Discover Panama
Personal Branding Retreat in Panama
January 15th - 21st, 2025
Panama is home to one of the 7 wonders of the modern world and an engineering marvel, the Panama Canal, and was ranked the 4th best country to visit in 2019 by Lonely Planet! It has an incredible variety of attractions: exotic tropical rainforests, beautiful mountain ranges, Caribbean-style beaches, 1000 islands, one of the best birding sites worldwide, seven thriving indigenous cultures, a Miami-style sophisticated capital city with a vibrant night life, Spanish colonial historical sites, golf, diving, snorkeling and so much more! It is hard to think of any other destination in the world that has such a variety of attractions that is so close and easy to get to. It’s no wonder that JLW Travel Group chose Panama as an ideal retreat in 2024.
Surrounded by many of the city's most prominent destinations, The Westin Playa Bonita Panama offers guests an idyllic retreat on the golden sands of Playa Bonita Beach. The Pacific Ocean and lush, tropical rainforests are only steps away from their doors. Vacationers will delight in their three infinity-edge pools, six restaurants and Sensory Spa.
An All-Inclusive Package
6 nights and 7 days at the luxurious Westin Playa Bonita
All Meals Included both at the hotel and in some of the best restaurants in the most iconic locations
“Ignite Your Influence” Workshop (Click here to learn more)
Private Charter Boat Trip to the famous Pearl Islands (where Survivor season 7 was filmed!)
Visit to the Panama Canal and Panama Canal Museum at the Miraflores Locks
Private Riverboat Trip in the rainforest to an authentic Emberá Indigenous Village
Tour of Casco Viejo (The Spanish-Colonial district)
Professional Photography capturing every moment of the trip
Guided Shopping and Souvenir Day
Bilingual Tour Guides and Interpreters
This trip truly has it all with incredible value for incredible all-inclusive rates!
Adult (Double Occupant Room) - $4,500.00 (per adult)
Adult (Single Occupant Room) - $5,000.00
Child (in double occupant room) - $3,500.00 (per child)
The Day-to-Day Breakdown
Day 1 - Wednesday, January 15th
-
You will be greeted at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama by one of our team members and guided to our shuttle. The trip to the hotel is about 30-40 minutes depending on traffic.
-
One of our team members will be at the hotel lobby to assist you with check-in.
-
Dinner will be provided at the hotel for our group.
Day 2 - Thursday, January 16th
-
Enjoy the breakfast buffet at your leisure anytime before 10AM.
-
For the full breakdown of the workshop click here.
The workshop also includes 2 coffee breaks and a private buffet lunch.
Guests may opt out of participating for the whole workshop to lounge at the beach or in the pools, however lunch will be enjoyed together.
-
Experience the historical, charming and vibrant neighborhood of Casco Antiguo. Casco Antiguo, also known as Casco Viejo, or the ‘old quarter,” is Panama City’s historic district. Considered a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site, the district dates back to 1673, and features vibrant plazas and picturesque brick-paved streets surrounded by colorful buildings. The area is ideal for walking, discovering history and enjoying a variety of fine cuisine. Come for some of the city’s best gastronomy, culture and photo ops, and stay to mingle with the locals in the heart of the nightlife scene.
Start your visit with a lively walk through the neighborhood. You’ll encounter some religious history at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Panama City located in the main square, Plaza Mayor, as well as the Church of San Jose, famous for its amazing golden altar. As you walk, make sure to stop at Plaza de Francia, a beautiful plaza that pays homage to the French role in the construction of the Panama Canal. The plaza is also home to Las Bóvedas, a monument that was once used as a defense against pirate attacks. Next, visit Paseo Esteban Huertas, where you’ll get pristine views of the city skyline and bay.
Casco Antiguo is also home to several of the city’s top museums, including the Museo del Canal (The Canal Museum), and the Museo de la Mola, featuring the traditional textile art made by the Guna indigenous group. You’ll also find the iconic stone archway at Arco Chato, which is the remains of a church built by Dominican friars, and a beautiful photo opportunity. Next, be sure to visit the Panama National Theater to see the stunning ceiling frescoes painted by Robert Lewis. On your walk, you’ll also get the chance to do some shopping, with opportunities to buy local crafts and visit high-end boutiques.
-
Fondas are to Panamanians what coffee bars are to Italians. These inexpensive roadside restaurants are an integral part of daily life – unpretentious pitstops where neighbours meet after long shifts at work and owners nod to regulars over steaming pots of beef stew. At his modern take restaurant ranked top 50 in Latin America, José Olmedo Carles Rojas mainlines in upscale versions of traditional dishes, served in a corrugated metal, neon-lit dining room that has all the buzz of a cocktail bar. Menus change regularly to spotlight local produce but a signature dish of toasted yuca with tuna carpaccio and onion ceviche is always on offer, for good reason.
Day 3 - Friday, January 17th
-
Enjoy the breakfast buffet at your leisure anytime before 9AM.
-
For the full breakdown of the workshop click here.
The workshop this day includes 1 coffee break.
Guests may opt out of participating for the whole workshop to lounge at the beach or in the pools.
-
The Mercado de Mariscos, or Seafood Market, is a vibrant and essential part of Panama City’s cultural and culinary fabric. It’s located in the neighborhood of Casco Viejo, adjacent to the city’s bustling downtown area and right at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The market was founded in 1959 and has been a local staple ever since.
The market is housed in a large, two-story building and it’s the only seafood market in Panama City. It was specifically designed to support the local fishing industry, providing a dedicated place for fishermen to sell their daily catch. Over the years, it has expanded its operations to include retail sales, allowing locals and tourists alike to purchase a variety of seafood, fresh from the ocean.
Visitors to the market can find a wide variety of fresh seafood, including shrimp, tuna, crab, red snapper, corvina, sea bass, squid, and more. The market is known for its fresh catch, with fishermen bringing in their hauls daily. In addition to whole fish and seafood, many stalls also offer prepared dishes, such as ceviche, seafood platters, and patacones. Some of the best selections at the market include blue marlin, wahoo, amberjack, and royal red shrimp.
A particular highlight is the local delicacy of ceviche and oysters, served in disposable cups with onions, lemon, and other accompaniments. For those who prefer to cook their seafood at home, the market provides the opportunity to purchase fresh bay scallops, clams, and other shellfish.
-
Arguably the most famous attraction in Panamá is the Panama Canal. As one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World, the Panama Canal is a must-see for anyone traveling in the country. Built to dramatically decrease the travel time for ships between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the Canal has seen over 900,000 vessels and counting. At one point this engineering miracle was considered impossible to build, but today, you can see it for yourself.
Did you know that The Canal uses a lock system to lift ships up 85 feet to the elevation of the canal? How about the fact that it takes 8-10 hours for each ship to make the transit through the canal? Learn about all of this and more at the visitor center at Miraflores, where you can watch an IMAX documentary of the history of the canal narrated by Morgan Freeman. At Miraflores, you’ll also be able to watch the ships in transit just a few meters away.
-
Enjoy one of Panama City’s most fun-filled green spaces. The rock extracted when the Panama Canal was being built between 1904 to 1914 was used to build the causeway. The road extends 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) out into the Pacific Ocean, linking the mainland with the islands of Naos, Perico, and Flamenco.
From 1920 to 1980, fortifications were erected here to protect the southern entrance to the Panama Canal. It was part of a military base first called Fort Grant and later named Fort Amador.
We will enjoy dinner at “Mi Ranchito” a restaurant with dozens of small thatch huts serving tropical Panamanian dishes.
Day 4 - Saturday, January 18th
-
Enjoy the breakfast buffet at your leisure anytime before 8AM.
-
We will depart from the hotel in our shuttle at 8AM.
Be sure to bring your swimming gear and lots of sunblock.
Discover the wonderful Pearl Islands archipelago, internationally recognized for its diversity of marine wildlife and considered one of the best sportfishing spots in the world. It is also a site for humpback whale pairing and turtle nesting. The Archipelago has more than 200 islands and islets, many of them uninhabited. Every island offers a specialty of its own; some have better reefs to snorkel, others white sandy beaches. With the Pacific’s extreme tidal changes, many beaches come out exclusively at low tide. The main recommended islands to visit are: Contadora Island (main island with some development), Chapera, Saboga, Bartolome, and Mogo Mogo, among others.
The Archipelago has a most interesting history; its name comes from the abundance of pearls in the area during the Spanish rule. The famous “Pilgrim” pearl was found in this area, owned by the Spanish King Philip II and also owned by actress Elizabeth Taylor. Contadora was used by the Spanish conquistadors as a stop for doing an inventory of booty before returning to Spain, hence the name (Contadora, which means to count or bookkeeper in Spanish). It was also the exile site of the Shah of Iran in 1979. In modern times, the Archipelago has become a popular location for several international editions of the reality “Survivor.”
In addition to visiting the islands, there are excellent fishing spots both within the Archipelago and on the way towards it at the open sea, for example, the famous Twenty Fathom trench. You’ll be targeting Dolphin fish (Mahi Mahi), Tuna, Tuna Bonita, Spanish mackerel, snapper, and Jack Crevalle, among others. At the islands, feel free to choose between various activities like whale watching (season from June to November), island hopping, snorkeling, or just cruising.
The 35 nautical mile cruise from Panama City, the first islands of the Pearl Islands, takes an hour and a half to two hours and a half, depending on the vessel.
We will roam the seas, swim in the ocean, visit the islands and enjoy snacks and lunch on board our private charter boat.
-
After our full day at sea, a calm dinner at the hotel before some R&R will be just the thing.
Day 5 - Sunday, January 19th
-
Enjoy the breakfast buffet at your leisure anytime before 10AM.
-
Every trip is incomplete without a shopping spree. We will be visiting the largest mall in Panama, Albrook Mall, that covers a whopping 4.1 million sq ft and has over 700 stores.
Grab lunch at your leisure at the hundreds of options available to you at this center.
-
Multiplaza is Panama’s nicest luxury mall containing the best global brands in fashion such as Versace, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Cabana, Gucci, Michael Kors, Hermés, Valentino, Carolina Herrera, Tiffany’s, Dior, Chanel, Coach, Ralph Lauren and more.
-
Set on the 66th floor of the Ocean Sun Casino and the fabulous JW Marriott Panama, Panaviera Sky Bar is the highest rooftop bar in Central America.
Mixing a stylish interior restaurant and lounge with an outside rooftop bar, set right next to the amazing infinity pool, up here you get breathtaking panoramic views over the ocean and Panama City.
High, high above it all, the rooftop offers a menu including a fusion of local and international cuisine, served as both small & large bites as well as a wide selection of drinks, cocktails, and bottle service.
Day 6 - Monday, January 20th
-
Enjoy the breakfast buffet at your leisure anytime before 8AM.
-
We will be taking our shuttle bus on a 45 minute drive to a rural dock in the jungle where we will meet up with the indigenous canoes that will take us on a 2 hour boat ride up the Pequení river.
Upon arrival we will be greeted by the entire Emberá village where we will enjoy cultural performances, food cooked over an open fire, swim in the river and purchase incredible handmade souvenirs such as woven baskets, wood carvings, jewelry and more.
The Emberá, also known in the historical literature as the Chocó or Katío Indians, are an indigenous people that live in the Chocó department of western Colombia and in Panama. They are approximately 50,000 in Colombia and 33,000 in Panama.
The Emberá are a riverine people, historically building their houses along the banks of rivers. Although now most all Emberá people live in villages, towns, or urban centers, many established communities are still found along riverbanks. Fish are an important staple of the Emberá diet along with plantains, and rivers play a central role in daily life for fishing, bathing, transport, and many domestic chores.
Today, the community is known for its handmade crafts such as carved baskets, statues, and temporary tattoos made with the black ink of the jagua fruit (Genipa Americana).
Emberá women masterfully craft baskets from chunga (black palm) leaves. They often adorn the baskets with geometric patterns or animal iconography. Some of the baskets are black and white, while others use vivid natural dyes; the highest quality baskets are woven so tightly that they can hold water. The Emberá women are also known for their carved sculptures of animals made from tagua and cocobolo nuts.
Most Emberás have tattooed their bodies entirely with jagua ink. Adults prefer geometric tattoos such as lines and triangles, while children often display tattoos of animals such as a snake or butterfly.
-
After our full day in the jungle, a calm dinner at the hotel before some R&R will be just the thing.
Day 7 - Tuesday, January 21st
-
Enjoy the breakfast buffet at your leisure anytime prior to when you need to be shuttled to the airport.
-
A shuttle to the airport will be provided. Be sure to allow yourself at least an hour to get to the airport as there can be traffic, plus an additional two hours prior to your departure time to get through check-in and security. A JLW representative will ensure you are on the right shuttle for your flight time.
Book Your All-Inclusive Trip Today!
Adult (Double Occupant Room) - $4,500.00 (per adult)
Adult (Single Occupant Room) - $5,000.00
Child (in double occupant room) - $3,500.00 (per child)
FAQs
-
U.S. citizens traveling by air, road, or sea must present a valid passport when entering or departing Panama with a validity of 3 months beyond the date of arrival. U.S. citizens departing or re-entering the United States must likewise present a valid passport.
-
Panama is the safest country in Central America. In addition to that you will always be accompanied by one of our expert guides.
-
Unlike most of Latin America, the water in Panama is safe to drink. The Panama Canal Company has a high standard for hygiene, and as a result the water is clean in Panama City and much of the rest of the country. However, we are also providing bottled water on most of our excursions.
-
In Panama, US dollars are accepted everywhere. The exchange rate pegged at par at one Panamanian balboa to one US dollar, and there is no need to change your money to Panamanian balboa from US dollars. Naturally, you may also use Panamanian currency for cash transactions in Panama.
-
Refunds are not provided for booking this retreat to Panama unless a replacement is provided to take your place. The reason for this is that every destination is purchased with group buying in order to facilitate affordable rates. Additionally, we are required to make down payments for all reservations (hotel, transportation, tours, etc.) in advance.
-
We do require all guests to have Travel Medical Insurance if they book with us.
We recommend: www.allianztravelinsurance.com
For further questions please contact us.
-
Panama is a tropical destination with high humidity. All clothing should be light and breathable. Be sure to bring clothing for outdoors, swimwear, as well as casual-nice clothing for dining out in some of the restaurants we are visiting.
-
We cover all of your meals (except lunch at the mall on Day 5). Alcohol is not included but is readily available for purchase in most places we are going to.
-
You are not required to attend every activity. However, if you choose to do your own activities JLW isn’t responsible for organizing nor dealing with any problems that may arise from organizing your own activities.
You may of course opt to stay at the hotel also and forego some of the outings entirely. Just know that you are responsible for your own meals in these instances.
There are no discounts for opting out of activities.
-
The workshops are high value offerings that will provide a wealth of knowledge for you and your business. However, you are not required to attend any or all of the sessions.
You are welcome to enjoy the beach and the hotel amenities during these times.
There are no discounts provided for not attending the workshops.
-
All of the activities are kid-friendly. However, some of the days can be long. For example, the day trip on the charter boat to the Pearl Islands is an 8-9 hour tour on the Pacific. The trip to the indigenous village is also a full day. We think children will love these trips but it’s important for parents to be prepared for these longer day trips.