Off the Beaten Path: Excursions in Panama!

Panama is a beautiful country full of diverse landscapes, adventure, and amazing outdoor activities. Our excursions are designed to make the most out of all the exciting things Panama has to offer from tours of Panama City, to visiting the Panama Canal, to zip lining through the jungle. In addition, the excursions will take you to unique places and introduce you to parts of Panama most tourists will never have to opportunity to experience. Here are just a few of my favorite off the beaten path Panama excursions.

Coclé

The first excursion I went on in Panama was to Coclé, a region in the interior of the country just a few hours from Panama City. We boarded the bus bright and early and stopped for a delicious Panamanian breakfast before visiting Natá de los Caballeros (the oldest surviving town in Panama) to tour a nearby archaeological dig site. The next stop on our trip was a rice farm. I thought a rice farm sounded a bit boring, but it ended up being the best part of the day! The family that owned the farm invited us into their home for a delicious lunch before showing us around the rice fields. After learning a lot about rice (which is actually really interesting!) we headed back to their house where we relaxed in hammocks and played with some cute puppies. To end the day, we went horseback riding around the farm and enjoyed the countryside scenery.

Embera Village

One of the most incredible experiences of my life was visiting the Embera tribe on an excursion. After making our way down a bumpy dirt road, we climbed into handmade dugout canoes and headed into the jungle. We meandered our way upstream and finally made it to the Embera village, still untouched by the modern world. We toured the village, which consisted of about a dozen huts, and learned about the Embera culture through song and dance. For lunch, we had fresh fish and plantains cooked over a fire and served on a banana leaf. After spending the afternoon in the village, we climbed back into the canoes and began our journey out of the jungle and back to Panama City. It was such a unique and eye opening experience, we couldn't stop talking about it for weeks!

El Valle

El Valle is a popular mountain town located in an ancient volcanic crater about 2 hours from Panama City. We left early and stopped for some roadside breakfast before beginning our first activity of the day: horseback riding through the mountains. The scenery was absolutely amazing, and even though our horses had some attitude, we had a great time. The next stop on our trip was the El Valle Zoo where we got to hang out with some monkeys, sloths, and the endangered Panamanian Golden Frog. After lunch in town, we set off to the mountains where we hiked to a waterfall. Afterwards, we headed to our last stop of the day, the hot springs, where we relaxed after our hike and got to try some weird volcanic face masks. We enjoyed El Valle so much that we ended up going again a few months later!

Pedasí

Pedasí is a quaint town located on the Azuero Peninsula about 5 hours from Panama City. This excursion was 3 days/2 nights and was one of my favorites because of the wide variety of activities we did. We left Panama City super early Friday morning and headed to our first stop, the Ron Abuelo rum factory. We put on some hard hats and toured the factory. We got to learn about how rum is made and stored. Our next stop was a tuna farm. Your probably thinking “What?? A tuna farm??”. It's okay because those were my exact thoughts as well. Turns out tuna is really interesting! Afterwards we headed to our hostel in Pedasí and explored the town a little bit before having a delicious BBQ and heading to bed early. The next morning we set off for Isla Caña, an isolated beach popular with nesting sea turtles. Next, we headed to Playa Venao, a popular surfing destination in Panama. There was actually a surfing competition going on the day we were there, which was really cool! On our last day in Pedasí we took a 30 minute boat ride to Isla Iguana where we spent the morning and afternoon snorkeling in the crystal clear waters before heading back to Panama City.

 Written by: Lauren Stuart 

“Don’t Miss” Location in London: Brighton

By Viviana Yepes

 It was a late Friday evening and after returning from a relaxing night out at our favorite local pub, I decided to look at the map and pick a random city to explore the following day. My finger landed on the city of Brighton, and boy, was I happy it did. I gathered a group of five friends (shout out to Cecilio, Ally, Amy, Jackie and Brendan!) bought us all some train tickets, and we were off the following Saturday morning at about 9AM taking the train from St Pancras Station. The trip only took about an hour and a half, so we passed the time by talking about what we wanted to do while looking at the beautiful English countryside. Arriving and stepping out of the train station we set our sights on the ocean shore and walked towards it, with no set plan as to what we would do today. I was absolutely determined to at least touch the waters of the English Channel (keep in mind it was still winter and the water was unquestionably freezing). Once at the beach the view was spectacular. We were all so amazed by the stony beach and endless horizon that we were caught off guard and completely soaked by a wave, a freezing but totally hilarious experience!

We decided to stay away from the shore at that point and made our way over to the Brighton Pier, all the while walking near the beach front containing shops and pubs. On our way, we came across a carousel and of course, I had to take a spin. As we walked onto the beautiful Brighton Pier, I had realized I had found my perfect place: the beach, amusement park rides, a world famous fish & chips pub, and loud music. COULD I ASK FOR MORE?! We spent the rest of the day riding rickety roller coasters, dizzy spinning rides, playing in a dark arcade in the middle of the pier (Ally actually won a toy from the claw games! Who does that?!), taking pictures with face-in-the-hole murals, and I ate the best fish & chips of my whole London semester for lunch.  

My friend Amy and I even got stuck at the very top of a loop de loop ride and as they brought us down, we got to see the sunset from the highest point on the Brighton Pier. We finished the day off buying souvenirs and talking to locals telling us to check out the bands playing at some local pubs. We were all exhausted as we got on the train back home and reminisced about all the laughs and fun we had that day. I definitely recommend Brighton to anyone at the London program looking for a fun-filled day and totally different experience from the big city life!

The 5 Breathtaking Towns of Cinque Terre

 By Sarah Jean Ferraris

I first heard of Cinque Terre from my friend, Kelsey Flynn who recommended it. I can’t thank her enough for sharing her experience with me because Cinque Terre is now one of my absolute favorite places in Italy. And if you’re a photographer, this is your dream come true! I’m
paying it forward by telling you that you must put Cinque Terre at top of your list of MUST SEE places while in Italy!

     
Since I was only in Florence for the summer, time was of the essence and I was only able to allot 1 day for this trip. I wish I had more because I could’ve spent a whole week there! Cinque Terre means five villages or towns and my one-day itinerary will help you realize independent travel is not as daunting as it seems.     Keith and I had an early start and took a 7 AM train from Florence to la Spezia. From there you can take a regional train to any of the 5 towns. We stopped first at Manarola which is actually the second town. Manarola has a lot of rocks you can go cliff jumping off of. We took another train to the next town, Corniglia and then we had to climb over 300 steps because it sits at the very top of a promontory. It’s surrounded by beautiful vineyards and terraces. This is a good pit stop to take a break and eat lunch because after you have to hike 2 hours to get to the next town. The hike from Corniglia to Vernazza was my favorite part of the trip. We hiked the coastal, cliff-side trail which meant we got wonderful views of the water. As you approach the picturesque town of Vernazza, you start to see the beautiful, colorful homes and the ruins of a rustic castle. Finally, we took a train to the last town, Monterosso and swam on the beach until it was time to take the train back to Florence. 

 

Cinque Terre is so incredibly beautiful and it will leave you in awe of how spectacular nature is! Cinque Terre will change your life! It changed mine and I’d give anything to go back.

 

 

Must See Places in Panama City

By Lauren Stuart


It’s no secret that the Panamá Canal is the number one tourist attraction in Panamá City.  It is, after all, one of the top man-made wonders of the world and put Panamá on the map.  However, after living and studying in Panamá for the past seven months, I’ve realized the city is home to so much more.  After you beat the crowds at the Miraflores Locks along the Panamá Canal, consider spending some time at one of these places:

Isla Taboga

Group in Isla Taboga

If you’re looking for a fun and easy day trip, Isla Taboga is a must!  Located about 20 km off the coast and known as one of the best beaches in the Panamá City area, Isla Taboga is a top destination for busy city goers looking for a quick break.  It only costs $13 for a round-trip ferry ticket, which is perfect if you’re on a budget.  Ferries leave from the Causeway at 8:30 am and 10:30 am and return at 3 pm and 5 pm every day.  However, it’s not uncommon for the ferries to sell out so make sure you get there at least an hour early.  The island hosts many great activities besides just chilling out on the beach and taking a quick dip in the refreshing water.  There are several hiking trails that take you to the top of a hill and offer incredible views.  You can also explore the adorable town that calls Isla Taboga home and if kayaking is your thing, there is a place where you can rent kayaks for only $4.  Once you work up an appetite, hit up one of the many food carts for some great food.  Or if you’re on a budget, I suggest bringing a cooler full of drinks and snacks.

Isla Taboga

Cerro Ancon

Cerro Ancon

Cerro Ancon is easily recognized for being “that hill with the giant Panamá flag."  Although well known, Cerro Ancon is unfortunately overlooked by most.  Located in Balboa, right next to the Panamá Canal Administration Building, the hill offers an easy morning hike that only takes about 2 hours.  The “trail” is actually a one way road that many people choose to drive up.  However, it is well worth the walk, trust me!  Not to mention, walking is free.  On your way up, be on the lookout for sloths hanging out in the trees above.  Once you reach the top, you are greeted by that giant Panamá flag and rewarded with incredible birds-eye views of the city skyline, Balboa, the Panamá Canal, Casco Viejo, and the Bridge of the Americas.  Once you make it back to the bottom and your stomach is growling, head to Niko’s Café, just down the street from the Administration building.  Niko’s is dirt cheap and has great Panamanian food as well as classics such as sandwiches and french fries. A whole meal including a drink and desert costs about $5 - $8.

View of Cerro Ancon 

Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo is like a European city with a flare of Latin American culture.  It’s one of the oldest neighborhoods in Panamá City and although originally considered a more dangerous area, Casco Viejo has undergone major renovations making it far safer and one of my favorite places in the city.  During the day, make sure you visit the multiple churches located in the town squares and enjoy walking through the narrow European-like streets.  If you’re looking for crafts, check out the Indian market on the walkway right along the coast.  There are many tents set up with Kuna Indians selling homemade crafts such as molas, traditional fabrics full of color.  At night, Casco Viejo transforms and the nightlife heats up.  If you’re looking for a great dinner, I suggest Casa Blanca or Restaurante Diablicos.  Casco Viejo is also home to one of the city’s best bars, Relic, and multiple clubs that will get you dancing.  If you’re looking for another incredible view, walk towards the water at night and watch as the city skyline appears at the end of a narrow cobblestone street.

Casco Viejo