Panama
Such extraordinary regional diversity within a country as small as Panama is rare.
Panama City’s Casco Antiguo (old historic quarter) is a UNESCO protected site with a fascinating maritime history, buzzy nightlife, and beautiful colonial architecture.
From here, discover the world-famous Panama Canal — a marvellous feat of engineering which connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans over a hundred years ago and still stands as one of the most important inventions in the history of trade.
For lush rainforest and mountain scenery, venture west to the highlands of Chiriqui, a nurturing landscape with an extreme abundance of wildlife. The warm climate, altitude and fertile volcanic soil produce some of the best coffee and citrus fruits in the world, and the plantations are well worth a visit.
The Pacific Coast boasts myriad beaches and excellent surf, along with humpback whale watching from July to October.
The calmer Caribbean coast is a shimmering scene of clear waters and soaring palms, with a handful of rustic-luxury retreats set in private bays. The San Blas Islands are an archipelago of mostly uninhabited sugar sand islands and pristine coral reefs. Explore by luxury catamaran, stopping to swim and snorkel, or enjoy a private picnic on the warm Caribbean shores. Here you can also meet the indigenous Kuna Yala tribe a small but proud, artisan community.
To learn more about Panama’s folkloric traditions, the small villages of the Azuero Peninsula are worth passing through and we can arrange workshops to see traditional the craftsmanship of papier-mâché devil’s masks, handmade drums and intricately designed traditional Pollera dresses which can take up to a year to sew.
Select a Sense
Signature dishes include sancocho, a hearty chicken soup, and ceviche. Other staples include tamales, patacones (fried plantains), and arroz con pollo (rice and chicken).
Traditional genres like tamborito, characterized by lively percussion and call-and-response vocals, showcase Panama’s Afro-indigenous roots. Reggae en español, popularized by artists like El General, and salsa dura, exemplified by Rubén Blades, illustrate the country’s musical diversity. Also listen out for the accordion-driven típico, rooted in rural traditions, and, of course, reggaeton.
LISTEN INTextiles, carvings and rum!
Check out our bespoke reading list courtesy of the great John Sandoe.
Discover more of our favourite locations in Panama…
“There is so much more than meets the eye when it comes to Panama. You did a fabulous job at exposing us to all its little known treats – they were a real highlight.”
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