The best things to do, what to skip, and everything you need to know. I have to be honest, when my boyfriend first suggested Panama City, Panama, I was confused. No beach? But once I learned we could take a day trip to the beach, I was sold. And to my surprise, it was a great place to go at Christmas time! The entire city was decked out in Christmas decorations.
Here’s how our 6 days went down.
We flew Copa Airlines and upgraded to business class for $300 more per person ($900 each). Worth it? Absolutely. We got actual meals, unlimited drinks, and nice legroom. The plane was older, so no entertainment selection, but they played Crazy Rich Asians, which is one of my favorites.
Customs was quick, bags came out first (business class perks), and we grabbed an Uber to the hotel. Ubers in Panama City are shockingly cheap – $15 from the airport, $3 everywhere else. Just lower your expectations for the car quality.
We checked into Le Méridien (Marriott Bonvoy upgraded us to a suite) in the city center with a slight view of the Pacific coast, then we walked across the street to Les Mecs Wine Bar. Too hot for the patio, so we sat inside with live music – saxophone and guitar covers of all the hits. It was a great chill way to kick off the trip. We shared a burger and fries, had some wine, and called it a night.
Reality check: Suite upgrade sounds fancy, but we were on the first floor with a parking lot view. You could see the ocean in the distance, though.
The next morning, we headed to do my fave thing, brunch! The restaurant, Michael’s, was only two blocks away. It had a cute jungle theme, and the hostess was the American owner who happened to be from Northern Virginia, like us! Small world. We split the crème brûlée French toast and the Monte Cristo – both huge and DELICIOUS.
Then, we headed out to go ziplining at Poin Panama. I’m adventurous, but ziplining always makes me nervous. This was a must-do activity, though – the views from the rooftop are incredible. We asked an employee to film us, and she captured me flying through the sky, but accidentally filmed the wrong guy, so that was a bummer.
Language note: Most people don’t speak English fluently. My boyfriend knows some Spanish, but I downloaded Pimsleur and never used it. Learn basic phrases or use your phone’s translator.
Dinner at Emotions Sushi + Dinner Show at the Hilton was the best part of Day 2. Small fee for the show (includes welcome Sangria), three shows total, we stayed for two. Christmas show with The Grinch, acrobatics, singing, juggling – so entertaining. As for the food, skip the steak, but get the sushi! They even let us take pictures with them at the end.
My feet hurt, so we Ubered back even though it was a two-minute walk. No shame.
We got picked up bright and early by our cheerful tour guide at 5am. I was immediately grateful that my boyfriend planned and packed some motion sickness meds for me, because the ride was super bumpy.
We stopped roadside for fresh fruit, then hit a gas station for breakfast (empanadas that looked like apple turnovers – delicious). Made one more photo stop, then arrived at the port. We actually had to pay 25 cents to use the bathroom, so bring change!
The speedboat to the San Blas Islands took 45 minutes and was A LOT. Dramamine saved my life. But once we got there – crystal-clear waters, white-sand beaches, small islands everywhere. WORTH THE TRIP! We visited four islands in total.
First island: the main one. They set up chairs, served fresh pineapple and watermelon, then lunch (whole fried fish and rice – best I’ve ever had). We just sat on the beach living our best lives.
Second island: a sandbar washed off by a tsunami. Super shallow, so we could walk in the water and see all the sea stars.
We hit two more islands, then headed back. Longest day ever, but meeting the indigenous people of San Blas and seeing those beautiful beaches made it worth it. This was my first time island hopping.
Pack light: Sunscreen, sunglasses, towel, phone, small bag, and motion sickness meds.
My sisters hyped up the Multiplaza Mall, so we went. It’s beautiful – I stopped in Zara, H&M, and Alo. But, the prices were pretty much the same as in the US, maybe $10 cheaper on some pieces.
We grabbed lunch at Nacionsushi – great sushi and Pad Thai, we would definitely go here again! Plus, they had two-for-$10 margaritas (not great margaritas, but for $5 – not terrible). After shopping, we went back to the hotel to quickly change and get to our next experience, a chocolate-making class!
The chocolate class was at Nome in Old Town, which was NOT worth it. Website makes it sound like you’re making chocolate – you’re not. You pour pre-made chocolate into a mold (there was literally one tool for 20 people to share), add toppings, and wait for the choclate the harden. It was way too crowded, too hot. The best part was that they served us one glass of Prosecco and chocolate tastings while we waited. Unfortunately, we didn’t really like our chocolate bars. So I would definitely skip this. Our tour guide, Jose, from our city tour on Day 5, recommended another chocolate shop in Old Town, but sadly, it was closed when we tried to stop in.
We planned to eat dinner at Element Bar around the corner, which was cute (submarine vibes) but not what they advertised. No one seemed to be there for dinner, so we took that as a sign to just grab drinks. They were good, but we were expecting more based on TikTok videos.
We decided to eat at CasaCosco, a restaurant with a rooftop bar. There were no reservations available, so we tried our luck at walking in; luckily, we got a great table with the best view of the city and water. We ordered a burger and fries (again), along with a Margherita pizza. Everything was incredible—perfect breeze, live music, views of the water and city.
We walked around Old Town (aka Casco Antiguo) after – it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with cobblestone streets and historic buildings. Live music in the plaza, cute photo spots. We popped into an ice cream/cookie shop to split a sundae, then we called it a night.
We booked a private guided tour with Jose (book with our local guide, highly recommended). Started with a walking tour of old town, then the Amador Causeway for the Panama sign photo.
We stopped at a mojito spot during the walking tour, $5 mojitos with tons of flavors to choose from, I got the strawberry coconut. So good.
Then we headed off to the Panama Canal at Miraflores Locks. They show a documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman about the canal’s history and how it connects the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic for global trade. Really well done. They have a concession stand – loved the empanadas again!
We went upstairs expecting to see a boat pass through, but the next one wasn’t coming for about 60 minutes, and I was hot and hungry. So we didn’t wait. It was still really cool to see the Canal, though!
We had dinner reservations for another rooftop, “Kannibal” that night, but we were too tired. We went to dinner and happy hour at our hotel instead.
We switched hotels – Le Méridien was great for points, but my boyfriend surprised me with JW Marriott for our last night. It’s right on the water and one of the best places to stay if you want luxury. Before check-in, we went to Sortis Spa for a nice couple’s massage. After the massages, we walked over to the Wave Room where Prosecco and nuts were waiting for us. Of course, the sauna, pool, and steam room areas were separated by gender, so we parted ways to enjoy the amenities while we waited to check in at the JW.
The JW Marriott staff greeted us with spicy margaritas, and we were delighted to have been upgraded once again. After checking out the room, the infinity pool was calling my name – Le Méridien’s pool was not it. By this time, I was starving, so I ordered another burger and fries (I know, I know) and had the best margarita of the trip. The JW Marriott was an absolutely stunning hotel. And we got upgraded to the Executive Business Suite on the 29th floor, we had a beautiful view of the ocean and a view of the city. I did not want to leave!
We ended up having a nice chill NYE watching the Murdaugh Murders. We had plans to get dressed up and go out, but after the week we had, I just couldn’t find the energy! No regrets. Waking up in a new country on New Year’s Day was just what I needed!
Best part: San Blas Islands, hands down.
Skip: Nome chocolate class.
Best time to visit: We went during the dry season (late December) – hot but manageable.
Would I go back? Maybe, but I’d stay outside Panama City to get more local experience. The city is very Americanized and expensive.
Perfect for: Teachers on winter break, couples wanting affordable international travel, history buffs (Panama Canal), nature lovers (outdoor activities and beautiful beaches).
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Looking for more travel ideas? Check out my blog post all about my solo trip to Arizona next!
I’m Asia! I’m all about making middle school math less work for you and more fun for your students. I’ve got tons of ready-to-go activities for grades 6–8 that keep kids engaged while you keep your sanity.
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