Beaches near the city

Panama Beaches

To begin with all the resorts are unfortunately not as close to the city as one might expect with the nearest one being about 40 minutes drive from the city (http://www.dreamsresorts.com/en_us/resorts/panama/playa-bonita.html). All the other resorts are even further and would require approximately 90 minutes of drive. This being said I would personally not recommend going to any of the public beaches because they are typically overcrowded and don't provide good facilities.  Thus, if you are looking for a day trip to the beach I would recommend buying a day pass in one of the beach resorts. My favorite choices are Sheraton Bijao (https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ptybb-sheraton-bijao-beach-resort%E2%80%93-all-inclusive/) and The Buenaventura Gold & Beach resort (https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ptykp-the-buenaventura-golf-and-beach-resort-panama-autograph-collection/).  Staying over night in either of these hotels won't be significantly more expensive than just buying a day pass, so you can chose to stay there over night as well. Another convenient option to consider is a short-term rent: you can rent a house or an apartment right at the seaside. Some rentals have kosher kitchens which make them rather appealing for longer stays. If you decide to rent a place in Coronado or Santa Clara villages you may choose to attend service in one of the local synagoges (there are two in Coronado and one in Santa Clara). As a heads up I would recommend calling synanogoges in advance to let them know that you are planning to come, because they are likely to ask for the copies of your identification. (#kosher #Panama #beaches)