I’ve never understood the birding craze. It is as foreign to me as the whole  ”trekkie” or Star Wars obsession thing, but birding is growing quickly in Panama and it looks like it’s here to stay. So while I can’t exactly get excited about seeing a bird 100 feet up in a  tree somewhere, I [...]

You won't have to wait long before a very professional waiter or waitress approaches you. But while Colombian servers and baristas generally acknowledge your existence in a friendly way, sometimes they forget about you and you, the customer, are not necessary always right.

With its verdant mountains topped with fluffy white clouds that seem close enough to touch and year-round spring-like climate, Boquete is one of the most interesting and magical places in all of Panama.

This past May, I had the opportunity to stay at the Bristol Buenaventura on Panama’s Pacific Coast, about 2.5 hours outside of Panama City. As the Frommer’s Panama Guide writer, I’m always on the lookout for unique, new hotels and was very excited about the much anticipated opening of the Buenaventura. The Buenaventura is located [...]

El Valle de Anton is my favorite place in ll of Panama. At just two hours outside Panama City, it makes a great weekend getaway: Forget skyscrapers and sweltering temperatures; here, it’s all year-round spring-like weather, breathtaking natural beauty and quaint B&Bs, making el Valle one of Panama’s most relaxing and picturesque destinations.

In case you’re wondering why I’ve posted so many Panama posts lately, it’s because I’m currently in Panama updating the 3rd edition Frommer’s Panama Guide. I’ll be traveling around the country for about a month and thought I’d take advantage of my time here to write plenty of Panama-related articles.  You can also check out [...]

Head to Casco Viejo, Panama's attractive historic district, where you'll find plenty of Spanish colonial buildings, handsome churches and fancy restaurants. I recommend heading here in the early morning to avoid the mid-day Panama City heat and humidity. Skip the museums and just stroll around a bit.

This city of sweltering days and sultry nights may be best known for the Panama Canal, but Panama City is quickly becoming one of Central America's favorite adult playground

People often ask me what motivated me to leave the U.S. for Colombia. Most of the time, the askers are Colombians themselves, many of whom would do pretty much anything to get a visa to the U.S. or Canada and can't understand why someone would willingly choose to move to the "disaster" (their words not mine) that is Latin America.

The Comarca Kuna Yala -- or the San Blas Islands as they're better known -- might not be as well known as other Caribbean destinations, but these 365 islands offer some of Latin America's most pristine and unspoilt beaches.