Panama Destination Guide

Panama truly offers visitors a lot to see and do. First class shopping, hotels, and restaurants are available in the capital, Panama City, along with historical ruins, interesting museums and some outstanding architecture. And yet, barely outside the main urban areas, you will be treated to rainforests teeming with wildlife, rivers snaking their way through the growth, and relaxing tropical beaches.

Panama certainly offers a wide array of options for the visitor - you certainly won't be stuck for things to do while here!

This Panama Destination Guide page gives an introduction to some of the most popular sites and activities in Panama. As always, it's best to ask us your local accommodation provider for insider knowledge about things to see and do, as well as any festivals or events that are happening while you are there. Or feel free to contact us directly, we'll be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Things to See and Do in Panama

The capital of Panama is an intriguing mix of colonial Spanish and modern American, with the bazaar atmosphere of the Middle East thrown in for good measure. The narrow, cobblestoned streets and colonial buildings found in the old part of the city offer most of the interesting sights. There is also great nightclubs, classy restaurants and wonderful places in which to shop. As for places of historic interest, there's the fascinating old quarter of the city.

With its 1.1 million inhabitants it's the biggest city in the country, and its economic hub. The city has been inhabited for almost 500 years. There is a plethora of interesting places for tourists to visit in the country and the nightlife is vibrant. Also prevalent in Panama City are a number of museums, great shopping, good dining and drinking options and some colourful markets. For more detailed information about Panama City, including guides to restaurants, shopping, transportation and things to see and do, as well as accommodation options, check out our Panama City Guide.

Some of the popular places to visit in Panama City include:

Casco Viejo
The city's old section is the place travellers visit to see historical buildings. Old Panama is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Balboa Avenue
The much admired elegant Balboa Avenue stretches from the gates of the historic village, Casco Viejo, trails past the statue of the conquistador, Vasco Nunez de Balboa and the Marbella district, and ends in the district of Punta Paitilla.

Bridge of the Americas
This beautiful bridge adds to the beauty of Panama City. A 354-foot tall and 5,400-foot wide structure, it links the areas near the city to the areas on the other side of the entrance to the Panama Canal. The city was divided into two sections when the canal was built in 1914.

Mi Pueblito
This settlement, which resembles a village, is at the foot of Ancon Hill. Serene and beautiful, Mi Pueblito is one of the must-see attractions of Panama City. Meaning 'Tiny Village', it is situated in the suburbs of the city and is a wonderful showcase of Panama's culture.

Ancon Hill
The 654-foot tall Ancon Hill overlooks the city. The hill is a favourite destination for tourists from across the globe. They like to jog and hike along the beautiful road that leads uphill and offers three great scenic tourist spots.

Many refer to the famous Panama Canal as the world's ninth wonder. The canal traverses Panama from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. You must see for yourself why people say the Panama Canal is mankind's greatest engineering achievement.

Centennial Bridge
The Centennial Bridge is among the most important bridges in the country for crossing the Panama Canal.

Canal Cruises
There are a number of different options available for those wishing to cruise along the canal. It is Panama's main tourist attraction, and is located to the west of Panama CIty. Cruises offer the chance to enjoy much of the spectacular scenery, as well as observing crocodiles, frigate birds and other animals along the banks and in the jungle. The tours are normally timed to coincide with one of the large ships moving through the canal locks, allowing visitors to experience the engineering marvel of the canal.

There is also the interesting Panama Canal Museum, as well as the opportunity to visit the island of Barro Colorado on a day trip. This island is a biological reserve, and considered to be amongst the best tropical laboratories in the world.

The island of Taboga is a favourite, offering great beaches and a variety of accommodation options. Water taxis, known as panga, are the easiest way of getting to the island. Another option is to head to the Bocas del Toro province, which is an archipelago in the Panama Caribbean consisting of seven large islands and hundreds of smaller ones. There are excellent diving opportunities around here.

The best surfing sites include Rio Mar, Santa Catalina and Venado in the Pacific, and Isla Grande, Bluf and Careneros in the Atlantic.

Panama has 16 wildlife reserves and 14 national parks. The parks cover an area of 3.5 million acres and encompass mountains, rivers, beaches and forests. One thousand species of birds, 220 species of mammals and 354 species of reptiles and amphibians make these parks their home.

The El Níspero Botanical Gardens offers a thrilling tree canopy adventure, where a harness swings you from platform to platform amongst the treetops. For the slightly more sedate, the Gamboa Tropical Rainforest Reserve and the Soberanía National Park both offer ample opportunity to learn more about the local tropical fauna and flora.

The Darién National Park is home to an extensive variety of habitats, incorporating beaches, mangroves, rocky coastlines, swamps and tropical rainforest. Two Choco Indian tribes also make their home within the National Park.

Those interested in birdwatching will be spoilt for choice. Soberanía National Park and the Baru National Park in the Chiriquí Province are considered the two best places to see some of the 950 registered species of birds in Panama.

Panama's strategic position has meant that it has always been an important commercial and trading centre for the region. This has continued on to the present day, and its duty free status mean that great bargains can be had on a number of different items. Panama City is the best place to go in order to scope out a deal, with many of the shops situated in the same areas as the larger hotels.

In this second-largest city in Panama, on the Caribbean side of the canal, you'll find it worthwhile to look at the statues on the promenade of Paseo Centenario and to visit the cathedral.

You could witness the ancient lifestyle of the indigenous Kuna Indians on the San Blas islands. You can get to the San Blas archipelago of 365 islands from Colón. The coastline here stretches across 200 miles, the waters are clear and the islets secluded.

For two centuries, Portobelo, with its three stone forts facing the harbour, was a Spanish garrison town. Portobelo is 30 miles east of Colón and displays a Spanish cannon dating back to its days under Spanish rule. Here you will find the treasure house where the Spaniards used to store the silver and gold they stole from Bolivia and Perú before they shipped it to Spain. You can see countless military forts from the 17th and 18th centuries along the Caribbean coast, scattered between San Lorenzo and Portobelo.

The Amador Causeway, which connects the mainland to four islands in the Panama Bay, is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Panama. The causeway attracts hordes of trekkers and cyclists. The four islands connected by the causeway are Perico, Naos, Flamenco and Culebra.

The Amador Causeway has historical significance. It was built from the stones used to construct the Panama Canal. From the causeway, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the canal. You can spend hours here, watching the ferries and ships as they enter the Panama Canal and glide beneath the Bridge of the Americas.

Ecotourism
If you'd like to learn about tropical flora and fauna, both the Soberania National Park and the Gamboa Tropical Rainforest Reserve offer ample opportunities. You can study orchids at the Antón Valley (El Valle de Antón), 70 miles west of Panama City, while the El Níspero Botanical Gardens present you with an exciting tree canopy adventure. If you're the adventurous type, you'll enjoy swinging from the tree tops by a harness and looking at a green perspective few can access. If you'd like to visit the world-famous Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on Barro Colorado Island with its own tropical research laboratory, remember to book an appointment one month in advance at least.

Boat Trips
Boat trips on the Panama Canal are one of the most popular tourist activities offered in the country. You can choose from a range of tours and watch animals like crocodiles and frigate birds along the banks and in the jungles that surround the canal.

Water Sports
Panama boasts many excellent diving and snorkelling sites. One of the best is Isla Grande, close to Portobelo. You can go white water rafting (except when the rains hit from April to mid-December) on the Chiriquí and Chiriquí Viejo rivers. This sport is steadily gaining in popularity.

Fishing
The waters of the Pacific and the Caribbean are abundant in fish and some hotels offer guests opportunities for deep-sea fishing expeditions.

Golf
The isthmus has six golf courses. The golf courses of the Panama Country Club and Fort Amador’s Summit are open to tourists.

Horse Riding
Another popular activity is horse riding in the mountainous Chiriquí province. The wild landscape here is the natural habitat for horses and cattle. You can visit some of the countless horse-breeding farms in this province.