Panamá Province

Panamá Province has a rich history of pirates, plunder and pearls. Although it's the most populous province in the country, Panamá can be as big or as small as you want it to be. Tranquil rainforests and sizzling beaches are yours to explore, and the comforts of the capital are never more than an hour away.

The principal attraction remains the world’s most daring engineering achievement. Explore the Panama Canal and its expansion by visiting its locks, boating through its watery recesses or hiking along its jungle-clad shore. It is also the unlikely host of one of the most accessible and best-studied tropical rainforests on the planet.

Day trips from Panama City abound, ranging from beaches and surf breaks to ferry trips to the nearby island village of Taboga. Further flung is the Archipiélago de las Perlas, which attracts everyone from the moneyed elite to, occasionally, Survivor contestants.