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Panama City
By 360 Travel Staff
With a spectacular setting on the Pacific bay of the same name, with
the canal on one side and lush, forested mountains rising behind, Panam City
encompasses some startling incongruities. On the southwest end of the bay stands
the old city centre of San Felipe , a jumble of crumbling colonial
churches and nineteenth-century mansions, while 4km or so to the northeast rise
the shimmering skyscrapers of El Cangrejo , the modern banking and
commercial district. Further east, amid the sprawling suburbs, stand the ruins
of Panam Viejo , the first European city to be founded on the Pacific
coast of the Americas, while west of San Felipe the former US Canal Zone town of
Balboa retains a distinctly North American character despite having been
returned to Panamanian control in 1979.
The city has numerous tourist attractions
including world-class hotels and restaurants. Of particular
interest to tourists are various sites located in the Casco
Viejo, including
- Las Bvedas,
literally The Vaults, a waterfront promenade jutting
out into the Pacific;
- The National Institute of
Culture Building and across from it, the French Embassy;
- The Cathedral on Plaza
de la Catedral;
- Teatro Nacional, a
recently renovated performance center, with outstanding
natural acoustics; It provides an intimate performance
environment, seating about 800 guests.
- Museo del Canal
Interocenico (InterOceanic Canal Museum);
- Numerous restaurants
located near the French embassy.
- Palacio de las Garzas
(Heron's Palace), the official name of the presidential
palace. There actually are Herons in the compound.
Unfortunately, the waters in the coast of the city are polluted and its not
allowed to bathe in them. However there are beaches available nearby. The
closest is the Playa Bonita Complex, right next to the city, crossing the Bridge
of the Americas. There are also many more beaches, in the Pacific and Caribeann
side (one of the advantages of Panama is the possibility of bathing in two
oceans easily, as they are just hours apart). In recent years there has been
huge development of Beach hotels. Farther afield, visitors can travel to beaches
in the interior, Bocas del Toro and the Archipilago de las Perlas in the
Gulf of Panama (where Survivor has filmed 3 seasons!)
Panama City's international airport is Tocumen
International Airport located on the eastern outskirts of the
city and easily accessible by a modern toll road from the
financial district. Under normal traffic conditions travellers
should allow 45 minutes to the airport from the financial
district. Cab fare to and from the airport is about US$30,
though many hotels provide shuttle service. Major car rental
companies have facilities at the airport, but first-time
visitors are advised to take a cab and rent a car at a city
rental office. There are direct flights between Tocumen and New
York, Newark, Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, and all
major cities in the Caribbean, Central America and South
America. Panama City also has an in-town airport Marcos A.
Gelabert, in the area once occupied by
Albrook Air Force Base. This airport serves domestic flights
to the interior of Panama and the Las Perlas islands in
the Pacific.
Panama City has an extensive system of public
transportation implemented by a fleet of colorful buses.
However, it is recommended that to get about town, first-time
visitors should either rent a car, or should use taxis which are
plentiful, safe and inexpensive. Most taxi fares within the city
are under US$3. Air-conditioned buses are available from Panama
City to most other parts of the country. These leave from a huge
Bus Terminal near the Marcos A. Gelabert airport.
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