Panama Travel Wiki

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Travel to Panama

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the Republic of Panama is the Panama Canal. On one side, you have coastal access to the Caribbean Sea. On the other, you have coastal access to the Pacific Ocean. It has been an independent country on its own since 1903, at the encouragement of the United States, which allowed for the building of the Panama Canal over a 10-year period beginning in 1904.

A visit to Panama often involves the canal, which has been fully transferred in ownership to the country since 1999. Then there is Coiba, which offers fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving opportunities. If you want to experience the modern urban life, Panama City and Colon can allow you to enjoy shopping and fine dining experiences while still having easy access to the canal.

The culture of Panama is also warm and welcoming, with Spanish influences still very dominant throughout the region. You can take a guided tour that will take you from coast to coast if you wish, including a trek through the local jungle. Walking tours through the historical streets are very popular in Panama as well, but you can then follow that up with a round of golf on a world-class course.

Outdoor adventures are everywhere, including a beautiful sunset on Gatun Lake. You also have the modern amenities of urban centers that will let you relax in your own preferred way. Panama is the gateway that unlocks the East and the West, which means it can help you unlock your own potential today.

Best of Panama

What to do and see in Panama

Panama is an adventure wonderland just waiting to be discovered. The country’s expansive rainforests are among the richest and most complex on the planet. It’s the only country where jaguars and pumas prowl just a short drive from the capital.

In Panama you can spend the morning diving in the Caribbean and the afternoon swimming in the Pacific.

Trip to the Miraflores Locks

No trip to Panama is complete without seeing the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the Panama Canal. According to the Panama Canal Authority “The history of the construction of the Panama Canal is the saga of human ingenuity and courage: years of sacrifice, crushing defeat, and final victory.” This statement, while true, doesn’t go far enough to describe the mighty toll taken by the building of the Panama Canal. Construction began in 1904 and took 10 years to complete. It remains one of the greatest engineering achievements of all time, completed despite landslides, disease, setbacks, and the loss of 75,000 lives in total.

On average it takes a vessel eight hours to travel from one ocean to the other, passing through three sets of locks. The best place to see the Canal is from the Miraflores Locks. Make sure to get to the Miraflores Locks for 9 a.m. as this is when you are most likely to see large ships passing through.

Explore Casco Viejo

Located at the mouth of the Panama Canal, Casco Viejo is the oldest city on the Pacific Coast of the Americas…although it was there long before the Canal was built.

In fairness to history, the original Panama City (now known as Old Panama or Panama La Vieja) was founded in 1519, about two miles from the center of Panama City as we know it today. From here, expeditions were mounted to conquer the Inca Empire of South America and all of the wealth pillaged from Peru, Chile, and California flowed to Spain through Old Panama. It is no surprise that this booty attracted pirates like Henry Morgan, who looted the city in 1671.

During Morgan’s attack, this original Panama City was burned to the ground. Two years later, in 1673, the capital was moved two miles to the west, and present-day Panama City was founded. This is the area now known as Casco Viejo.

As the city was being rebuilt by the Spanish settlers, they decided to build a massive surrounding wall and a stronger fortress for its protection and to ensure that the enormous wealth in gold and silver that passed through it would never again be susceptible to the likes of Henry Morgan.

The new city boasted a cross-sectioned design of 38 blocks, with three main streets running from east to west and seven streets running from north to south. Unfortunately, this urban development was interrupted by various fires that devastated its streets. In 1737, the “big fire” destroyed two thirds of the city, and the “small fire” of 1756 destroyed more than 90 houses. These and other catastrophic fires help explain why so few true examples of Spanish colonial architecture exist today.

The fortress still survives, though, and today houses several important, cultural, and historic buildings and monuments. But it is the architecture of Casco Viejo that makes it so special. The old Spanish colonial style is overlaid with French balconies and architecture, remnants of the French inhabitants who made the initial attempt to build the Panama Canal in 1881. Over the years, a Caribbean influence also took hold and, today, Casco Viejo is a melting pot of architectural inspiration and style, with some buildings dating as far back as 300 years.

Museums and shopping

Up until the early parts of this century, Casco Viejo remained a thriving cultural center. But as Panama City modernized, and as the automotive age made transportation easier, it spread outward, leaving Casco Viejo behind. The old city’s narrow labyrinth streets were difficult for cars to maneuver and its buildings were obsolete in comparison to modern skyscrapers being built. By the mid 1900s, Casco Viejo had gone the way of most city centers of that century. No longer the center of Panama City, it was too oppressed for the upper class and quickly became a poor area of tenement-style housing.

The area is currently undergoing a complete transformation, however. Restaurants and bars are opening with gusto, tourists are coming in growing numbers, and people from all over now want to make their homes in Casco Viejo.

In 1997, UNESCO declared Casco Viejo a Patrimony of Humanity. Today, it is revered as the historic center of Panama City. Two- and three-story houses with flower-adorned balconies overlook narrow streets. At its tip is French Park, where you will find the French Embassy and a monument to the hardy French builders who began the Panama Canal. On one side is an historical Spanish building called Las Bovedas, now housing an art gallery and French restaurant. Panama’s Supreme Court was once housed here. A walkway around the monument offers a nice view of the Amador Causeway, Bridge of the Americas, and Panama City’s skyscraper skyline to the east. A plaque commemorates the firing of canon shots to ward off a Colombian warship and solidify Panama’s independence from Colombia in 1903.

There are excellent museums in the Casco Viejo area, including the Museo de Canal. Here, you can learn about Panama’s history as the connector between the Atlantic and the Pacific from pre-Hispanic to modern times. Next door is the Museum of National History and across the way is the National Cathedral. Nearby is a small museum dedicated to religious art, found in the old Santo Domingo monastery. This is where you will find the famous Flat Arch, which reportedly helped convince engineers that Panama was earthquake-proof and a geologically stable area for building the Canal. A few blocks away is the old San Jose Cathedral, with gleaming spires inlaid with mother-of-pearl and its beautiful gold altar, intricately carved of wood and gilded with gold. This is a must-see when you visit Casco Viejo.

Bargain hunters can take a break from the historical sights at Salsipuedes, which roughly translates to “get out if you can.” Located just before the entrance to Casco Viejo, it is Panama’s bizarre bazaar, a street so narrow and filled with vendors that it is dark at noon.

Vacation in Panama

Panama, popular for its diversity and beauty, is becoming one of Central America’s hottest vacation destinations. Between cities, rain forests, coral reef-ringed islands, and mountains, Panama is full of beauty and adventure. View the country’s number-one tourist attraction, the Panama Canal, and several other don’t-miss sites, like Panama Viejo and Ancon Hill. Central Panama is full of enticing destinations such as Soberania National Park, filled with exotic animals, and one of the most accessible rain forests on earth. No Panama vacation is complete without a visit to Chiriqui where you can take a spectacular mountain hike in Boquete, or visit a turtle nesting spot at Playa La Barqueta. Bocas del Toro, an archipelago of over 200 islands, is full of opportunities for scuba diving or just enjoying the beach.

Panama City, one of Central America’s premier urban centers, has a wide range of accommodations, from luxury hotels to family-friendly chains to boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts. In Central Panama and Chiriqui there’s an even larger variety of lodgings: choose from resorts, including all-inclusive types, back-to-nature lodges, and beachfront cottages. In Bocas del Toro, most accommodations are in Bocas Town, but there are also simple hotels throughout the islands. Whether you’re traveling with your partner, family, or a group of friends, whatever your budget, there is a wide range of accommodation choices for your Panama vacation.

Start your visit to Panama City with a stroll along Cinta Costera, a cycling and walking path with amazing views. The country’s number one tourist attraction is the 100-year-old Panama Canal, and the afternoon, when ships pass through, is the best time to visit. The Panama Interoceanic Canal Museum and the Miraflores Locks Visitors’ Center have exhibits that explain the amazing construction of the Canal and how it changed the world.

Because it’s an international port, Panama City is known for the best shopping and dining in all of Central America the main shopping streets and the city’s malls have the widest selection of shops. While in Panama City, also be sure to take the time to explore Panama Viejo, the Old City, which retains the layout and architecture of the colonial period.

Just outside of Panama City, Central Panama is known for rain forests, historic sites and beaches. Soberania National Park is a rain forest with monkeys, anteaters and exotic birds. Take a guided tour or pick a hiking trail to explore Chagres National Park, one of the country’s largest parks that includes the Embera Villages, where visitors can learn about the indigenous people of Panama.

Visit Isla Barro Colorado- a hilltop that became an island during damming for construction of the Panama Canal, and the oldest tropical research center in the world- administered by the Smithsonian Institute and famed for its varied wildlife and over 1,200 species of plants.

Chiriqui province in the southwest combines mountains and beaches, and vacationers love exploring the contrasts of this spectacularly beautiful area. There’s an outdoor activity in this region for everyone, with excellent opportunities for fishing, hiking, surfing and bird watching. Tour a coffee plantation for a fascinating insight into the production of one of the world’s favorite beverages: Cafe Ruiz, which has been in operation since the 1800s, and Finca Lerida plantation, also a top spot for birders. Another amazing area famed for natural beauty is Parque Internacional La Amistad, which encompasses 500,000 acres and is known for its wildlife and cloud forest.

Boca del Toros, located on the Caribbean in the northwest corner of Panama, is well known for eco-tourism attractions like snorkeling, surfing and hiking. The largest town in the area is Bocas Town and has most of the province’s lodging, dining, shopping and nightlife choices. Top beaches in this region include Isla Colon’s Bastimentos National Park for snorkeling and Red Frog Beach for swimming.