Stay TripPen Travel

Panama

This was my first-time spending time in Panama, I’d had a couple of layovers here in the past when visiting countries in South America. Initially, when I planned this trip, I intended it to be dedicated entirely to exploring Medellin however, Copa Airlines which is based in Panama City offers its passengers a “stop-over” in Panama City with no extra-charge. In essence, a “stop-over is an extended layover that can last several hours to several days. I chose to “stop-over” for 4 days and see what the country had to offer. My expectations of the country weren’t that high. They were based on the perceptions of stories that I had been told through Hollywood and news media outlets. You know…military, guerrilla warfare, Panama Canal, Noriega, CIA…etc.…I think one of the greatest benefits of traveling is that erases the box that you put your “nouns” (People, Places, Things) in. To visit and breathe the same air with people, to eat, laugh, cry, love, dance, drink, and simply let down your guard and relate to others as human beings. The generalizations disappear…you view peoples, hopes…aspirations…plights…more clearly and more compassionately…The stereotypes become idiotic…the individuals become real, warm blooded, created by the same creator that created you… Wanting the same things for themselves that we want for ourselves and our families…   

Cerro Azul

I’m not much into extreme sports like bungee jumping, sky diving, rock climbing, or really anything dealing with heights but riding 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, motorcycles, jet skis, that’s right up my alley! Traveling solo, I was unable to book a couple of the jungle ATV tours that were offered on Trip Advisor, Viator, or Airbnb. But where there is a will, there is a way. I found a private agency YC in Panama that I reached out to via email…they linked me with Blue Hill Cabins ATV in Cerro Azul, Panama. About an hour ride from Panama City. Cerro Azul sits in a mountainous rural area about 30 minutes north of the bustling small city of Tocumen, Panama. The ride can be a bit stressful during rush hour…road work, buses, motor bikes, congest the transit…fortunately the captivating scenery outside of my Uber was enough of distraction that my normal mild anxiety/road rage impulses were quelled. I think I held my Insta 360 X3 camera out of the window for half of the ride because I didn’t want to forget all of the beauty that the countryside held…Upon arrival, my tour guide Jose was waiting on me (the group that I was supposed to go out with had already left because I was about 2 hours late…story of my life)…Greeted by about 4 barking dogs, that looked like they were probably strays who decided to stay because the occupant of the home kept feeding them…I shook hands with Jose, signed my waiver and we were off…we rode maybe a half of a mile up a paved road on the mountain and made a right turn onto a rugged dirt road…into the jungle. Lush green canopies, streams, wickedly steep drop offs, mud puddles, and swim pools where small fish could be seen eating algae…the natural beauty of Cerro Azul was breathtaking…there were people who had homes built on the side of mountains deep into the woods…seemingly as far away from civilization as one could get. I drove most of the way with one hand, partly because the mount that held my 360 camera kept slipping and also in part because I was holding my cell phone trying to film all of this heavenly glory…after about a 30 minute ride through the jungle we made our way back to the main road and drove up to the top of the mountain where the views were just as epic…The townspeople were sitting on their porches, conversing and rocking in their chairs as if time and space was nonexistent…Jose and I waved…they sent back a friendly wave…we revved our engines and kept moving…eventually Jose realized that I wasn’t a novice to this whole ATV riding thing and he began to show off lol…riding down the mountain, one foot planted on the back of the ATV and the other in the air…I can dig this…

Do yourself a favor and book this tour if you’re in Panama. They can be reached on WhatsApp.

+507-6735-7535 or IG @bluehillcabins Tell them I sent ya!