Let’s compile a list of everything we know about Panama. Hats, obviously. A
canal, of course. General Noriega ... ummm ... more hats. Ah, the joy of
going to a country most people know hardly anything about. Which is what I
want to convince you to do.
Panama might be off the radar, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a cracking place
for a holiday. It has all the unspoilt beaches, wild countryside, exotic
fauna and historical richness you could ever wish for, and, as far as travel
frontiers go, it’s decidedly soft — no tinpot regimes, no gun-toting
militia, no famines or plagues. In fact, the only thing likely to interrupt
your leisurely terrace breakfast in the warm Central American sunshine is
the noisy arrival of a nosy toucan. You can even drink the water.
On the map, Panama is little more than a sinuous squiggle that connects the
two Americas — but in that squiggle, you will find more bird species than
there are in the whole of Europe, hanging out in more tree types than there
are in the whole of North America. They share space with beautiful old
colonial towns and a beautiful modern capital city — a mini-Miami, with all
the excellent bars, restaurants and shops that go with it.
As for the hats, they’re actually from Ecuador — but unless you’re the Man
from Del Monte, you can live with that.
A quick history: at its tightest pinch, this S-shaped isthmus
keeps the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans just 32 miles apart. Small tribes once
dotted the region, but with the arrival of the conquistadors, everything
changed. They were the first to spot the world’s greatest short cut, and
forged the Camino Real (King’s Highway) to transport booty from Peru back to
Spain without having to go round the Horn.
Their mule trains proved easy pickings for pirates such as Henry Morgan, who
sacked the original Panama City in 1671. But he missed the famous gold altar
of the Iglesia de San José. Priests painted it black, told him that it had
already been nicked and convinced him to leave a donation.
In 1855, the Americans completed the world’s first transcontinental railway.
Before the 40 miles of track cut across the isthmus, they had two equally
perilous ways to transport goods from the east coast to the west coast of
the United States: by land, through the hostile plains of Indian country, or
by sea, a month-long, 13,000-mile trial around Cape Horn. California-bound
gold-diggers were the first to benefit from the link. Nearly 400,000 crossed
in its first decade, driving the railway’s share price to $295, the highest
on the New York stock exchange.
Then came the canal. Ferdinand de Lesseps, the man who built Suez, arrived
from France with bold plans and keen investors. Failure came after nine
years and 22,000 deaths, leaving behind a large ditch. Cue the Americans,
who completed the task in 1914, eventually handing it back to Panama in
1999.
So, what’s there to see? The Miami-like skyline of
Panama City conceals glitzy malls and a cosmopolitan nightlife. Labourers on
the railway and canal left a multicultural legacy, with elegant French
restaurants, swanky Lebanese diners and fizzing nightclubs. You will have no
trouble filling your evenings.
Then there’s the canal itself. The best places to see it are the canal locks
(Miraflores on the Pacific side, or Gatun on the Caribbean; open 9am-5pm;
£4.50), where you can marvel as the ships squeeze by, often with just 24in
to spare on each side (the Panamax class of ship — 965ft x 106ft x 39ft — is
designed specifically for the canal).
Ship tolls contribute US$2m (£1.1m) a day to the economy — a fact not lost on
the commentator, who announces each ship in a crescendo of excitement:
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Epirus you see before you now is an oil tanker
registered in Greece, and has paid $138,000 to pass through the canal.” It’s
hard not to burst into spontaneous applause.
The best way to cross the isthmus by land is to ride the historic Panama Canal
Railway from Panama City to Colon (£12 one-way). It takes 50 coffee-sipping
minutes in the restored 1938 observation car. Lush jungle sweeps by at arm’s
length, breaking occasionally to reveal lakes, mountains and ships.
A little further off the beaten track, you should make time for the islands.
Of Panama’s seven indigenous cultures, none is more intriguing than that of
the Kuna people, who occupy a semi-autonomous archipelago on the Atlantic,
called Kuna Yala (San Blas Islands). They run the string of 55 inhabited
islands on the principle of one island, one vote, regardless of population.
If you’re looking for a place to stop the world for a few days and relax on a
hammock, these islands are ideal. Each tidy village spills to fit its
island, with bamboo huts and matted roofs. The coconut was the currency here
until the 1990s, and to watch fishermen repairing their nets and women
sewing molas (intricately appliquéd dress panels) is to gain a
privileged view of a fragile culture.
With the torpor of outback Caribbean, Bocas del Toro is another archipelago
option, fabled for its biodiversity, beaches, and diving. The local red frog
looks like a toy and could fit on a teaspoon, but I wouldn’t advise it: they
pack a deadly poison, in which tribesmen used to dip their spearheads.
Inland, the heart of the highlands is Boquete, which lies 3,280ft up the
slopes of the country’s highest mountain, and only volcano. It’s a
cool-aired retreat bursting with orchids and flowers, set amid lush green
valleys striped with coffee plantations. Nearby is excellent hiking,
kayaking and rafting.
Still not convinced? Wake early at the Canopy Tower Hotel
(see below) and hit the observation deck for coffee and mind-bending views.
Up close are jungle-top toucans, and perhaps a sloth; further away, ship
superstructures appear to part the steaming foliage as they glide slowly
along the canal.
How’s the food? Abundant fish and fruit have fashioned some tasty
dishes — although with a national dish called ropa vieja (old
clothes), you wouldn’t think so. Among them are ceviche (raw
sea bass marinated in lemon juice and coriander) and sancocho
(peppery chicken stew).
And the hotels? Excellent value. Here are three delightfully
idiosyncratic properties not to miss. The Canopy Tower (00 507-264 5720,
www.canopytower.com; doubles from £68, all-inclusive) occupies the 12-sided
tower of a former US radar station. Isolated in virgin rainforest, it has
simple, large-windowed rooms, as well as a stunning lounge area and
observation deck.
Punta Caracol (612 1088, www.puntacaracol.com.pa; doubles from £72) is a
luxury stilted lodge, just off the island of Colon. The two-storey cabins
have dark wooden interiors with wraparound walkways and a large front
veranda. The hammocks are the perfect spot in which to doze after a swim or
watch the purple of the distant mountains. Excellent seafood is served in
the candlelit restaurant and bar area.
The Panamonte Inn (720 1327, www.panamonteinnandspa.com; doubles from £36) is
an attractive blue-and-white plasterboard lodge, built in 1914 in the cool
hills of Boquete and lovingly treasured by its 87-year-old owner. The
gardens, fuelled by tropical drizzle, are immaculate, as is the cosy bar
with fireplace, lit nightly at 6pm.
Who should go? People who like relaxation, wildlife, history
and adventures, without the taint of mass tourism.
Who shouldn’t? Fans of all-inclusive resorts, foes of
wildlife.
I want to book: Trips Worldwide (0117 311 4400,
www.tripsworldwide.co.uk) offers a 15-night itinerary, with three nights in
Panama City, two nights, full-board, at the Canopy Tower, two nights,
half-board, at Punta Caracol and three nights at the Panamonte, from
£2,195pp, including flights from Heathrow with British Airways and American
Airlines via Miami, internal flights and transfers. Other operators include
Reef and Rainforest (01803 866965, www.reefandrainforest.co.uk) and Journey
Latin America (020 8747 8315, www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk).
When’s best? The Atlantic side gets rain year-round,
with drier spells in September, October, February and March. The
Pacific-coast dry season runs from December to April (high season). Rain
falls in sharp downpours, however, and doesn’t preclude year-round tourism.
Panama asides
Best bash: Panama City’s carnival roars across the four days before Ash
Wednesday. Every hydrant is opened to cool down revellers — using as much
water as in the preceding four months.
The local hero: when Mariano Rivera is on TV, playing baseball for the
New York Yankees, Panama comes to a halt.
... and villain: notorious former leader General Noriega still
languishes in a Miami jail — but he’s out soon.
Cheers! Seco is a clear, fiery sugar-cane ferment, served with milk and
ice.
Look out for: the Colombian border. Where civilised chalk meets lawless
cheese, a roadless wilderness where a few adventurers have quietly
disappeared.
Most valuable phrase: “Mira! Viene otro barco!” — “Look,
here comes another boat!”
