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Introducing Panama
Travel Alert: Some areas of Panama are risky for travellers; see the Dangers & Annoyances section for details.
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Unfettered by tourist crowds, Panama’s natural gifts shine. Although most backpackers to Central America set their sights on tourist-soaked Costa Rica and Guatemala, it’s hard to shake the feeling in Panama that you’re in on a secret the rest of the traveling world has yet to discover. Although the ‘gringo trail’ has already swung south to the Caribbean archipelago of Bocas del Toro, the careless overdevelopment plaguing most Costa Rican beach towns is still refreshingly absent here. In fact, Panama’s highlights are still very much off-the-beaten-path destinations, though it’s likely that this will change in the years to come.
Until its anticipated tourism boom explodes, however, Panama remains accessible to backpackers on a budget, and there’s no shortage of beaches, mountains and rain forests to explore. The Archipiélago de las Perlas in itself could occupy your entire trip, with its endless islands and islets, sublime beaches and pristine waters. Parque Nacional Volcán Barú is home to Panama's only volcano and some incredibly scenic trekking opportunities, while the Interior is a veritable bonanza of colonial towns, exquisite handicrafts and the country's friendliest people. Panama is also home to one of Central America’s most independent indigenous groups, the Kuna, who live autonomously in the Comarca de Kuna Yala; as well as one of the last true frontiers in the Americas, the infamous Darién Province.
Last updated: Oct 20, 2009
Tips & articles
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YOUR top 10 countries for 2010
19 November 2009
A couple of weeks ago, we published our list of hot destinations for 2010. You sure had a lot to say!...
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From Panama to Colombia…by boat
28 July 2009
Getting from Panama to Colombia without an airplane is no easy task. But rather than hot-footing it through...
Panama
Our Top Picks For Panama
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1 Parque Internacional La Amistad
The Panamanian side of this bi-national park is an off-the-beaten-path destination for serious trekkers
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2 Archipiélago De Bocas Del Toro
Panama's tourist mecca serves up Caribbean vibes, jungle-fringed beaches and plenty of surf and sun
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3 Boquete
The perfect highland escape for anyone seeking fresh mountain air, cloud forest hiking and the country's best coffee
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4 Parque Nacional Volcán Barú
This stunning highland park protects both Panama's highest peak and its most famous mountain trail
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5 Parque Nacional Coiba
This far-flung ecological wonder is home to Panama's most unique terrestrial and marine ecosystems
Fast Facts about Panama
- Area
78,200 sq km (slightly smaller than South Carolina)
- Capital
- Electricity
120V, 60Hz
- Head of State
President Martin Torrijos
- Country Code
507
- Budget
US$20-30 per day
- Languages
Spanish, Kuna & 14 others
- Costs
Hostel in Bocas US$7, bottle of beer US$1, 3hr bus ride US$6, set lunch US$3
- Time
GMT minus 5 hours
- ATMs
Widely available
- Famous for
Panama Canal, panama hats, Manuel Noriega
- Population
3.19 million
- Phrases
Panameños (Panamanians), chévere (cool), chau (bye), discúlpeme (excuse me)
Related Groups
Our favourite Panama Blogs (beta)
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Interview – An American Expat In Costa Rica
Blog: GoBackpacking - 10 September 2009
Astrid, Casey (middle) and me in Medellin I met Casey during my last week in Colombia. More than a decade earlier, he had left the United States to start his own business in Central America, which surprised me considering how he seemed about my age! In the interview below, he talks about his move to Costa [...]Your Free Subscriber Download
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Panama’s San Blas Islands
Blog: Brilliant Tips Travel Blog - 2 September 2009
Bordering the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Panama’s coastline includes a plethora of lagoons and countless islands. Stretched out along the Caribbean coast is the archipelago of San Blas, a cluster of well over 300 islands of remarkable beauty. Forty-nine of the islands are inhabited by the Kuna Indians. While only a fifteen minute plane ride from Panama City, a trip to the San Blas Islands will transport you twenty centuries into the past where travelers feel as if they’re in another world. Fiercely independent, the Kuna Indians maintain their ...
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San Lorenzo fort and Gatun Locks
Blog: Nono in Guatemala - 23 March 2009
This morning, I wake up early to catch the train to go to Colon, on the Pacific Coast. This train goes along the canal and is very famous, but I heard it was difficult to get a ticket so I arrived at the station at 6 am. I understood quickly why. This train is for workers who live in Panama and go to Colon to work everyday. They is only a wagon for tourists and it's quite small, so places are limited.
