Planning a trip to Panama for the first time? Lucky you- Panama is a great destination whether a stop on your backpacking trip or a shorter vacation away from home. It’s a really solid option for a Central/South American destination. Panama has 3 of the main landscapes that tourists love- cities, mountains, and beaches. In this guide, we will share with you some must-know information for visiting this tropical paradise.
What to expect when visiting Panama
You may have some questions about Panama before visiting such as, is Panama safe? Is Panama affordable? What are the destinations like? We will go into more depth about all of these and more, but to be more general, Panama is a warm and inviting country that is very developed. The economy is one of the strongest in all of Central and South America and visiting as a tourist is such a pleasure. There are many American ex-pats who have moved down to Panama so you will find many non-Panamanians in a lot of the tourist towns like Boquete. Panama is also logistically very easy to travel in compared to places like Nicaragua or Guatemala.
The most popular destinations in Panama
Panama is great because just like Costa Rica, there are many different areas of the country where tourists enjoy visiting. Some of the most popular are:
- Panama City– Panama’s capital & one of Central America’s coolest cities. Home to the Panama Canal, Panama City is very modern yet historic and there is plenty to do here. Most people just visit Panama City for one day before connecting to another destination. You could easily spend 3-5 days here exploring all of the city and the numerous day trips that depart from the city.
- Boquete– A mountain town just 45 minutes from David. Boquete sits at the base of Volcan Baru and is a perfect base for all of your nature and outdoor activities. There are many different hikes in and near Boquete that include everything from wildlife to waterfalls. The town itself is small and walkable with plenty of restaurants. Boquete is home to many American ex-pats and is a very popular tourist town. You can spend anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks exploring Boquete and the areas around it.
- Bocas Del Toro– An archipelago on the Caribbean side of Panama, Bocas Del Toro is an island paradise. With many islands to explore, this destination in Panama is a must-visit. The main town is known for partiers and backpacking tourists, but there are also numerous secluded eco-resorts in remote parts of Bocas Del Toro. We recommend spending time in both scenes. Dedicating at least 5 days to this region of Panama is something that you won’t regret.
- San Blas Islands– An even more remote group of islands off the Caribbean coast, the San Blas Islands are completely self-governed by the indigenous Kuna Yala tribe. Visiting this area of Panama may be more geared toward the backpacker because of the lack of infrastructure. This also means that the islands are extremely pristine and not nearly as traveled to as Bocas Del Toro. This is a popular stop for travelers coming from Colombia and it is even offered as a (very long) day trip from Panama City.
The best time of year to visit Panama
Panama, like other Central American countries, has two seasons, the rainy season and the dry season. The dry season in Panama is shorter with only 4-5 months (January to April). This means that for most of the year, Panama receives quite a bit of rain.
There are advantages to visiting in both seasons. Flights and accommodation will be cheaper in the rainy season when tourism is lower, and there will be fewer crowds. The benefit of visiting during the dry season is that the chances of receiving rain are lower, but it isn’t uncommon for a little bit of rain to hit multiple times per week.
We visited during the rainy season, the last two weeks of July, and for the most part, we had really good weather. It rained mostly at night and 10 of the 15 days were completely dry. There were a few afternoon showers and pretty cloudy mornings, but the rain only got in our way twice where we had to postpone activities. Since we had two full weeks in Panama, we didn’t mind taking a gamble on the weather which ultimately is very unpredictable.
What to pack for Panama
The daily temperature in Panama is dependent on which region you are in. For the most part, the temperatures are pretty consistent in each region. For Panama City and Bocas Del Toro, you can expect very warm weather and strong sun. We recommend bringing lightweight clothes that will be comfortable enough to walk around in during the heat of the day. For the islands, wearing a swimsuit and a coverup for the entire day is very acceptable and you will probably want to dip into the ocean as often as you can to cool off.
If you are visiting a location with a higher elevation such as Boquete, plan to bring clothing that you can layer. It gets very hot in Boquete during the day when the sun is out. It quickly cools off as the sun sets and starting in the early evening, temperatures will drop into the 60s. If you are going out to dinner, bringing a light sweater and/or a pair of pants will serve you well and keep you warm.
How long should your trip to Panama be?
Deciding on the length of your stay depends on how much of the country you want to see. If you are looking to just take a short one-week trip, I recommend picking just one destination, either Panama City or Bocas Del Toro. You can easily see three destinations within a two-week trip. If you are wanting to experience all or most of Panama, dedicating 3-5 weeks in the country is the way to go.
Is a car rental necessary in Panama?
One of the things that we absolutely loved about our trip to Panama is that we did not have to rent a car. The number of transportation systems including rideshare, buses, and airports in Panama makes connecting to different destinations within the country very easy and affordable. This is something that Panama has over Costa Rica, where we found that a rental car was 100% necessary. In Panama, we exclusively used Uber or taxis in all of the destinations, and we used planes and buses to get from one destination to the next.
If you do want to rent a car, we recommend you rent with SIXT for the best experience.
Currency in Panama
Something that is very convenient about Panama is that they use the United States Dollar as their official currency. You may receive change in the form of a Panamanian Balboa, but it is equivalent to the USD and all goods and services in the country are priced in USD. As an American, this is very convenient because there are no conversion fees when charging your credit cards or pulling cash from an ATM.
In Panama, we found that businesses almost everywhere took credit cards, but it’s a good idea to bring cash with you to more remote areas in the country such as the San Blas Islands. We also used a lot of cash in Boas Del Toro for boat taxis.
note: Tipping in Panama is not expected or required. But if you want to leave a tip for your server, 10% is standard. We often found that many places don’t even give a tip option on the receipt, but some did in more touristy areas.
Safety in Panama
Panama in general is a very safe country. The most common crime is petty theft/pick-pocketing. We ran into many female travelers who said that they felt very comfortable traveling in the country. Since we carry a lot of camera equipment, we are always concerned with the chances of robbery wherever we go. We often asked the locals if it is safe to walk around with camera gear and they said that it was okay. There were some areas where they advised us not to go such as the El Chorillo neighborhood in Panama City, and Bocas Town at night. But if you do not carry expensive gear, you will be even more fine.
Language in Panama
The official language of Panama is Spanish, and there are many tribal languages spoken among the indigenous groups. One thing that we noticed in Panama was that there were far fewer English speakers there compared to Costa Rica, which can be difficult for tourists. Knowing a small amount of Spanish will go a long way for you as a tourist in Panama, and the locals do their very best to communicate with you.
The cost of visiting Panama
Panama is an affordable destination. Especially compared to countries in Europe. It is definitely more expensive than most Central American countries, but not as expensive as Costa Rica. We found that the cost of food and activities in Panama was about two-thirds the price it would be in the United States.
Flights to Panama from major destinations like Miami or Houston can be very affordable ($200-$500 roundtrip). Domestic flights within Panama are affordable as well ($100-$200 roundtrip). Local hotels and Airbnbs in the country are very affordable ($20-$150 per night).
Comment your Panama tips and experiences below! 🙂
