Which Panama Is Right for You?

By William Friar
August 10, 2009
Panama City
Image Source Pink/Getty
Here's a snapshot of Panama's defining experiences: a modern capital on the canal, near-deserted islands, and trails for spotting wildlife and waterfalls. Get a sense of which ones fit your travel style and your budget.

FOLLOW THE PATH OF CONQUISTADORS AND MINERS

Panama City is three cities in one: the conquistador-era Old Panama; the colonial quarter of Casco Viejo; and the modern capital, a forest of gleaming skyscrapers that's easily the most cosmopolitan city in Central America. Among the ruins of Old Panama, razed by the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671, the centerpiece is the cathedral tower. It's one of Panama's proudest national monuments, and thanks to a recent restoration, visitors can climb to its top for the first time in 355 years. The city was rebuilt on a small peninsula five miles west of its original site. Known today as Casco Viejo, the second Panama City is a maze of Spanish- and French-colonial buildings that includes the Museo del Canal Interoceánico de Panamá, which tells the story of French and American efforts to build the Panama Canal. Restaurant Las Bóvedas is built right into the stone vaults of Casco Viejo's seawall; below it are dungeons where Spanish conquistadors allegedly drowned their prisoners at high tide. The restaurant's French-inspired dishes are pricey; the same spooky atmosphere pervades the bar (011-507/228-8058).

Not far from Panama City is a section of the Las Cruces Trail, built around 1530 by the Spanish to transport treasure looted from the Inca Empire across the isthmus. Their two main forts on the Caribbean side, San Lorenzo and Portobelo, endured 200 years of pirate attacks. Encroaching jungle is attempting to complete what the pirates started, but their partially restored ruins still guard the now-silent coast. Portobelo is easy to get to by public bus, but visitors to the more remote San Lorenzo need to either rent a car or hire a guide with one.

The Las Cruces Trail was revived as an important route in the 19th century, when forty-niners used it during the California gold rush. The route proved so popular that entrepreneurs built a railroad across the isthmus to speed up the journey. Its descendant is the Panama Canal Railway, a comfortable and extraordinarily scenic way to travel from ocean to ocean in about an hour ($22). There is only one passenger train each weekday, leaving Panama at 7:15 a.m. and departing from Colón at 5:15 p.m. The train ride is an event in itself, but once on the Caribbean side, several attractions are a short taxi ride away, including the mile-long Gatun Locks.

For many, a transit of the Panama Canal is the trip of a lifetime, a chance to experience one of the great human achievements of the 20th century and see the progress on its multi-billion-dollar expansion for the 21st. For those already on the ground in Panama, a day trip is easily arranged for a tiny fraction of the cost of a cruise. Panama Marine Adventures and Canal and Bay Tours offer partial canal transits on Saturdays ($115). One Saturday a month they offer full canal transits ($165).

SURF OR DIVE ON A DESERTED BEACH

Panama has two oceans, 1,500 miles of coastline, and hundreds of islands. In other words, it's easy to find a deserted beach. Surfers and sunbathers favor the archipelago of Bocas del Toro for its bohemian party scene and wide expanses of white sandy beaches. Accommodations include dorm beds for $10 at the backpacker paradise Mondo Taitu, and quieter private rooms at the spotless Hostel de Hansi for the same price (011-507/757-9085).

The most famous surfing spot is Playa Santa Catalina, which has one of the most consistent breaks in Latin America and wave faces that can reach 20 feet. Its growth as a tourist destination has made Panama's largest island, the remote Isla Coiba, accessible to budget travelers because it is only about an hour by boat away from Santa Catalina. The waters off Coiba are spectacular for scuba diving and snorkeling—the second-largest coral reef in the eastern Pacific Ocean attracts 760 species of fish as well as larger sea creatures such as humpback whales, orcas, manta rays, and sea turtles. Coiba Dive Center and Scuba Coiba offer excursions starting at $55 per person for a full-day snorkel trip. Other more informal operators offer boat trips to Coiba.

Kuna Yala, also known as the San Blas Islands, is a Caribbean archipelago of nearly 400 coral islands and the home of the Kuna, arguably the most intact indigenous society of the Americas. A visit is memorable as much for the chance to meet the Kuna as for the chance to swim in remarkably clear waters and lounge on palm-covered desert islands. The best of the low-end places is Hotel Kuna Niscua, a tidy, well-cared-for little place on the island of Wichub-Huala. Rates are $50 per person for a room, a daily boat tour, all meals, and transfers to and from the airstrip.

GO IN SEARCH OF BIRDS AND WATERFALLS

Starting east of Panama City and extending all the way to the Colombian border is the Darién, one of the world's last great wildernesses. It should top any adventurer's list. The most pristine spots are accessible only by chartered plane or guided trek, but there are cheaper options. Burbayar Lodge, for instance, is in the middle of a forest on the western edge of the Darién—and about 50 miles from Panama City. It has some of the best birding in eastern Panama, with more than 300 species identified near the lodge. (Panama has nearly 1,000 species, more than the United States and Canada combined.) Round-trip transfers from Panama City, accommodation, all meals, and a daily guided hike along the continental divide is $190 per person for the first night, $155 for subsequent nights at Burbayar.

The mountains of western Panama offer considerably cheaper but equally pleasant lodging for hikers, wildlife watchers, and waterfall seekers. These include the charming Hostal La Qhia in the little-known mountain town of Santa Fé and the Lost and Found Lodge Eco Resort and Finca la Suiza, both of which are just off the Fortuna Road, a famous bird-watching destination. Prices top out at $55 for a double room at Finca la Suiza, which has extensive private, well-maintained mountain trails crisscrossed with hidden waterfalls. It can get surprisingly cool up here—57 degrees Fahrenheit at the highest points along the Fortuna Road—and it's a delight to step out of protected forest to see panoramic views of the lowlands and ocean. More than 1,000 plant species have been identified in the Fortuna Forest Reserve alone.

All of these spots are near the Continental Divide, which appeals to nature lovers because they have access to both Pacific and Caribbean flora and fauna. Western Panama is the most mountainous part, but it's not a land of towering peaks—by far the biggest is the 11,400-foot Volcán Barú, a dormant volcano. There are plenty of accessible hiking trails, and non-hikers can have a Blue Lagoon moment just off the Fortuna Road by getting off the bus or parking the car at kilometer marker 67. At the bottom of a short path is El Suspiro, a rarely visited 100-foot-tall waterfall at the end of a narrow box canyon.

In the western highlands, the town of Boquete is known for its mild weather and gourmet coffee. Bird watchers, hikers, and the high-adrenaline set visit to search for the resplendent quetzal bird or climb Volcán Barú, from the top of which it's possible to see the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea at once. Other attractions around Boquete include world-class white-water rafting, the longest zip line ride in Panama, and rock climbing on a column-like basalt formation called Los Ladrillos, just outside of town.

INSIDER TIPS

1. Panama uses the U.S. dollar as its paper currency, known locally as either dolares or balboas. Panamanian coins are nearly identical to and are used interchangeably with U.S. ones. However, some U.S. credit and debit cards have begun charging a foreign transaction fee of 3 percent or more for purchases and ATM withdrawals made in Panama. Check your card's fine print and apply for a new card without these fees if necessary. Travelers' checks are not easy to cash in Panama.

2. Panama has lots of microclimates, so peak season may not be the best time to visit your destination. For instance, in Bocas del Toro it's usually drier in the rainy season month of September than during Panama's official dry season, but prices are still lower, the islands are less crowded, and there's a chance of seeing nesting sea turtles.

3. Tourist taxis, identifiable by license plates that begin with SET, lurk outside Panama City's tourist spots and upscale hotels. They're more comfortable than regular taxis, but they're authorized to charge several times the normal fare. For a cheaper ride, walk down the block and hail a street cab, of which there are thousands. Taxi drivers in Panama are generally reliable characters, though many drive like maniacs—the norm for Panama motorists unfortunately.

4. Panama is a rather formal country, so reserve the shorts and flip-flops for the beach. Some establishments will turn you away, and others will assume you're a disrespectful, clueless foreigner and treat you accordingly.

5. So-called Panama hats are actually from Ecuador. You can find them in Panama, but they're not genuine souvenirs.

6. It's a big hassle to drive a rental car in Panama City, and not necessary. Taxis and buses are cheap, plentiful, and safe.

7. If you want to cover a lot of ground, avoid visiting Panama during national holidays, particularly around Christmas, New Year's, Carnaval (the four days before Ash Wednesday), and Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter). These are festive times, which means everything shuts down.

TIMING

Panama has two general seasons, rainy and dry. The dry season lasts from mid-December to mid-April and is Panama's summer, when schools are out, prices are higher, and hotels are fuller. Panama is especially beautiful at the beginning of the dry season; late in the dry season the foliage turns brown. For most of the rainy season, storms blow through quickly, leaving much of the day and evening clear. Only those planning serious jungle hikes or backcountry drives should be too concerned about the rain. Rain tends to be heaviest and last the longest toward the end of the rainy season, in November and early December. However, there is some regional variation.

PRICE INDEX

• Bottle of Cerveza Panama, a locally brewed beer: 75¢–$1.50

• Meal-of-the-day at a comida corriente (fast-food) diner, including meat, rice, beans, and salad: $2.50–$3

Mola (hand-stitched artwork made by Kuna women from layered, brightly colored cloth): $15–$25

• Average taxi ride within Panama City: $1–$2

• Average rate for a two-star hotel in Panama City: $45 (one or two guests)

William Friar, who grew up near the banks of the Panama Canal, has written three Panama-related books, including Moon Handbooks: Panama.

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iPhone: Top Language Translation Apps

BEST FREEBIE World Nomads Free Languages: Twenty-three, including Arabic, Cambodian, Cantonese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Lao, Malay, Mandarin, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese, and Australian—the last app is handy for translating otherwise incomprehensible Aussie slang. Usability: The World Nomads apps present lists, divided into categories, of a few dozen basic travel phrases. After tapping through the categories, such as "places to stay" and "directions & transport," you can select an appropriate phrase and hear an audio clip of a native speaker pronouncing it—a high-end feature we're surprised to find in a free app. Frustrations: Dining phrases are missing—a big drawback. There are also inconsistencies. The Thai app tells you how to say "yes," but not "no." (For the record, it's mai.) Sometimes, an app suffers the opposite problem and presents the forest rather than the tree you need. For example, the Arabic app suggests five ways to greet people, but none of them is the handy salaam aleikum, which is all you need to know. Overall: Most of what a tourist needs to understand is covered, including key words (such as "please" and "thank you"), numbers up to 10, and a few phrases useful in transportation ("Where is your ticket?"); lodging ("Too expensive!"); and safety ("Stop, thief!" and everybody's favorite "Those drugs aren't mine!"). There's also a Language Lesson feature in which all of the phrases are strung together in a short audio skit of a "typical tourist situation," complete with background sound effects. Details: World Nomads and iTunes Store BEST VALUE Coolgorilla Talking Phrasebooks $1 per language Languages: Eight, including Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish. Usability: The interface is similar to World Nomads'—useful travel phases, divided by category, organized in a simple, straightforward fashion. Frustrations: Some translations seem less than necessary (guess what the Italian words pizza, lasagne, and tiramisu mean in English?). More languages would be nice. Also, Coolgorilla is a British company, which means you need to translate things into British English in your head first (chips are French fries). The apps are a bit buggy and crash on occasion—not a huge concern, but annoying. Overall: While they function similarly to the free World Nomads apps, the Coolgorilla apps come with 10 times the number of phrases per language, making them a fantastic investment for just a buck. The app for each language features more than 500 phrases in 40 categories (accommodations, food and drink, activities, shopping, etc.), all professionally translated and spoken aloud. The speakers get amusingly breathy and excited when translating such phrases as "Kiss me" and "I want you." Fittingly, the phrases come after "Would you like a drink?" and "What's your sign?" Details: Coolgorilla and iTunes Store BEST OVERALL The Oxford Translator Travel Pro $10 per language Languages: Five, including Brazilian Portuguese, French, Italian, Mandarin, and Spanish. Usability: Open the app and choose from categories, such as "conversation," "food," and "hotel/lodging." Unlike the other apps we tested, Oxford's novel interface—which suggests various ways to start conversations in the chosen category—subtly and organically teaches you how to put together phrases and sentences on your own. Frustrations: We look forward to the release of more languages, as five is more of a sampler size. The audio for each word was obviously recorded separately and then stitched together into sentences, so there are awkward pauses between words and the inflection is sometimes off. Overall: The Oxford apps cover all of the usual travel categories, but in far greater detail than the competition. The apps are truly interactive learning tools that teach the user how to form sentences. If all you want is a quick means of communicating abroad, go with one of the cheaper apps. But if your goal is to start learning a language, Oxford is the way to go. And if you're unsure which app is right for you, you can download a free, stripped-down version from Oxford that will give you a feel for the full product. Details: Oxford Translator and iTunes Store RUNNER-UP Lonely Planet Phrasebooks $10 per language Languages: Eighteen, including Cantonese, Czech, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Mexican Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese. Frustrations: Each app works like a classic travel phrase book, featuring more than 600 phrases. The apps come in languages that many competitors ignore, such as Swahili and Vietnamese. But Lonely Planet's print phrase books are far more in-depth than its apps are. Also, there are some technical problems: When you choose a phrase, you see the translation quickly, but there's an odd lag before you hear the audio clip. The search feature is woeful, failing to retrieve common synonyms for words. If you type "bathroom" in the search field, it finds nothing. Type "toilet," however, and the app fetches five relevant phrases. In short, you get nearly the same quality with Coolgorilla's apps at a tenth of the price. Overall: This being LP—and therefore hip—the apps also include all sorts of sentences overlooked by stodgier, traditional phrase books, such as "I'm looking for a gay venue," "Do you have vegetarian food?" and "I'd like a SIM card for your network." LP is probably most useful for languages that other competitors miss. Details: Lonely Planet and iTunes Store

14 Weird Animals You Can Travel to See

Aye-aye Weirdness factor: Where to start? The aye-aye is a kind of lemur, with large round ears that rotate independently. How does it eat? There are no woodpeckers in Madagascar, but the aye-aye has evolved to feed like one, using its long middle finger to scoop out grubs in tree bark. See it in: Madagascar (and the Bristol Zoo Gardens). See the photo Proboscis Monkey Weirdness factor: The male proboscis monkey has a pendulous nose that is thought to amplify his calls to females (and his warnings to big-nosed rivals). The most dominant male usually has the biggest nose and can collect a harem of five to eight females. See it in: Borneo (and the Singapore Zoo). See the photo Naked Mole Rat Weirdness factor: Almost totally blind, the naked mole rat is one of only two species of mammals that live in colonies with a caste system, like termites or ants. There's one queen and sometimes hundreds of workers and soldiers—which are expected to sacrifice themselves in battle should a snake appear (and not lose its appetite). See it in: Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia (and Zoo Atlanta and the National Zoo). See the photo Philippine Tarsier Weirdness factor: The tiny tarsier's eyes are about twice the size of a human's and have no peripheral vision. Tarsiers pounce on prey with their vulnerable eyes shut tight, for protection (because who wants a cricket stuck in their eye?). See it in: The southern Philippine islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao (and the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary in Bohol). See the photo Emperor Tamarin Weirdness factor: Named for the last emperor of Germany, this tamarin's wildly eccentric moustache (strikingly similar to Mr. Monopoly's) is something of a mystery. Experts think it might be a unique identifier, as a fingerprint is for humans. See it in: Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru (and the Paignton Zoo, in Devon, England). See the photo Matamata Turtle Weirdness factor: The knobby, gnarled matamata uses its huge mouth to suck in unsuspecting food sources as they pass by. In Spanish, matamata means "it kills, it kills." See it in: The Amazon River in Brazil, and in parts of Trinidad and Guyana (and the Honolulu Zoo and San Diego Zoo). See the photo Gelada Baboon Weirdness factor: This primate's fangy yawn is actually a display of aggression to show off its canine teeth. The red patch of skin on the female's chest gets brighter as her hormone levels increase. As a natural design feature, it's probably a little too much information. See it in: Eritrea and Ethiopia (and the Bronx Zoo). See the photo Chinese Giant Salamander Weirdness factor: The largest salamanders in the world, these unattractive guys can grow to three feet long. But that doesn't stop them from being eaten: Their meat is considered a delicacy in parts of China. See it in: The streams and lakes of central China and Taiwan (and the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco). See the photo Echidna Weirdness factor: The echidna is an evolutionary mashup—it has a pouch for its young like a kangaroo, spines like a porcupine, and a sticky tongue like an anteater. Oh, and it lays eggs like a chicken. See it in: Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea (and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, which has a short-beaked echidna). See the photo Victoria Crowned Pigeon Weirdness factor: These blue, turkey-size pigeons with outrageous plumage live mostly on the ground, mating for life and building sturdy nests for their young. See it in: New Guinea (and the Philadelphia Zoo). See the photo White-faced Saki Monkey Weirdness factor: Often called flying monkeys, white-faced sakis rarely let their feet hit the ground. They prefer to stay in the mid-level trees of the rain forest, where they can jump up to 30 feet in a single bound and can run upright along narrow branches. See it in: The rain forests of northeastern Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela (and the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pa.). See the photo Tree Pangolin Weirdness factor: This insect eater's scales feel a little like human fingernails. But don't touch: Like the common skunk, the pangolin has an unpleasant-smelling spray for those who get too close. See it in: Central Africa's rain forests (and the San Diego Zoo—which displays the tree pangolin infrequently, and without a lot of advance notice). See the photo Pygmy Marmoset Weirdness factor: Pygmy marmosets are the smallest monkeys in the world. They communicate though whistles and twitters, but when hostile they emit a frightening cry that's audible to peers but inaudible to humans. See it in: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru (and the Houston Zoo and the Philadelphia Zoo). See the photo Leafy Sea Dragon Weirdness factor: Male leafy sea dragons carry and give birth to the offspring. Instead of swimming upright, like sea horses, the leafy sea dragon swims in a horizontal position. It uses its tube-shaped mouth as a straw to suck up food. See it in: The waters of the southeastern Indian Ocean, near southern and western Australia (and the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta). See the photo

San Francisco Booking Strategies

Fall is summer. First-time visitors to San Francisco may be surprised that typical California weather patterns aren't the norm here. The bad news: You'll probably need a sweater in July—at night for sure, and perhaps even during the day, when temperatures often hover in the mid-60s. But the good news is that it's rarely frigid, even between November and February. The warmest, clearest month is actually September. But no matter what the season, go for it. Chances are that the weather will be decent—or at least tolerably atmospheric, thanks to fog. Neighborhoods: Union Square and beyond. There are many hotels clustered around the city's downtown, Union Square. Naturally, this area has tons of restaurants, entertainment venues, and big-name stores. No matter what your interests, Union Square's central location, bountiful transportation options, and sheer variety of hotels—from bare-bones to five-star—appeal to most visitors. The second-most-popular area for vacationers to stay the night is Fisherman's Wharf, along the waterfront. Even though the only locals who hang out at Fisherman's Wharf are the seals loafing on piers, most visitors find themselves here, poking around in souvenir shops and boarding boats for tours of Alcatraz. As a general rule, the farther out from downtown your hotel is, the better the price. Note: Don't stay across the bay in Oakland or Berkeley if you plan to spend most of your time in San Francisco itself—the average savings of about 25 percent a night won't be worth the trade-off in wasted time going back and forth. Boutiques, B&Bs, and more. San Francisco has an incredibly diverse range of lodging options. Don't limit your room search to traditional hotels. Perhaps you'd prefer a grand old Victorian home that's been converted into a funky B&B, or a small posh boutique hotel that—when there's a good promotion going—is much cheaper than you'd expect. In addition to the usual hotel booking engines, check out Bed and Breakfast San Francisco, an operation that has been booking travelers in rooms, apartments, cottages, and B&Bs in San Francisco and its surroundings for more than three decades. Another tip: Quikbook works with many independent hotels in San Francisco (and other cities) and often has discounted rates you won't find on other websites. Don't drive yourself crazy. With an excellent system of taxis, buses, cable cars, and BART commuter trains throughout the Bay Area, driving isn't necessary. It certainly isn't pleasant: Navigating the city's shockingly steep roads can be tricky. (We're not kidding.) Worse, parking is expensive: It's $50 or more a night for valet service at many hotels. If you do bring a car downtown, park it yourself at a public garage, where rates will be about $30 per 24-hour period. Planning a day trip to wine country? You can rent for less than 24-hours by using a service like Zipcar, which had 42 convenient locations around the city when we published this article. (The catch with these services, though, is that you usually have to pay an annual membership fee of between $50 and $75, plus a yearly fee of about $25. On the plus side, their hourly rates start at $8 and include gas and insurance.)

New York Food Trucks Go Gourmet

After a decade as an IBM management consultant, Belgian native Thomas DeGeest quit his corporate job in 2007 to bring a taste of his homeland to the Big Apple. DeGeest's bright yellow Wafels & Dinges truck serves two types of Belgian waffles: fluffy, rectangular Brussels-style waffles, from the northern part of the country; and chewier, round liège waffles, from the southern part. Through the truck's large front window, you can watch the waffles being made in large, cast-iron presses. Dress your waffles with dinges (Belgian slang for "toppings") like Nutella, Belgian chocolate, fresh strawberries and bananas, whipped cream, and spekuloos (a creamy cinnamon-ginger sauce). Or, order your waffle as DeGeest gets his—with just a light sprinkling of powdered sugar, so you can really savor the pastry. Tip: Check Wafels & Dinges's Twitter feed or call to learn the daily password or trivia question that will give you one free dinges. Various locations in Manhattan and Park Slope, Brooklyn, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Check twitter.com/waffletruck or call 866/429-7329 for updates. From $3. wafelsanddinges.com. New York City may be the country's unofficial cupcake capital, but Lev Ekster, a recent New York Law School graduate, wasn't impressed with the local offerings. He felt that he often waited on long lines at the big name bakeries for subpar cupcakes. Convinced that he could shake up the cupcake scene, Ekster shelved his fledgling legal career to start CupcakeStop, which works the Flatiron District and other pedestrian-heavy neighborhoods. Baker Manal Mady's airy red velvet and rich Oreo crumb cupcakes are the truck's staples. The menu rotates quirky flavors, such as the Elvis (banana and peanut butter), strawberry shortcake, peanut butter and jelly, and Key lime. 5th Ave. between 22nd and 23rd Sts., 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m., 23rd St. between 7th and 8th Aves., 6 p.m.–10 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, though locations are subject to change. Check twitter.com/cupcakestop for updates. $1–$2.25. cupcakestop.com. When Johnpaul Perrone launched the rice ball truck Papa Perrone's last year, he wasn't even sure there'd be a market for his Sicilian speciality. He only knew that he had been making rice balls with his mother's recipe for years, and for almost as long, friends and family had urged him to start a business. Luckily for Perrone, his loved ones' intuitions proved correct. The softball-sized concoctions—popular with Midtown's office workers and tourists—come stuffed with meatballs, three cheeses, or spinach and cheese. Despite their size, they're surprisingly light; Perrone "flash fries" the rice balls in extra virgin olive oil and then lightly bakes them to ensure a slightly crispy crust. Papa Perrone's menu also includes baked ziti, pizza, and meatball, chicken, and eggplant parmesan heroes. 55th St. between Madison and Park Aves., 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Rice balls from $4, other menu items from $1.50. papaperrone.com. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. six days a week, NYC Cravings churns out heaping plates of hearty Taiwanese snacks. The lunchtime combos feature one large piece of fried meat (chicken, a pork chop, or tianbula, a Taiwanese fish cake) topped with "secret pork sauce" and served on a bed of white rice with a side of pickled cabbage. Steamed pork and vegan dumplings are also available most days. Though NYC Cravings is owned and operated by 20-somethings Thomas Yang, Diana Yang, and Eric Yu, the culinary prowess of the Yang family is present in every dish. The secret pork sauce comes from the Yangs' grandmother, and the Yangs' uncle, Steven Yang, a chef who was trained in Taiwan and America, works behind the scenes beforehand to prepare and marinate the meats. Various locations in midtown and downtown Manhattan and Park Slope, Brooklyn, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Sunday through Friday. Check twitter.com/nyccravings for updates. $3–$8. nyccravings.com. If it weren't for the iconic rainbow-ice-cream banner, you might mistake the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck for a standard Mister Softee. But what the truck lacks in looks, it more than makes up in personality—from its toppings to its operator. The Big Gay Ice Cream Man is Doug Quint, who is a doctor of musical arts candidate with a specialty in bassoon and a freelance musician who has performed with the Boston Pops and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. In his truck, he's quick with witty quips and more than happy to load up cones and cups with premium toppings like cayenne pepper, wasabi pea dust, and olive oil and sea salt. Quint's signature cone is vanilla ice cream topped with dulce de leche and crushed Nilla wafers. Splurge on the "choinkwich," a special treat that only appears on the menu once a week: a few pieces of brown-sugar-and-maple-syrup-caramelized bacon sandwiched between chocolate soft serve and two chocolate cookies. Various days and locations in Manhattan; the truck will operate through October. Check twitter.com/biggayicecream for updates. From $3. biggayicecreamtruck.com. With a vibrant wraparound mural depicting brilliant blue skies and rolling green mountains, the La Cense Beef Burger Truck brings a bit of Big Sky Country to Midtown's busy streets. This truck is an outpost of a Montana ranch of the same name. There, cattle graze on 88,000 acres of land before...well, you know what happens next. At La Cense, there's only one thing on the menu: black Angus grass-fed beef burgers topped with caramelized onions and, for an extra 50 cents, cheese. The six-ounce patties are thick and juicy, but fans of rare or well-done burgers may be disappointed: La Cense's burgers only come medium. Various midtown locations, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Check twitter.com/lcbburgertruck for updates. $7. lacensebeef.com.