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Destinations

Panama

Canal, rainforest and two oceans of islands

naturebeacheswildlife
Plan your trip to PanamaSee the top things to doPick your cities
4.5 millionPeople
Panama CityCapital
SpanishLanguage
PAB and USDCurrency
7 to 14 daysIdeal stay
$110-180Typical day

Panama links Central and South America and is best known for its canal. Panama City has a modern skyline next to the UNESCO listed old quarter of Casco Viejo. Beyond the city are the San Blas Islands, Bocas del Toro, cloud forest highlands and Pacific beaches. It suits travellers who want nature and beaches with easy logistics.

Where to start

Top 15 things to do

Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.

  1. Watch huge ships pass through the locks from a viewing deck and museum. It is the classic Panama sight.

    2-3 hoursTime needed
    Adult non resident about B/.17 (visitor centre page, listed as temporarily closed when checked, so verify)Cost
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Check ship transit times to see vessels in the locks.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  2. The colonial old quarter on a peninsula, with restored plazas, churches and rooftop bars. It is part of a UNESCO listing.

    Half dayTime needed
    Free to walkCost
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Walk at dusk and stay for dinner.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  3. An archipelago of palm topped islands run by the Guna people. Stays are simple and beautiful.

    2-3 daysTime needed
    yesBook ahead
    Tip. Respect Guna rules and bring cash.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  4. A Caribbean archipelago with relaxed towns, beaches and dolphins. It is popular with backpackers.

    3-4 daysTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Visit Starfish Beach early before crowds.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  5. A cool highland town known for coffee farms, hiking and hot springs. Volcán Barú towers above.

    2-3 daysTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Take a coffee farm tour.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  6. Panama's highest point, where on clear mornings you can see both oceans. The climb starts at night.

    Full dayTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Go with a guide and bring warm clothes.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  7. A remote marine park with sharks, rays and whales. It was once a prison island.

    1-2 daysTime needed
    yesBook ahead
    Tip. Book with a licensed operator from Santa Catalina.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  8. Rainforest by the canal famous for birdwatching on Pipeline Road. Monkeys and sloths are common.

    Half dayTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Go at dawn for birds.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  9. A colourful museum designed by Frank Gehry about how the isthmus changed the planet. It is near the Amador Causeway.

    2 hoursTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Combine with a walk on the Causeway.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  10. Spanish forts guarding a Caribbean bay used for treasure fleets. The Black Christ church is a pilgrimage site.

    Half dayTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Combine with snorkelling nearby.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  11. Ruins of the first Spanish city on the Pacific, founded in 1519. A tower can be climbed.

    2 hoursTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Visit the museum first.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  12. Visits by dugout canoe to Emberá communities in Chagres National Park. Families share dances and crafts.

    Full dayTime needed
    yesBook ahead
    Tip. Choose a community run tour.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  13. A flower filled island an hour by ferry from the city. It has a beach and a quiet village.

    Full dayTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Take an early ferry on weekdays.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  14. A small surf town and base for Coiba diving. It has a laid back vibe.

    2-3 daysTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Surf at Punta Brava point.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access

  15. A rural peninsula of colonial towns, beaches and festivals. Isla Iguana is nearby.

    2 daysTime needed
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Visit in Carnival season for big celebrations.
    See on the map
    TOURSTours and tickets are shown to Hodolog members. Request access
Map: OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins from OpenStreetMap search; check a place before you go.
Not on the map: Soberanía National Park, Biomuseo.
Make it yours

Turn Panama into your plan

Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.

Plan day by dayAdd any place here to a day of your trip, with times and costs.
Bookings from emailForward flight and hotel confirmations. They land in your trip.
Weather for your datesForecast and usual weather for your exact days, in your units.
Share with your peopleInvite family or friends, split costs, keep one plan.
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Pick your bases

Cities to visit

Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.

Panama CityDronepicr, CC BY 3.0
3 nights suggested

Canal, old town and skyline.

culture, gateway · Open the city guide
Bocas TownDronepicr, CC BY 3.0
3 nights suggested

Caribbean islands.

beaches · Guide coming
BoqueteFranHogan, CC BY-SA 4.0
3 nights suggested

Highlands and coffee.

nature · Guide coming
Santa CatalinaDronepicr, CC BY 3.0
2 nights suggested

Surf and Coiba.

diving · Guide coming
PedasíWMrapids, CC0
2 nights suggested

Azuero beaches.

beaches · Guide coming
El Valle de AntonGarrison Gunter from State College, Pa, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
2 nights suggested

Crater valley town for easy nature close to the capital.

nature, markets · Guide coming
Portobeloen:User:Tedder, CC BY 3.0
1 nights suggested

Caribbean fort town with Congo culture.

history, coast · Guide coming
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Know the map

Regions

Panama City and the canal

Modern city and rainforest.

Panama Canal, Casco Viejo, Soberanía

Caribbean coast

Islands and forts.

San Blas, Bocas del Toro, Portobelo

Chiriquí highlands

Coffee and volcano.

Boquete, Volcán Barú

Pacific coast

Surf, islands and marine parks.

Coiba, Santa Catalina, Pedasí

Darien

A remote rainforest region where government advice is to avoid travel in parts, so visitors should not plan trips there without current advice.

Darien National Park (advisory area)

Short on time?

Ready-made routes

Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.

  1. Panama City, 3 nightsCanal and old town.
  2. San Blas Islands, 2 nightsIslands.
  3. Panama City, 2 nightsDay trips.
Plan your dates

Seasons and weather

Best: December to April. The dry season brings sunny weather on the Pacific side.

The Caribbean side, including Bocas del Toro, can be rainy year round, with drier spells in September and October.

Busy and pricey. December to April. High season: crowds and the highest hotel prices. Book ahead.
Shoulder. May, November. Good weather with fewer people and better prices.
Quiet and cheaper. May to November: rainy afternoons, fewer tourists. Low season: lowest prices and few crowds, but shorter days and some places closed.

January. Busy season. Higher prices, bigger crowds.

Usual weather in Panama City

Temperature

32°50°68°86°104°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecDaily highAverage

Rain

0.00.81.62.43.13.94.75.56.37.17.98.79.410.2JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

January

84°F daily high, 80°F average, 0.8 in

  • Warmest month April (87°F)
  • Coolest month January (80°F)
  • Wettest month October (10.2 in)
  • Driest month February (0.4 in)

Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.

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Know before you go

At a glance

4/5
Safety

The US State Department rates Panama Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution due to crime, with special care for the Darién and Mosquito Gulf.

4/5
Getting around

Good buses and short domestic flights connect the country.

3/5
Value

Moderate prices, higher in Panama City and on islands.

Good to know

Entry with your passport

Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.

Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.

EntryRules change, so check the website of Panama's National Migration Service and your own government's travel advice before you book.
PlugsType A, B; 110 V
Tap watervaries
TippingAbout 10 percent in restaurants is customary.
PaymentsThe US dollar is used, so cards and dollars both work.
Emergency911; also 103 ambulance and fire, 104 police
EtiquettePanamanians are friendly but formal at first. Ask before photographing Indigenous people.
DrivingOn the right
Between citiesComfortable buses run along the Pan-American Highway, and short flights reach Bocas and David. Boats serve the islands. Uber is common in the capital.
Main airportsPTY, DAV, BOC
Ride appsUber, inDrive
Taste it

What to eat

SancochoCevichePataconesArroz con polloRopa viejaGeisha coffeeArroz con coco with seafood (Bocas)Hojaldras (fried bread)

A short history

Indigenous peoples such as the Guna and Emberá lived here before Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Panama was a key route for Spanish treasure and later part of Colombia. With US backing it separated from Colombia in 1903, and the canal opened in 1914 under US control. Panama took full control of the canal in 1999.

Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.

Plan Panama