Useful Phrases:   Hello! Hola!   Cup Taza Goodbye Adiós   Sugar Azucar Please Por favor   Breakfast Desayuno Thank You Gracias   Lunch Almuerzo Yes Si   Dinner Cena Sorry Lo siento   Beef Carne My apologies Perdón   Steak Bistec May I? Permiso?   Chicken Pollo How much is it? Cuanto cuesta?   Coffee Café Do you speak English? Habla inglés?   With Milk Con Leche Good morning Buenos dias   Wine Vino Good afternoon Buenos tardes   Entrance Entrada Good evening/night Buenos noches   Exit Salida Bye/See you soon Hasta luego   Open Abierto One beer, please Una cervza, por favor   Closed Cerrado The bill, please La cuenta, por favor   Toilets Baňos Are there any rooms available? Hay habitaciones libres?   Water agua   Recommendations (this is by no means a complete list, but will simply give you some highlights of the areas I visited.  I have not even scratched the surface with regards to exploring Panama): Panama City - This city of 1-million inhabitants is much like any other large city.  It has many tall buildings, lots of traffic (including lots of honking horns), many shops & restaurants, and tons of people. Accommodations:  Marriott Panama A modern high-rise hotel in the heart of downtown Panama City, within the banking district Only a few blocks to the Pacific Ocean Centrally located, so relatively quick cab rides to most attractions Clean, large, highly stocked gym Outdoor pool & hot-tub Car Rental (Hertz) desk in lobby Places to see: Casco Viejo - The beginning neighbourhood of Panama City, after pirates burned down the original settlement (Panama Viejo).  This area is full of character and history, and houses the Presidential Palace and National Theatre.  However, this can be a dangerous area at night.  Visit during the day, and seek out a "tourist police" officer who will usually take you personally to the best sites, and will explain their significance along the way. Amador Causeway - A short drive past Casco Viejo is the entrance to the Amador Causeway, a narrow strip of land jutting out into the bay.  The Causeway was built to connect three small islands (the last of which still has a US military base at the top of a hill) and gives a spectacular view of the entire downtown waterfront.  The Causeway is also full of great places to eat or just relax, and makes a great place for a walk or run. Panama Canal (Miraflores Locks) - A 20-minute drive to the Miraflores Locks.  The visitor center has a nice restaurant and bar, with a patio overlooking the locks. Gamboa Rainforest - A further 15-minutes drive north of the Miraflores locks.  This is an actual rainforest, with indigenous tribes, about 30-minutes from downtown Panama City.  Elevated tram rides through the canopy are available, and they lead to an observation tower on top of the largest hill in the area, giving impressive views of the canal and surrounding area.  The Gamboa Rainforest Resort (www.gamboaresort.com) is a very large, beautiful resort near the entrance to the rainforest.  It has a large pool, restaurant, and many other amenities. Restaurants: Eurasia - On Calle 48, in the Bella Vista district.  Not easy to find, but well worth it.  This a fancy restaurant that is created out of an old colonial home in the middle of downtown Panama City. Habibi's - On Calle Ricardo Arias in the Bella Vista district.  Lebanese food on a beautiful street-level patio.  You can even order a hookah pipe.   Cerro Punta - a small farming town high in the mountains of Chiriqui Province (altitude: 1800m).  The people are very friendly, and the town has tons of character. Accommodations - Hotel Los Quetzales - Small, beautiful inn with hotel rooms and cabins - Clean rooms and a nice rustic restaurant   Boquete - a slightly larger town high in the mountains of Chiriqui Province (altitude: 1060m).  Extremely friendly people and an awesome little town with great restaurants and accommodations. What to do: - Zip-Line Tree Trek - An exciting zip-line through a cloud forest canopy high atop a nearby mountain.  Reservations can be made at Aventuras Del Istmo (the store with the green sign).  This is well worth it! - Hiking near Volcan Baru - this rainforest surrounds the extinct volcano Baru, Panama's highest point (where you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean at the same point on a clear day). Restaurants:  Bistro Boquete - Fantastic low-key bistro in the centre of town. Accommodations: Boquete Country Inn - A nice inn on the main street just south of the centre of town.   El Valle (altitude: 1000m) - a nice, slightly more upscale mountain town in the middle of a 5km wide volcanic crater What to do: - The handicrafts market in the middle of town - The hike in the rainforest past El Macho waterfall   Las Lajas - a large beach along the Pacific coast in Chiriqui Province.  You'll have it pretty much to yourself on weekdays.   Santa Clara - a beautiful beach only a 40-minute drive from Panama City, in Coclé Province.  As with Las Lajas, you'll have the beach to yourself on weekdays. Accommodations - There isn't much in Santa Clara, but the Las Sirenas resort is right on the beach and is very nice.  You get a small house to stay in, which includes a kitchen, patio and bar-b-que.  There is also a hammock on every patio.  There is no onsite restaurant. Restaurants - A 5-minute walk down the beach gets you to Las Veraneras, another hotel, but this one has an outdoor restaurant right on the beach.   Map Source:  http://www.worldheadquarters.com