Topic Wiki

List of TR's:
Denverite
saw50st8
dvol
dvol Pictures
zow
CGR, CGR #2
itreu001
TripsPls
davidrotts63
yuneeq Contadora (Pearl Islands)
Something Fishy (Cuba)
Something Fishy (Honduras)
Ponash123
PBaruch
Moishes 2/5/24 Panama Extended Weekend



Kosher Food/ Restaurants:
Places to Eat:
Aria
Aroma Café
Darna Dairy/Bakery
Kava
Jeffrey’s Bakery
Pita Pan
Pita Plus
Lula by Darna
Metsuyan
Hilel Sports Bar and Grill- Closed
Darna
La Spezia
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (including 2 at PTY)
Dr. Sandwich
Prime Grill
Forever yogurt in casco viejo- Chalav Yisroel ice cream - Closed down
NEW - Jerusalem Israeli Cuisine by Chabad in Casco Viejo
Supermarkets:
Superkosher
Supermacardo Deli K


Cholov Yisroel:
If you go onto Kosher Panama Website you can search for Cholov Yisroel by entering Jalav Israel in the search, just be aware if the site lists Jalav Israel and Lacteo in the description, the establishment may have both CY and non-CY so be aware and double check with the staff.
SuperKosher also had a nice selection of CY breakfast/snack/frozen items available.

There is a local chalav yisroel that isn't up to everyone's standards. It isn't up to Chabad as they use a lower kasherimg temperature than the alter rebbe holds.
This is what local chabad down there told me. Don't hold me to any of it please.


Synagogue:

The Jewish community in Panama is mainly in Panama City in the Punta Paitilla area.
You must bring your passport with you to enter the shuls. You can bring your passport over during the week if you are not staying in the eruv. They will make a copy of your passport.

Sinagoga Beth El – Orthodox, Ashkenazi. After Shabbat morning services, they have a full sit down Kiddush lunch.
They also serve breakfast after weekday shacharit.
Contact Asistente al Rabino secretaria@centrobethel.com - Déborah Wizel

Shevet Ahim – Sephardic. proper attire required, denied entry for shorts.

Ahavat Sion –

Chabad -  bracha Karniel goldberg  brachagold@gmail.com

Things to Do:
Panama Canal
Amador Causeway
Old City
$30 cabbie for all day
Panama John on FT cab and tour guide
San Blas islands
En Valle Market
Casco Viejo
Barefoot Panama tour company
Boquete
Biosphere
Miraflores Locks
Ancon Hill (tallest point in the City)
Anton Valley (hiking, waterfalls, horseback riding)
Panama Viejo
MultiPlaza (high-end mall)
Parque Natural Metropolitano
Partial canal transit
Monkey Island boat tour
Rainforest Gondola tour
Contadora (Pearl Islands) - whale watching, snorkeling/scuba on Chipera, Mogu Mogu, https://pearlislandsdaytours.com/
Rainbow bass fishing
Ziplining
Rent bikes along the water
Rainforest
Beach- Santa Clara and punta palmar both 1.5+ hours from Panama City
Indigenous tribes
Coffee plantations in the mountains
Whale watching
City tour (includes animals)
Chargres River Tour, hike to waterfall, visit Embrera Indian Village
Hiking Portabello road
Natural Metropolitan Park
www.therealpanamatours.com
Almiza Tours/ My friend mario http://www.bscpma.com/mfm/aboutus.htm (Website not working!)
Colon
Bocas del Toro
Old city/Casco viejo

Hotels:

Getting Around:
Uber is the best way to get around, cheap and reliable (if you go to the rainforest, there might not be any cars available going back, search before)

Notes:


Please Update the Wiki
« Last edited by moishes on February 05, 2024, 05:12:28 PM »

Author Topic: Panama Master Thread  (Read 300100 times)

Offline yuneeq

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #100 on: November 29, 2016, 06:16:45 PM »
Has anyone been to Panama in May? I would like to go in May 2017, got a great rate at a hotel and found really cheap (points) flights. I know it's rainy season, but I see conflicting comments online about just small amounts of rain some afternoons to torrential downpours!

I went during rainy season. It wasn't a big deal.
Usually it rains for like an hour during the afternoon and that's it. It feels like it rains on a schedule.
Also it's humid but I'm not sure how that compares to the dry season.
Visibly Jewish

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #101 on: December 25, 2016, 01:24:03 AM »
My friend is in Panama right now and I'm planning in earnest for my trip in a few weeks and came  across some cool info. Download the KosherPTY app and you can access like 15 kosher restaurants plus bakeries and supermarkets, many of which have order & delivery direct from the app.

Also one of the restaurants that looks amazing, called Kava, appears to be inside the Sortis hotel, now part of the Marriott Autograph collection! It's only Tier 5 so a great use of a week cert if you've got one to burn with a Flight+Hotel deal or its reasonable amount of SPG points too.

Offline Luvtotravel

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #102 on: December 25, 2016, 11:23:30 AM »
My friend is in Panama right now and I'm planning in earnest for my trip in a few weeks and came  across some cool info. Download the KosherPTY app and you can access like 15 kosher restaurants plus bakeries and supermarkets, many of which have order & delivery direct from the app.

Also one of the restaurants that looks amazing, called Kava, appears to be inside the Sortis hotel, now part of the Marriott Autograph collection! It's only Tier 5 so a great use of a week cert if you've got one to burn with a Flight+Hotel deal or its reasonable amount of SPG points too.
tx for the info and post what itin you come up with since planning trip too.
Don't wait for the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect.

Offline Cw3323

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #103 on: January 06, 2017, 01:41:45 AM »
Is there zika in the city area?
Is 4 full days enough to cover the basics?

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #104 on: January 06, 2017, 02:02:59 AM »
Is there zika in the city area?
Is 4 full days enough to cover the basics?

I looked on the CDC (or maybe WHO) maps and it looked to only be in a certain area away from the city where the native tribes live.  My friends were just there for 10 days and we are going at the end of this month for a week but without Shabbos and if you really knew what you wanted to see (and didn't "waste" days going to private beaches/islands) you could probably see all the big stuff (canal, city, rainforest/animals) in four days.

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #105 on: January 06, 2017, 02:12:28 AM »
tx for the info and post what itin you come up with since planning trip too.

We're actually going to use a guide/tour company for three days which will include a half day city tour, which includes an interactive site to see and touch local animals.  A half day tour of the canal and monkey island and a 3/4 day tour which includes a boat ride up the Chargres river, hike to a warterful and a visit to a Embrera Indian Village.  I have three kids so we have planned everything with them in mind.  If you want more "active" stuff or places that include longer drives and boat ride there are tons of other things. The guide said we could easily add in on our own, hiking Portabello road (supposed to be able to see amazing rainforest birds and some animals) and the Natural Metropolitan Park that is right in the city and also supposed to be great.

Offline DG613

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #106 on: February 10, 2017, 11:37:20 AM »
We're actually going to use a guide/tour company for three days which will include a half day city tour, which includes an interactive site to see and touch local animals.  A half day tour of the canal and monkey island and a 3/4 day tour which includes a boat ride up the Chargres river, hike to a warterful and a visit to a Embrera Indian Village.  I have three kids so we have planned everything with them in mind.  If you want more "active" stuff or places that include longer drives and boat ride there are tons of other things. The guide said we could easily add in on our own, hiking Portabello road (supposed to be able to see amazing rainforest birds and some animals) and the Natural Metropolitan Park that is right in the city and also supposed to be great.

Hi Denverite, are you going to write up a TR? I would really look forward to it especially since you are traveling with your kids. We are thinking about bringing the family (4 kids ages will be 10, 7, 5, 2.5) for winter 2018 because of all the reasons you mentioned previously. We did Maui this year and loved the green tropics, mountains, and beaches. Panama (or possibly elsewhere in Costa Rica) seems like it would be a good fit for us as well.

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #107 on: February 10, 2017, 05:45:49 PM »
Hi Denverite, are you going to write up a TR? I would really look forward to it especially since you are traveling with your kids. We are thinking about bringing the family (4 kids ages will be 10, 7, 5, 2.5) for winter 2018 because of all the reasons you mentioned previously. We did Maui this year and loved the green tropics, mountains, and beaches. Panama (or possibly elsewhere in Costa Rica) seems like it would be a good fit for us as well.

I just got back this week and it was so amazing I literally want to move there! ;) We all agreed we want to go back since we purposely took the week easy but then didn't do everything we wanted to and need to return! All my kids had a blast, there are over 20 EXCELLENT kosher restaurants (that cost less than the US) and since Panama is so physically small we were able to have breakfast in the kosher Coffee Bean next to our hotel (there were also a number of bakeries and cafes close by) and later come home from our tour or excursion and have the driver just drop us at a new kosher restaurant to try.  It is the full package of the convenience of vacationing in Miami but can do a lot of of the cool stuff that you'd want to do in Costa Rica, the Carribean or even the rainforest in Brazil.  I don't want to promise but hopefully I'll start to write it up on Sunday.  Also, if you have any specific questions just let me know and I'll try to answer.

Offline sky121

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #108 on: February 11, 2017, 03:20:32 PM »
I just got back this week and it was so amazing I literally want to move there! ;) We all agreed we want to go back since we purposely took the week easy but then didn't do everything we wanted to and need to return! All my kids had a blast, there are over 20 EXCELLENT kosher restaurants (that cost less than the US) and since Panama is so physically small we were able to have breakfast in the kosher Coffee Bean next to our hotel (there were also a number of bakeries and cafes close by) and later come home from our tour or excursion and have the driver just drop us at a new kosher restaurant to try.  It is the full package of the convenience of vacationing in Miami but can do a lot of of the cool stuff that you'd want to do in Costa Rica, the Carribean or even the rainforest in Brazil.  I don't want to promise but hopefully I'll start to write it up on Sunday.  Also, if you have any specific questions just let me know and I'll try to answer.
Nice! Looking forward to the TR.
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline harrym

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #109 on: February 14, 2017, 03:43:14 AM »
Is it suggested to rent a car in Panama?

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #110 on: February 23, 2017, 02:05:58 PM »
Is it suggested to rent a car in Panama?

I've been off for a while and know I am probably too late in answering to help you but we were there 8 days without a car (granted did take some tours/excursions that provided transportation) but the traffic and drivers are crazy (comparable to Israel...lol) and we didn't want to bother.  From all the major hotels in Panama city to kosher restaurants you shouldn't have an Uber more than $3!  They also have Uber English, which charges a little more, if you want a guaranteed English Speak driver.  Maybe if you are staying at the Westin out of the city or want to drive to excursions on your own, it might be worth it but taking Uber and a few cabs worked great for us!

Offline BrooklynCPA

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #111 on: February 23, 2017, 02:34:36 PM »
I just got back this week and it was so amazing I literally want to move there! ;) We all agreed we want to go back since we purposely took the week easy but then didn't do everything we wanted to and need to return! All my kids had a blast, there are over 20 EXCELLENT kosher restaurants (that cost less than the US) and since Panama is so physically small we were able to have breakfast in the kosher Coffee Bean next to our hotel (there were also a number of bakeries and cafes close by) and later come home from our tour or excursion and have the driver just drop us at a new kosher restaurant to try.  It is the full package of the convenience of vacationing in Miami but can do a lot of of the cool stuff that you'd want to do in Costa Rica, the Carribean or even the rainforest in Brazil.  I don't want to promise but hopefully I'll start to write it up on Sunday.  Also, if you have any specific questions just let me know and I'll try to answer.

Looking forward to the trip report. Thinking of taking a family trip to Panama.

Which hotel did you stay at?

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #112 on: February 23, 2017, 02:43:05 PM »
Looking forward to the trip report. Thinking of taking a family trip to Panama.

Which hotel did you stay at?

It's a great destination for families and by far my easiest vacation with my kids.  We stayed at the Hilton and got like an 1100sqft 1BR suite w/full kitchen and two bathrooms, that easily slept all five of us.  The Waldorf Astoria is a block over too.  If you have SPG, the LeMeridian was also just one block over.  These are all close to Shevet Ahim shul.  The Sortis hotel is a little NE of where we were but has a beautiful dairy restaurant INSIDE, is walking distance to a couple other kosher restaurants and an ashkenazi shul and is only a Marriott Cat 4 so a great use of a free week cert.  I just started working on pics to upload today so hopefully I can get started soon with the report!

Offline BrooklynCPA

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #113 on: February 23, 2017, 03:08:41 PM »
It's a great destination for families and by far my easiest vacation with my kids.  We stayed at the Hilton and got like an 1100sqft 1BR suite w/full kitchen and two bathrooms, that easily slept all five of us.  The Waldorf Astoria is a block over too.  If you have SPG, the LeMeridian was also just one block over.  These are all close to Shevet Ahim shul.  The Sortis hotel is a little NE of where we were but has a beautiful dairy restaurant INSIDE, is walking distance to a couple other kosher restaurants and an ashkenazi shul and is only a Marriott Cat 4 so a great use of a free week cert.  I just started working on pics to upload today so hopefully I can get started soon with the report!

Looking Forward!!!

Seems like once of the best uses for the Marriott Certs especially with Kosher restaurant in the Hotel!!! How far is the Shul if we stayed over shabbos? Also, do you know if there are any restaurants open for shabbos meals?

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #114 on: February 24, 2017, 04:19:54 PM »
Looking Forward!!!

Seems like once of the best uses for the Marriott Certs especially with Kosher restaurant in the Hotel!!! How far is the Shul if we stayed over shabbos? Also, do you know if there are any restaurants open for shabbos meals?

It DOES seems like an awesome cert use!  I need a 1 or 2brm so I'm gonna try to call and ask them what they would charge to upgrade.  I can't remember the shul  name offhand but I'll try to look it up. I don't know if they are open for Shabbos meals but you can definitely get Shabbos takeout on Friday from a ton of places.

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #115 on: March 14, 2017, 10:05:25 PM »


This pic is just me testing out that I can actually load my pictures correctly...lol...hopefully my TR will be forthcoming ASAP and BTW this is one of the Costco sized Kosher markets in Panama City!

Offline sky121

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #116 on: March 14, 2017, 10:21:16 PM »
It's a great destination for families and by far my easiest vacation with my kids.  We stayed at the Hilton and got like an 1100sqft 1BR suite w/full kitchen and two bathrooms, that easily slept all five of us.  The Waldorf Astoria is a block over too.  If you have SPG, the LeMeridian was also just one block over.  These are all close to Shevet Ahim shul.  The Sortis hotel is a little NE of where we were but has a beautiful dairy restaurant INSIDE, is walking distance to a couple other kosher restaurants and an ashkenazi shul and is only a Marriott Cat 4 so a great use of a free week cert.  I just started working on pics to upload today so hopefully I can get started soon with the report!

Would you recommend staying in the area you stayed in?
"Not all who wander are lost"

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #117 on: March 14, 2017, 10:22:01 PM »
This pic is just me testing out that I can actually load my pictures correctly...lol...hopefully my TR will be forthcoming ASAP and BTW this is one of the Costco sized Kosher markets in Panama City!

Not that I mind this post, but a better way to test something is to send yourself a PM.
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #118 on: March 14, 2017, 10:48:05 PM »
Would you recommend staying in the area you stayed in?

I would totally recommend it.  I thought we were in an absolutely ideal location.

Not that I mind this post, but a better way to test something is to send yourself a PM.

I could actually see it when I hit preview but I knew if actually posted it then I'd have incentive to start writing my TR  :P

Offline saw50st8

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #119 on: March 15, 2017, 12:19:09 PM »
It DOES seems like an awesome cert use!  I need a 1 or 2brm so I'm gonna try to call and ask them what they would charge to upgrade.  I can't remember the shul  name offhand but I'll try to look it up. I don't know if they are open for Shabbos meals but you can definitely get Shabbos takeout on Friday from a ton of places.

We booked the Panama Marriott on pointsavers for 5 days for a total of 40,000 points, but now I'm wondering if would be better to spend a few more points and end up in the eruv.