Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 269-4626; Av 5a B Sur, Bella Vista)
The lion's den of karaoke, this older club has no cov-
er, you just have to consume a drink and muster the courage to croon under the disco
rays.
Zona Viva
CLUB
(Causeway)
On the Causeway, this closed compound hosts nightlife spots ranging from
dance clubs to low-key watering holes. Pick your theme, be it pirate bar or Egyptian
club. For some it's
pura racataca
(without class), for others it's a fishbowl of fun. Since
ID is checked at the complex gate it's considered more secure than most.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
PANAMA CITY AFTER DARK
Panama City's nightlife scene is arguably the most diverse in Central America. It is
a mishmash of martini bars, historic lounges, casinos, strip joints and secret un-
derground haunts, all of which generally start thumping around midnight and shut
down when people are ready to leave.
Three main districts represent the city's most popular entertainment options.
For glamour, hit the diva-dense
Calle Uruguay
district, stopping in the street late at
night for the obligatory spicy Colombian arepa. Cover charges here are ubiquitous
as are dress codes and thumping electronic music. Across town,
Zona Viva
, loc-
ated at the neck of the Amador Causeway, offers a slightly cheesier alternative
that's pedestrian -friendly and based mostly outdoors: expect cheap drinks, secur-
ity pat-downs and a primarily Panamanian crowd.
Panama City's most alternative (and perhaps fastest growing) nightlife district is
Casco Viejo
. Set within roughly 10 blocks of cobblestone, the Casco's nightlife is
about as far from sterile as it gets: offbeat bars, Brazilian lounges and hidden salsa
clubs draw visitors eager for some neighborhood authenticity.
Matt Landau is the author of
www.thepanamareport.com
Gay & Lesbian Venues
Maybe it's an egalitarian move, but the best gay scene in Panama City is actually found
at the city's hippest bars and clubs, not in gay-specific establishments. For some, the gay
and lesbian bars give so many 'all you can drink' promotions that they turn out to be
sloppy spots not all that conducive to meeting and mingling.
BLG
CLUB
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
