Colón is a dump, simply put. Once a model city known for its beauty and class, it’s now notorious in Panama for its high crime rate thanks to decades of economic depression.
A good place to start exploring the small peninsula that is occupied by Casco Viejo is at Plaza de Francia. It sits at the very end of Casco Viejo.
Take the metro to Plaza 5 de Mayo and take a walk down Avenida Central for an authentic look at life in Panama City. Many tourists only see the two historic districts and the modern parts of town, but this is a good look at the REAL Panama City.
Modern with a taste of tradition. Cosmopolitan yet distinctly Panamanian. Great food and nightlife. Panama City has a little of everything and makes for both a great long weekend getaway and an extended stay. With innovative architecture and amount of money flowing through the city, it’s earning its aspiration to become the “Dubai of Latin America”, although there is a long way to go.
I’ll be honest with you. Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World), a touristic “city” within San Antonio de Pichincha, is a cheesy tourist trap. Its large 30m tall monument is said to be exactly on the equator but is actually about 240m off the mark (nobody looking at the pictures of you straddling the yellow line has to know).
Otavalo is a very touristy town with a proud indigenous culture. The main attractions in the town are the markets, which sell anything from traditional handicrafts to knock-off imports and fresh fruits and vegetables to live animals.
Our tour of La Guajira began when our guide, Pedro, picked us up in our hotel in Santa Marta at 4:45AM. We were driven a few hours away to Riohacha, the gateway to and capital of La Guajira. We had breakfast and changed vehicles to a large pickup truck with our Wayúu driver.