Kayla Mahon

I was so excited to land in Panama City and begin exploring. We arrived at the Riu Plaza Panama City hotel after catching a taxi at the airport (which was a $30 fare) and were very impressed with the decor of the hotel. We do not usually stay in fancy hotels but this was a nice change. After checking in, we set off to see some of the city before nightfall. We walked along the boardwalk that stretches all the way from the downtown core to the city of Casco Viejo right along the ocean. It was a Tuesday night and the boardwalk was bustling with hundreds of people walking, biking, rollerblading and eating at the local food court. I would highly recommend taking numerous walks along this area as you always find something new and interesting along the way! 

 

The next day we made our way over to Casco Viejo to explore the old town. One of my favourite things to see while traveling is the architecture, especially older buildings. Cisco Viejo did not disappoint! The city had everything from ancient crumbling structures made of stone, to modern coloured buildings. The streets were lined with restaurants and bars that were perfect for a break of relaxation and a bite to eat on a hot day. Over the next few days we spent a lot if our time wandering the streets of Casco Viejo and found numerous patios to enjoy. We stopped at CBP (Capital Bistro Panama) to take in the beautiful views of the downtown core across the ocean. This was probably my favourite rooftop bar but others that came close were Lazotea which had a pool in the middle with lounge chairs and was very modern, as well as Tantalo Kitchen hotel rooftop bar. This bar had incredible views at night of the skyline lit up and had the best chow mien I have ever had! 

 

On our last day we climbed up to the top of Anchon hill which overlooks the entire city. It is a bit of lengthy hike uphill on a paved road but the scenery once at the top is well worth it. There is no fee to climb this massive hill and there are washrooms and benches at the top. If you are travelling to Panama City I would highly recommend making the climb.

 

 

- Always take an uber! We found that the price of a taxi cab vs. the price of an uber was sometimes quite a difference. We took a taxi cab first which cost $15.00, then we tried uber as recommended by a fellow traveler and that same distance was $4.90! 

 

- Pamana City only accepts US dollars, not the official currency of Panama Balboa. 

 

 

 

On the second leg of our trip we arrived in Cartagena Colombia. I had seen so many pictures of this beautiful city and knew it was somewhere I had to go. When we arrived there was a special line for Canadians at customs as Canadian travellers entering Colombia have to pay an entry tax. I was not 100% sure what the exact amount was as I had read different amounts online and on the government travel advisory so I brought a little bit more just in case. Once we got through customs we followed the yellow arrows that took us to a kiosk to order a taxi to our hotel. We stayed at the Don Pablo de Heredia Cartagena which was a small hotel in the centre of town which was rectangular with the centre open and a small pool in the middle. This hotel was in the top 5 of the best hotels I have stayed in. A buffet breakfast was served on the 5th floor rooftop patio and there was a deck with lounge chairs to relax in the sun. Most of our time in Cartagena was spent exploring the walled city and experiencing local life. There are many squares in Cartagena where you can sit and grab a drink and a bite to eat while listening to locals play music. A nice place to sit and enjoy a cold beverage on a hot day is the restaurant Baron, it looks like a patio in Mykonos and is right beside a big beautiful church. 

 

Make sure to take a walk along the top of the walled city. The views of the beaches, ocean and city are wonderful! 

 

 

- Most of the ATM's would not take my RBC debit card for some reason, there was no problem with the card but it would not let me take out any money. Always make sure you have a backup card just in case!

- I think this tip applies to travel throughout the world but is worth mentioning. If you would like to take pictures of local people make sure you have their permission, I witnessed a few locals who were upset with people crowding them and snapping pictures.