Check the weather city by city, starting with Panama City.
Panama, a crossroads of the world since 1914, is far more than its legendary canal: the UNESCO-listed Casco Viejo, the Caribbean paradises of the Kuna Yala islands and Bocas del Toro, and exceptional biodiversity (Darién) make this link between two continents an outstanding travel destination.
The Panama Canal, one of humanity's greatest engineering achievements, links the Atlantic to the Pacific over 80 km. The Miraflores Locks let you watch giant container ships pass through live. The Interoceanic Museum retraces the epic story of its construction.
Highlights : Miraflores Locks — live ship transit, Agua Clara Locks (expanded canal), Interoceanic Museum (Panama City), Bridge of the Americas — canal panorama.
Casco Viejo, the UNESCO-listed historic quarter of Panama City, is a peninsula of Spanish colonial alleyways, boutique hotels and gourmet restaurants overlooking the skyscrapers of Panama's ultra-modern skyline — a striking contrast between past and future.
Highlights : Plaza de la Independencia & cathedral, Rooftop bars — skyline + canal views, Old town ruins (Panama Viejo), National Theatre and Presidential Palace.
The Bocas del Toro archipelago is Panama's Caribbean paradise: coral islands, turquoise waters, dolphins in the lagoons, poison dart frogs in the jungle and white sand beaches. Bocas Town (Isla Colón) is a colourful, festive town built on stilts.
Highlights : Red Frog Beach — poison dart frogs, Dolphin Bay — dolphins in the lagoon, Snorkelling on coral reefs (Isla Bastimentos), Bocas Town — nightlife on stilts.
San Blas (Guna Yala) is an archipelago of 365 coral islands governed by the Kuna people, one of the few indigenous nations to have retained full autonomy. Crystal-clear waters, deserted beaches, hammocks over the water and trade in molas (embroidered textiles) make up this timeless paradise.
Highlights : Coconut island with hammocks over the water, Molas — embroidered Kuna textiles, Snorkelling in the turquoise lagoon (Cocos Bandidos), Kuna community — traditional way of life.
Panama uses the US dollar and is more expensive than its Central American neighbours, especially Panama City. But San Blas and Bocas remain affordable. The cost of living is among the highest in Central America.