Population
4,491,396
capital
Panama City
Language
Spanish, Bulgere, Yue, Hakka
currency
Panamanian Balboa
Flight time
13 hours and 40 minutes from the UK
time difference
UTC/GMT -5 hours
best time to go
Jan-Apr
Introducing Panama
A thin isthmus of land in the shape of an “S” connects South and Central America. The nation has both natural and man-made attractions, with Panama City serving as one of Latin America’s finest contemporary and flourishing cities and home to the technological engineering feat known as The Panama Canal. Panama is inhabited by a wide range of tropical birds and wildlife and, in comparison to the modern cityscape of Panama City, has a range of cloud and rainforest habitats. Vast sections of shoreline also offer some great beaches to relax on at the end of your vacation, while the scenic country is perfect for trekking and peppered with coffee and strawberry plantations.
Recommended Panama Specialists
Recommended Experiences in Panama
Top Locations in Panama
Coffee Plantations
On your holiday to Panama, you must try the regional brew at one of Boquete's many cafes. Try the local geisha coffee, an Ethiopian coffee bean that has thrived in Boquete and has a distinctively floral flavour.
However, true coffee lovers will want to visit one of the numerous coffee plantations that are around the town. The most well-known plantation in Boquete, Finca Dos Jefes, offers personalized tours that describe its conventional organic farming methods.
Coiba National Park
Coiba island, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, and the waters around it are inhabited by 20 different species of whales and dolphins, many different kinds of turtles and crocodiles, 15 different species of snakes, and a wide variety of birds. Look out for Tito the crocodile during your visit to the Coiba National Park.
Casco Viejo
The historic area of Casco Viejo is filled with lovely cobbled alleys and historical buildings, some restored and some in ruins. Nowadays, it is the trendy area of town, home to the chicest boutique hotels, as well as the hippest restaurants and bars. It's a wonderful pleasure to stroll these neighbourhoods since around every corner is a calm, cobblestone square that hasn't changed in decades offering a realistic depiction of Panamanian daily life.
Panama Canal
Head to Miraflores for the best way to see the construction of the Panama Canal in action. Additionally, the adjacent visitor centre has a four-floor interactive museum that explains the history of the canal, how it functions, and how it affects the local environment.