Panama Sightseeing Tips?

by philg

Having recently read Path Between the Seas, I’m considering flying down to Panama next week to have a look at the Canal.  I’d appreciate it if any folks who’ve been to Panama recently can use the comment server or email to philg@mit.edu with hotel and sightseeing recommendations.  Once down there I’m considering continuing on to Belize to snorkel on the coral reef (what kind of shape is it in right now?  A lot of Caribbean coral has been dying recently I think) or maybe to Honduras to visit the Mayan ruins at Copan or maybe to Ecuador and the Galapagos.  I’ll also be stopping for a few days on the way down and back in South Florida.


[Oh yes… does one really need to take anti-malarial drugs to visit the San Blas Islands this time of year?  Those have some nasty side effects.]

15 thoughts on “Panama Sightseeing Tips?”

  2. Philip, I’m surprised at the lack of travel photos to make it from your trips onto this site. Do you still take pictures when you travel?

  3. I agree. More pictures. There is nothing better than sitting in a off white office building listening to the hum of my computer than imagining myself with the luxury of traveling around the world’s most unique destinations. Please post more photos.

  4. I haven’t been lugging massive quantities of camera equipment lately. To really get good photos of a place is an all-consuming endeavor. Instead of riding a horse at sunset, for example, one must scout out the perfect spot, set up the tripod, and wait for the light to change. Instead of spending the day on a bicycle rail-trail (never very scenic because they follow old freight rail lines), one must be driving from location to location trying to make the Tampa/St. Pete area look attractive (which it is not, on average, unless you like sprawl and strip malls).

    The digital age has made photography even more cumbersome. The point and shoot cameras are terribly hard to use. The digital SLRs are bulky and you really need to tote a laptop (mine is an ancient 7-lb. ThinkPad that I don’t want to replace until the 120 GB notebook drives are available).

    So in Panama I might just decide to relax, take some helicopter lessons (there is an R22 flight school down there), read books, rent a bike, etc.

  5. Hi Philip,

    My girlfriend and I were in Belize this past summer (low season). Based on our experience, I would bypass Belize City and fly straight to Ambergris Caye. We snorkeled in several spots near San Pedro, including “shark ray alley.” Saw a lot of stingray that are used to being fed, and a good-sized nurse shark. Coral was good, not outstanding, especially compared to Great Barrier Reef. Visibility was pretty lame, I’d check with Lonely Planet’s thorntree or the like on current conditions. Sea was pretty stormy when we were there, but it breaks outside on the reef, so no problem for snorkelers. The island itself was pleasant, San Pedro is laid back and everyone drives golf carts around. Beaches are good sand, but swimming was difficult, because of a lot of sea grass. Highly recommend Banana Beach(bananabeach.com) as an inexpensive place to stay on the beach. Newly remodeled, inexpensive, and right on the beach.

    Cheers,
    Gregory

  6. My buddy is currently real-time-blogging his trip to the Panama jungle, where he and his non-profit and a group of “argonauts” are making scientific exploration videos for kids. The blog is pretty pretty exciting as they’re in the midst of monkeys and ocelots, and it’s getting updated daily.

  7. So how’d you like the book then? Well enough to make you want to visit that godforsaken ithmus, huh?

    Yeah, me too.

    Any fan of the Industrial Revoloution should read this book!

  8. Yes it was a great book! Those were the days when national heroes were engineers rather than movie stars!

  9. Philip,
    If you are going to Copan you will probably pass through San Pedro Sula anyway. Rather than snorkeling in Belize, you could take a short flight to Roatan (many daily.) The reef is just as good as Belize.
    Oh, yes, you should take anti-maleria if you go to the San Blas Islands. There are some without the nasty side effects (for me anyway). I’ll try to post a link.
    On Roatan you will need something against sand flies, unless you are immune already.
    Good luck.

  10. Philip, if you haven’t done so already you might want to look at the new Digital Rebel and the new 4GB Microdrive. The Canon is even lighter than the D60/10D and has a similar fairly low noise (compared to prosumer cameras) CMOS sensor. If you get it as a kit the lens included is OK and is very light. It’s a great deal for $999 and would be an excellent snapshot camera with controls similar to what one expects out of SLR cameras (my only complaint is that they dropped the second wheel so for pure manual you have to use just one wheel and toggle between aperture and shutter speed with a selector button).

    I think a lot of people on this site are interested in seeing your high-res pictures of these exotic places more than getting a professional-on-a-tripod-with-a-ten-pound-lens-ready-for-national-geographic photo every time.

    Just a friendly suggestion.

  11. My favorite Camera – Canon Powershot S45 about $400.
    Hard to take a bad pic. Solid little stainless brick, best auto exposure, multi spot focus.
    Best place to review any (digital photo) camera – http://www.dpreview.com
    I like your writing. My business is satellite phones. Thanks
    Jack Berry

  14. please tell me, about profesional digital photo stores in Macallen.
    I need to buy equipment and i dont know where, in Macallen.hurry
    thanks

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