Tell me about Panama

[anonymouscuban]

Wife and I are planning this year's trip. We will be gong in December. We are planning on spending a week in Cuba so we are looking for another destination country to fly to Cuba since there are no direct flights from the US. Panama looks interesting and we'll probably spend a week there too.

Any one been? Where did you stay? What did you see? How did you like it?

[KeithS]

It has been 35 years since I lived in Panama so I can only speak in generalities. December is the dry season, so the weather will be better. The historic parts will tend to be on the Atlantic side, Colon, Portobelo, Fort Sherman. The scenic areas I remember are in the Boquete, Volcan, Cerro Punta area. Check to see if there are still places to stay there.
There was a short drive to an overview of the Gaillard Cut, on the west side offering a great view down into the Canal. Taboga, a few miles offshore from the Pacific entrance to the Canal was worth the boat ride (probably leaving from Balboa).
Driving in Panama City can be a real eye-opener to the uninitiated, but outside the city was no problem.