If you go...

5:47 PM EDT, May 4, 2007

GETTING THERE. COPA Airlines, which has an alliance with Continental, flies nonstop from JFK to Tocumen International in Panama City, with round-trip fares starting at about $525. Continental, Delta and American offer connecting flights out of La Guardia, starting at about $480 round-trip.

GETTING AROUND. Unless you plan to explore beyond Panama City, stick with cabs. Panama City taxis charge by the zone rather than with meters. A typical ride across town is no more than $3, but be prepared to help navigate, as the drivers often don't know their way around.

WHERE TO STAY.
The Hotel DeVille (Ave. Beatriz M. de Cabal near Calle 50, 507-206-3100, devillehotel.com.pa) is a new boutique hotel with soaring ceilings, comfortable beds and plenty of room to stretch out. Published rates are $155 a night double, but discounts are usually available. There's a hearty room-service breakfast for less than $12, and Ten Bistro downstairs serves tasty dinners.

If you've always wanted to experience a luxury hotel but worried about the price, treat yourself to a night at the Bristol (Calle Aquilino de la Guardia, 507-265-7844, thebristol.com). Published room rates begin at $195.

For a side trip to El Valle, Hotel Campestre (Calle Club Campestre, 507-983-6146, hotel campestre.com) is a modest motel in a pretty meadow. Rooms start at $45.

WHERE TO EAT.
The staff at S'cena (Calle Primera in Casco Viejo) treats everyone like royalty. Elegant but not fussy, this restaurant above a jazz club serves Mediterranean food. Entrees are about $28.

If you get to Panama only once, be sure to experience dinner at Manolo Caracol (Avenida Central and Calle 3 Oeste, 507-228-4640). An evening in this boisterous Casco Viejo landmark is more than just a meal; it's a performance. The fixed-price meal (less than $25 a person, not including wine) arrives at the table in waves of deliciousness: ceviche, grilled zucchini, seared tuna, chicken kebabs, salad, Spanish rice and flan.

Panama's elites congregate at La Posta (Calle 49 and Calle Uruguay in the Bella Vista neighborhood, 507-269-1076, lapostapanama.com), a bustling, friendly spot near downtown. Seafood is the specialty of the house; think pan-roasted grouper and succulent sea bass. Entrees are $9 to $15, though wines by the glass were a disappointment.

La Casa de Lourdes (507- 983-6450, lacasadelourdes.com) in El Valle is a Tuscan-style mansion. Dinners in the gourmet restaurant start at $114.

WHAT TO DO.
Two museums are dedicated to the engineering marvels and history of the Panama Canal. To see the canal in action and take in a museum, make the short drive to the Miraflores Locks (507-276-8325, pancanal.com, admission $10.) The Interoceanic Canal Museum (Plaza de la Independencia in Casco Viejo, 507-211-1649, admission $2) has well-designed, user-friendly exhibits in a glorious former mansion.

See a performance or simply take a peek at the National Theater (Avenida A, between Calle 3 and 4 in Casco Viejo, 507-262-3525, admission, 50 cents). Recently restored, the neo-baroque hall features a fabulous chandelier and ceiling mural by Panamanian Roberto Lewis.

A few blocks away is the Palace of the Herons (Avenida Eloy Alfaro at Calle 4 in Casco Viejo), where the president shares his residence with a group of the elegant white creatures. The building is closed to tourists, but it's worth strolling around the outside and gazing out across Panama Bay.

The Golden Altar (Avenida A between Calle 8 and 9 in Casco Viejo), one of the few treasures not stolen by pirate Henry Morgan, can be seen up close in the Church of San Jose.

The Amador Causeway (west of Casco Viejo) provides some of the best views of the Bridge of the Americas and is a good place to jog or bike. The Smithsonian Institution's Marine Exhibition Center (507-212-8000, Ext. 2366, admission $1) has two aquariums, a museum and an outdoor telescope for viewing ships waiting to pass through the canal.

Panama City's fish market, or Mercado del Marisco (Avenida Balboa), doesn't get many tourists. But it's worth the trip if you want super-fresh, super-cheap seafood. A pound of seafood costs about $5.50, and the kitchen will cook it for an additional $6.

INFORMATION. Panama Institute of Tourism, 507-526- 7000 or 800-962-1526, visitpanama.com.