Panama travel guide

Overshadowed by the canal, coups and Costa Rica, most of Panama has been quietly doing its thing for decades, well off the tourist radar. As our Panama travel guide shows, the secret is out – and tourists are finally looking beyond its mighty waterway and delving into its rainforests – packed with monkeys, sloths and quetzals, its idyllic desert islands and welcoming indigenous villages, scattered across the isthmus.

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Panama travel guide

The Panama Canal is one of the world’s greatest engineering feats, an achievement which transformed much of the world, let alone parts of Panama – bringing construction, cargo and cash. Lots of cash. Perhaps this is why it is so surprising to discover then that for all its glitz and glamour, much of this country remains unchanged by tourism, clad in rainforest, undeveloped beaches and mangrove swamps.

This skinny isthmus links North and South America, Pacific and Caribbean. But travellers are waking up to Panama being more than a place to pass through; it's a worthy destination in its own right.

Though barely larger than Ireland, Panama manages to shelter one in 10 of all the world’s bird species within its forests and coasts, along with manatees, caiman, spider monkeys and sea turtles. Panama City is a soaring jungle of glass skyscrapers, and just a couple of hours away live Indigenous communities, who travel by dugout canoe, weave bags and baskets from forest fibres, fish for food and speak one of seven native languages unique to this country. Read more in our travel guide.

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Panama is...

a haven – but not just for tax dodgers. It shelters 1,000 bird species, including 52 hummingbirds alone.

Panama isn't...

the home of the Panama hat. They come from Ecuador but were worn by workers on the Canal – hence the name.

Things to do in Panama…

Roll out the castaway clichés as you head to Panama’s many desert islands, for quality sun, sand and snorkel time. Bocas del Toro’s Bastimentos National Marine Park boasts both rainforest and sea, complete with sloths, turtles and jewel-like poison arrow frogs. Ngobe-Buglé, Afro-Caribbean, Latino and expat communities promise a fascinating cultural mix. The 365 San Blas Islands stretch all the way to Colombia, and are inhabited by the Indigenous Kuna, free of electricity, cars, and air con. You’ll be eating fresh fish, snorkelling in crystal clear waters and swaying in hammocks. Costa Rica long ago claimed Central America’s wildlife crown, but its neighbour shelters just as many extraordinary creatures – it just doesn’t shout about it. As you sail out to Panama’s islands, look out for dolphins, manta rays and sea turtles cruising through the waves. Inland waterways and mangroves are habitat for rare manatees and caiman, while rainforests reverberate with the growls of howler monkeys, and sloths languidly dangle from branches. Birders will be in their element; an incredible 1,000 species are found here, including quetzals, umbrella birds, cotingas and streak-chested anpittas, with over 100 regional endemics. Pedal your way across Panama. There are options here for cyclists of all levels, from short mountain biking excursions through the Chiriquí Highlands and days riding along the Panama Canal, to full on cycling tours from Nicaragua to Panama City. There are mountains and volcanoes to descend, jungles to traverse, and islands to ferry out to – bike in tow. Just be prepared for the heat.

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Things not to do in Panama

Ignore the culture. Panama’s rainforests and islands are home to many Indigenous communities, including the Emberá in the Chagres Rainforest, the Naso along the Costa Rica border, the Ngobe-Buglé in Bocas del Toro and the bead-wearing, mola-stitching Kuna of San Blas. Community tours introduce you to traditional music and dance, with options to sample local food – from plantain to lobster; learn about medicinal plants; and take canoe rides along rivers and creeks, looking out for wildlife along the way. Ignore the neighbours. If you’re only going to be in this part of the world once in your life, then it’s worth border hopping into Costa Rica – or further afield – to take advantage of these countries’ small sizes and the ease of travelling between them. Tour the length of the isthmus; cycle from Nicaragua to the Canal, or explore the wildlife of Costa Rica and Panama. Plus, the border crossing between Panama and Costa Rica is seriously old school cool; you have to exit your vehicle and trek along the disused railway bridge that spans the two countries. Dive straight in. Panama is lined with idyllic beaches on both coasts – but be aware of the riptides, which take lives every year. Never swim alone, pay attention to warning signs, and if you do find yourself caught in a rip, never, ever try and swim against it, you will exhaust yourself. Swim parallel to shore and you will eventually come out and be able to return to shore. And do share this information – it saves lives.

Panama travel guide