Discover the pulse of Panama City on a 4-hour urban food walk with a local blogger.

The Panama Detour is for people that like spontaneous adventure and getting to know a city through its food, drinks, and streets. The cost is $65 / person and includes a guided tour, 4-5 food & drink stops, umbrellas during the wet season, and public transportation costs.

Highlights

4-5 food & drink stops included
Explore at least 3 distict neighborhoods
Get the best insider tips to Panama during the tour
Use public transportation like a local
Small groups with a maximum of 8 people

BOOK NOW FOR $65/PERSON

Experience Panama City Like A Local

I’m Joey, an expat and local blogger in Panama City, Panama. I’ve decided to go from writing about Panama City to actually showing people the ins and out of this hot metropolis. I don’t like to refer to what I’m doing as a “tour” but more of an experience. The tour started with just me showing people around but now I have a crew of insiders that you can consider are your new friends to help you uncover the secrets of the city.

Photo by Juris Kornets, Natural Selections Photography

What we’ll do

Be ready to walk and eat a lot for this tour! Our day will start in the historic Casco Viejo neighborhood where we will do a quick walk around of important sites and visit one of my favorite restaurants that’s taking Panamanian cuisine to the next level to sample a few of their creative dishes.

From here we will get off the beaten path and head to the super local Santa Ana neighborhood to see vibrant street art and walk down Panama City’s only pedestrian avenue.

Then for sunset, we will be on a rooftop bar sipping on cocktails and eating ceviche while watching the sun go down over the city.

For our last stop, we are going to use public transport in Panama City and ride the underground metro to the city center to have the best street empanadas. Then for our last stop we will either try Geisha, the world’s most expensive coffee or a local craft beer brewery based on what the group prefers.

*Note: This is a sample itinerary , and stops may be different based on what’s open for the day, special requests from the group, or dietary restrictions.

Sign Up

The cost to go on the tour is just $65 / person with a maximum of 8 people and will last approximately 4 hours. The cost includes a guided tour of Panama City, 4-5 food & drink stops, transportation costs during the tour (bus, metro & Uber rides), umbrellas in case it rains, and hotel pickup and drop off if you’re staying in Panama City. If you are booking a solo tour, you may be combined with another solo traveler or small group, but there will always be a maximum of 8 people to keep it intimate. Please let me know if you have a larger group than eight people and we might be able to accommodate everyone but I prefer to maintain the groups as small as possible. To avoid the worst heat of the day the tours begin at 4 pm because this is when the city starts to cool down.

While the cost of the tour is $65, most people on my tour end up saving that much money by the end of their trip by learning the local secrets of where to eat, drink, get around, and not get ripped off. This is a great tour on the first day of your trip so that you can use your new local knowledge for the remainder of your stay.

If you’re ready to begin your experience, BOOK NOW or send me an email to hola@pty.life to coordinate.

BOOK NOW FOR $65/PERSON

Where We Meet

The tour meets in the lobby of Tantalo Hotel in Casco Viejo at 4 pm on the day you booked. Feel free to arrive early to Casco Viejo and walk around before the tour if you have have time. The end point of the tour varies based on the guide’s route but will be somewhere central where you will easily be able to get an Uber or taxi back to your hotel.

The outside of Tantalo Hotel, please meet in the lobby at 4 pm

FAQ

How much time should I set aside for the tour?

Approximately 4 hours.

How do we get around during the tour?

We do a lot of walking, but we will also utilize different forms of the city’s transportation options to get to certain spots (bus, metro, Uber, or taxi). The cost of transportation is covered during the tour.

Do I need to be super fit for this tour?

You do not need to be super fit but we typically walk 4-miles during the tour (with breaks in between), so you need to be able to cover this much ground.

How much does the tour cost?

The cost is $65 / person. This includes a guided tour of Panama City, sampling local food & drinks, transportation costs during the tour (bus, metro & Uber rides), umbrellas in case it rains.

Can I bring my kids on the tour?

It’s not recommended to bring kids on the tour since we will be walking a lot in very hot and humid weather, eating local food they may not like, and visiting bars. If you would like to bring a kid, it’s still full price and please make sure they do not disturb other group members.

Do we eat during the tour?

We will typically spend the day sampling local food, drinks, coffee, and beer and you’ll most likely be full by the end.

How many people are on each tour?

The tours are conducted with a minimum of 1 person and a maximum of 8 people. If you have a bigger group, we might be able to accommodate everyone, but we prefer to keep the groups as small as possible. Sometimes I will combine groups (a group of 1 and a group of 3 for example), but it will always be a maximum of 8 people.

What do I need to bring for the tour?

Just wear comfortable clothing and sneakers/trainers (remember we walk a lot!). If possible, please try to avoid bringing large cameras since we will be going to some of the more local/gritty areas of Panama City. And please bring water because it’s hot!

Where do we meet and at what time?

How can I reserve my spot on the Panama Detour or get more info?

Click BOOK NOW at the top of the page or write to me at hola@pty.life.