One of the highlights of our trip was amazing cuisine and coffee in Panama. It began with our coffee tour in Boquete and our knowledgable guide Plinio, who has working in the sustainable tourism industry for the last fifteen years. He continues to work diligently in his community to promote tourism and to bring excellent service.
We toured Finca Lerida first - one of the main coffee plantations around Boquete.
The coffee was magnificent. We tasted a type of bean called the Geisha coffee and it runs roughly between $30-$100 per pound. I could see why after sipping it - a very smooth and robust type of coffee. It made me feel alert but not like my heart would jump out of my chest.
Our second stop was the much smaller local production at Finca La Milagrosa where Plinio used to work as a teenager years ago. He showed us the process from handpicked and sorting the fruit, to washing the beans, to roasting and grinding.
My favorite part to watch was the coffee washing process (see below). It was fascinating to learn that all the machines were invented by the owner who used tractor pieces, car parts, and other machinery around the farm to invent his own devices. The coffee was widely rejected by the Panamanian distributors for years. It was much later that the owner was approach by a businessman from Japan who loved the coffee and wanted to purchase his coffee exclusively. The Panamanian companies realized their mistake too late. Matt and I ended up purchasing several bags of coffee for friends and family to take home.
Also in Boquete, we had the chance to tour an organic lettuce farm behind our hotel Villa Marita. They supply the majority of the organic lettuce in Panama City. The watering system developed by them enabled the farm to recycle 90% of their water back into the system.
In Panama City I was surprised that our guide took us to the mall at Albrook for typical Panama cuisine. We went to El Trapiche and it was a fantastic meal in the end. When we walked in, the restaurant was packed with Panamanians instead of tourists so that was a good sign. We ordered a dish that had a little bit of everything on it. They had fried plantains, something like a pork rind, fried rice, and something similar to creamed corn. One of my favorites on the plate was something called a Carimañola (lower righthand side on plate below). It was fried yucca (the consistency of mashed potatoes) on the outside with cheese and ground beef on the inside. Another favorite were the Almojábanos - an S shaped corn and cheese fritter (upper middle of plate). We also tried a wonderful drink with lemon and honey. This is where Matt tried his first Balboa beer. It is darker and has more substance than the other Panama beer they also serve.
Our best breakfast of the trip was on Villa Marita in Boquete. We had been traveling for about 48 hours straight before arriving to the hotel the night before. So we slept in until eleven the following morning and then walked up to the main house. One of the desk attendants greeted us and asked if we were hungry - Yes! She called in the cook who took down our order in Spanish with a few English words she had picked up. The end result was great! Pancakes, omelette with ham and cheese, fresh fruit, pineapple juice, and amazing coffee. I really like the soft white cheese on the side as well. I mixed it with some jam on the pancakes and it was the perfect blend of savory and sweet.
Our last meal at Traquilo Bay was chicken and pasta. They try very hard to cater to the tastes of Americans and make them feel at home in the lodge. So the majority of the cuisine at Tranquilo was American. They always began with a soup or salad option, following by a main course, and dessert at the end. After working with their kitchen staff over the last decade or so, Renee said they had now found a good system to purchase and cook these types of foods. The owners and their family along with the entire staff ate the same meal that was prepared for guests.
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.