layover

Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama Review: Worth It or Skip It?

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

We spent the second half of a week-long Panama vacation at the The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama, a Marriott Autograph Collection property. We choose this property because we wanted to relax after what was a busy few days in Panama City, complete with day trips. We considered Bocas del Toro or Boquete but opted for The Buenaventura solely due to ease of travel (it is only two hour, highway drive from Panama City). This post reviews our stay at The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama.

The actually postcard perfect beach at The Buenaventura.

Continue reading →

1 Day in Panama City: The Perfect Food Tour Itinerary (Casco Antiguo)

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

Panama City, Panama is wonderful destinations in Central America, particularly for foodies. With its mix of historic charm, modern skyline, and diverse culinary influences, it’s a city where you can eat incredibly well—if you know where to look. We spent a week in Panama City last year, and while it’s more modern (and pricier) than many of its neighbors, it isn’t the easiest place to navigate as a first-time visitor. That’s exactly why starting with a food tour turned out to be the perfect introduction.

Dan in Casco Antiguo, ready to eat our way around town.

On our first full day, we explored Casco Antiguo—the city’s colorful historic district—on a walking food tour that combined Panamanian history with some of the best dishes we sampled all week. From a traditional breakfast with hojaldra and steak, to fresh tropical juices, market eats, ceviche at the most famous seafood market, and world-renowned Geisha coffee, this experience gave us a true taste of Panama City. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything we ate, where to find it, and how to recreate this exact Panama City food tour itinerary on your own—perfect if you only have one day in the city or want to explore Panama City beyond the Panama Canal.

A street in colorful Casco Antiguo, Panama City.

Continue reading →

Is Bermuda Worth It? Our Honest Review from NYC

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

Bermuda is one of the easiest island getaways from NYC—just a 2-hour flight—but is it actually worth it? After a long weekend of beaches, food tours, and a few travel mishaps, here’s my honest take.

At A Glance

  • 📍 Location: Bermuda
  • ✈️ Flight Time from NYC: ~2 hours
  • 📅 Trip Length: 4 days / 3 nights
  • 💰 Cost Level: $$$
  • 🚗 Getting Around: Taxi + Hitch app
  • 🏨 Where We Stayed: Coco Reef Resort (not recommended)
  • ⭐ Highlights: Food tour, Crystal Caves, St. George’s
  • ⚠️ Watch Out For: Expensive taxis, inconsistent hotel quality

Bermuda! There was a solid British (kind of Irish) theme) present throughout the island due to it being a British outpost for years. This was pretty interesting.

My husband and I spent a long weekend in Bermuda last Labor Day weekend. It was our first visit and the simple reason – it is only 2 hours from the NYC area and there was a relatively reasonably priced flight that fit our schedule. We had a very nice time, but we have certainly been to nicer islands (in our opinion). I think I need to go back (and we will, I have my eye on the St. Regis!) for longer and stay elsewhere for a different experience on the island. This post details what we ate, where we stayed, and what we did during our weekend getaway to Bermuda so that you can recreate our trip on your own!

Bermuda is very pretty.

Continue reading →

Is a Bermuda Food Tour Worth It? Eating Through Hamilton’s Best Spots

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

I visited Bermuda last Labor Day weekend for the first time, even though its only a 2 hour flight from NYC and had been on my travel list for years. Part of my first full day on the island was spent in food tour around Hamilton, Bermuda’s capital and largest city (or really, town). It’s the colorful, shop filled streets that you see in photos. While most prioritize Bermuda’s beaches, we really like to eat and drink, and we visit beaches enough that we felt we could dedicate a morning to learning more about Bermuda’s culture, which is just what this tour provided (in addition to a large lunch and several drinks!).

Hamilton, Bermuda.

We began our tour on Front Street, Hamilton’s main drag. The tour consisted of about 10 people, most visiting from the United States for Labor Day weekend. The tour began at 11:15 AM and lasted about 3 hours, taking us solidly into the afternoon. All it, it was a fun experience. I would take the tour again and recommend it to those in Bermuda who need a break from the beach.

A pretty mural in Hamilton, Bermuda made from tile.

Continue reading →

Manzana de Java: The [Current] Best Restaurant In San Juan

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

We have been to San Juan, Puerto Rico numerous times. It is one of our very favorite places to eat and drink, especially thanks to some restaurant recommendations from local friends. Last weekend, we returned for a long weekend simply to escape the cold. Given that two of our favorite restaurants are permanently closed (Jose Enrique and Celeste), I had to find some new restos! I came across Manzana de Java in my research and then saw that it was one of Bad Bunny’s favorite restaurants. Sold. I booked a reservation several weeks in advance and could only get the first seating of 6:30 PM.

The entrance to the restaurant.

La Manzana de Java, literally translating to the Java Apple, is located in Santurce on a quiet street. It’s truly a whole in the wall with only 20 seats. Hence, the difficulty in securing a reservation. La Manzana has 3 seatings nightly, the early seating (5:30, 6:00, and 6:30), a regular seating (7:00, 7:30), and a late seating at 9:00 or 9:30. Tables are grouped in groups of 2 or 4, and it could be difficult to have a much larger party here without renting out the whole restaurant.

Continue reading →