Many people would not think of Panama when planning a family holiday, as they do not see it as a family holiday destination. However Panama is not like many other Central and South American countries, it is renowned as a highly safe environment. This is due to its high police presence which can be felt everywhere from the streets of Panama City, to the private beaches of Bocas del Toro. Even late at night, it is very safe to walk the streets of Panama City, even alone, although this is still not advisable, as it is not in many places around the world. There are literally police on every road, and you will normally always be able to see at least one officer from wherever you are. This gives a great sense of security to one of the world’s most stunning cities, and indeed the rest of the country.
So we have established that Panama is a safe place to visit, but this does not necessarily make it a family destination. What is there that appeals to families? Well Myself and my young family, my wife and 2 kids 11 and 14 recently visited and had a wonderful time, and I feel that many people are being deprived of this as they do not have the information to realise exactly what they are missing out on!!
We are from England, so initially the length of the flights were daunting, but we did not let this put us off as we had heard some amazing things about the country. We flew via the US and then down to Panama City where we spent our first couple of days. We spent the first day exploring the city, tried out a couple of restaurants serving native food, which were both outstanding, and did some shopping for those little things that you always forget. On our second day we were due to transfer up the canal to the Gamboa region, so we decided to take the city and canal tour. This consisted of a tour around the city, taking us to all of the different areas, and I must say we all enjoyed it immensely. The Casco Viejo was stunning and full of history. Once we had seen the city it was time to take a boat half way up the canal to the Gamboa region.
The kids really enjoyed this, as they kept an eye out for wildlife as the scenery changed from Cityscape to countryside to rainforest. We arrived in Gamboa, and immediately loved the location. In the middle of the rainforest we could hear the sounds of wildlife all around us, the kids are really into wildlife so this was especially great for them.
The Gamboa resort where we were staying was perfect for both adults alone and families like us. We did not spend a huge amount of time at the hotel, as we made full advantage of the tours that were available, taking at least one on all 3 of the days we stayed. When we were there, the kids loved the pools; there are 2 onsite, while the wife spent some time in the luxury Spa getting pampered! All right for some!! The rooms were great, they were large, had all we could possibly need and the air con was a welcome relief from the heat outside, although it never really got too hot. From here we headed back down the canal to Panama City, and then took a transfer to the Royal Decameron on the Pacific Beaches.
