Falling under the radar of tourist crowds, Panama's divine natural gifts shine.

While Panama is known mostly for its famous canal, the country's natural attractions offer an irresistible lure to far-sighted travelers. This oft-overlooked country offers some of the finest birding, snorkeling and hiking in the Americas.

Panama's charms include its stunning coastline of palm-fringed beaches, its astounding wildlife - boasting an incredible diversity of tropical birds - and its proud, vibrant indigenous peoples, such as the Kuna. While in Panama, you'll find it hard to shake the inescapable feeling that you're in on a secret the rest of the traveling world has yet to discover.

Travel Warning: Darién Province Unsafe

Bandits, smugglers, Colombian guerrillas and paramilitary forces make the area of Darién Province between Yaviza and the Colombian border along the upper Tuira River unsafe. However, the vast majority of Darién National Park is relatively safe - travel with a guide is recommended.

There have been reports of armed criminals targeting travelers at Madden Dam in Chagre National Park.

severity: Mid-level alert

Fast Facts

Country Full Name

Republic of Panama

Population

3,191,319

Currency

Name: Balboa
Code: PAB
Symbol: B

Electrical Plugs

American-style plug with two parallel flat blades above a circular grounding pin Japanese-style plug with two parallel flat blades
120V 60Hz

Languages Spoken

Official: Spanish

Time Zones

GMT/UTC -5 

Country Dialing Code

+507

Weights & Measures

Metric

Panama - Pick & Mix Chapters

Panama - Pick & Mix Chapters

Download the free Getting Started chapter or buy individual chapters from our Panama guide, in our online Shop.
› Go to the Panama download page.

BLUELISTS blu,list to recommend a travel experience

View more Bluelists ›

Jump to Navigation

Shop Online

Advertisement

Book Your Trip

Travel insurance. Be covered by our recommended partner.

Compare & book flights from 100's of domestic & international airlines.

Hotels & Hostels

Booking hotels is simple with Lonely Planet. See our reviewed and recommended hotels in one place and book online. Browse hotels ›

Lonely Planet Newsletters

Updates, offers and inspiration - straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now ›

Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.

Lonely Planet