Panamá, the undiscovered paradise, by Esther Santos.

Last year, I had the opportunity of meet Panama. My Friends and I were searching our holiday destination and, between three possible options: Thailand, Dominican Republic and Panama we finally choose the last destination. Totally undiscovered for us, we organized our trip from different forums and recommendations.

We arrived to Panama City on the first of November, and we were amazed with its Bay (really in Spanish it is Cinta Costera, but I don’t find any translation according to this), and its stunning buildings along kilometres. The most famous quarter of Panama City is called “Barrio Viejo”, and its buildings, parks and squares are colonial style and when you walk, you feel you’re walking in La Havana.

But the surprising part of the trip for us started when we traveled to San Blas islands. There is an “archipiélago” composed of 400 island (yes, 400), from which only 40 are inhabited! If you imagine these islands in your mind, easily you can image the paradise, and that is true, WE WERE IN PARADISE. There it is forbidden to build any kind of industrial construction so people live there in little cabins.

Every morning, when we woke up we could listen to the waves and with only opening the door of our cabin we were in the beach, I promise this experience is really, really magic because you’re in contact with nature every moment. It’s not necessary to tell there isn’t mobile connection there, so the telephone is used only for taking photos and playing music. Another inexplicable experience is, people that live there are natives, typical Panama natives! With their habits, costumes, culture, traditional foods and never-ending stories told by them, UNBELIEVABLE!

 In addition, we had the opportunity to visit several islands, more or less famous, and more or less deserted. All islands are the typical mini-islands that you can see in a Caribbean postal card, with four or five palmers, White sand and blue tropical sea. We saw different types of animals that we are not used to seeing here in Europe, such as baby turtles running from their egg shells to the sea, starfishes, tropical fishes… Now I can only tell you the experience was magical.

So if you have the opportunity to  travel to this beautiful place, please don’t doubt it, you’ll never forget it. I love Panama!