Hello, Mr. Toucan 
You won't meet one of these in most cities…
International Living Postcards--your daily escape Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2006
Panama City, Panama Few countries have a natural treasure like Panama's rainforest so close to its capital city. Savvy travelers know Panama City as a sophisticated modern capital, filled with business, history, and culture. However, you may not know the city is a Mecca for nature lovers, where modern skyscrapers and the exotic birds and animals of the rainforest are next-door neighbors. Since Panama's famous canal requires a large watershed to keep it filled, Panama is compelled to preserve the dense tropical rainforest that covers most of the surrounding countryside. That means the forest starts pretty much where the city ends--in fact, little patches of it still exist right in town. I discovered this on a trip to Parque Natural Metropolitano, in the north end of town, where a short hike yielded my first glimpse of a keel-billed toucan, those comical birds with the huge, rainbow-hued bills. The 655-acre park also has anteaters, sloths, and white-tailed deer. You don't even have to go that far from downtown. Out on the causeway, at the mouth of the canal, I joined a group of tourists watching a pair of two-toed sloths, sporting their blond Beach Boy coifs as they climbed through the trees. I've even heard stories of sloths crossing downtown streets. But for the real rainforest adventure, you need only take the 30-minute drive to Parque Nacional Soberania, one of the country's natural treasures. The lush rainforest is home to hundreds of species of fish, animals, and one of the world's premier bird watching spots--Pipeline Road, a former utility road reclaimed by the jungle. On an early morning visit, I spotted dozens of bird species, from noisy parrots to mot-mots, along with white-faced capuchin monkeys, raccoon-like coatis, and agoutis. If you want to stay a while, do it in style…at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. Only a few minutes down the road, the first-class resort commands a beautiful site near the mouth of the Chagres River and the view from its Iguana Café is spectacular. And when you're tired of looking at the collections of orchids, butterflies, and fish, take a ride through the forest canopy on their excellent aerial tram. Paul Marshman
For International Living Editor's note: If you're a member of IL's Club Panama, you can get a discount for your stay at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. Membership is complimentary with every purchase of the Panama Owner's Manual.
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