Our first time visiting the beautiful island of Curacao was well over 15 years ago as a cruise port. I remember being mesmerized by the colorful buildings set in juxtaposition to the waterway. It was the first time I was exposed to the Dutch architecture and colorway and something about those buildings and their bright pastel colors just made me happy.
When the opportunity to return to the island presented itself, we immediately seized it. It was Christmas 2021, and we were on holiday at Sandals Antigua. It was our first Sandals experience, and they offered a substantial discount to book the next vacation while on-site. Sandals Royal Curacao had not yet opened and the cost was a fraction of what we had spent on the Antigua vacation so we placed a small deposit and planned our next adventure.
It wasn’t until October of 2022 that I started plotting our holiday vacation. I read on online that driving in Curacao was seamless. We didn’t need an international driver license, and everybody raved about Just Drive Curacao as the best car rental company on the island. I booked a car online and received a confirmation that payment would be due on arrival.
Upon arriving at the airport, we exited the terminal, veered right, walked until the sidewalk ended and crossed the street to the rental car shuttle pickup spot. After about a 10–15-minute wait, we were picked up by the shuttle, driven a few minutes away and dropped off in front of the office while our bags were placed in the trunk of our rental. The transaction was seamless. We headed into the office, signed a few forms, was advised which app to use for our navigation and off we went. It took a bit over an hour to get to the resort as it was rush-hour traffic, and the roads were quite narrow.
The Sandals Royal Curacao resort was ensconced in a secure secluded gated community. We were allowed to park for free in the parking lot to the right side of the resort’s main lobby. It took a few minutes for us to be attended to as several people were checking in at the same time. Once everything was squared away, we headed to the food trucks oceanside for some much-needed sustenance.
We ordered from all three trucks.
Kisha was the Asian fusion truck which offered bao, bowls and curries.
We selected the yakiniku beef which was savory but the meat was a bit tough.
The chicken bao was fluffy and the chicken was tender but the Asian flavor and seasonings were a bit off.
From La Palma, we ordered the patatas brava which were crispy and smoky, served with tangy aioli. We also ordered the gambas al ajillo.
The perfectly cooked shrimp had a bit of heat from the chili.
My personal favorite though was the steak I ordered from Toteki as it was lightly seasoned, tender and served with crispy fries.
There was a bar in the same section as the food trucks so we took it as a sign to order our first vacation drink.
After unpacking, settling in and getting a bit of a rest, we headed to Gatsu Gatsu, the Japanese sushi restaurant, for our first dinner. We started with a few appetizers.
The chicken karaage was lightly battered and given a bit more umph by the chili sauce.
The tempura was expertly fried with a crispy exterior retaining a moist interior.
We also ordered a ramen bowl which was served with a thinly sliced savory sliver of pork set in the creamy milky broth.
Next up was the spicy tuna hand roll which was quite traditionally prepared. The ahi albacore salad had a bit of pop as it was topped with masago eggs giving it a slightly salty bite and had a bit of silkiness from the sesame dressing. The salmon sashimi was a bit thicker than the norm but it was surprisingly tender due to the sushi chef’s expert knife skills. The seared tuna carpaccio was served with a bright pink middle and was extra spicy due to the wasabi but unfortunately, the texture wasn’t quite on point as the carpaccio was sliced too thick. Next up was the lobster roll which was densely packed with the various ingredients and served with a tangy sauce on top. We also ordered a salmon roll which was on par with the quality of the lobster. The creamy pepper jack roll which was unique and cheesier than the other two rolls though clearly not traditional Japanese fare. Of everything we sampled, the ramen, spicy tuna hand roll and salad were my favorites from our dinner.
On our first full day at the resort, we opted to have breakfast at Aolos, the beachside restaurant.
The quality of my breakfast steak was similar to the prior day’s meal from the food truck. I asked for cheese to be added to the side of eggs I ordered which gave it a creamier texture. The accompanying hash browns were served piping hot and crispy.
My husband ordered a shrimp, mushroom, spinach, pepper, pepper jack cheese omelet which was dense and packed with flavor.
We spent the morning checking out the manmade beach area. Some of the beach chairs were shielded from the sun by thatched huts.
The strip of sand also had kayaks, and there were a few round large mesh floaties in the middle of the water. The water was a bit chilly at first but with the hot sun, we acclimated shortly thereafter. The downside was the lack of clarity of the water so after a while we hopped onto a few of the mesh floaties and chatted with a few of the other guests.
For lunch, we opted to dine at The Strand which was located beachside of the resort.
We started off with a cobb salad which was served with fresh crisp lettuce, bacon bits, a sliced hard-boiled egg and lightly seasoned grilled chicken breast.
The appetizer of choice was the bittenballen which was quite unique and was similar to a hush puppy but had a creamy savory filling. Our server mentioned that it was a local favorite but sadly, it did not resonate with our taste buds.
The grilled fish was a thick fillet which was served with a cream sauce and capers. Oddly, the fish seemed a bit tough or perhaps not completely thawed out in the middle.
The jerk chicken was a decent portion and was as spicy as one would expect. The Strand was fine, but service was rather slow.
After the midday meal, we ventured into the gym for our daily workout. As the resort officially opened just six months prior, the equipment still looked new, except for one piece of equipment which seemed to be a bit sticky.
We started off with a short cardio workout on the side-by-side ellipticals and then did a full upper body set using machines and free weights.
After an hour, we headed back to our room to change for our favorite leisure activity at the resort: hanging out at the infinity pool.
That evening, as return customers, we were invited to a loyalty dinner which began with sunset cocktails and outdoor music as well as photo sessions. We were then escorted to one of the ballrooms where there was a presentation throughout the dinner applauding the various levels of loyalty. We were served from a prix fixe menu which seemed fine but nothing stood out as exemplary.
The starter carrot soup wouldn’t have been my first choice but it was quite creamy and sweet. The croutons added a bit of crunch.
My substitution request for the melon salad was just a regular salad.
The lobster was pretty good but the steak was an inferior cut of beef, tough and fatty with very little edible meat. The mashed potatoes were creamy and had a bit of sweetness from the carrot purée sauce.
The cheesecake on its own was phenomenal but the popcorn served alongside was odd and bitter. I took the meringue off of the dish as it didn’t seem like a good pairing for the dessert. The dark chocolate though was quite good.
Because we didn’t feel we experienced enough umami, we opted for a second dinner at Gatsu. We ordered a solid favorite, the shrimp tempura, as well as the savory shrimp wonton soup and the prior night’s spicy tuna hand roll as well as the crisp shrimp tempura hand roll, the seared tuna roll and salmon lover roll. All were pretty good though I think the hand rolls were superior.
New to us and not available the night before was the chicken and beef ishiyaki. Both were solid and required some self-grilling.
My husband ended the meal with 3 sampler mochis which he enjoyed.
The next morning we had our first breakfast at Pietra and sampled from their breakfast buffet and their made-to-order omelet station. The food was solid fare but the best part was the orange juice machine by the beverage stand and being able to watch the juice squeezed from the oranges and poured into your glass.
After breakfast, we headed out for our first self-guided island exploration. It took just under half an hour for us to drive to Mambo Beach from Sandals which was a fairly easy drive with very little traffic at that early hour. Parking was plentiful, and the area was easy to navigate. We chose the beachfront restaurant, Riley for its proximity from the walkway and the restroom by the main entrance as well as for its well- stocked bar and its well-equipped beach which had thatched huts shielding the beach chairs.
We paid $5 per chair and $3.50 each for admittance to the beach. We were greeted by a lovely gentleman who would be our server during our stay.
Rider served us our burger with fries and chicken quesadilla. The pigeons hovered aggressively and unsuccessfully made attempts to hop onto our beach chairs to have a few nibbles of our meals.
The water was quite chilly upon entering but became refreshing as the day wore on. Overall, Mambo was a winner, and we would definitely recommend a trek to this beachside community.
We returned to the resort to unwind and ready ourselves for dinner at Pietra.
Our beef lasagne was perfectly cooked, savory and herbaceous with a creamy tomato base.
The chicken parmesan had an abundant amount of spaghetti with crispy moist chicken which was breaded heavily like a fried chicken breast. The tomato sauce was plentiful and added a nice contrast.
After dinner, we caught the tail end of the beach show which was a tribute to the 80s.
There was a Michael Jackson stage performance and then there was a piano sing-along in the main bar followed by shots with new friends.
At around 10:30 p.m. we ordered a pizza from Pietra which was right below the main bar and had it as a late-night snack, soaking up all the alcohol we had ingested.
The next morning, for breakfast, we once again dined at the breakfast buffet at Pietra after which we took a quick morning nap before heading to the gym for our daily workout.
Then we headed back to Pietra for lunch. The order took close to 40 minutes to arrive and they all came at the same time.
The mahi mahi was a thick filet, perfectly cooked with fries crispy.
The shrimp Caesar had a lot of Parmesan cheese sprinkles throughout but not heavily dressed, and the shrimp was cooked just long enough that it wasn’t transparent.
The cheese ravioli was the standout with a super creamy gooey ricotta center.
After our lunch, we readied ourselves for our late afternoon adventure in town.
I had previously booked a free walking tour of Punda Vibes which only occurred in the late afternoon/evening on Thursdays in the center of town. We met our guide, Gabriel, who gave us a very detailed history of the background of the island.
He mentioned that the island was embroiled in the battle for wealth and dominance in the English, Dutch and French wars. The other side of the waterway had slaves from Venezuela, St. Maarten and Africa. The Punda Vibes side housed the Governor, delineating a socioeconomic divide in the island’s early history. The rule of the land in olden times was each married couple was obligated to have 2 boys and 2 girls at a minimum. Gabriel also shared that the Jewish side of that part of town had different and stricter laws which resulted in some instances sentencing offenders to two years in prison. There once was a prison which in current day is now a bank. Though Curacao no longer has a prison, if one commits a crime in present day, that person is forced to get a tattoo to let others know that he/she has committed an offense akin to the “Scarlett Letter.” The local language on the island in present day is a combination of all the languages: Dutch, English, Portuguese, Spanish.
The island’s current doctors are either Dutch or Colombian and speak Latin. Nurses also have to speak and understand Latin and be able to translate the doctor’s orders or advice to the patient’s dialect. After our tour, we thanked Gabriel for the education and headed back to the resort.
We chose Zuka for dinner that Thursday evening.
The tortilla soup had a thick tomato base with a bit of cheese.
Our starter quesadilla had a jalapeño flavor but fortunately wasn’t overly spicy.
The ceviche was my favorite as it was light, fresh and citrusy. Our entrees arrived shortly thereafter.
On my dish, the pork skin was crispy and both the pork meat and short rib were tender.
My husband’s chicken entrée was sumptuous and moist with tomato and celery flavorings.
Our third shared entrée, the red snapper was a thick cut, served crispy on the outside but had a flaky interior. Its chorizo accompaniment was tasty as well.
The first dessert was like pillows of heaven with a tart aftertaste. It was called pastelists de guayaba.
The second dessert, the apple fig colada, was refreshing and served as a palate cleanser of sorts.
Our third dessert, the tres leches had a light texture and was sprinkled with coconut shreds.
The next day, Friday, we headed out for our longest road trip in Curacao to the north west section.
First, after an hour on the road, we parked our car on the side of the road and crossed the narrow street to check out the local flamingos. We were going to check out the turtles on the other side of the island but as it turns out, the road was closed so we headed to our third destination, Grote Knip. We had no issues finding our way, thanks to our local navigation app.
There was plenty of parking and once we were at the top of the hill, we looked down and could see the magnificent almost fluorescent blue waters below us. I had never seen that deep of a turquoise color before and collectively, we have been to many Caribbean, south Pacific and Asian beaches. It literally was the color of a blue curacao drink.
We made our way down to the beach and paid the fee for the beach chairs and umbrella.
Once we were settled, I headed up to the snack bar up the hill.
I ordered a double burger which honestly tasted like fake meat.
Fortunately, I had selected the chicken plate with salad for my husband which was a much better selection.
It was incredibly relaxing being there and in hindsight, we should have brought our snorkel gear or rented a pair because that was an excellent location for exploring the underwater sights. After about an hour or so, I noticed that the dark, ominous clouds headed in our direction and decided to head back to the resort. Just as we reached the car, the sky opened up and started to pour. As with all tropical destinations, the rain was short lived and dissipated as we were leaving.
After some R&R at the resort, we headed to Butch’s for dinner.
The bacon on my dish was incredibly tender and savory, no knife needed, and had the perfect melding of flavors and texture. The warm salad served alongside was a pretend healthy accompaniment as the volume of bacon far outweighed any healthy aspirations.
The shrimp appetizer was perfectly cooked and garlicky.
The crabcake, as my husband pointed out, had an excessive amount of breading but the crab meat portion was quite good.
The filet was tender, juicy and perfectly cooked at medium and the lobster was unbelievably tender and moist.
The truffle fries were spectacularly crispy, and the brussels sprouts were tender.
The wrapped chicken breast was surprisingly fully cooked and moist.
The mushroom tasted earthy, juicy and savory, and the mashed potatoes which we quickly devoured and forgot to capture on camera were incredibly creamy and buttery.
The chocolate sin cake had three layers: the top was a light mousse, the middle was a slightly bitter dense section and the bottom was a crispy crust. The vanilla ice cream which accompanied it had a nearly spongy texture.
Saturday morning we headed to Willemsted for our second walking tour which coincidentally was once again with our prior guide, Gabriel.
He shared a few fun facts about that side of the island. 1) The right side of the plaza was Italy. The left side was deemed as Paris. 2) Sushi translated means trash or poop. 3) Laraja tree is where blue Curacao comes from. 4) On Otrabande, when the Dutch bought half of Punda, the Jewish people moved across the waterway and established their businesses on the other side where they sold their wares for a fraction to sell to the slaves who lived on that side of the island.
To save on daily expenses, the Jewish business owners lived above their businesses.
Near the end of the tour, we observed the opening and closing of the bridge and watched as some people foolishly tried to run across to make it to the other side which was amusing and infuriating at the same time.
A bit tired and hungry, we opted to stay for a bite at La Boheme and invited our guide to join us for lunch.
The food was quite good but during lunch, we experienced another downpour and had to switch to a more shielded table as we were seated outside, exposed to the elements. Again, it didn’t last very long and as soon as it stopped raining, the sun came out in full force.
That night, which was Christmas Eve, we had a 7 p.m. reservation for dinner at Vincent. Upon arriving, we knew that we’d be on the slow roll as we arrived at 7:10 p.m., 10 minutes late for our reservation, and nobody came to greet us til 7:17. By 7:58 p.m., our orders had not been taken.
Crystal, the restaurant’s bartender, had served us 2 vodka martinis at that point as a pre-apology. I walked across to complain at Club Sandals that at 7:58 p.m. we hadn’t been greeted by our server or had our orders taken let alone received bread service which eventually arrived at 8:14 p.m., almost an hour after being seated. At some point during my walks to Club Sandals, I stopped a server who immediately took our order. It was as if the servers didn’t know which tables were theirs or were advised by the hostess that their section had been seated.
Starters arrived at 8:19 pm.
The mushroom bisque was quite good and savory.
The beef bresaola was the proper texture and a bit salty.
The petite iceberg was crisp and fresh, served with a side of tasty bacon.
By 8:51 p.m., no entrees had arrived. Nearly 2 hours after being seated, at 9 p.m., our main dishes were served.
My sole meuniere was good, flaky, lightly breaded, and fries were perfectly crispy. The sprinkling of mini shrimp atop were nice and plump.
My husband’s steak was tender and juicy and the mashed potatoes were incredibly creamy.
Liza, a manager or supervisor, came over at 9:10 p.m. and by that point, I was screaming at how terrible the service was, and she was pleading with me to keep the voice down. I told her to talk to the lobby of people waiting as I let them know they should just leave or expect to eat by midnight, and I pointed out that she didn’t stop by earlier when she spoke with the diners seated at the tables alongside ours when she initially entered the premises and that perhaps if somebody had made a scene earlier, things wouldn’t have deteriorated as they had. I asked why nobody had communicated to the guests that it would be a 3 hour wait, that perhaps they overbooked the restaurant, or maybe the menu was too ambitious and couldn’t be served during a normal dinner service. Were they short staffed? If so, they should communicate and let guests know that perhaps they should dine elsewhere. As it was, we were missing the 9 p.m. show. She advised me that the manager would be speaking with us during breakfast service and asked for our room number and when we would be dining at Butch’s in the morning.
Dessert arrived at 9:35 pm. The marshmallow was quite chewy, as it should be. The chocolate pot de creme had a bit of liquor aftertaste.
The profiterole was fine but nothing to write home about.
On our last full day at the resort, Christmas Day, we headed to Butch’s, where we previously had our fantastic steakhouse dinner. The coffee at Butch’s is different from the other breakfast establishments on the resort. The orange juice was refreshing though it’s not freshly squeezed like at Pietra. Troy’s parfait was beautifully presented and his omelet was cooked perfectly. My breakfast hash was quite tasty and was a fairly generous portion. Troy finished off with a yummy apple short stack Paula was our server and she was beyond lovely. To close the loop from the night prior, no manager arrived to discuss our dinner at Vincent.
For lunch, we ate at Pietra. The tomato soup was piping hot and the crispy croutons were a nice accompaniment. My cheeseburger was perfectly cooked with extra crispy bacon. Troy’s cobb salad had a perfect ratio of bacon, tomato, chicken, egg and lettuce. His mac n cheese was stellar and had a bit of bite from the red bell pepper. The chocolate cake was light and airy. The fruit tarte was creamy with shredded coconut sprinkles.
For our pre-dinner snack, we headed back to where we started our culinary journey: the food trucks. From the Spanish tapa truck emerged a paella which tasted like it was cooked in chicken broth with the shrimp adding a bit of texture and protein. From Toteki, we ordered a polenta cake was crisp and fish had a tomato and bell pepper flavor.
On our last night, we once again dined at Pietra. The spaghetti and meatballs were savory. The alfredo was very creamy and eggy. Our salmon was moist, tender and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper.
In sum, Sandals Royal Curacao is my favorite of all-inclusive resorts we have ever visited.
Sandals in general is the top tier of all similar resorts but our experience in Curacao, except for one unfortunate dinner experience at Vincent and few delays at other dining venues, was filled with exceptionally attentive, courteous and friendly interactions with the staff. The positivity in Curacao alone elevated our stay. It made for a very merry Christmas!
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!!
Grace Gambin
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