As we zipped above the waterway, I was awed by the audacity of its creation.

Panama has long been seen more as a trading post than a destination.

Historically, lodgings outside the capital have contented themselves with hosting the budget-conscious backpacker crowd.

View of a hotel villa and its private pool

Casita Mirador, complete with plunge pool and a view of Gulf of Chiriquí­, at Islas Secas.Credit:Cristóbal Palma

The Casco Viejo district dates to the late 17th century and is often compared withNew Orleanss French Quarter.

The neighborhood sprawls for many blocks, a world apart from the skyscrapers of downtown.

The liveliest glimpses of life seemed wedged between the old, unreconstructed city and the shinier, up-and-coming version.

Pair of photos from Panama, one showing the nose of a prop plane and one showing a woman on a beach swing

From left: A private air charter to Islas Secas; a swing on the beach at Islas Secas.Cristóbal Palma

I was intrigued by the colonies of cats living in the old quarters few remaining dilapidated mansions.

Opened in 2021, Nayara Bocas del Toro is entirely off the grid and nearly fully solar-powered.

In 2015, he bought El Castillo, a small luxury hotel on Costa Ricas southern Pacific coast.

Pair of photos from Panama, one showing an artist at work in his studio, and one showing a plated dish at a restaurant

From left: Artist Jabriel Lafrance Johnson’s studio in Panama City; crispy crocodile with plantains at the Salsipuedes restaurant, in Panama City.Cristóbal Palma

Mangroves are the midwives of vast swaths of marine life.

Morning brought rain, pattering on the rooftop, soothing and monsoon-y.

For those inclined to stay put, the resort offers snorkeling, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding.

Poil and restaurant building at Nayara resort in Panama

The Coral Café at Nayara Bocas del Toro.Cristóbal Palma

The islands interior, I learned, is rich with ocelots and sloths.

Here indeed was a dense speck of wilderness under preserve.

I left Nayara for Bocas Town by water taxi early the next morning.

Pair of photos from Panama, one showing a building with a rooftop bar, and one showing hotel staff in front of a hotel

From left: CasaCasco, which houses several restaurants and a popular rooftop bar, in the historic quarter; the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo’s main entrance.Cristóbal Palma

From the moment I arrived at Islas Secas, I knew that leaving would be painful.

A greedy reaction, to be sure, but very few places have made me feel that way.

The eclectic sourcing reflects its notion of conservation.

A treehouse accommodation at a hotel in Panama, lit up at night

One of the 50-foot tree-house accommodations at Nayara Bocas del Toro.Cristóbal Palma

My bathroom had both indoor and outdoor showers, plus an infinity pool.

I was spoiled for choice when it came to Islas Secass spa and yoga program.

Did I prefer the Big Chill, a treatment involving cold stones and rehydrating rain-forest oils?

Aerial view of a resort in Panama

Nayara Bocas del Toro.Cristóbal Palma

Or Magnificent Me Time, a 90-minute massage and scrub with some reflexology thrown in?

Should I take my yoga session poolside or beachside?

At sunset or in the moonlight?

View of a gulf, a hotel pool, and palm trees in Panama

The Gulf of Chiriquí­, as seen from the pool at Islas Secas, a private island off Panama’s southwestern coast.Cristóbal Palma

I chose to treat myself to the Secas Sound Shower at the spa.

Did I know that many birds migrate from south to north?

Smoky jungle toads, he clarified.

Pair of photos from Panama, one showing a hotel pool with lounge chairs, and one showing hanging rattan light fixtures in a restaurant

From left: The pool at the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo; the Coral Café at Nayara Bocas del Toro.Cristóbal Palma

Were doing a study to confirm theyre okay.

Its a good way of measuring our environmental impact.

The following morning after breakfast, I met my snorkeling guide, Maria Henriquez.

View of water and boats in Panama

The marina at Islas Secas.Cristóbal Palma

The experience changed her life.

And I realized, it wasnt like that at all.

A rooftop pool and a jazz club lend a festive feel to the property.

Pair of photos from Panama City, one showing a bridge, and one showing modern buildings

From left: The Bridge of the Americas, with Panama City in the background; the view from Mirador del Pacífico, a lookout on Panama City’s coastal beltway.Cristóbal Palma

Islas Secas:Privacy, exclusivity, and sustainability this island eco-retreat off thePacific coasthas all three.

Guests can enjoy a variety of diversions, from sound baths to snorkeling and whale-watching.

Activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking, or just wandering through the vast mangroves.

Pair of photos from Panama, one of a girl sitting on a wall in a dress and tiara, and one showing a shadow of a plane over trees

From left: A teenager being photographed for her birthday on Panama City’s pedestrian waterfront, Cinta Costera; en route to Islas Secas on a private air charter.Cristóbal Palma

Spring for the $100 tasting menu for a broad sampling of the countrys different cuisines.

Experiences range from a helicopter ride over the Panama Canal to chocolate making.

Dock to the overwater restaurant at a resort in Panama

The Elephant House restaurant at Nayara Bocas del Toro.Cristóbal Palma

Pair of photos from Panama, one showing a hotel guest villa, and one showing the exterior of a hotel and a tree with pink flowers

From left: Casita Mirador, at the Islas Secas resort; the terrace of the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, in Panama City.Cristóbal Palma