Visit To Portobello, Panama

There weekends ago I had the chance to make a visit to Portobelo, in Panama.

The first thing that caught my eye was still related to the way. After the radius of 50 Km from Panama City one feels he has entered a different country, much less evolved than the Panama in which we were before. The wide roads disappeared, we get to a narrow road, with some rustic houses around it, and a lot of waste leaks in the road.

As you approach Portobelo, the rustic houses become mixed with vacation condominiums for the rich. You ride the road with the seashore at your side, and enjoy many kilometers of beautiful beaches. And at the end, you arrive to Portobelo.

First thing you see is the fortress,  or what is left of it...

Then, after leaving the fortress you get to town.

To tell you the truth, the place is beautiful, but I must say I was disappointed ... maybe because I've already been in Bocas del Toro... this place is so small that, if you haven't come for a cruise or for the beach, 20 minutes are enough to see it all. A pity, since I believe that with some government investment it could become a great tourism site.

So here is my hint to tourists: if you are not planning on swimming, sunbathing, or cruising, there is not much to do there... and to the Panama government and private initiative: you have a gold mine just 85 Km from the Paitilla, it is time to put some investment on its development.