Panama: The Two Sides of Beautiful

Posted By: PanaGal on 09.04.2007
Views: 557, Published in sections: Life in Panama ::

When people think of vacations, the thought of the beach always comes to mind. No wonder. After all, commercialism of the Caribbean and the long reach of the Internet are partly responsible. Whatever the cause, beaches are one of the foremost requirements in vacation destination.

But with the spread of environmental awareness as well as the popularity gained by eco tourism campaigns, a new breed of vacation destinations have surfaced. People are now beginning to look for inland beauty: rainforests, jungles, water falls, streams, rivers. Instead of the traditional beach bum vacation, some people now prefer to go to a place where they could commune with nature in a more profound way than looking at coral reefs and gazing at gorgeous sunsets.

Panama is very lucky in this respect. It has the best of both worlds. Panama has plenty of unspoiled beaches and forests for those who prefer the beach, for those who prefer the forests and for those who would like both. Panama is indeed a land of choices.

Panama’s Beaches

Gorgeous, superb, and stunning. These are only some of the many words that can describe Panama’s beaches. Think of fine powdery sand on your feet. Think of rugged landscapes and seaside cliffs. Think of the coral reefs and the variety of marine life and fish. Panama has it, in great abundance. After all, Panama is sandwiched between two oceans.

Panama is great for snorkeling, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, and diving activities. One of the most beautiful snorkeling destinations is San Blas Islands. Home to the Kuna Indians, San Blas is one of the last remaining unspoiled beaches, and it has miles and miles of coral reef that you can explore to your heart’s content. Or you can go to Bocas del Toro, one of the nine provinces of Panama. Coral Cay is one of the snorkeling areas in the Bocas del Toro region. You can also swim with Dolphins at Dolphin Bay.

If you are more of the beach bum type, then you would probably prefer Pearl Islands and explore around 60 beaches of all types and colors. On of the most famous islands in Pearl Islands is Isla Contadora. Near Panama City, you can go to the popular beaches along the Pacific: Gorgona, Coronado, Playa Blanca, Punta Chame, Rio Mar, and Santa Clara.

Panama’s Forests

Only in Panama can you go beachcombing one minute and then go walking off into the dense forests the next. No wonder then that this small country is home to more than 10,000 species of plants, around a thousand species of birds, and then around a thousand more species of orchids. In Panama, you would sometimes feel like the forest has grown right before your eyes.

If you don’t want to venture much inland, you can go visit Darien National Park or Metropolitan Park. If you want to be more adventurous, visit Cerro Azul mountain range. Visit Chiriqui province and go to Volcan Baru National Park and Palo Seco Forest Reserve.