I remember reading a Panama trip report on a travel forum I frequently peruse. I don’t recall all the details (this was probably a good 7-8 years ago). I do remember that the poster and her husband spent a few nights at the Canopy Tower near Panama City, went birding on the Pipeline Road, and generally had a fabulous time. I wasn’t into watching birds yet myself, but the description of the Canopy Tower (a former U.S. military radar installation, which has been converted into a unique rainforest lodge) definitely piqued my interest.
Fast forward to January 2016. Now an enthusiastic newbie birder, I attended a slide show on the birds of Panama at a birding festival near my home. The presentation was given by Carlos Bethancourt from the Canopy Family. I didn’t make the connection at first, but once Carlos put up a photograph of an unusual looking cylindrical building with a big ball-shaped structure on top, that half-forgotten trip report from years gone by sprang back to mind.
Carlos explained a little bit about the Canopy Tower and its sister properties – the Canopy Lodge and Canopy Camp; each set in prime birding and nature habitats in Panama. He then proceeded to show us wonderful photos of the flora and fauna of his country: birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and tropical plant life of all colors, shapes and sizes. He verbally mimicked some of the bird and monkey calls and kept the hour entertaining and engaging.
I left the presentation armed with a glossy brochure on the Canopy Family properties (and a burning desire to visit Panama!).
The brochure that started it all