Destinations 2019: New York, Panama, Colombia, Peru and Lisbon

Although the whole world is wildly enthusiastic about New York, this destination was never high on my list. By coincidence we ended up here … Remco and I actually wanted to go directly to Central America, but it was cheaper to fly to New York and fly from there with a low-cost airline to Panama (tip number 3 for finding cheap airline tickets), so that’s how we suddenly walked to Times Square on January 10, 2019. And what a wonderful week we had! New York has exceeded all my expectations. It’s important to plan a trip to this world capital. Don’t just look at the famous hotspots, but also visit places like the creative neighborhood of Williamsburg.

In Panama I always thought of the Panama Canal and jungle, lots of jungle. And we did some beautiful jungle trekking! But you’ll also find great beaches in Panama. You can enjoy island hopping in Bocas del Toro and when you are traveling through Colombia, you can choose to go through the paradisiacal San Blas islands. Keep in mind that Panama, like Costa Rica, is more expensive if you are used to traveling in Asia or Latin America. But hey, we are willing to do that for the land of the infinite jungle and pearly white beaches, right?

We flew from Panama to Colombia. This huge country is currently not only more popular among backpackers, but “ordinary tourists” are also finding this salsa paradise better and better. The northern border of Colombia borders the Caribbean and there are a number of pleasant coastal towns to visit. But don’t forget the versatile interior. In the colorful (mountain) villages it seems as if time has stood still; old men play games on the town square while the women hang up the laundry chattering loudly. What a nice atmosphere! So don’t just stay on the coast, but also take a look at places like Jardín and Filandía.

Another great destination: Peru! And in Peru we immediately think of the Machu Picchu, but the country has much more to offer. Although most tourists travel from Lima to the south (thanks in part to the wonder of the world), we have fallen in love with the authentic north of Peru. The rugged nature, the pure people and the impressive history have ensured that we stayed in Peru for three months. The distances in Peru are quite large so try to set aside at least 3 weeks for a tour through this impressive country.