Highlights of Panama
- Discover the untouched beauty of San Jose Island
- Covered in pristine forest and home only to the stunning Hacienda del Mar, this beautiful island with its white sand beaches is a wonderful retreat with 180 degree views over the Pacific Ocean.
- Discover the untouched beauty of San Jose Island
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- Enjoy a great city break in Panama City
- History, colonial architecture, shops, restaurants, stunning views and the Panama Canal. This city has everything that you could wish for in a great city break.
- Enjoy a great city break in Panama City
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- Enjoy the cooler climes around Boquete
- Located in the highlands, Boquete offers a cooler climate and is surrounded by fruit farms, coffee plantations and forested mountains.
- Enjoy the cooler climes around Boquete
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- Esape to the beautiful island retreat of Cala Mia
- Cala Mia is a secluded island hideaway perched on the point of beautiful Isla Boca Brava in the Gulf of Chiriqui. It's a beautiful spot to relax or take snorkelling excursions in barefoot luxury style accommodation.
- Esape to the beautiful island retreat of Cala Mia
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- Hike the Los Quetzales Trail
- The slopes of the dormant Volcan Baru provide excellent hiking and bird watching. The Los Quetzales Trail, which runs from Cerro Punta to Boquete in the highlands, is one of the best hikes in Central America.
- Hike the Los Quetzales Trail
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- Journey along the Panama Canal
- The Panama Canal is an impressive engineering feat and the visitor centre at the Miraflores Locks is excellent. You can experience the canal on partial or full day transits.
- Journey along the Panama Canal
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- Meet the local Kuna people of the San Blas Islands
- The San Blas Islands are beautiful and idyllic, but accommodation is mostly basic. The islands are very much a cultural experience with the friendly Kuna people rather than a beach break.
- Meet the local Kuna people of the San Blas Islands
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- Snorkel the colourful reefs at Bocas del Toro
- Bocas del Toro has colourful reefs and beautiful islands covered in lush rainforest friged with fine beaches. It’s a great place for kayaking, trekking, snorkelling, birding and fishing.
- Snorkel the colourful reefs at Bocas del Toro
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- Take your pick of activities in Tranquilo Bay
- Situated on the beautiful island of Bastimentos, Tranquilo Bay is the perfect hideaway from where you can experience wildlife, scenery, activities and relaxation.
- Take your pick of activities in Tranquilo Bay
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Our country specialists have travelled the length and breadth of Panama - here are a few of their favourite things to do
'The Crossroads of the Americas’, as Panama is known, is an unusually shaped country, in overview resembling a crooked, winding road.
The Panama Canal
The country has been put on the world map by the Panama Canal and to navigate its waters amongst the towering cargo-vessels and cruise ships is an unforgettable experience, but this awe-inspiring feat of engineering is just one aspect of the country.
Colonial history
Its colonial history is one of Spanish exploitation, its wealth built from plundered South American gold being shipped back to Europe. This swashbuckling age continued well into the 20th century, and its strategic importance made it prey to international politics.
Cultural and natural highlights
Engaging in Panama’s history is undoubtedly fascinating but the visitor will also be intrigued to discover undisturbed pristine rainforests, traditional Indian villages, fine coffee plantations, quaint colonial towns, cool highlands, tumbling waterfalls, varied birdlife, beautiful undeveloped beaches and exquisite Caribbean islands with their own fascinating traditions, providing unique getaways unlike any other in the world. These natural assets, combined with a mix of Spanish, Afro-Caribbean, American and indigenous cultures, make Panama a truly enthralling destination.
Popular Places to visit in Panama
The islands of Bocas del Toro dot the Caribbean Sea, close to the border with Costa Rica.
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Panama’s highest peaks, its only volcano, and some of its longest rivers are found in the Chiriqui Highlands, a two hour drive from Panama’s northernmost city, David.
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Located to the west of Panama City, Cocle Province provides a great contrast to the cosmopolitan capital and is a great place to escape if you only have a day or two to spare.
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Darien National Park is one of the wildest, most inhospitable parts of Panama, ideal for those with a desire to experience the outdoors, indulge in a spirit of adventure and sacrifice creature comforts.
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The tranquil, secret hideaway of El Valle features few tourists, and its cool tropical forests are filled with exotic birdlife, waterfalls and mountain streams.
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The Pacific coastline of Panama is vast, extending from the Chiriqui province in the west of the country through to the Pearl Islands some 100 kilometres south-east of Panama City.
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Home to half of Panama’s population, Panama City is a heady combination of historic crumbling colonial buildings and high-rise ultra modern structures, set around a large bay on the Pacific Ocean.
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The stunning San Blas archipelago is an idyllic group of over 400 palm-fringed islands ringed by white-sand beaches and surrounded by the clear, turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.
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To experience the magnificent Panama Canal is many a traveller’s sole reason to visit the country and there is really nothing quite like watching the huge ocean liners navigate through the locks.
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Set on the southern tip of Isla Bastimentos, Tranquilo Bay is home to diverse wildlife and stunning beaches.
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Practical Info
Flight time from UK
Approx. 13 hours (Via the USA or Europe)
When To Go
Jan
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