Panama Travel Destinations
Panama offers a lot of variety for such a small country. In about a week you can go to the mountains and hike to a waterfall in the rainforest, then come down and swim or snorkel in beaches and islands on either the Pacific or Caribbean, visit indigenous communities, small towns, historic sites, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, photograph wildlife in their natural environment, be surprised by how big and modern Panama City is, and of course, take a look at that mad-made wonder called the Panama Canal.
Please find below a list of the destinations we most often visit on our multi-day adventure tours.
Panama City & the Panama Canal
Panama City (PTY), this is where your International flight arrives and departs from. This city was founded in 1519, making it the first European settlement on the Pacific coast of the American Continent. Once here it is easy to visit to the Panama Canal, and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites “Casco Viejo”, and “Panama La Vieja”.
Santa Fe National Park
An off the beaten path hiker’s paradise with amazing mountain views, lush rainforest, lots of waterfalls, and pleasant temperatures to hike and swim in the rivers and natural pools. It is also an excellent destination for experiencing authentic Panamanian culture.
Santa Catalina & Coiba Island National Park
Santa Catalina is an up and coming destinations in Panama, a laid-back surf town/fishermen’s village where shorts and sandals are the preferred attire. It offers great surfing for both beginners and experts, and boat tours to Coiba Island National Parks, with picture perfect beaches and tropical islands, and some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in Panama.
Las Lajas Beach
One of the longest beaches in Central America, with miles upon miles of unpopulated coastline stretching as far as the eye can see. The beach is one of those that remain shallow for a very long way, the water is warm, the sand is soft, and it’s a lot of fun to play in the waves. We usually stop here for a few hours on our way to Boquete, but staying overnight is also a possibility.
Boquete
Panama’s #1 mountain town, nestled in a valley where flowers bloom everywhere and rainbows are a common sight. With pleasant temperatures year-round, and home to small family-run coffee farms producing some of the highest quality coffee in the world.
Bocas del Toro
Laid-back Caribbean lifestyle, very informal and popular with the younger crowds. Bocas del Toro is a fun place, but it is not for everyone. It is regarded as one of the top destination to visit in Panama so travelers want to go. In the end, some people love it, others not so much. It is your typical touristic destination with lots of restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, bike rentals, a wide variety of tours and activities available from the local outfitters, as well as plenty of water taxis to go to the beaches and snorkeling spots.
Guna Yala (San Blas)
One of the most interesting destinations in Panama. It provides the rare opportunity to feel like traveling back in time and experiencing a unique indigenous culture, not to mention the picture perfect tropical islands. The catch is the very basic accommodations, limited infrastructure in general, and possible cultural shock. It is a mistake to visit Guna Yala for the beaches and islands alone. You have to go primarily to experience the culture, and welcome the beautiful scenery as a really nice bonus.
Bayano Lake Caves
An off the beaten path adventure with beautiful scenery on Lake Bayano, spectacular rock formations inside the caves, and thousands of bats coming out to great you. Not for the faint of heart.
