Memorable Panama City
by Candyce H. Stapen
A flock of wild parakeets zooms across our path, landing like ribbons of green on the branches of the mango trees up ahead. As we continue our walk, Roberto, our guide, points out that the barking whistle we hear comes from a trogon and that the 60-foot tree, towering above the others, the one with the shiny green leaves, is a mahogany. We keep walking, listening to the crescendo of guttural cries made by the howler monkeys, which we can’t see because of the dense vegetation. The rustle of the wind in the bamboo arching over the trail sounds like distant rain. As we near the end of our walk, dozens of toucans with rainbow-colored bills fly by, careening into a grove of ficus trees.
 This is just a typical morning on Panama’s Pipeline Road, a wide, nearly flat path constructed during World War II as an access way for an oil pipeline built at the Panama Canal. Now the path serves as a primary birding spot in Soberania National Park, a 55,000 acre rainforest within 30 minutes of downtown Panama City that shelters more than 525 species of birds and 125 kinds of mammals.
However impressive, there’s much more to the world-famous canal and to Panama than big tankers transiting well-engineered locks. Panama, a narrow stretch of a country connecting Costa Rica to Colombia, draws international crowds for its jungle hikes, bird-watching, snorkeling, and indigenous people.
The Gamboa Rainforest Resort, also about 30 minutes from downtown, lies in the Soberania National Park along the Chagres River near where it empties into the Panama Canal. This is a good property for families who want to sample eco-adventures and also be within driving distance, about 30 minutes, from downtown Panama City.
Another highlight of the Gamboa hotel: the rainforest canopy tour. An aerial tram lifts you 77 feet up into the jungle canopy as a guide points out the profusion of flowers, talks about the plants and the wildlife. Along the way, search the branches of the balsa wood, fichus and oil palm trees for birds and howler monkeys. After you reach the tram landing, take a short walk to the 90-foot observation tower built with ramps that gradually incline instead of stairs. The reward for reaching the top: an impressive view of the canal’s Gaillard Cut and the big ships passing through.
On Monkey Island, you zip along the canal’s Gatun Lake in a motorboat, a memorable experience as you come close to the big tankers. At Monkey Island white-faced capuchin monkeys, accustomed to being fed by the guides, jump out of the trees and climb aboard for handouts. The resort also takes guests to an Embera village, home of one of the region’s indigenous tribes, where you learn about their culture and crafts and can purchase the tightly woven baskets they create and sell.
A short drive from the Gamboa Rainforest Resort is the Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo. The stars: the harpy eagles, the national bird of Panama. These large birds—three feet tall with a wing span of seven-feet—rate as the world’s biggest birds of prey. Tapirs, caiman, monkeys, and macaws also laze about the grounds in enclosures. Although the exhibits aren’t as well-maintained as in big city zoos in the U.S., young kids and gradeschoolers appreciate the wildlife as well as the room to romp.
In Panama City, the Parque Natural Metropolitano covers 655 acres, 75 percent of which consist of tropical dry forest. In this urban oasis choose from more than 2.5 miles of trails, some of which wind past trees more than 100 feet high. For a scenic city overlook, hike to the summit of the park’s 490-foot Cedar Hill. Check with the visitors’ center about ranger-led hikes and also pick up a trail guide.
The mile-long Amador Causeway, a major Panama City attraction, consists of four interconnected islands jutting into the Pacific. The causeway draws crowds to its restaurants, cafes and nightspots, but during the day this tree-lined promenade with fabulous views of the city’s skyline as well as the ships lining up for passage through the canal is a perfect place for bicycling. Along with bikes, companies rent surreys, fringe-topped dual cycles connected with wide planks that young kids too little or tired to pedal can sit on.
Panama City, with eco-adventures, well-priced lodging and a world-famous canal, makes for a memorable family vacation. A major museum of biodiversity is in the planning.
More information:
Gamboa Rainforest Resort: (877) 800-1690; www.gamboaresort.com
Panama Tourism: www.visitpanama.com
The Panama Canal: Miraflores Lock
The Panama Canal, which stretches for nearly 50 miles from Colon on the Caribbean to Panama City on the Pacific, features three locks. The Miraflores Lock, just outside Panama City, is the most easily accessible lock. At the Visitors Center, view a film detailing the canal’s history and construction. The highlight, however, is being on the outdoor observation platform as a ship moves through the lock. A guide offers information in both Spanish and English. Moving through the entire canal is a slow process that can take six to eight hours, depending on the size of the vessel (www.pancanal.com).
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Great Places, Great Deals |
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—Plan Ahead:
Christmas and Spring Break Family Travel. Gift your kids this holiday season with a vacation they will remember forever: an adventure travel trip to an exotic locale, whether for the holidays or for spring break. Intrepid Travel’s 15 family departures offer kid-friendly outings and cultural interactions. The trips, designed for adults and children ages six to 17, include a guide and have a family-friendly, maximum group size of 12 participants. Intrepid keeps costs down by offering comfortable and clean, but not fancy accommodations. Many trips cost about $1,000 per person for an eight-day-plus adventure, excluding airfare, taxes, local fees and some meals.
In Thailand, swim in a waterfall, ride an elephant through the jungle and lodge for one night at a family’s home. The 14-day Thailand Family Adventure starts at $955. In Borneo, encounter orangutans at a reserve, camp one night in a jungle and watch turtles lay eggs. The 11-day Borneo Family Adventure is from $1,015. Other departures include India, Vietnam, Egypt and Kenya. Dates vary (www.intrepidtravel.com).
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*****
– Candyce H. Stapen is the author of
27 books, including National Geographic Guide to Caribbean Family
Vacations.
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