Best Things to Do in Panama: 9 Activities You can’t miss
This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to buy or book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my travel blog.
Panama is one of my favourite countries in Central America and after spending more than a month here in 2023, here is my list of best things to do in Panama!
This country got everything you could ask for in a destination: picture-perfect beaches, magical cloud forests and a ton of wildlife.
Make sure to also check out my other Panama blog posts for your upcoming trip, such as my ultimate Panama itinerary.
- Visit the San Blas islands
- Stay in an overwater bungalow in Bocas del Toro
- Explore the hiking trails in El Valle de Anton
- Relax at the unspoiled beaches of Boca Chica
- Visit Coiba National Park
- Hike and chase waterfalls in Boquete
- Visit the Panama Canal
- Go surfing in Santa Catalina
- Take a swim at Los Cangilones of Gualaca
1. Visit the San Blas Islands – my #1 best thing to do in Panama
If you only have time to visit one place in Panama – make it this one!
When you see these picture-perfect tropical islands, you won´t believe your eyes. Crystal clear water, white sandy beaches and palm trees. One of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. (and I’ve been to the Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius etc.)
The archipelago consists of over 300 islands and are home to native Indians of the Guna Yala culture.
Even though visiting the San Blas Islands has gotten more popular recently, this tropical island paradise is still considered a hidden gem in Panama. A popular option to visit the islands is through a sailing trip from Panama to Colombia or the other way around but you can also visit them on a day trip, like I did.
Here are some tours to visit the San Blas Islands in Panama:
If you love tropical destinations and beautiful beaches, make sure to add the San Blas Islands to your Panama itinerary. If you want to learn more about the islands, check out my Ultimate San Blas Islands guide.
2. Stay in an overwater bungalow in Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro is known to be one of the best places in the world to stay in overwater bungalows. And there are a lot of different stays to choose from – that’s exactly why it’s one of the best things to do in Panama.
On top of that, Bocas del Toro is home to beautiful beaches including starfish beach, a thriving underwater world and some of the wildest parties in Panama (Filthy Friday).
Bocas del Toro consists of several different islands, the main island being Isla Colon. Here you can find most accommodation options. For a more relaxed and quiet experience, I recommend checking out other islands as well.
I personally stayed at an affordable overwater bungalow at Cocovivo Eco Lodge. If you are looking for a relaxing experience, far off the Filthy Friday party crowds, I highly recommend this place.
The property has a lot to offer such as a thriving coral reef, free of charge kayaks and paddle boards as well as amazing wildlife such as sloths and many different birds. If you are lucky, you might even spot dolphins passing by the eco lodge.
Some other overwater bungalow options in Bocas del Toro are:
3. Explore the hiking trails in El Valle de Anton
Nestled in a volcanic crater, this mountain town is one of my favourite hidden gems in Panama and a place that should totally add to your ultimate Panama itinerary, especially if you are into hiking. The area is also home to a few waterfalls and even hot springs.
The climate here is a little cooler due to the higher elevation, which makes great temperatures to explore some of the many hiking trails around El Valle de Anton.
Most trails in El Valle feature amazing views and lead you over picturesque grassy hills.
Best hikes in El Valle de Anton:
- La India Dormida (The sleeping Indian)
- Cerro Cara Iguana
- Cerro La Silla
- Cerro Gaital
- Cerro La Gaita
My personal favourite hikes were Cerro de La Silla and Cara Iguana. Most of the hikes there can be done without a guide, but if you prefer going on a tour with a group, check out some of these hiking tours in El Valle de Anton.
If you are into hiking, make sure to check out my blog post with epic hikes in Panama for more details.
Where to stay in El Valle de Anton?
Low budget stays & hostels:
Mid budget stays & hotels:
Luxury lodges & hotels:
4. Relax at the unspoiled beaches of Boca Chica
The Boca Chica area is a real hidden gem in Panama with wonderful beaches along the Pacific coast.
Relaxing at some of the unspoiled and secluded beaches here is easily one of the best things to do in Panama. There are several islands to be explored here as well and hopping on a boat to explore some of them is well worth it.
The area is famous for it´s clear water as well as snorkeling, diving and wildlife spotting.
If you like beautiful, secluded beaches, I highly recommend adding this area to your Panama itinerary.
I have spent several days here, camping at secluded beaches and enjoying the calm waters and pretty surroundings. Even when I visited during a weekend, I had hundreds of meters of beautiful beaches to myself only!
My favorite beaches in the Boca Chica area:
- Punta Bejuco
- Playa Gavilla
Where to stay in Boca Chica?
There aren’t a whole lot of options, but here are some well rated ones for all budgets. I personally stayed at this campsite right at the beach and absolutely loved it!
Low budget stay:
Mid range hotel:
Luxury lodge:
5. Visit Coiba National Park
First off I have to mention that I have not personally visited Coiba National Park but it is one of my top priorities fo the next visit to Panama.
This UNESCO World Heritage site is known for it´s incredible underwater world, thriving wildlife and beautiful beaches. To get to Coiba National Park, you take a boat from Santa Catalina, in the region of Chiriqui in the North of Panama.
If you are into scuba diving, I highly recommend you take a dive here, the underwater life is supposed to be absolutely insane here. From dolphins to sharks, octopus, colorful corals and tropical fish – you can find it all here!
Many excursions to Coiba National Park include snorkeling as well. Here is boat tour to Coiba National Park I would personally book.
Note that visiting this place is not exactly one of the cheapest things to do but definitely one of the best things to do in Panama.
6. Hike and chase waterfalls in Boquete
Another must stop on the Panama itinerary for hiking lovers like me: Boquete.
This mountain town is surrounded by cloud forests, home to beautiful waterfalls and multiple hiking trails.
Due to the higher elevation of Boquete, temperatures here are quire cool compared to most other parts of Panama.
It is a quite popular tourist destination in the country, so make sure to hit the trails early in the day to avoid crowds. On some of the trails you even have a high chance to see the magical Quetzal bird, the national bird of Guatemala, so keep your eyes open and pay attention!
After a challenging hike, visit one of the waterfalls in the area, explore the beautiful town or take a tour to a local coffee plantation.
Best hikes in and around Boquete:
- Lost waterfalls hike
- Pipeline Trail
- El Pianista trail
- Sendero Piedra de Lino
If you love hiking, check out my blog post epic hikes in Panama for more inspiration.
Most of the trails in Boquete can be done without a guide but for some it’s recommended to take a guide, like for example El Pianista trail. Here are some guided hikes & tours in Boquete.
Waterfalls in and around Boquete:
- Lost waterfalls (3 waterfalls)
- San Ramon waterfall
- Cascada Escondida
Where to stay in Boquete?
Low budget stays & hostels:
Mid budget stays & hotels:
Luxury lodges & hotels:
7. Visit the Panama Canal
A place that everyone should see at least once in their life and easily one of the best things to do in Panama.
One of the most important canals in the world, crossed by hundreds of ships every day. Witnessing the operation of this canal is a unique and impressive experience.
To visit the Panama Canal, you can either book an organized tour or visit by yourself. I personally recommend taking a guided tour to get to know everything about the canal.
Here are some tours you might want to check out.
Where to stay around the Panama Canal?
I would base myself in Panama City and visit the Panama Canal on a tour.
As there are hundreds of accommodation options in Panama City, I don’t recommend any specific ones but you can search for your ideal stay here:
8. Go surfing in Santa Catalina
One of the best things to do in Panama and one of the best places to surf in Central America – Santa Catalina.
Santa Catalina is a small beach town in the Chiriqui region and also the starting point for excursions to the Coiba National Park, as mentioned above.
If you are into surfing or always wanted to try, this is the place in Panama to do it!
Surf lessons are quite affordable in Santa Catalina and the surf breaks at the different beaches is great for all experience levels.
Even if you don´t want to try surfing, you will enjoy exploring the beautiful beaches and taking in the typical relaxed surf vibe of Santa Catalina.
Where to stay in Santa Catalina?
Low budget stays & hostels:
Mid range stays & hotels:
Luxury lodges & hotels:
9. Swim in Cangilones de Gualaca
One of the most unique places to swim in Central America and definitely one of the best things to do in Panama!
Los Cangilones de Gualaca is a natural canyon slot inside a river in the town of Gualaca. The water is very clear and pretty deep, so you can jump in and have a swim.
When I visited on a random afternoon in 2023, there were only a few local teenagers around, no other tourists. I think now it has gotten more popular with tourists as well but it’s still very worth a visit.
On the rocks of the slot canyon, there´s enough space to relax and sunbathe when taking breaks from the swims.
This place gets pretty busy, especially with locals, on weekends and holidays, so try to avoid those days and visit during the week instead.
Panama blog posts you might also be interested in:
