I’m trying to recall who first suggested Panama to us, and we think it was my husband’s client who had been deep sea fishing in Panama for years. He couldn’t stop raving about the country, talked about it incessantly, mentioned that he felt very safe and how wonderful the people were to him.

I was also influenced by an Anthony Bourdain episode set in Panama, and the stories he highlighted about the country which, as a result of its canal, solidified its economic future. One of the first locations he visited was the seafood market, and he commented on the superior quality of the ceviche which was on par with the seafood capital of the world, Tokyo’s Tsukiji market.

I started researching which side of the country to visit, what sites were important to see and whether to stay at a resort or an AirBnb. Then the pandemic hit and all plans to travel were paused.

After two years, worldwide restrictions were lifted, and Panama was open to tourism once again. I seized the moment to officially plan our vacation. I found one resort on the Pacific side which was all inclusive, but I experienced a severe language barrier. They also seemed to have an odd reservation system where you couldn’t book online and had to schedule a call with a representative.

Recognizing that as a sign, I went on TripAdvisor and researched resorts near Panama City. I found Dreams Playa Bonita which was all inclusive, a quick ride from the airport and seemed like a good launching off point for several excursions as well as a short 20 minute ride into the city. Even more compelling was its close proximity to the Panama Canal which was definitely on our must see list while visiting.

I opted for the Preferred Club which had a special lounge, special privileges and better accommodations. For our flight, I found that Copa Airlines offered the best itinerary and price combination. We had never flown Copa but read they were a sister airline of United which we had flown many times.

Next on the list was to find a tour guide for our excursion wish list. The priorities were to see Panama City, visit the canal, try out Panamanian cuisine and book a dive and snorkel trip for my husband and myself. Pro tip: join a Facebook group for your resort, if it’s available, because it will have real time reviews of the experience and recommendations.

It will provide a wealth of information regarding the resort, theme nights, restaurants, activities and even rush hour traffic times to avoid when traveling into and out of the resort. It will also highlight reviews regarding excursions and tour guides.

That is exactly how we found Jay Arias. Everybody raved about him so a month or so prior to arrival, I made contact, got rates and made arrangements. The only excursion he didn’t book but recommended was Scuba Panama. I reached out to them separately, sent an email with questions regarding dates, prices and pickup times, and booking was all done seamlessly via email.

The day finally arrived for our departure. We had a red eye leaving LAX a bit after 1 a.m. We were asleep for about the first 2 hours. I woke up and realized that a turkey and cheese subway sandwich was on my tray table with yogurt and a chocolate bar. I quickly ate my meal and went back to sleep. The total flight time was approximately 6 1/2 hours.

Once we landed, that’s when the comedy of errors occurred. Upon arrival, our guide Jay messaged me that he was there waiting for us. I messaged back that we were getting caffeinated and hydrated. We stopped by Coffee Bean, got a black coffee with 2 add shots, a small double black bag of tea and 2 small bottled waters. The total came shockingly to $24. There were no prices for the water so we assumed those were the most expensive items in the order.

We proceeded to collect our luggage but somehow missed the stairs/elevator to immigration and customs on the first floor. We had walked three quarters of the way into the second terminal when I realized our error. We retraced our steps, made our way back and headed downstairs. We first had to speak with a customs officer who we had issues communicating with since we all had masks. We had our American accent, and he had his Panamanian accent. Come to find out he was asking us for our QR codes which we downloaded after answering the health questionnaire prior to checking into our flight. Unfortunately, my husband received a red QR code when his was scanned into the system. It meant that we needed to step to another table to have our vaccination cards reviewed. Up until two weeks prior, my husband wasn’t boosted, but I convinced him to schedule it before our trip to avoid being forced to test and possibly quarantine for up to 7 days.

Luckily, it was just another delay. We headed back to the customs guy, and I messaged Jay, explaining the reason for our delay. We were then greenlit to pick-up our luggage when we were confronted with another hurdle. We apparently had to complete an immigration form that wasn’t provided to us on our flight, so we headed backwards to carousel 5 to complete the form. Finally, with the form completed and approved, I messaged Jay, an hour and a half late, that we were finally exiting.

We were greeted by Jay and his associate, Diego Varela, who would be our guide for three days during the week. I apologized profusely for our extended delay. They said they feared the worst when I mentioned we were red flagged at customs and were surprised that the hurdle was still in effect as infection rates were low, and outdoor mask mandates were about to be lifted. We proceeded to the hotel, seeing the Panamanian sites for the first time as Jay maneuvered the streets of the city with ease.

We arrived at our resort after a thirty or so minute drive. We checked in and were promptly greeted with two glasses of bubbly which was a nice surprise.

We received our briefing, signed paperwork, and as we were a bit early for check-in, we left our luggage with the bellboy, changed clothes and headed to the bar to signal the official start to our vacation before heading down to the beach for the lunch buffet.

They had a diverse selection: soup, rice, beef, pork, chicken and vegetables as well as a few other items which we didn’t sample. The main buffet was outside under a large palapa, while the salad and dessert selections were inside a small air conditioned room. The food seemed fine, but nothing really struck me as being over-the-top amazing. I had read about the lackluster flavor and quality of food from the Facebook group so I wasn’t surprised.

After lunch, we headed back to the lobby and were able to check in a bit early. Once we got to our room, we unpacked and had a nap before getting ready for the evening.

Although there was an elaborate outdoor dining set-up by the pool, we opted for the indoor air conditioned on-site French restaurant. Bordeaux was the only formal dining experience at the Dreams Playa Bonita Resort. It had a dress code requiring men to wear long pants, collared shirts and closed toed shoes. Women were allowed to wear dresses or dress pants with dress shoes.

Shortly after being seated, we were served each with a dinner roll and butter. The roll had a bouncy texture and when sliced open, I discovered it had a cream cheese filling baked inside it. Smearing a pat of butter made it a very decadent starter.

The salad was beautifully presented, served with a light garlic citrus olive oil dressing.

The salmon tartare had a smoky, creamy flavor, dressed with the same vegetables as the salad, giving it a bit of tanginess.

The vegetable cream soup was served piping hot, with steam rising from its surface. We were told it was a combination of zucchini, carrots and onions that had been puréed.

The fish dish was a miss for me unfortunately. The filet was thick, not tender, possibly undercooked so I opted instead to focus on the au gratin potatoes which were creamy and hearty.

Our server offered to give me another entree so I chose the steak which had a sweet peppery soy glaze. During dinner, the lights dimmed quite a bit at 8:24. Our server said it’s normal and deliberate, that they conserve energy for an hour as it’s better for the planet.

For dessert, we ordered a chocolate cake and creme brûlée. Right after they were served, we were treated to a surprise fireworks display which was the icing on the cake. What a great way to end our dinner experience!

We headed down to the beach to get seats for the Panamanian cultural show. It was quite colorful, and each set was different from the last. There were some very elaborate carnival style outfits. My personal favorite was the solo female performer. She was definitely a classically trained dancer and exuded that confidence in her masterful performance. The entire production lasted about 40 minutes which ended with another short fireworks display and was followed with an opportunity to take photos with the cast.

The next day was our first full day at the resort, and we chose to sleep in a bit before heading to the breakfast buffet. We quickly realized that eating later meant longer lines for the omelet bar. However, we picked up a few pro tips. I saw a woman pick up some slices of white cheese from the deli display and ask that it be used for her omelet. I saw another woman ask for bacon or tocino which was stored in the back of the kitchen. I incorporated both into my daily breakfast ritual for the duration of the trip.

After breakfast, we headed to the gym for our first workout. It was a decent sized gym with enough of the basic equipment to get a good workout. We then spent the better part of the day lounging by the pool and bar and met a group of people who we ended up spending our evenings with for the duration of our trip.

The next morning was our first excursion with Diego Vareles. He picked us up at 10 a.m., and we headed first to Casco Viejo which is called “old town.”

The area was very picturesque with its painted buildings, ornate Gallic inspired ironwork and narrow European style streets.

It had a very similar colonial look like in Curaçao and old San Juan in Puerto Rico. It felt like each building held a little treasure for one to discover, between the rum shops, coffee houses, artisanal breweries and some of the city’s best eateries.

We stopped at Tantalo for a drink and to check out the vibe. I watched a YouTube video featuring the restaurant’s chef and read several positive reviews so I made dinner reservations during the planning stages for the trip. Tantalo also featured a great rooftop so it was very much a selling point as it offered a 360 degree view of the old city.

We then headed to La Rana Dorado for some artisanal beer. It was an expansive space with brick walls and old world charm. One could picture the place packed with tourists and locals alike on a weekend evening.

After our tour of Casco Viejo, we headed to the famous fish market. Diego escorted us to one of the vendors in the open air stalls alongside the market. We ordered a mixture of seafood dishes.

Our mixed ceviche, which featured fresh fish, shrimp and octopus, was incredibly tasty and super tender as it had been marinating in citrus juices.

Our shrimp, fish and rice dishes were also exceptionally good. The total for three people was reasonably priced compared to Los Angeles standards.

We headed back to the hotel for some much needed respite from our day before getting ready to head back to Casco Viejo with our new friends. Getting an Uber at night proved to be a challenge. We ended up hiring a hotel shuttle driver to take us into town in the hotel’s van. It cost $10 per person with gratuity. As suggested by Diego, we were dropped off at Plaza Herrera and walked half a block to Fonda Lo Que Hay.

The restaurant was featured in a 50 Best article and did not disappoint, becoming one of the most memorable foodie experiences of the trip. It’s a medium sized restaurant, with an open air atrium as well as indoor dining. The galley kitchen was set in the back where guests could observe all their meals being prepared. To say it was a life altering gastronomical experience would be an understatement.

The carpaccio was phenomenal and a must eat when visiting the restaurant. The tuna was creamy and tender and sits atop a textured crispy cassava. The green onions on top added a tangy bite to the dish.

The fried chicken was equally exceptional and unique. The meat was tender, the skin was perfectly crispy, and each piece was evenly seasoned throughout. We were told that it was broasted rather than fried thereby maintaining its flavor and moisture without the added grease. Genius. The Buffalo dipping sauce was tangy and had a hint of spice, like a peppery, Tabasco sauce. The mashed potatoes and gravy were silky and smooth. It was a perfect symphony of contrasting flavors and textural differences.

Not to be outdone, my husband’s catch of the day was served in a large banana leaf, topped with tiny squid. The sea bass filet was substantial but tender and perfectly flaky.

After dinner, we walked across the square to the multilevel CasaCasco which had a sensational expansive rooftop. One half was reserved for outdoor dining while the other half was for drinks and casual eats.

The rooftop provided a 360 view of Casco Viejo and had dazzling views of the cityscape from across the bay.

It was definitely a great place for a night cap. After a few drinks, we decided to head back to the resort. Once on street level, ordering Ubers was not an issue, costing about $7 per Uber ride.

Our morning started early on Tuesday as we had planned a trip to Monkey Island which was about 40 minutes north of the resort in the car and another 20ish minutes or so in a boat. One thing of note was there were no facilities at the dock or on the boat so one should plan accordingly or be prepared to hide behind a log and some bushes.

We sped off to the islands, but it was a while before we saw anything of note. There were a few other boats circling the area as well, and it didn’t appear that any of them had any luck. It took about 30 minutes or so after reaching the islands for us to spot a monkey.

There were two that hopped onto the boat to get a bite of the bananas that our guide, Diego, had the foresight to bring.

The best sighting came next when our boat captain spotted a capuchin monkey from a distance. It turned out to be the mother to a few juveniles on the island, and her name was Barbie. She hopped on our boat and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast of banana bites while checking out the neighboring boat before heading back into the forest. Her appearance made our morning complete.

After Monkey Island, we headed out to the causeway to get a photo with the famous Panama sign and then had an early lunch at El Trapiche which was a small chain of restaurants highly recommended by Diego. The restaurant served reasonably priced Panamanian food. We ordered a few dishes amongst the three of us.

Diego ordered a sandwich.

I selected the ropa vieja, which was savory and tender as well as a fried chicken dish with fries.

The chicken tasted homemade, very similar to how my grandfather prepared fried chicken when I was young. The batter was super light and the seasoning wasn’t overdone.

My husband ordered a chicken and rice dish which was light, fluffy with an evenly mixed intermingling of flavors and ingredients.

He also ordered a chicken soup which locals consume after a long night of drinking or when they’re feeling under the weather.

For his third dish, he ordered a shredded chicken sandwich very similar to Diego’s dish. Shockingly, he finished all three orders.

For drinks, we opted to try the local version of vodka which is called seco. It smelled and tasted like rubbing alcohol on its own, but there’s a specialty drink with various fruit juices and a sliver of candied sugar interspersed with herbs which was too sweet to drink on its own so I poured a bit of the juice onto the seco until the seco no longer tasted rancid.

After lunch, we headed to the Panama Canal museum which had a wealth of information about how and why the canal was created, all the people of various backgrounds who worked on it over an extended period of time and how it changed life as we know it.

After spending over an hour learning about its history, we headed to the Miraflores locks where we watched the passing of one ship.

Although it was honestly like watching paint dry as everything moved in slow motion, it was quite fascinating to see what we just studied, live and in person.

After a full day, we headed back to the resort for dinner and some karaoke fun with our new friends.

The next morning we went to the Caribbean side with our driver and Troy’s divemaster, Fernando, from Scuba Panama. It took about 90 or so minutes to get to the scuba resort which was a small family owned dive shop and mini hotel. As luck would have it, the weather was not great for snorkeling so I opted to stay behind for 2 1/2 hours and began writing this blog.

I also ordered an omelet and fries for my mid morning snack.

While I wrote, the weather proved to be unpredictable and ever evolving. One minute, it was sunny and 5-10 minutes later, torrential rain poured down. The Sybil-like weather repeated its vicious cycle the entire time my husband was out diving.

When the crew returned, we were served our lunch of fish as well as a few cervezas. We were driven back to the resort and fell asleep in the car during the 90 minute commute.

Upon our return to the resort, we headed to the gym for a workout before our dinner at Oceana, the seafood restaurant, which was surprisingly quite good in comparison with the other restaurants on the resort.

We started off with the Thai salad.

I ordered the salmon.

My husband ordered both the grilled chicken with coconut rice and grilled seafood platter.

We indulged in the two desserts on offer before meeting up for drinks with friends as we watched the mariachi show.

Thursday was our “no setting the alarm” chillax day at the resort.

We had a leisurely breakfast, worked out at the gym, had lunch, spent some time at the pool, swam in what appeared to be polluted ocean water and rested before heading out to Tantalo in Casco Viejo with our “Dreams” team. At the lobby, we met another couple who had just arrived and opted to join our carpool into town.

Dinner on the rooftop was definitely an experience.

There’s something magical about seeing “new” Panama City from “old” town at night.

The amount of food we ordered, as evidenced by these photos, was obscene. The menu was eclectic and had a bit of Asian Latin fusion. My favorites were the tuna tartare and the mixed meat plate. The salmon was pretty tender and tasty as well.

The vibe and ambiance at Tantalo that night was definitely off the charts. There was a DJ which led to group dancing and more drinking. Fun was had by all!

The next morning we partook in the resort’s complimentary 2 1/2 hour nature hike. Our guide was a wealth of information. It was definitely a very different experience walking through the rainforest and then heading down to the beach before heading back through the forest to return to the resort. We did have one sloth sighting and learned quite a bit about the natural medicinal goodies in the forest.

After our hike, we returned to our room for a much needed shower before heading to our mandatory covid test and then a quick lunch.

We opted to go into town to check out the Bio Museum which was strangely open only on Fridays through Sundays with limited hours of operation. Luckily, two of our friends joined us for our car ride, splitting the bill. They were dropped off at Casco Viejo, and as we arrived at the museum, the rain began to pour.

We spent the entire duration of the storm inside, learning about the migration of animals and plants and the evolution of life in general in Panama.

After our visit, we encountered our first ride share hiccup. There were no Ubers coming to the area. It took us about 40 minutes to come to the realization that we would have to get a taxi. We tried to contact our hotel driver, but he ended up getting stuck on the highway as there was an accident. Luckily, we flagged down an honest taxi driver. It’s important to ask how much the ride is going to cost before getting in the vehicle.

He drove us to Plaza Herrera as we once again wanted to partake in all the deliciousness of Fondo Lo Que Hey.

We ordered our “usual” plus added two dishes. One of the starters turned out to be like a round mozzarella stick which wasn’t our favorite as we expected a quesadilla.

Our other “new to us” dish was the flan which was a definite winner. It was “caramelly” and “eggy,” fluffy yet dense and robust in flavor. We walked around town a bit, revisiting some of the sights we had previously seen earlier in the week.

I came across a small setup of street vendors where I saw some Panamanian hats.

There was one which caught my eye with a colorful bird and a few splashes of color which appeared to be its wings fluttering on the side of the hat.

I tried to negotiate with the artist but to no avail as he said all the hats were hand painted.

After my new purchase, we headed to the rum bar Diego had recommended on our city tour.

It had a very Indiana Jones vibe inside. We ordered the house rum which was quite smooth.

Afterwards, we caught an Uber and headed back to the resort. Unfortunately, we experienced Friday rush hour traffic. It took forever and a day to get back so we tipped our driver in cash handsomely. We found our friends at the resort and watched the resort’s entertainment that evening which was a really well done production with two beautiful and talented belly dancers.

The next day we packed up and checked out at noon. Diego picked us up and took us to lunch at Cantina del Tigre, which was opened by one of the chefs that helped create the Fondo Lo Que Hey menu.

Chef came by when we arrived, and we proceeded to order some of his best hits.

After lunch, we made our way to the airport.

Check in was fairly easy. Surprisingly, we were not asked for our negative covid results though we did have to complete an online questionnaire attesting we had complied with the requirements. Once we reached our gate, Copa Airlines required that we go through another check in every time we left the area. No beverages were allowed at the gate which seemed odd.

Our flight back was pretty uneventful. Dinner was served about 2 1/2 hours into our journey. We had a choice of chicken or beef. I’m not sure what the beef dish was, but we opted for the chicken chow mein which to me seemed a bit greasy so I only had a few bites, but I thoroughly enjoyed the cake which was served with it. There was also a carrot and cabbage slaw served with dinner. I proceeded to nod off for most of the flight back and by the time we traversed spring break traffic at LAX, it was after 1 a.m.

It’s been a few days since we’ve returned, and I’ve had some time to unpack my thoughts about our visit. During our week in Panama City, my creative juices started flowing, I felt invigorated, and I remembered what it was like to be excited to explore, taste, hear and see new things.

Looking back, I realized I am most impressed by cities where I’m intellectually challenged, visually stimulated and gastronomically satiated. Panama offered all of it in spades. Thank you for your hospitality, Panama! Looking forward to our return!!