Author Topic: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!  (Read 97342 times)

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #120 on: February 16, 2018, 09:14:55 AM »
Wow, this is great.

But I'm not sure they really understand Jews. On the one hand, half of the conversation is about food, which is good. On the other hand, they say "When we have kosher visitors we only do group tours with other kosher visitors so you feel more comfortable." Do that not know that the last thing a Jew on vacation wants to see is another Jew ;D?
Yea, they probably don't get that.
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Offline BarryLincoln

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #121 on: February 16, 2018, 09:53:11 AM »
Just came back und used soray and was super happy. We had a amazing time and alot of the pictures (with 6 boys) are mine
There is a new restaurant aria right across the street of the sortis, probably our favourite in panama
we Did san blas for 2 days as well
Did you overnight in San Blas?  If so, what was that like?

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #122 on: February 16, 2018, 11:44:48 AM »
Did you overnight in San Blas?  If so, what was that like?

+1 I’d love to hear about doing that with all your kids. My kids really want to when we return but I was nervous. Did you even have electricity? Sorhay, gave you a cooler for all your stuff for two days?  Maybe, I’d bring one of those porta-grill.

Offline BarryLincoln

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #123 on: February 16, 2018, 12:48:36 PM »
+1 I’d love to hear about doing that with all your kids. My kids really want to when we return but I was nervous. Did you even have electricity? Sorhay, gave you a cooler for all your stuff for two days?  Maybe, I’d bring one of those porta-grill.

When we were there in July, we met a small group of frum people from Panama that were overnighting in San Blas.  Noticed a talis/tefilin bag and started shmoozing with one of them... they had tents and brought a cooler of food... definitely doable but you have to be comfortable with the primitive conditions...

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #124 on: February 20, 2018, 05:27:10 PM »
Wow, this is great.

But I'm not sure they really understand Jews. On the one hand, half of the conversation is about food, which is good. On the other hand, they say "When we have kosher visitors we only do group tours with other kosher visitors so you feel more comfortable." Do that not know that the last thing a Jew on vacation wants to see is another Jew ;D?

That IS funny and SO true! I think what she is trying to say is "you don't have to worry about us mixing up your kosher food and we know you don't like to swim around lots of strangers" although I should probably explain to her that as much as I hated when the tour group walked up when we were swimming in the waterfall it would have been way weirder to have them be frum people!  She took my friends to Los Portobellos and my friend posted on Facebook her shock at two other frum families being on the beach with another guide and although I know my friend would never mean anything badly toward another person, the look on her face was utter horror! :P

When we were there in July, we met a small group of frum people from Panama that were overnighting in San Blas.  Noticed a talis/tefilin bag and started shmoozing with one of them... they had tents and brought a cooler of food... definitely doable but you have to be comfortable with the primitive conditions...

Yeah, that kind of travel is not for me...I need Air Conditioning...LOL...hence, I also can't go to @Something Fishy's awesome private island.  I'm leaning more and more toward sending my older kids to San Blas with their adventurous Grandparent (yep, same person that dragged me all over the world as a kid and traumatized me so that now I need a little luxury, but hey it's good for kids).   ;D

Offline saw50st8

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #125 on: February 21, 2018, 06:39:27 AM »

Yeah, that kind of travel is not for me...I need Air Conditioning...LOL...hence, I also can't go to @Something Fishy's awesome private island.  I'm leaning more and more toward sending my older kids to San Blas with their adventurous Grandparent (yep, same person that dragged me all over the world as a kid and traumatized me so that now I need a little luxury, but hey it's good for kids).   ;D


Definitely send the kids. It's incredible. Or do a day trip? You don't get the utter overnight quiet but you see a lot!

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #126 on: February 23, 2018, 12:39:56 PM »
Definitely send the kids. It's incredible. Or do a day trip? You don't get the utter overnight quiet but you see a lot!

Thanks for the insight, yeah it'll most likely be just a day trip and I'll stay home with the littlest, that I don't think can handle that long and windy drive there and back in one day.

Offline sruliL

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #127 on: March 14, 2018, 04:04:52 PM »
Wow, what an amazing TR!! I think Panama just moved to #1 on my list for next trip!
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Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #128 on: March 21, 2018, 03:21:12 PM »
Wow, what an amazing TR!! I think Panama just moved to #1 on my list for next trip!

Thanks!  I hope you go and have a blast!

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #129 on: July 04, 2018, 12:39:34 AM »
I’m back in Panama right now, in a different hotel, with lots of new excursions and restaurants so once I’m home, I’ll hopefully have lots to add here!  :)

Offline zow

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #130 on: July 04, 2018, 10:06:15 PM »
I’m back in Panama right now, in a different hotel, with lots of new excursions and restaurants so once I’m home, I’ll hopefully have lots to add here!  :)
Can't wait!
We are ticketed for February vacation 2019, staying at the Sortis, so your info will be of great help to us.

Offline brodes18

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #131 on: July 04, 2018, 10:28:17 PM »
Can't wait!
We are ticketed for February vacation 2019, staying at the Sortis, so your info will be of great help to us.

I just got back from there last week. Great place, great food.

Offline Tzadik Nistar

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #132 on: July 04, 2018, 11:53:38 PM »
I’m back in Panama right now, in a different hotel, with lots of new excursions and restaurants so once I’m home, I’ll hopefully have lots to add here!  :)
How is the weather in the summer? Is it very humid and hot?

Online Something Fishy

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #133 on: July 05, 2018, 12:29:14 AM »
How is the weather in the summer? Is it very humid and hot?

Yup.
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Offline saw50st8

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #134 on: July 05, 2018, 08:20:20 AM »
I don't think humid and hot even begin to describe it....

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #135 on: July 06, 2018, 12:33:33 AM »
I don't think humid and hot even begin to describe it....

I’m here now and although it’s humid it’s way cooler and more pleasant than most of the East Coast as it doesn’t top 85 degrees!  Also because it’s rainy season and cloudier I actually think it’s cooler than my last trip in Februrary.


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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #136 on: July 06, 2018, 12:42:02 AM »
On another note, we went to Islas Las Perlas (they have a ferry from Panama City) and it was truly spectacular and I enjoyed it way more than San Blas. I’m excited to post pictures and a write up when I’m back on a computer as I think so many families will enjoy it and I don’t think it’s been written about on DDF.  The scenery is amazing, you can easily get a boat to take you to your own private beach on an uninhabited island and the archipelago is where humpback whales mate and give birth so we got to get close to and watch them too!

Also, I’ll try to give details about restaurants near Sortis (and other ones too that haven’t been mentioned) for all the people coming soon!  :)

Offline brotha123

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #137 on: July 22, 2018, 05:20:00 PM »
On another note, we went to Islas Las Perlas (they have a ferry from Panama City) and it was truly spectacular and I enjoyed it way more than San Blas. I’m excited to post pictures and a write up when I’m back on a computer as I think so many families will enjoy it and I don’t think it’s been written about on DDF.  The scenery is amazing, you can easily get a boat to take you to your own private beach on an uninhabited island and the archipelago is where humpback whales mate and give birth so we got to get close to and watch them too!

Also, I’ll try to give details about restaurants near Sortis (and other ones too that haven’t been mentioned) for all the people coming soon!  :)
Coming this week with 3 friends! Waiting for the new TR:)

Offline Denverite

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #138 on: July 30, 2018, 07:43:00 PM »
Coming this week with 3 friends! Waiting for the new TR:)

So slammed with work, I'm gonna try to at least upload pictures.  I saw in another thread you got an upgrade at the Sortis for a 1BR...isn't it the best points redemption deal ever?!  I just love the place.  I hope you went to all the restaurants nearby.

Offline brotha123

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Re: Panama TR- a Hidden Family Gem (w/AWESOME restaurants)!
« Reply #139 on: July 30, 2018, 11:25:31 PM »
So slammed with work, I'm gonna try to at least upload pictures.  I saw in another thread you got an upgrade at the Sortis for a 1BR...isn't it the best points redemption deal ever?!  I just love the place.  I hope you went to all the restaurants nearby.
Sortis is great.. payed a friend $85 for 15k points.. Kava sushi was unreal and I loved Aria as well... just leaving there now actually! Moma was also very solid. Got a solid steak with side dish for only $18..