Sights in Panama
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Yandup Island
Just five minutes by boat from Playón Chicon, the tiny islet of Yandup is home to the Yandup Lodge, an admirable community-run venture that is administered by the nonprofit organization Dobbo Yala. Accommodations are a handful of comfortably fitted thatched-roof cabins with private facilities, and guests are well cared for at this low-key spot.
Dobbo Yala is dedicated to conservation and sustainable development, and works with several indigenous communities across the country. Yandup is also home to an attractive white-sand beach with good snorkeling and there's a variety of hiking trails leading through the island's jungle interior.
reviewed
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Wichub-Walá Island
The sparsely populated island of Wichub-Walá is often touted by travelers as one of the best places in the Comarca to meet Kuna (and not just be paraded in front of them as a tourist). The island is also home to one of the most attractive hotels in the Comarca, the Kuna Niskua Lodge.
reviewed
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The Cays
The undisputed gems of the Archipiélago de San Blás are the Cayos Los Grullos, Holandéses and Ordupuquip, a triangle of three virtually uninhabited island chains that are separated by calm blue-green waters and surrounded by shallow reefs. All of the islands in these groups are lovely. The Cayos Holandéses' proximity to Wreck Reef makes for spectacular snorkelling.
reviewed
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Kuanidup Grande Island
Kuanidup Grande is only large in comparison to its nearby kid brother, Kuanidup Chico. The tiny island is breathtaking - with pristine beaches of powdery white sand, swaying coconut palms and little else, it's the stuff of travel-magazine covers.
reviewed
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Isla Tigre
Isla Tigre is one of the most traditional islands in the Comarca. With wide walkways separating homes, the island is surprisingly clean and uncrowded, which makes it easy to interact with local Kuna in a relaxed and stress-free environment. Isla Tigre is also culturally vibrant, perhaps owing to the island's fairgrounds, which are home to some of the biggest festivals and events in the Comarca.
The grounds around Tigre are amply strung up with colorful hammocks, and the ocean here is crystal clear and fairly placid, which is perfect for kayaking or snorkeling. Although there isn't a kitchen at the cabañas, there's a small unnamed restaurant nearby that specializes in…
reviewed
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Isla Robinson
The tiny islet of Robinson is the most popular backpacker destination in the Comarca. Home to the budget-friendly Robinson's Cabins, the island is the perfect destination for shoestringers who want nothing more than a thatch roof over their heads, sand beneath their toes and plenty of time on their hands.
reviewed
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Zoo El Níspero
Most Latin American zoos are sad, cruel places, and unfortunately this is such a place. Here, for example, there are numerous eagles and hawks in a cage smaller than a walk-in closet, and the margays and ocelots on display look listless and depressed.
If you're sensitive to cage animals, you should probably skip this one. With that said, El Níspero is one of the best places for seeing Panama's golden frogs (ranas doradas). These endangered amphibians are unbelievably striking in color, and extremely photogenic. They are also one of Panama's most important cultural symbols, and have long been revered by the indigenous peoples of the country. Unfortunately, they are…
reviewed
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A
Museo de Arte Religioso Colonial
Housed beside the ruins of the Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo, this art museum has a collection of colonial-era religious artifacts, some dating from the 16th century. Just inside the doorway of the ruins is the Arco Chato, a long arch that had stood here, unsupported, for centuries.
The Arco Chato reportedly played a part in the selection of Panama over Nicaragua as the site for the canal since its survival was taken as proof that the area was not subject to earthquakes. Sadly, it collapsed in 2003.
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B
Museo Antropológico Reina Torres de Araúz
The Museo Antropológico Reina Torres de Araúz conveys the rich cultural heritage of Panama with a collection of pre-Colombian artifacts and exhibits.
reviewed
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C
Museo de Historia Panamá
The modest Museo de Historia Panamá has a small selection of exhibits covering Panamanian history from the colonial period to the modern era.
reviewed
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