Discover Panama in 2020 a great Getaway for winter time

Discover a destination full of contrast and experience unique festivals such as the renowned Panama Jazz Festival and the International Film Festival. Contact us for details! 

Panama offers a delightful combination of amazing history, diverse cultures, close biodiversity, pristine beaches, national parks, and unique gastronomy. This is the destination to experience adventure in 2020

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  Panama Jazz Festival 2016

Panama Jazz 16th Festival – January 13-18, 2020 – The annual Panama Jazz Festival, one of the region’s largest music events held in Panama City, makes its 16th anniversary. Since its foundation in September 2003 by Panamanian Grammy-winning pianist Danilo Pérez, the festival has become a cultural tourist attraction by drawing audiences from across the globe. Some of the artists that will be in Panama next year are Terri Lyne Carrington, Emmy winner Dianne Reeves, Ruben Blades, Lucia Pulido, David Sanchez, Cyrus Chesnut and many more. Contact us to visit Panama and discover an amazing destination.  Contact us for your special program including lodging and entrance fees to one or two concerts. Prices from $299.00 per person plus taxes.

Museum of Biodiversity by Frank Gehry – Panama is known for the greatest man-made creation, the Panama Canal, but people don’t realize Panama`s emergence has great importance. Panama emerged 4 million years ago, creating a barrier between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, uniting two continents (North America and South America) and contributing to the migration of species North to South. This led to a monumental change in the biodiversity of the world.  Frank Gehry, the renowned Canadian architect known for the Guggenheim in Bilbao, presents his uniquely designed Biodiversity Museum to tell the hidden past, inquisitive present and the attractive future of this small but flourishing isthmus that change the world.

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9th IFF Panama Film Festival – March 26 – April 1, 2020 – With more hundreds of guests from abroad, the 9th edition of the International Film Festival of Panama (IFF). “Trying to achieve that Panama has yet another attribute, the festival is being driven as a tourist destination,” said Pituka Ortega, Panamanian filmmaker, and IFF Executive Director. IFF Panama’s relative youth contrasts with its established position in the film circuit of Latin America. In its first edition, when it was almost an experiment, it was attended by prestigious directors like Alex de la Iglesia and Fernando Trueba, screening over 60 films from 26 different countries and packing theaters in Panama City to the brim. Contact us at annie@ecocircuitos.com for The Panama Film Festival 2 nights experience includes: entrance to the 8th Panama Film Festival, Film screening of your choice, two nights accommodation in Panama City hotel, Official program and lots of fun! Price person in double from $285.00 plus taxes

10 Best things to do in Panama City

The Sloth

American Trade Hotel

Panama Hats in Casco Antiguo

There are a lot of reasons to visit Panama. You have probably already thought of the Panama Canal, which is one of the world’s most famous accomplishments of modern engineering. Maybe you have considered a tropical island or beach, or just the climate, which is warm all year round. But there is a lot more to Panama: read here some of our staff picks to do in Panama City.

1.  Visit Seafood market and walk or bike Cinta Costera towards the Casco Antiguo neighborhood while eating a fresh seafood ceviche.
2.  Take a tour at the Biodiversity Museum and hire of our naturalist guides for an introductory rainforest tour in the Metropolitan Park

3.  Bar hopping in Casco Viejo at night and don´t miss the Jazz Bar in the American Trade Hotel

4.  Historical City Tour– walking Panama la Antigua and learn about the Pirates and Conquistadors and the Canal zone era

5.  Kayaking the Panama Canal in the Gatun Lake and a visit to a local Wounaan community for handcrafts shopping

6.  Visit the Contemporary Art Museum and take a Art Cultural Tour with a local panamanian artist

7.  Hike, bike or wildlife observation at one of the many trails of the Soberania National Park

8.  Go on a historical trekking the old 8-mile Camino de Cruces Trail takes you through primarily tropical forest

9.  Ride the Transcontinental train towards the Atlantic side in one day: The Pirate trail and Panama Canal

10.  Enjoy the local gastronomy (tasajo empanada, carimañola, tortilla, yuca frita, and the seafood of Panama).

Panama and Panama City for Short Stop Overs

A brief stopover or a short stay in Panama will surprise all its visitors! Within 30 minutes from the international airport you could be relaxing in a boutique hotel in the center of the colonial Casco Antiguo or a top-notch luxurious hotel in the Banking District, close to internationally known restaurants and Jazz Bars. Visit museums, parks, and historical areas all within the Panama City limits and just slightly beyond these limits adventure options are endless. Access national parks known for hiking, birding, biking, kayaking and cultural encounters or just have a day relaxing on the Pacific Coastline or a surfing adventure. Take a train to an area once owned by pirates or transit the engineering masterpiece, the Panama Canal!

Casco Antiguo

HIking tours

Soberania National Park

Portobello

boat tour to Gatun community

Kayaking tours

EcoCircuitos can tastefully design short programs for our clients stay in Panama City that goes beyond the typical City Tour and Panama Canal visit by combining areas of interest and outdoor adventures.  The following are some our current tour options:

• Rainforest and Ruins – Metropolitan Park, Old Panama and Casco Antiguo
• Gastronomy Tour – Casco Antiguo, coffee tasting, chocolate production, ceviche, rum and beer tasting.
• Inner City Tour – Casco Antiguo tour with ex-gang members that will tell you about the history of Casco.
• Biking tours the rainforest and the City
• Full Day City Tour (traditional) – Casco Antiguo, Old Panama and Miraflores
• Half Day City Tour (traditional) – Casco Antiguo and Old Panama

The follow options can be used to tailor a city tour that fits your client’s wishes

• Old Panama/Panama Vieja – Panama City’s first city
• Cinta Costera – walking and biking area along the Bay of Panama that leads to Casco Antiguo
• Fish Market – have a ceviche and people watch
• Casco Antiguo – Panama City’s second city, colonial style. Home to churches and historical buildings, distinct architecture, shops, restaurants, hotels etc.
• Amador Causeway – Stroll or bike along the Panama Canal, this causeway connects three islands Naos, Perico and Flamanco. You will find marinas, duty free shops, restaurants and Punta Culebra where Smithsonian has a small nature center and the Biodiversity Museum
• Smithsonian Nature Center – open air marine center
• Museums (see the list below)
• Parks (see the list below)
• Ancon Hill – Panoramic views of Panama City and the Canal
• Miraflores Locks – Panama Canal
• Panama Canal Forts

Parks

National Parks

Open: Morning to dusk

Metropolitan Natural Park

Location:

Open: Monday – Sunday 6:30am- 4:30pm

Rainforest Discovery Center

Location: Soberania National Park

Open: 6am-4pm

Museums

Biodiversity Museum

Location: Amador Causeway

Open: Tuesday – Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday 10am-5pm

Contemporary Art Museum

Location: Ancon Hill

Open: Tuesday – Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm

Miraflores Locks

Location: Clayton Area

Open: Monday – Sunday 9am-5pm

Old Panama/ Panama Vieja

Location: Parque Lefevre, southeast of Panama City

Open: Tuesday – Sunday, 8:30am-4:30 am

Panama Canal Interoceanic Museum

Location: Casco Antiguo

Open: Tuesday – Sunday

Explore Panama with us!

Tranquilo Bay Winter Escape From $2195.00 – Arriving on Friday

Escape the winter to the soothing waters of the Caribbean; discover the ecosystem of Bocas del Toro archipelago through snorkeling, kayaking or hiking the National Park.   The lodge lies within an area of nature reserves on land and in the sea, which is one of the most biologically diverse places in Panama. Encounter tropical birds, different monkey species, iguanas and many more during your stay and feel yourself relax and refresh in the unique natural environment.

Save $635.00 per person when you travel in February 2015. Applied to all February departures.

Day 1 – Welcome to Panama!- Today at the appropriate time an EcoCircuitos representative will meet you at the Tocumen International Airport to assist and transfer you to your hotel located in Panama City. At this time you will also receive an EcoCircuitos information kit that will provide you with all the details for your stay in Panama. Once you arrive to your hotel, please check-in. Marriott Executive.

Day 2 – Fly to Bocas del Toro Archipelago – This morning your Caribbean adventure begins! You will be transferred to the domestic airport in Albrook to catch your flight to Boquete to Bocas del Toro Archipelago. Once you arrive to the island, you’ll board a water taxi that will route through the archipelago’s small canals, passing local communities, mangroves and into the Caribbean Ocean. You will arrive to Tranquilo Bay ecolodge and check in in your private cabin. Enjoy a welcome lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the beautiful surroundings. (B,L,D)

Day 3 – 5 Bocas del Toro Island Adventures – Awake to the sounds of nature and overlooking the Caribbean. After breakfast you will get ready for a day full of adventures. You will discover the tropical beauty that surrounds this magnificent Archipelago and National Park. Included in this adventure package is one daily standard activity each day. Daily actitivies include: snorkeling, kayaking, diving, hiking, fishing, visiting turtle nesting sites, surfing, birding, or exploring nearby beaches. The island’s midsection and surrounding waters are protected in the Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, and the entire island offers nature lovers an array of wildlife, both terrestrial and marine. The waters here are filled with brilliant parrot fish, angel fish, red snapper, slender needle fish and many others. Four species of sea turtles come ashore to nest on the beaches and the forests are home to many endemic and endangered species such as neon colored frogs, the red billed tropic bird and two and three toed sloths. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 – Return to Panama City and Visit the Biodiversity Museum or Miraflores Locks – This morning you will return to Bocas del Toro domestic airport for a short flight back to Panama City. You’ll be met at the airport for a visit to the Biodiveristy Museum design by Frank Gehry on the entrance of the Panama Canal or a visit to the Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal to observe the “eighth wonder of the world.”  After the short visit, you will be transferred back to your hotel to enjoy your last afternoon in Panama City. (B)

Day 7 – Departure – At the appropriate time you will be transferred to the Tocumen International Airport for your outbound flight. You will arrive at the airport approximately 2 hours before your departure time.

Note: customers will be picked up 3 hours before their flight time.

Price per person in double room: $2195.00

Internal Flights (Panama City – Bocas del Toro – Panama City): $325.00

(Flight cost is subject to change)

The program includes:  Private Transfers from international airport to hotel in and out, 6 nights of lodging and taxes,  All meals in Tranquilo Bay, Government taxes, Tours as mentioned above, bilingual guide during tours and adventures, Breakfast at all mentioned hotels, Information kit, Lodging taxes, Panama kit.

The program does not include:  Optional activities, International and domestic airfare and taxes,  Departure taxes ($40.00 per person for Panama), Meals not specified in the itinerary, Alcoholic beverages, Personal equipment, Extras in hotels (laundry, phone calls, room service, etc.), Gratuities

Rates are valid until October 15^th, 2015 and subject to change due increases on fuel prices

• Prices are net per person.
• Prices are given in US Dollars.
• Prices are subject to change without previous notice depending on any significant increase in rates, taxes, fuel or due to availability problems.
• Prices are based on the minimum of paying participants previously informed.
• If the minimum number of paying participants changes, the rates would also change
• Tips for drives and guides not included

Note: This is a quote not a reservation. Please note that all quotations given are subject to availability at the time of reservation and cannot be guaranteed until payment is received. Please note that credit card payments are subject to processing fees.

EcoCircuitos realizes that has important environmental and social responsibilities in and out of the office. We create memorable travel experiences in Panama’s natural history and cultural heritage.   Our office team and suppliers ensure quality service, cultural sensitivity, local knowledge, innovation and social and environmental responsibility. As travelers ourselves we believe giving something back is essential. Therefore we work with our team, suppliers and customers to ensure that benefits will contribute directly to the communities we visit and their environment.

For more information, please visit our Responsible Travel Policy link.

Encourage the channeling of part of our revenues towards supporting the conservation and sustainable use of Panama’s biodiversity. We are committed to the conservation of protected areas, education and local community development.

 

Beyond the Panama Canal

hiking the Mamony reserve

Biodiversity Museum

Portobello

Seafood Panamanian Jambalaya

Kayaking tour the Gatun Lake

Panama Bay

Kuna Art

Exploring the ruins of the old Spanish fort at Portobello

Beyond the Panama Canal, you could find yourself in lush tropical rain forests of the Canal Watershed or walking through the maze like streets of Casco Antiguo between the colorful colonial buildings and art shops and gourmet restaurants. You may also find yourself on a deserted island watching tropical fish weave through your toes. This is just a touch of what you will find in Panama. The country’s rich history is just like the fine detail you will find in a Guna indigenous mola.

In a diverse country like Panama, it comes as no surprise that travel and tourism are well developed. Tiny locally owned luxury boutique hotels coexist with many of the world’s big names in the hospitality sector, such as Waldorf Astoria, Trump, Hilton or Marriott.

Escape the winter and let yourself be surprised by Panama. Encounter traditional indigenous settlements less than two hours from the city’s international banking district, watch the incredible wildlife along the Panama Canal while huge cargo ships cross from ocean to ocean in the background, spend the morning in a state-of-the-art convention center and the afternoon on a perfect beach. Whatever you are looking for, you can find it here.

Suggestions: Stay in the colonial district of Casco Antiguo and visit nearby landmarks such as the Miraflores Locks, Panama Viejo arqueological site, the Biodiversity Museum designed by Frank Gehry and climb Discovery Centre Rain Forest tower-climb up 30 meters and gaze over the forest canopy in the Soberania National Park.

Visit the picturesque San Blas Archipelago, home of the Guna people and eat amazing seafood while learning about this vibrant culture. Then make your way to the Chiriqui highlands and search for the resplendent quetzal and drink the renowned Geshia coffee. Also make your way to the Bocas del Toro Archipelago for great snorkeling and beach combing at its best. If you have time visit the Azuero Peninsula the heart of Panama´s colonial culture and great beaches for surfing and sunbathing. For the more adventurous trek the Darien gap. Panama has something for everyone.

By EcoCircuitos Panama

Mango Mango

By Jorge Ventocilla

Mango production is different every year; and every season is different for each and every mango tree. Some experts say that it all depends on the characteristics of each dry season. They also say that different branches produce different amount of mangoes and I see mangoes everywhere.

Coming back from the countryside a few weeks ago, I was looking at the landscape through the bus window, at least visible areas not hidden by advertisements, and found myself counting how many mango trees were along the road (per kilometer). I counted a minimum of fifteen trees per kilometer.

There are so many mango trees in Panama that it may lead us to think that they are native to this country.  Truth be told, Mangifera indica, scientific name of the tree, comes from India; Eastern India, Myanmar (Burma) and Andaman Islands, to be exact.

For complete article please click here.

Biomuseo celebrates Biodiversity day in Panama

The Biomuseo design by Frank Gehry  is currently under construction on the Amador Causeway, but it is already celebrating international Biodiversity day with an outdoor fair called “El Suelo Está Vivo” (The Soil is Alive) on Sunday, May 22 from 10.00AM to 4.00PM

Location:

Old Officers Club, Amador Causeway, Panama City, Panama.

For children from 2 to 99 years old will have many fun activities with which you will learn how you can support the natural cycles of nutrient recycling:

The secret life of ants
Take advantage of the recent rioting that scientists have discovered the Smithsonian about these extraordinary insects.

The worms that make soil
The Boys in the Chinese-Panamanian School will show us the work they do with composting worms.

Painted with colors of nature
… Literally. We use flowers, leaves and seeds instead of crayons.

Tales of bugs
With the storytellers of the Panamanian Red storytellers in our beloved Corotú.

Organic market
Where you all kinds of organic products: soaps, herbs, ointments, vegetables, ginger candy, chocolate, pastries, eggs and fertilizer from regions as Zapayal (Darien), Cuculo (Los Santos), the waggish (Veraguas). Darien will also have crafts Tuira region and Jaque.

What is all this fuss of organic?
If you do not know what all the fuss with the organic, do not miss our talks about where you explain how it relates to our biodiversity.

Have we broken the cornucopia? What is wrong with the way we produce food. – José Manuel Pérez (UNDP).
Time: 11:00 am and 2:00 pm

Organic, sustainable and local. – Eylon Israel (Coriander Red).
Time: 1:00 pm

The Museum
Finally, take the opportunity to visit Biomuseo construction, a unique opportunity to work in this class, and participate in our presentations to find out what you’ll find inside.  Even Brad Pitt and Al Gore are some personalities that already visited, what you are waiting for?

Biomuseo is the first building design by Frank Gehry in Latin America.

For more information:  http://www.biomuseopanama.org/