Panama Travel Guide

The most southern country of both North America and Central America and located on the isthmus which connects North America to South America, the little country of Panama has a fascinating history. One of the most difficult, not to mention largest, engineering projects ever embarked on is the building of the Panama Canal. Joining the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the canal, 77 kilometers wide, replaced the previously treacherous and lengthy route via Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America. When the canal was completed in 1914, ships were able to cut their distance from the previous 22,500 kilometers down to 9,500 kilometers. The history surrounding the canal's construction is a saga of human courage and resourcefulness. Its construction took decades of crushing defeat, death, sacrifice and finally, victory.

Today, Panama feels as if it's just on the cusp of being discovered by travelers, much like Guatemala and Costa Rica, but thankfully, it's still relatively unknown and untraveled, making it one of those rare secret spots that travelers whisper about. Panama is dirt cheap for budget backpackers and just as in the rest of Central America, it's replete with rainforests, mountains, and beaches. One of the most inspiring spots is the Archipielago de las Perlas. Here you'll find tropical islands, shimmering beaches and crystal clear waters. In Parque Nacional Volcan Baru, you can tour the country's only volcano and spend days hiking in the park. Nestled in the middle of the country are dozens of small colonial villages, handicrafts galore, and friendly locals, including the Kuna, who are an indigenous group of Panama living in the Comarca de Kuna Yala.

Another intriguing spot is the Archipielago de Bocas del Toro which contains six tropical forest islands, hundreds of tiny uninhabited islets, and even a marine park, Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos. Bocas is starting to get some tourists but this is far from a luxury tourist resort scene. Rather, it has a small town feel and has managed to keep its charm. The most developed island, Isla Colon, has a Caribbean slow pace of life, and the least developed island, Isla Carenero, is simply idyllic in its remoteness. The best part about Bocas is that it's a tropical jungle full of tangled vines, massive buttressed trees, coconut palms, secluded beaches, and out at sea, a colorful coral reef full of vibrantly painted fish. Hiking trails abound here and they almost always end up on an isolated beach next to the throbbing power of pounding surf. Go to Bocas and the rest of Panama before the rest of the world discovers it!

• Bocas del Toro
• Boquete
• Chitre
• Colon
• David

• La Chorrera
• Las Tablas
• Panama City
• Portobelo