Mark Read

Panama

From clear turquoise seas to the coffee farms and cloud forests of Chiriquí, Panama can be as chilled out or as thrilling as you wish.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions for your itinerary

BioMuseo
Panama City
Celebrating Panama as the land bridge that has permitted astonishing biodiversity in the region, this world-class museum is a visual feast. Exhibits tell…
Basílica Menor Santiago Apóstol
Coclé Province
Natá's principal draw is this 16th-century cathedral, thought to be the oldest church built in the Americas still in use today. Indigenous artisans did…
Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos
Isla Bastimentos
Established in 1988, this 132-sq-km marine park was Panama's first. Protecting 130 islands of the Bocas del Toro archipelago, including the coral-fringed…
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
Panama City
This wonderful privately owned museum features the best collection of Panamanian art anywhere, an excellent collection of works on paper by Latin American…
Taller Dario López
Península de Azuero
One of Panama's top artisans, Dario López has been making colorful masks for folkloric dancers since the 1960s. These days most of his masks and satin…
Miraflores Visitors Center
Panama Canal
The easiest way to visit the Panama Canal is to head to the Miraflores Visitors Center, just outside Panama City. This modern center features a four-floor…
Finca Los Monos Botanical Garden
Bocas del Toro Town
One of the joys of visiting Bocas is touring the 'Monkey Farm' botanical garden a couple of kilometers northwest of the center. Painstakingly carved out…
Parque Nacional Coiba
Veraguas Province
This national marine park contains Panama's largest island, the 503-sq-km Isla de Coiba, as well as astounding biodiversity; more than two dozen species…

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Attractions

Top picks from our travel experts

The 13 best things to do in Panama

Curated by Richard Arghiris

Iglesia de San José
Panama City
This Casco Viejo church protects the famous Altar de Oro (Golden Altar), the sole relic salvaged after privateer Henry Morgan sacked Panamá Viejo.
Miraflores Visitors Center
Panama Canal
The easiest way to visit the Panama Canal is to head to the Miraflores Visitors Center, just outside Panama City. This modern center features a four-floor…
Mercado Artesanal
El Valle
El Valle is home to one of Panama’s largest handicrafts market. Indigenous Ngöbe-Buglé people, along with a sprinkling of Emberá and Wounaan, bring a…
Café Ruiz
Boquete
The outdoor patio at Ruiz makes a good spot to sip a cappuccino and watch the mist move across the mountains. It's also the epicenter of Panama's famous…
Parque Nacional Soberanía
Panamá Province
This 195-sq-km national park is one of the most accessible tropical rainforests in Panama. It extends much of the way across the isthmus, from Limón on…
Parque Nacional Volcán Barú
Highlands
Volcán Barú is Panama's only volcano and the dominant geographical feature of western Panama. It is no longer active but has seven craters and its summit,…
Parque Internacional La Amistad
Highlands
Parque Internacional La Amistad was established jointly by Panama and Costa Rica in 1988; two years later it was added to Unesco's World Heritage List. In…