Our Trip to Panama!

Download directlyon iTunesor Stitcher.

We decided to take advantage of the recent need to do a visa run and visit Central America, a part of the world that had always caught our attention but we hadn’t yet made it to. Within Central America, we were drawn to Panama as we had heard great reviews and wanted to scope it out as a potential place to live in the future. After arriving in Panama City, we went straight to the domestic airport to catch a flight to Bocas del Toro, a popular backpacker destination. We managed to stay away from the crowds, however, by spending our time at the beautiful and eco-friendly Al Natural resort, where we loved the family style meals and time we spent relaxing.

On returning to Panama City after a few days, we took in one of its main tourist attractions, the Panama Canal, and found it fascinating to watch the ships maneuver the locks, learned about the recent expansion that allowed for the passage of even larger freighters, and walked along the city’s boardwalks and causeways.

On this episode, we talk about our trip to Panama, including some of the reasons we decided to go, how we got to Bocas del Toro and our experience on Isla Bastimentos. Even after we took in the Panama Canal once we got back to the city, we know there’s plenty more in Panama to explore, and think that we would definitely be able to live here for a while in the future!

Enjoy!

What we talk about in this episode:

  • Some of the reasons why we decided to go to Panama, including fulfilling a longstanding plan we had to travel to Central America, needing to do a Mexican visa run, and being curious about it as a potential place to live in the future
  • Our decision to go straight to the Bocas Del Toro and explore Panama City later on during our trip
  • Our experience with immigration and transferring to the domestic airport which was in a very different neighbourhood as compared to the international airport
  • Our experience in Bocas del Toro, a popular backpacker/tourist destination, including finding some great accommodation!
  • A couple of the different ways you can get to Bocas
  • Our travel to a more secluded part of the island, Las Bastimentos, and our stay at a great eco-hotel there called Al Natural
  • Our tips for someone who’s thinking of planning a trip to Bocas, and our recommendation to find the accommodation/travel style that suits your needs or how you like to travel
  • How the vibe of Bocas town struck us as very Caribbean, including the architecture and the locals sounding like they had a Caribbean accent to their Spanish
  • Our relief at coming back to civilization in Panama City and enjoying the luxury of Wifi again!
  • Some of the tourist attractions we visited in Panama City, including the Panama Canal and Casco Viejo (Old Town), where the colours, architecture and bustle reminded us of Cartagena, Colombia
  • How it was cool to look across and see the new Panama City with its new and huge skyscrapers from Old Town
  • Our walk along the beautiful boardwalk and recommendation to check out the fish market
  • Our visit to the Miraflores lock on the canal, and learning about the new part of the canal that let through some huge freightliners
  • Going to the Amador Causeway from the lock, which was originally built to protect the canal
  • Our overall thoughts on Panama and Panama City, including thinking it might be a cool place to live at some point (although a bit expensive!), how we liked the blend of North, South, Central and Caribbean American cultures, and how it would be a good place to work into a bigger trip due to its proximity to other South and Central American countries!

This episode of The World Wanderers is sponsored by AutoSlash. AutoSlash is the #1 site for getting a great deal on a car rental. They figure out the best coupons and discount codes to get you the lowest rate possible, and then track prices on your rental right until the day you pick up the car. If they find a lower rate, they email you so you can lock in the savings. It’s like price protection on your rental. They can even track the price of rentals made on other websites. AutoSlash has saved customers millions of dollars on car rentals. It’s completely free – give it a try on your next booking!


You can also check out our new travel community on Facebook where you can ask questions, get travel recommendations, and find community members in your area!

If you would like to support the continued growth of the show and receive cool kickbacks like postcards from around the world and one on one calls with Ryan and Amanda, head on over to Patreon. Thank you so much for your continued support!


Music Credits:

www.bensound.com


Check out some of the cool stuff we got up to in Panama!

  

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

APPLE

SPOTIFY

OVERCAST

Learn to Work & Travel Like a Pro

We’ve put together our top resources to help you prepare for your work and travel trips seamlessly.

Download our guide for remote-working travel tips based on years of experience learning the hard way.

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Join us every other Thursday to talk about travel, destinations, travel as a lifestyle, digital nomad life and more. Whether you are just starting your travel journey or you’ve been traveling for years, there is something for you!

RECENT POSTS

Life Update: Hawaii, Cabo & Having a Second Baby!

Life Update: Hawaii, Cabo & Having a Second Baby!

Download Now or Listen on iTunes (or your favorite podcast app!) This week on the podcast, we’re doing a bit of a life update, sharing about our recent trips to Hawaii and Cabo, as well as giving you some big personal news and show updates. We kick off the episode by...

2023 Year in Review

2023 Year in Review

Download Now or Listen on iTunes (or your favorite podcast app!) It's the most wonderful time of the year! That's right, the holiday season is upon us and that means it's time to review 2023. In this episode, we reflect on the last year, including where we went, what...