Destination: Panama

LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION

Itinerary: A Taste of Panama

12 DAYS

This well-traveled route, covering some 1200km including return flights, will take you to old Spanish forts, charming Caribbean towns and pristine, palm-covered islands.



In Panama City, the country’s vibrant capital, start your journey at Panamá Viejo, the ruins of Spain’s first Pacific settlement. After its sacking by pirates, the settlement was moved to present-day Casco Viejo, where you’ll find colonial buildings, scenic plazas and 18th-century churches, as well as abundant nightlife amid the old quarters. The Panama Canal is a short trip away; you can visit the Miraflores locks here, sail through the canal or visit the wildlife-rich Parque Nacional Soberanía along its eastern shore.

A train ride along the historic Panama Railway will take you along the canal to Colón. From there visit the forts guarding the bay in Portobelo. Farther east lie the windswept beaches of Isla Grande. Head back to Panama City for a quick flight out to Bocas del Toro, where you can snorkel coral reefs, hike through rain forest and surf great breaks. Fly back to the capital then to the Comarca de Kuna Yala, the indigenous-ruled region with hundreds of gorgeous islands.

At the end of your trip, return to Panama City for a bit of urban decadence in open-air restaurants and salsa-infused nightclubs.