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Panama
12-24-2009, 03:31 PM
For those that have been to Panama or spent time there, what would you say are the pros and cons?
I'm giving some serious thought about heading down there for an extended time. The location seems good being close to S. America yet still being close to the U.S. and it sounds like it's pretty safe and stable.
I also had a talk with my retired father who is tired of scraping by on his pension and told him that it may be an option to look into for lower cost of living.
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Panama
12-24-2009, 04:07 PM
speakeasy,
I have been there a few times. But only for surfing and chilling.
On the DL.
Never been to Panama City, and a huge percentage of the population lives in the capital.
I am considering rolling to Panama City as well, so I am interested to hear others opinions. I know Kona has been to PC.
Here is my limited breakdown:
Pros: Sick waves, beautiful, uncrowded (this may have changed).
Cons: If you are hitting up the beaches, these are small, small towns. No running water. Chickens running around. Cats with machetes. Minimal to no girls.
Jungle life.
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Panama
12-24-2009, 08:11 PM
Panama is cool. At least it was when I was there.
I stayed in a surf town that wasn't as rustic as The G described but it was pretty low key. The place I stayed was a specific surfing type resort, I can't seem to find it on the internet though. It was near Cambutal. I really think it was called "Cambutal Surf Resort." Good waves and clean water.
I'm sure I swooped some girl or girls while there but they were tourists as well. There were lots of hippie/surf girls around where I stayed. I know I didn't score with any women of Panamanian descent until several years later in Hawaii.
I went out a few nights in Panama City and had a blast. Couldn't tell you where to go, but I know it was open late.
They use US dollars everywhere there, and everything is really cheap. As I recall, all of the roads were even out into the surf towns were new and well maintained. I just read that there is a 5 plus billion dollar expansion going on with the canal, so that has to pump serious money into that little economy.
I also went through the canal twice in 01' and '05. The first there was work going on, the second time it was even more modern. It's good for the scenery, and to say you've done it. You could probably take some type of boat tour through it.
There are some girls in Hawaii that I know that are from Panama. One in particular is gorgeous. A little lighter skinned than I like them but oh well. I recently was swooping an Argentine girl and found myself comparing the two of them in a lot of ways.
Now that this comes up, I kind of want to head to Panama myself. A friend of mine fishes in Belize, and raves about it.
Interesting point about the chickens. That means waves. I've been to some of the world's greatest surfing spots. They all have feral chickens. Last time I was up at Banzai Pipeline, chickens everywhere? Tamarindo, Gold Coast, Samoa, Tahiti, all have chickens.
Aloha!
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Panama
12-30-2009, 09:59 PM
spent a few weeks in Panama City. Pretty cool place but I was not all that impressed with the people there. They didn't seem to have much of a sense of humor, and the bar logistics made it tough to game if you're solo. Maybe I just had bad luck, or I'm more of a wanker than I thought. Every country you go to you read that the people are "so friendly" I read the same about Panama but didn't see it personally (at least in Panama City). Walking around the city lots of fat ugly chicks, but at the clubs there is mad tail, they are hot and they know it.
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Panama
12-31-2009, 05:38 PM
Do any of you guys have a hostel you would recommend for Panama City? Which other cities/attractions in Panama are especially worthwhile. I can read about it on different websites but would like all of your opinions too.
I am pretty sure i'll be going to Panama City in around 3 weeks so any information will be great.
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Panama
12-31-2009, 05:54 PM
jmb,
Cool.
Make sure you report back. Panama City is on my hot list.
As far as other places, I traveled through the third biggest city (I believe) its called David. Super small spot.
There was a crazy festival when I was there where everyone was drinking lots of guaro or seco (Can't remember witch one) and tons of fights.
It was super loose and weird. Even the fights were weird. It was street fights but simply for the sake of fighting. Kind of hard to explain.
But then again, I was out of my mind on seco.
From my experience, there are minimal girls at the beaches. Minimal. Maybe these days more tourist girls. If you are lucky.
I may be wrong, but I think that Panama is one of two choices:
Panama City = Partying and Girls. City life (Again I have never been, so I am just assuming)
Small Beach towns = Beautiful, no girls, sick waves, very rustic.
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Panama
04-15-2011, 11:13 AM
El Viajero -
Did you ever bust out this Panama City trip?
I would be interested to hear an update.
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Panama
04-15-2011, 08:44 PM
Yeah,
Eyeonpanama.com is a good site. Best part of the city to swoop is Calle Uruguay on weekends. Check out Bar Relic, inside the Hostal Lunas Caste also.
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Panama
04-17-2011, 08:46 PM
supposedly their carnival is a good time to go