Two Oceans, Two World Heritage Sites

With New York less than five hours away and direct flights from seven other North American cities, it's a quick trip, made even quicker by your access to the diplomatic arrival service that whisks you through customs, along the Pacific Ocean past the dizzying skyline and into the charm of Panama City's quickly revitalizing old quarter, where you will base for two nights out of the lovingly restored Las Clementinas, a six-room, all-suite 1930s hotel with a view to die for that wallpaper* recently called one of Latin America's best or; The Canal House, a restored turn of the century mansion with 3 unique rooms. The old quarter--a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique mix of architectural styles that give you instant insight into Panama's Spanish, French, Chinese, American, and Caribbean influences--is the kind of place where hip galleries and gourmet ceviche restaurants co-exist effortlessly alongside raspado (shaved ice) carts and traditional barber shops offering $2 haircuts. Most flights arrive in the early evening, which gives plenty of time for a stroll around the old quarter, followed by dinner and a mojito on one of the plazas.

Enjoy a cafe con leche or a delicious cappuccino with your breakfast (sip it slowly--the world's most in-demand coffee comes from Panama) before taking a 30 minute drive through the rain forest to the edge of the Panama Canal, where you'll spend half a day exploring the lush waterway that strikes the seemingly impossible balance of being both a key to global trade and one of the most bio-diverse places on earth. On the way back, stop at the Miraflores Locks for a late afternoon beer in the observatory overlooking the mechanical ballet that Frank Gerhery once called a "kinetic sculpture, an incredible experience."

As you ease out of Panama City, Latin hustle gives way to a distinctively Caribbean rhythm. Incredibly, crossing the isthmus takes less than an hour by car, which gives you time to detour past the haunting cliff-top ruins of Fort San Lorenzo before heading on to the town of Portobello, where a beaming boatman waits to take you across the bay to El Otro Lado (literally, "the other side"), a private retreat surrounded by rain forest and fronting a bay Christopher Columbus adored so much he christened it "Portobello" ("beautiful port") and UNESCO protected as a World Heritage Site. Stepping off the launch it's clear that El Otro Lado is truly a labor of love. The balance this private retreat strikes between elegance and playfulness speaks to the well-traveled owners' passion for a unique lifestyle they have cultivated over the decades in this once forgotten Panamanian village. The retreat is intimate--only four cabins--and the staff has a warm but unobtrusive style that comes from years of working for the family and their guests. If you can resist the temptation to just find a secluded hammock and read all day there is plenty to occupy your two days at El Otro Lado. In addition to exploring the retreat's lush grounds, the must dos include the short boat ride to the retreat's private beach (the chef packs a mean picnic basket!) and a visit to the studio of Panama's photographer laureate, Sandra Eleta, whose years of living and working with the village's youth is beginning to produce some of Panama's most interesting talents. At the end of your fourth day you'll board the historic Panama Canal Railway at the Colon station and be back in Panama City in time for dinner in Casco Viejo and your final night in Panama City at Las Clementinas or The Canal House.

Departure. If there's time, we'd recommend a visit to Carlos Weil's gallery before heading to the airport. His decades working with indigenous artisans has masterfully bridged the gap between art and artesania and almost no one can leave his cramped, eclectic gallery without finding the perfect gift to take home.