Panama: Black Friday is Back

Photos: javier Pinzón y Shutterstock

For a relatively small city, Panama City has something for everyone: history, culture, nature, and in this case, myriad shopping options. The second weekend of this month, the Panamanian capital hosts a consumer frenzy that comes as a harbinger of the Christmas season. Some of the city’s best-known shopping centers have partnered with Copa Airlines, hotels, tourism service providers, and the country’s tourism authorities to offer packages that combine shopping with other recreational activities. Visit www.compras.visitpanama.com/ to see the packages by country.

That said, here are some tips to help you turn your shopping fantasy into reality.

• Try the outlets, which have become all the rage in the city. The recently opened Megápolis Outlets Panamá (www.megapolisoutlets.com) has reinvented the former Mall Multicentro for a new type of shopping experience. It is not only a good place to find premium brands at good prices, but its location in the city center means it can fit into any tourist adventure. On the outskirts of the city, to the northwest and across the Panama Canal toward La Chorrera, stands the Westland Mall (www.westlandmall.com.pa). Other shopping centers, such as Albrook Mall (www.albrookmall.com), Los Pueblos (Facebook: Los Pueblos Panamá), and Los Andes (www.losandesmall.com) have some outlets but are not solely outlet malls.

• Scour the city: There are other malls, aside from those mentioned, as well as older, traditional shopping areas, so you need to plan your shopping outings with the precision of a military campaign. Make sure to include Altaplaza Mall (www.altaplazamall.com), one of the newest; Soho Mall (Facebook: Soho City Center), featuring luxury brands; and El Dorado Mall (Facebook: El Dorado Mall). This latter is the city’s oldest mall, but it has been renovated to feature an interesting mix of ethnic shops alongside conventional stores. There is also Town Center (www.towncenter.com.pa) and Atrio Mall (www.atriomall.com) in the exclusive Costa del Este zone, while to the north of the Tocumen International Airport, visitors can take in Megamall (www.megamall.com.pa) and its lower-cost offerings. The Old Quarter features diverse hippie-chic shops and the San Francisco area has acquired a growing number of independent stores, antique shops, and decor and signature fashion stores, among others; don’t miss La Plural (Facebook: La Plural).

• Another revitalized shopping area is the Colón Free Trade Zone. The businesses here continue to supply merchandise to the Caribbean basin, largely on a wholesale basis, but many stores now offer retail shopping. www.zolicol.gob.pa/es/

• What should you buy? The range of products available at Panama City shopping centers is immense. It is, in fact, the most varied in Latin America, but expert buyers we interviewed revealed that some of the best deals can be found in electronics and high-tech, footwear (especially athletic shoes), and international luxury brands. 

• Even though shopping in Panama City gives you access to the whole world, you should make an effort to buy local too. You can choose from a range of high-quality products from Panama. Café Unidos, for example, sells blends of top-quality coffee, while I Love Panama, Tropical Chocolate Café, and Oro Moreno will fulfill your cacao needs. And it’s not a bad idea to grab a bottle of aged Ron Abuelo.

• Lastly, leave time for other activities: the Panamanian capital and its outskirts are chock full of interesting places waiting to be discovered. Among the skyscrapers and shopping centers, the oldest city on the Pacific coast of the Americas bursts with museums and architectural gems from the pre-Colombian, Colonial, and Early Republican past. Located in the rainiest part of the neotropics, the city is surrounded by some of the richest and most diverse natural landscapes in the world, just minutes from urban comforts. Wave after wave of immigrants have so influenced the cuisine, the music, and the character of its inhabitants that a week of strolling around the city can seem like a tour around the world. So, if you’re a master shopper, mark your calendar and prepare for a unique consumer experience in Latin America. For further information, visit www.atp.gob.pa, www.apacecompanama.com, and www.visitpanama.com