Panama travel blog
Guides written by our team on the ground — routes, beaches, Coiba and how to move around Panama without stress.
Wildlife in Panama: Where to See Monkeys, Sloths, Sea Turtles and Whales
Where to see sloths, monkeys, sea turtles, humpback whales and quetzals in Panama: the best places, the right months and how to get there by shuttle.
Read the guide →Which Panama Destination Is Yours? Take the 60-Second Quiz
Surf town, coffee mountains or Caribbean islands? Answer five quick questions and get your Panama match, with the shuttle that takes you there and what it costs.
Read the guide →Hiking in Panama: 8 Best Hikes, From Volcán Barú to the Sleeping Indian
The 8 best hikes in Panama, from Volcán Barú and the Quetzal Trail to La India Dormida and Ancón Hill, with distances, difficulty, seasons and how to get there.
Read the guide →Landing in Panama: Your First 24 Hours, From Tocumen to the Pacific
Hour by hour from the arrivals hall to your first sunset on the Pacific: airport pickup, an evening in Casco Viejo and the easiest way to reach the coast.
Read the guide →Surfing in Panama: Best Surf Towns, Seasons and How to Get There
Santa Catalina, Playa Venao, Morrillo and Bocas del Toro: which waves suit your level, when each coast is at its best, and how to move between them with a board.
Read the guide →How to Get from Panama City to Santa Catalina: Bus vs Shuttle
Two buses and a long day, or one van to your hotel door. Every way from Panama City to Santa Catalina compared, with real fares, times and tips for Coiba.
Read the guide →How to Get from Santa Catalina to Boquete: Bus vs Shuttle
Four buses and ten hours, or one van and five. A clear comparison of every way from the Pacific surf coast to the Chiriquí highlands, with real fares.
Read the guide →How to Get from Boquete to Bocas del Toro: Bus, Shuttle and Water Taxi
From the coffee highlands to the Caribbean in a morning: bus versus shuttle, the Almirante water taxi, and the mountain road worth seeing in daylight.
Read the guide →The Best Beaches in Panama: Pacific and Caribbean Compared
Two coasts, two completely different holidays. Where to go for turquoise water, where to go for waves, and the riptide warning nobody prints.
Read the guide →Weekend Trips from Panama City: 6 Escapes Under 3 Hours
A car-free island, a town inside a volcano and a UNESCO Caribbean fort — all close enough for a Friday-to-Sunday from the capital.
Read the guide →How Much Does a Trip to Panama Cost? A 2026 Budget Guide
Real 2026 numbers: daily budgets by style, our actual shuttle fares, the official park fees, and a full 10-day trip priced out.
Read the guide →Is Panama Safe to Visit in 2026? An Honest Local Answer
Is Panama safe in 2026? Level 2 on the U.S. advisory, the same tier as France and Spain. What the warnings cover and what tourists really face.
Read the guide →The Best Places to Visit in Panama in 2026
Two UNESCO sites, a marine park closed for a century and the Guna islands of San Blas: the best places to visit in Panama in 2026, with fees and seasons.
Read the guide →Panama Travel Itinerary: 7 Days
Capital, Coiba and the highlands in one week — three bases, no rental car, and an honest note on what not to add.
Read the guide →Panama Travel Itinerary: 2 Weeks
Fourteen days from the Caribbean to the Pacific: San Blas, two full days inside Coiba, the highlands and Bocas del Toro.
Read the guide →The Perfect 10-Day Panama Itinerary: City, Coiba and Both Coasts
Capital, cloud forest, a UNESCO marine park and Caribbean islands in ten days — no rental car needed, shuttles connect every leg.
Read the guide →Best Time to Visit Panama: Month-by-Month Weather, Seasons and Whales
Dry season, green season, whale season and Carnival — the honest month-by-month guide from a team that drives these roads every week.
Read the guide →Things to Do in Veraguas Province: Santa Catalina, Coiba and Santa Fé
The only province touching both oceans — a world-class surf break, a UNESCO marine park and cloud-forest villages almost nobody visits.
Read the guide →Things to Do in Azuero: Pedasí, Playa Venao and Panama’s Festival Country
Panama’s driest, sunniest coast — surf bays, a coral island refuge, and the villages where the country’s traditions actually live.
Read the guide →Things to Do in Chiriquí Province: Boquete, Volcán Barú and the Gulf Islands
Panama’s highland province packs coffee farms, a 3,475 m volcano, cloud-forest waterfalls and empty Pacific beaches into a few hours of driving.
Read the guide →Things to Do in Panamá and Colón Provinces: City, Canal and Two Coasts
A glass skyline, a 500-year-old colonial quarter, the Canal, rainforest inside the city limits and two oceans within 90 minutes of each other.
Read the guide →How to Get to Coiba National Park from Panama City (Step-by-Step Guide)
How to get from Panama City to Coiba National Park: the exact route, prices and timing to reach Panama’s most spectacular marine park without a car.
Read the guide →Santa Catalina Travel Guide: Surf, Beaches and the Gateway to Coiba
Santa Catalina, Panama: a laid-back fishing village with world-class surf, dark-sand beaches and daily boats to Coiba National Park. Local tips inside.
Read the guide →The Panama Gringo Trail by Shuttle: City → Mountains → Both Coasts
The classic route through Panama’s highlights — the city, the mountains and both coasts — and how to connect every stop with shared shuttles.
Read the guide →Whale Watching in Panama: When and Where to See Humpback Whales
Every year humpbacks fill the Gulf of Chiriquí. Here’s the season, the best departure point and how to plan it.
Read the guide →Boquete Travel Guide: Coffee Farms, Cloud Forests and Cool Mountain Air
Panama’s highland escape: what to do in Boquete, when to go and how to connect it with the beaches by shuttle. Coffee farms, cloud forest and cool air.
Read the guide →Bocas del Toro or Santa Catalina? How to Choose (or Visit Both)
Caribbean party islands or a Pacific surf village? An honest comparison of Bocas del Toro and Santa Catalina, plus the shuttle that links them.
Read the guide →History Lover’s Panama: Panamá Viejo, Casco Antiguo and Portobelo
Five centuries of pirates, gold and ruins: Panamá Viejo, Casco Antiguo and Portobelo, the historic day trips to take before you head for the beaches.
Read the guide →El Valle de Antón Travel Guide: Panama’s Town Inside a Volcano
Waterfalls, hot springs and cool mountain air — all inside the crater of an extinct volcano, two hours from Panama City.
Read the guide →How to Get Around Panama Without Renting a Car
Buses, domestic flights or shuttles? An honest comparison of every way to travel Panama — and when each one makes sense.
Read the guide →Snorkeling in Coiba National Park: Best Spots, Season and How to Book
Crystal water, sea turtles and reef sharks — where to snorkel in Coiba, when to go, and how to book a tour with a local operator.
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