Top 10 Places To Visit In Panama (Bucket-List Sites)

This video is closed captioned. Panama is more than a Van Halen song title. It's the confluence of northern and southern Central America, glimmering skyscrapers, arid deserts, and wild rainforests. It's a city of contrasts and well worth spending time exploring. Join us as we look at 10 things you must see when planning a trip to Panama. 10. Boquete Many wouldn't think to explore beyond the principal city of Panama, but perched in the highlands is the small mountain town of Boquete. There's a considerable population of retired expats in the city, as Boquete sees mild year-round temperatures. The other group that's attracted to the town are outdoor enthusiasts. It's a great jumping off point for backpackers and day hikers. And if logging miles isn't your thing, you can tour a coffee plantation, go river rafting, or relax in the Caldera hot springs. And birdwatching is incredible if avian interests you with more than 500 species, including the jewel-toned Quetzal. 9. Casco Viejo Casco Viejo is an eclectic, trendy neighborhood within Panama City. It's chock-full of Spanish colonial buildings that have been recently restored, and many have been transformed into rooftop bars, hostels, restaurants, and boutique hotels. If you are looking for a place to stay while in Panama, we highly recommend Casco Viejo. It's gorgeous, often empty during the day, but full of nightlife. If you want insights into the area's history, you can download a self-guided audio tour of the neighborhood. You'll learn about the plazas and streets, and how 400 years of history have shaped the area. Independence Square is a central hub, framed by the Metropolitan Cathedral's white towers and the museums surrounding the rest of the square. Wrapping up a day with a cocktail on a rooftop bar and enjoying the sunset is a relaxing end to a full day of wandering. 8. Panama Canal The Panama Canal is easily the most iconic attraction in Panama City. Some people might not know where Panama is, but they at least know of the Panama Canal. It's one of the seven wonders of the modern world. This engineering feat decreases travel time between the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea by more than 10,000 miles. That's more than a month of travel time saved for each vessel. The coast on either side of the canal is not at equal heights. The series of locking bays lifts each ship 85 feet to the proper elevation to transit the canal. It takes up to 10 hours for each vessel to make its way through the canal, and it has seen more than 900,000 vessels pass through its gates. There are a couple of vantage points where you can watch ships move through the canal system. One option is the road leading to Soberania National Park, which runs next to the canal for some stretches. A view from the Bridge of the Americas provides a sense of how large the Panama Canal is. 7. San Blas Islands Exploring Panama extends beyond the coastline. A trip to the San Blas Islands will earn you white sand beaches and gently leaning palm trees expected in the Caribbean. And there's a reason that visual is what we expect when traveling to the Caribbean. Microsoft used an image from these islands for a desktop background option for years. Located off the eastern coast, the island is run by the Guna tribe that resides on the island. If you want to visit as a day trip, get ready for an early start, departing Panama City at 5am and arriving on the beach at 9.30am. If you'd rather take a more relaxed approach, you can stay overnight on the island, giving you more flexibility to lounge and explore. A third option is a sailboat or catamaran tour of the islands. You'll still get an opportunity to experience the Guna community, docking on several islands to partake in adventures like kayaking, hiking, and enjoying fresh seafood around a beach bonfire. If you enjoy our videos, join us on our journey around the world by subscribing to our channel. Please click the bell icon to get notified when we publish a new video. Number 6. Pearl Islands The Pearl Islands are made up of 90 islands and even more unnamed islets and are off the western coast of Panama. The islands earned their name from the plentiful pearls that have been harvested in the area. The Pearl Islands have also played host to three seasons of Survivor, a reality TV competition focused on team survival. Most visitors end up at Isla Cantadora, the only island in the group with established infrastructure. Isla del Rey is the largest island and features an airport, but there isn't much else to see on this island, so it functions primarily as a travel point. While watching is a huge draw, as the islands are located along primary migratory paths for humpback whales. Number 5. El Valle de Anton El Valle de Anton is wholly unique. It sits in a caldera, the remnants of Volcan El Valle. This town has nearly 10,000 residents, making it the largest settled caldera globally. Sitting in a caldera creates a one-of-a-kind micro-climate with lush landscape and rich wildlife. One of the biggest oddities of the area is the square trees, quickly becoming a thing of the past. It's likely that a farmer framed trees to encourage a square-shaped growth, hoping to reduce waste when harvesting the trees for lumber. Picturesque waterfalls can be seen on the well-traveled sleeping Indian Girl Loop trail. But the most famous is the El Chorro Macho Waterfall, which tumbles more than 100 feet into a pool at the base that is open for swimming. Number 4. Playa Vanau If surfing is your favorite water sport, Playa Vanau must be added to your Panama itinerary. Sitting on the Athuero Peninsula, it's known for world-class surfing and plenty of beaches. Playa Vanau also hosts the occasional music festival, often featuring electronic music in April and November. And there are other water sports besides surfing to enjoy. Deep-sea fishing is robust, and with the region's nickname of the Tuna Coast, it's easy to see why. Big Eye and Yellowfin Tuna frequent these waters. You can also catch Mahi Wahoo and Pacific Sailfish. If you time your visit between July and November, you might be lucky enough to see the massive sea turtle hatching that takes place every year. It's an awe-inspiring scene to take in. Armies of baby sea turtles scuttling towards the ocean, attempting to reach the safety of the water before predators snatch them up. And if you'd prefer to get away from the water, you can zipline through the dense jungle canopy at Ganas Jungle Adventure, or go horseback riding in the surf on the beachfront. Number 3. Bocas del Toro This hub for backpacking comes in as a close second to Panama City when considering the most popular places to visit in Panama. It's easy to get there, but expect jam-packed shuttles that might make you feel like cattle. Because it's a mecca for backpackers, it also has a lively party atmosphere. Working hard and logging miles justifies kicking back and relaxing when you reach civilization. The water isn't as crystal clear as other beaches in Panama, but it's not an eyesore by any means. If you're lucky, you might see a sloth, especially if you take a scenic boat ride around Sloth Island, where they live in abundance. Number 2. Vulcan Baru Visiting the highest point in Panama will take you to Baru Volcano National Park. At over 11,000 feet, it's the only peak where you can see the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean simultaneously, as long as you are there on a clear day. There are five distinct ecosystems in the park, and the volcanic soil provides nutrients for some of the most expensive coffee variants in the world. Seven craters dot the park, and hiking is the best way to enjoy the area. Number 1. Santa Catalina Santa Catalina might be more remote than the other locations on our list, but that's half the charm. The secret of Santa Catalina is quickly getting out and getting more and more attention each year. Surfing is one of the biggest draws to the town, as the breaks provide massive wages and tubes that beckon surfers. And if you aren't a confident surfer, surf schools offer lessons among the more gentle waves that also exist in the area. Keep up with the water sports by fishing for marlin, sailfish, tarpon, and other big-name deep-sea catches. Staying out after dark might tempt you to dance among the numerous fireflies that light up the night sky, dancing to the beat of the resident crickets and toads. That concludes today's list. Are there any missed areas of Panama that you think belong on our list? Let us know in the comments below. Please don't forget to leave us with a like if you enjoyed today's video, and subscribe to our channel for more travel content designed to inform and inspire. Until next time!