H&S monogram
Panama City

Recommendations

I.

Tours

  1. Turismo MBZ Panama

    Private and group tours across Panama. City tours, day trips, and custom itineraries. WhatsApp: +507 6102-1615.

II.

In the city

  1. Casco Viejo

    UNESCO-listed old town. Cobblestone streets, colonial ruins, hidden plazas, and the city's best restaurants and rooftop bars.

  2. Panama Canal — Miraflores Locks

    Museum and observation deck where you watch container ships transit the locks. Best ship traffic: 9–11 am and 2:30–4:30 pm.

  3. Amador Causeway

    Promenade across four islands at the Pacific entrance of the canal. Walk or bike at sunset.

  4. Cinta Costera

    Waterfront promenade with skyline views. At the Casco end: the Mercado de Mariscos for a $3 cup of ceviche.

  5. Shopping & malls

    No sales tax on most goods. Multiplaza Pacific. Town Center Costa del Este. Albrook Mall (Latin America's largest).

III.

Day trips

  1. Soberanía National Park

    Rainforest 40 minutes from downtown. Pipeline Road is among the world's top birdwatching spots.

  2. Gatún Lake / Monkey Island

    Boat tour on the man-made lake at the heart of the canal. Capuchins, howlers, and tamarins climb onto the boats.

  3. El Valle de Antón

    Town inside an extinct volcano's crater, 2 hours from the city. Hot springs, waterfalls, hiking trails.

IV.

Extend the trip

  1. San Blas Islands (Guna Yala)

    Hundreds of tiny Caribbean islands run autonomously by the indigenous Guna people. The can't-miss extension.

  2. Bocas del Toro

    Laid-back Caribbean island chain near the Costa Rican border. Snorkeling, surfing, jungle.

  3. Boquete

    Mountain town in Chiriquí. Coffee farms, hot springs, hike Volcán Barú.

  4. Pearl Islands (Contadora)

    Easier Pacific island getaway, 1 hour by ferry. Quiet beaches, snorkeling, seafood.

  5. Santa Catalina

    Small Pacific surf town. Gateway to Coiba National Park — 'Panama's Galapagos' for diving.