Panamá Province
Panama City
Two World Heritage colonial cities, urban forest and the bay on foot.
18 places15 open
Panama · Independent guide
Travel
knowing.Explore
with context.
For anyone planning the trip or already here: 180 places in 10 destinations, with price, hours and status where there is data, in English and Spanish.
Panama guide: what to do, what is open, what it costs.
- Data from MiAmbiente, the Panama Canal Authority and each operator; source and year on every place
- reviewed October 2026
- includes what is closed or restricted
- same content in English and Spanish
01 · Where to start
Choose your destination
Ten areas with their places counted and reviewed. Filter by what you want to do and open the one that fits.
10 destinations
Canal Zone (Panamá and Colón)
Panama Canal & Gamboa
Locks, rainforest and Gatún Lake less than an hour from the capital.
17 places14 open
Bocas del Toro province (Caribbean)
Bocas del Toro
Islands of Panama's Caribbean with reefs, cacao and Afro-Antillean culture.
24 places19 open
Chiriquí (Highlands)
Boquete & the Chiriquí Highlands
Coffee, cloud forest and Panama's highest volcano.
17 places15 open
Gunayala Comarca
Gunayala (San Blas Islands)
Caribbean islands governed by the Guna people, reached by mountain road and boat.
13 places11 open
Veraguas province (Pacific)
Coiba and Santa Catalina
A Veraguas surf village and the gateway to a World Heritage marine park.
18 places13 open
Colón (Caribbean)
Portobelo and Colón's Costa Arriba
Colonial forts, Congo culture and Caribbean islands about two hours from Panama City.
19 places13 open
Azuero (Los Santos & Herrera)
Azuero Peninsula: Pedasí, Las Tablas & Chitré
Surf, whales, turtles and Panama's most traditional festivals.
21 places14 open
Chiriquí province (Pacific)
Gulf of Chiriquí and Boca Chica
Marine-park islands, humpback whales from July to October and long beaches near David.
14 places12 open
Coclé
El Valle de Antón
A town inside the crater of an extinct volcano, ringed by hills and waterfalls.
19 places19 open
02 · Before you decide
Open, closed and what it costs, as of the last review
Each destination with its place count and what is closed or restricted. Each place cites its source and year; temporary closures may have changed since the review.
15 open2 closed1 unconfirmed
Best timeThe city's dry season runs from January to mid-April and the rainy season from May to December…
14 open1 restricted2 unconfirmed
Best timeThe dry season runs from late December to early May and the wet season from May to December…
19 open2 restricted1 seasonal2 unconfirmed
Best timeOn the Caribbean side it rains almost all year and there is no defined dry season…
15 open1 seasonal1 unconfirmed
Best timeOn Chiriquí's Pacific slope the dry season runs from December, a transition month…
11 open2 restricted
Best timeGuides call December–April the dry season, with more sun and higher prices.
13 open1 closed3 restricted1 seasonal
Best timeOn the Pacific side the dry season runs from December to April and the rainy season from May to…
13 open2 closed1 restricted2 seasonal1 unconfirmed
Best timeAccording to IMHPA, it rains almost all year in the Atlantic region…
14 open7 seasonal
Best timeOn the Pacific slope the dry season runs from December to April and the rains from May to…
12 open1 restricted1 seasonal
Best timeOn the Pacific side the dry season runs from December to April and the rainy season from May to…
19 open
Best timeOn the Pacific slope the dry season runs from December to April and the rainy season from May…
03 · Your route
A route to start with
Pick how many days you have and see how they split. Save it to My trip and change it as you like.
- Days 1–2Panama CityCasco Antiguo, Panamá Viejo and the bay
- Day 3Panama Canal & GamboaMiraflores Locks and the Soberanía rainforest
- Days 4–7Bocas del ToroCaribbean islands, by flight from Albrook
- Days 1–2Panama CityCasco Antiguo, Panamá Viejo and the bay
- Day 3Panama Canal & GamboaMiraflores Locks and the Soberanía rainforest
- Days 4–5El Valle de Antónthe town inside a crater and its waterfalls
- Days 6–8Boquete & the Chiriquí Highlandsafter a long day on the road: highland coffee and Barú trails
- Days 9–10Gulf of Chiriquí and Boca Chicamarine park islands from Boca Chica
- Days 1–2Panama CityCasco Antiguo, Panamá Viejo and the bay
- Days 3–4Gunayala (San Blas Islands)Guna islands, by 4x4 to Cartí
- Day 5Panama Canal & GamboaMiraflores Locks and the Soberanía rainforest
- Days 6–7El Valle de Antónthe town inside a crater and its waterfalls
- Days 8–9Azuero Peninsula: Pedasí, Las Tablas & Chitréroad transfer from El Valle; allow time for the drive and spread Pedasí, Isla Iguana and Los Santos folklore across both days
- Days 10–11Coiba and Santa Catalinaa long day on the road, then snorkelling in Coiba the next day (day trips only)
- Days 12–14Boquete & the Chiriquí Highlandsafter another long day on the road: highland coffee and Barú trails
Suggested routes: adjust transfers and bookings to the season.
04 · Next stops
Places to start with
Five places that appear in almost every route, with their status and entry fee.
Azuero Peninsula: Pedasí, Las Tablas & Chitré
Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge
OpenEntry Foreign visitor B/.10
05 · Explore with context
Everything on one map
One marker per destination with its number of places. Open one to see every site with its status.
Loading map…
With the map focused, use the arrow keys to move through places and groups, Enter to open a place or zoom into a group and Escape to close.
Each marker opens its destination. See the map with every place
06 · Practical details
Before you go
Check the requirements and plan each transfer.
- Entering the country
- A valid passport, an onward ticket when required and the means to cover your stay (art. 43, Panama Immigration). Whether you need a visa and how long you may stay depend on your nationality.
- Money
- The currency is the balboa (B/.), at par with the US dollar, which is also legal tender: prices in B/. and US$ are worth the same.
- Health and emergencies
- Emergencies: 911 (SUME, medical care and coordination), National Police 104 and Fire Brigade 103. Take out travel insurance with medical cover.
- Getting around
- In the capital, use the Metro and ride-hailing apps; the UK advises using only ride-hailing apps or hotel-arranged transport, while Canada considers registered yellow taxis at taxi stands generally safe. Between regions, take buses from Albrook terminal or domestic flights. Outside the city some stretches are unpaved or under works: allow extra time.
Check the requirements for your passport on Sherpa(external link)
Sherpa is an external service: its terms and its information are its own.
Entry requirements change. Always confirm them on the official immigration website. Panama Immigration
When to go
- JanDry
- FebDry
- MarDry
- AprDry
- MayGreen
- JunGreen
- JulGreen
- AugGreen
- SepGreen
- OctGreen
- NovGreen
- DecDry
- Dry season
- Green season
Pacific slope, per IMHPA: on the Caribbean side it rains almost all year.