5 Ways to Party in Panama Like Paris Hilton
Don’t End Up In Jail Like Paris!
I think most of us have it in us. We want to live the high life. Pretend we were fed on a silver spoon our whole lives and are trust fund babies. Maybe some of us are. Most of us probably aren’t. In Panama you can live the dream. Compared to nearly every large North American or European city, Panama is CHEAP.
The Canadian city I am from is nearly half a million people. There are two large colleges and the city nearly doubles during the school year. It’s not New York or LA, but it’s also not a hole-in-the-wall small town. I grew very accustomed to spending at least $70 on a night of imbibing. At that price I wasn’t going anywhere that Paris Hilton would be caught dead in! Most other heiress-like activities were also off limits without saving for a while.
In Panama there are a lot of ways to live the highlife for way less than you would spend at home.
1. Some Hot Bars
Located on Avenieda Balboa in the Radisson hotel, the Decapolis lounge serves up great martinis and delectable sushi. There is a dress code in effect, so remember, no shorts or sandals. This bar is a little bit pricier than some others in Panama, but you can still get tipsy and enjoy a Caesar roll for less than 50 bucks. The decor is decent and though it is in a hotel where you will see lots of other tourists, some of the best looking people in Panama hang out here.
Just around the corner from Calle Uruguay is the popular second floor lounge, Seis. There is a cover charge here, usually about $10 for guys and $5 for girls. The atmosphere is pretty relaxed, but the people come to be seen. Dress your best. There is a good sized deck overlooking the street which is great for catching your significant other hitting the town with someone else. Just be careful not to spill your drink on someone’s head (or at least make sure you aim well).
2. A Bottle of Wine on Isla Iguana
Private and pristine, Isla Iguana is in the province of Los Santos. Find a local boat owner in Pedasi and shell out the $50 round trip fare to this incredible island. It’s just half an hour from shore and if you go in the right season you can catch a glimpse of dolphins and humpback whales. The island is very quiet and often you can find yourself alone. The beach is pure white coral and the water, crystal clear. Take a decent bottle of wine with you and enjoy the sunset. Warning: You won’t feel very luxurious once you have to get rid of all the wine you consumed. The only bathroom on the island is an outhouse.
3. Spa Day!
Panama has a number of great spas with even better prices. Spend an afternoon at the Decapolis or Veneto spa enjoying a massage, mani-pedi or facial. Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit for the hot tubs and steam rooms that both offer as an after-spa treat. Specialty teas and cucumber water are also on tap. Take a date (both have romantic double rooms) and you will still be paying less than half of what you would in the US at a similar spa.
4. Go Pool Hopping
Have no plans on a sunny Sunday afternoon? Hit up one of the hotels in Panama City. A handful have nice, outdoor, upper floor pools. There’s always a bar next to the pool, and often they will serve you while you are in the water. It’s quite possible that you will be sharing the pool with an older tourist and his purchased weekend girlfriend, but that’s part of the fun! This shouldn’t cost you much more than your margarita intake, but if the staff realize you are not staying there, they may ask for a small “pool fee”.
5. Go Shopping With Your Nanny
The best time to hit Multiplaza Mall is on Saturday. Take your little ones and make sure the nanny is wearing her nurse’s uniform. What? Your nanny doesn’t have a nurse’s uniform? Rush out and buy one quick! It’s only way people will be able to realize you are a high roller and set you apart from the “regular” people with nannies who wear jeans. Don’t worry about the kids interfering while you perusing Cartier, the nanny will do all the work. You won’t have to change diapers or even push the stroller.
How do you spend time in Panama, living life larger than you could in your home country?
Photo Courtesy of www.kotke.org
| Written by Rebecca Tyre |  |
This post's rating:
(2 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
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Filed under: Country Guide, Culture, Reviews on June 17th, 2008
Hi Rebecca,
I think you “forgot” to mention having dinner in a fancy restaurant every other night, hehehehe. Now, if you could only find a place that knows how to make a good Caesar… (And you know what I am referring to!)
Cheers!
There are rich people in most countries who require the young maid/nanny girl to wear a uniform, even it it may be other clothes. I remember, not many years ago (late 2004 or something), watching a television program some years ago about a 16 year old (or something like that, at least in her late teens/early 20’s) live-in maid/nanny girl in Hamburg, Germany (or something). She had to wear a white long sleeved blouse and a black knee-length skirt, white waist apron and black high-healed footwear and for the most dirty work a white full-length apron was required. Also, a nametag was included. She also had to have short hair (or at leat a pony tail), appears polite curtsey in front of her employer too. The girl really hated it. Recently (mid 2008) I saw a following up interview and she still worked there and was treatened the same way (I don’t say she was treatened very bad, waitress girls also have to wear uniforms). She wanted to leave but had not much money (low wage), and hard to find another work because she was low-educated.