopy Tower, a half hour drive from the city.

RIDE THE TRAIN
Along the banks of the Canal to Colon for a day trip Departs from Corozal 7:15 a.m. Returns 5:15 p.m. from Colon.

HANG OUT AT THE CAUSEWAY
A perfect place to relax and enjoy the picturesque view of the city from the bay. Stroll, jog, bike or enjoy one of the many restaurants, bars and discos.