Well, think again. 

 

Panama is an isthmus that appears to be north to south but actually runs east to west. It is one of two main isthmuses in the world that are links between continents and barriers between seas. The Eastern Hemisphere has the Isthmus of Suez; the Western Hemisphere has Panama.  It is the land bridge between North and South America and is often called The Crossroads of the Americas.

 

Panama is famous for the "Big Ditch": the 44 nautical miles that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans that took 32 years to complete and claimed 22,000 lives. It takes about nine hours for one ship to transit; between 30 to 40 make the trip each day; an average of 13,700 that pass through each year. Ferdinand de Lesseps, who built the Suez Canal,  conceived and started the building of the Panama Canal. And one of the workers was the painter Gauguin when he was 39.

 

But Panama is more than the Canal. In this country, that is about one fifth the size of the state of California, there are 12 national parks and 19 other protected areas; two mountains chains with the highest peak reaching 10,400 high; some of the most remote and some of the most accessible rainforest in the world; 480 rivers; innumerable beaches; 940 species of birds (more than all of North America); and, yes, islands - 1518 islands to be exact.

 

On the Pacific coast side of Panama, in the Golfo de Chiriqui, is Boca Brava, home to one of Panama's "Island Getaway" spots, the Boutique Hotel and Island Resort of Cala Mia.

 

     

 

Cala Mia has only 11 bungalows, each with its own thatched roof "rancho" (a porch of sorts) and each within 30 feet of the water. Furniture, materials and woodwork are home designed and handcrafted by local artisans.

 

There is a bar-restaurant on the highest point of a small peninsula offering breathtaking vistas of the surrounding islands and bays, and views of the resort's private beach and the 180 degree infinity edge freshwater pool. A small island, accessible by hanging bridge, houses a spa and yoga excercise area.

 

How to get here? Take a one hour flight from Panama City to David, then a five minute transfer to the port followed by a 50 minute boat ride to Boca Brava.

 

Once here, what to do? Horseback riding, sailing, kayaking, surfing, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing and birdwatching are activites at or nearby the resort that can keep you plenty busy. Or lull away time on the beaches on the many nearby small islands, explore the mangrove estuaries, and of course just relax on the resort's beach or by the infinity pool.

 

Visit Panama City, both old and new, to learn Panama's colorful history, visit the Panama Canal, explore the cool highlands of Chiriqui and then add on Boca Brava and Cala Mia to decompress, re-assess and re-new.