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 300077 times)

Offline davidrotts63

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #460 on: August 11, 2019, 06:58:11 PM »
Sorheys is fully booked this week.
Are there any other guides that are recommended?
My friend mario.
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #461 on: August 12, 2019, 11:28:50 AM »
Have sorhays prices gone up since last year?

Offline Divora M

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #462 on: August 12, 2019, 11:42:29 AM »
Have sorhays prices gone up since last year?

what were they last year? she told me for a family of 6 it would be $795 a tour

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #463 on: August 12, 2019, 12:46:31 PM »
what were they last year? she told me for a family of 6 it would be $795 a tour
795 for what

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #464 on: August 12, 2019, 01:11:56 PM »
what were they last year? she told me for a family of 6 it would be $795 a tour

That sounds high, unless it's San Blas, where her prices are fixed with her indigenous partners.

Offline TripsPls

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #465 on: August 12, 2019, 07:35:48 PM »
Sorhays Quoted me for a Family of 6 (youngest 5 not sure if that makes a difference):
Monkey Island is $625
Private San Blas Tour.
Value $1,200
(she doesn't go on this tour)
Private Embera
Total value $695

Thought the 4 hour Monkey Island seemed a bit high since the Ebera tour is like 12 hours and much farther...

Offline TripsPls

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #466 on: August 12, 2019, 07:40:43 PM »
Cool, do I need a Marriott CC to be part of the BestRateGuarantee program or is it just an app I can get?

Is this foolproof? If I find a better price could there be any reason they would not match/25%? 
Their booking is non refundable so want to be sure before I book...

Offline LastRowMiddleSeat

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #467 on: August 12, 2019, 08:43:16 PM »
Does everyone use the $10 a day for phones?
Are there no cheap week/monthly Sims?

Offline Divora M

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #468 on: August 13, 2019, 12:30:59 AM »
Sorhays Quoted me for a Family of 6 (youngest 5 not sure if that makes a difference):
Monkey Island is $625
Private San Blas Tour.
Value $1,200
(she doesn't go on this tour)
Private Embera
Total value $695

Thought the 4 hour Monkey Island seemed a bit high since the Ebera tour is like 12 hours and much farther...

$795 for 6 people for Anton valley tour (10 hours)
$795 for monkey Island + Embrera village tour (12 hours)

@Denverite is that a lot more then what you paid?

Offline RebTuvia

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #469 on: August 13, 2019, 12:45:59 AM »
Is this foolproof? If I find a better price could there be any reason they would not match/25%? 
Their booking is non refundable so want to be sure before I book...
The room types have to be exactly the same (number of beds, size) and of course same dates.. in other words before you book with Marriott check what rooms and rates the other sites offer, and then book Marriott accordingly..

Offline E R K

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #470 on: August 13, 2019, 12:57:02 AM »
$795 for 6 people for Anton valley tour (10 hours)
$795 for monkey Island + Embrera village tour (12 hours)

@Denverite is that a lot more then what you paid?

I went in January. We were 4 people. Embera was $135 per person. We used her to go to San Blas but it was with a group. Private was way out of our budget. She doesn't go but she has a guy who was very attentive to our needs - for example he set up hammocks for us and brought us fruits. That was $155 per person

Offline RebTuvia

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #471 on: August 13, 2019, 01:00:49 AM »
$795 for 6 people for Anton valley tour (10 hours)
$795 for monkey Island + Embrera village tour (12 hours)

@Denverite is that a lot more then what you paid?
Did you even consider doing Embrera village/Monkey island on your own or is impossible?

Offline RebTuvia

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #472 on: August 13, 2019, 01:02:20 AM »
I went in January. We were 4 people. Embera was $135 per person. We used her to go to San Blas but it was with a group. Private was way out of our budget. She doesn't go but she has a guy who was very attentive to our needs - for example he set up hammocks for us and brought us fruits. That was $155 per person
Nowadays she doesn’t offer non-private tours.

Offline E R K

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #473 on: August 13, 2019, 01:02:40 AM »
Does everyone use the $10 a day for phones?
Are there no cheap week/monthly Sims?

I had $10/phone but I really didn't use it as everywhere had free wifi.

Offline E R K

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #474 on: August 13, 2019, 01:07:28 AM »
Nowadays she doesn’t offer non-private tours.

For San Blas? Her website says otherwise. Go under San Blas and it says Awesome Group Daytour. We did not eat the lunch provided wo we brought our own and ate the fruit.

Offline Divora M

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #475 on: August 13, 2019, 08:26:38 AM »
Did you even consider doing Embrera village/Monkey island on your own or is impossible?

I can’t say if it’s impossible or not bc I haven’t gone yet but it does seem like u need a few means of transportation to get to the islands which is probably hard to find. When are you going?

Offline RebTuvia

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #476 on: August 13, 2019, 08:44:57 AM »
I can’t say if it’s impossible or not bc I haven’t gone yet but it does seem like u need a few means of transportation to get to the islands which is probably hard to find. When are you going?
Aug 25-29

Offline Divora M

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #477 on: August 13, 2019, 12:02:57 PM »
Aug 25-29

Nice! Let us know how your trip went!

Offline LastRowMiddleSeat

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #478 on: August 13, 2019, 01:05:25 PM »
Also checked a one way flight for a random date - I found $73.
https://www.airpanama.com/home.php
trying to book a OW flight
What are the airport codes?
I tried putting in PAC-OTD and it says it's not valid

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Panama Master Thread
« Reply #479 on: August 13, 2019, 01:08:04 PM »
trying to book a OW flight
What are the airport codes?
I tried putting in PAC-OTD and it says it's not valid
Try PTY
I'm not who you think I am.