I spent 8 days in Panama and returned feeling like I visited 3 different countries. Here’s why it’s worth a trip. [Video]

I dodged designer dogs — like shih tzus and Pomeranians — in Panama City’s Punta Pacifica neighborhood.

Dozens of skyscrapers surrounded me. Inside the complexes were ritzy condominiums home to Panama’s wealthy elite. The neighborhood epitomized a city — a dense population, traffic, and tall buildings.

I’d be carted off to a completely new destination in less than a day. Boquete — still in Panama — was drastically different than Panama City.

A small rainforest town, Boquete is a place where few traffic lights exist, and American boomers have flocked for retirement. Instead of skyscrapers, I found lush mountains in every direction.

Fast forward another 48 hours, and I was transported to the coast of Chiriqui. Here, nothing reached for the sky. Instead, a flat ocean and sandy beaches met the horizon.

It was my first time in Panama, and in a matter of eight days, I felt like I had explored …