OVERVIEW
Panama is famous for its endless coastlines along both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, its lush rainforest, it's biodiversity and its extravagant surfing. The deserted islands off the coast of Panama and the chilled out vibe of the Caribbean are synonymous with Panama as are the bigger surf waves on the Pacific coast. The diving is fantastic, the snorkelling is spectacular and swimming with sea turtles is incredible and that is just on the coastal area! Further inland, zip line through the tree canopies, hike in the remote mountains, visit the spectacular waterfalls; the country is a nature-lovers' paradise, replete with activities, and wild……in a good way! With land borders at Costa Rica and Colombia, the country has its native indigenous people as well as descendants of the Spanish conquistadors, making it's culture-rich and diverse. The country gained independence with the help of US backing in 1903. The US interest was all about the Panama Canal, which was finished in 1914 by the Americans and connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The Panama Canal is the countries most prominent feature and a primary economical source for the country. Panama City, the capital, is home to over half of the whole population of Panama, which is just over 4 million people. With so many activities and beautiful destinations to visit, a year-round tropical climate and surrounded by turquoise oceans, it's no wonder that tourism is increasing in this fascinating little country!
Top Rated Tours
Where to go in Panama
Highlights in
Best time to visit
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Veraguas | 26°C | 27°C | 28°C | 28°C | 27°C | 26°C | 26°C | 26°C | 266°C | 25°C | 25°C | 26°C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boquete | 18°C | 18°C | 18°C | 19°C | 19°C | 19°C | 19°C | 19°C | 19°C | 18°C | 18°C | 18°C |
| Bocas del toro | 28°C | 29°C | 29°C | 30°C | 30°C | 30°C | 29°C | 30°C | 30°C | 30°C | 29°C | 29°C |
| Boca chica | 27°C | 28°C | 29°C | 28°C | 27°C | 27°C | 27°C | 26°C | 26°C | 26°C | 26°C | 27°C |
| Panama City | 31°C | 32°C | 32°C | 33°C | 31°C | 30°C | 31°C | 31°C | 30°C | 30°C | 30°C | 31°C |
Travel Facts in Panama
- The canal is responsible for a third of Panama's economy.
- Panama has the smallest quantity of people in the whole of Central America.
- The sun rises and sets over two different bodies of water and can be seen during the same day!
- The capital of Panama is home to a rainforest!
- Panama has the most diversity in wildlife with species from North and South America.
- Panama is home to 976 bird species.
- Despite its location, Panama rarely has hurricanes, unlike neighbouring countries.
- More than 25,000 people died during the construction of the Panama Canal!
- The Panama hat does not come from Panama, but from neighbouring Ecuador!
- Panama was the first country outside of the USA to adopt the US dollar as its currency.
- Panama has 5 of the 10 highest buildings in Central America!
Travel Advice
Activities
Greetings
Culture
Visas
Money
Health and Insurance
Accommodation
LGBTQ
Safety
Eating and drinking
FAQs
You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://www.visitpanama.com/information/travel-guidelines/
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Panama is The balboa (PAB) and is along with the United States dollar, one of the official currencies of Panama . In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations, that is why we carry out the following activities to generate a fair and sustainable development in our areas of operation: We work with indigenous communities in Panama and support them in different social programs.
• We support the Calicanto Foundation and offer the Fortaleza Tour to our clients which is a visit to Casco Viejo guided by ex-members of gangs that today work in tourism ( we do not get commission over this excursion)
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: +507 6202 6013
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. An example of our sustainable projects you can do: Visit to Indigenous Communities
Aerial Tram in Gamboa
Gatun Lake Expedition
Rappel in Chame
Visit to the Bayano Caves
Trekking & Bird Watching in the Soberania National Park
Whale Watching excursion during season
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: +507 6202 6013. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary, please contact your sales representative to give you the specific altitude information of your itinerary.
We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. We provide a bottle of water per person during excursions and at various points on your trip there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.
Thank you very much for your interest! You can follow us on our networks:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vaexpeditions/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vaexpeditions/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/vaexpeditions
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vaexpeditions
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vaexpeditions/
You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://www.visitpanama.com/information/travel-guidelines/
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Panama is The balboa (PAB) and is along with the United States dollar, one of the official currencies of Panama . In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations, that is why we carry out the following activities to generate a fair and sustainable development in our areas of operation: We work with indigenous communities in Panama and support them in different social programs.
• We support the Calicanto Foundation and offer the Fortaleza Tour to our clients which is a visit to Casco Viejo guided by ex-members of gangs that today work in tourism ( we do not get commission over this excursion)
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: +507 6202 6013
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. An example of our sustainable projects you can do: Visit to Indigenous Communities
Aerial Tram in Gamboa
Gatun Lake Expedition
Rappel in Chame
Visit to the Bayano Caves
Trekking & Bird Watching in the Soberania National Park
Whale Watching excursion during season
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: +507 6202 6013. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary, please contact your sales representative to give you the specific altitude information of your itinerary.
We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. We provide a bottle of water per person during excursions and at various points on your trip there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.
Thank you very much for your interest! You can follow us on our networks:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vaexpeditions/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vaexpeditions/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/vaexpeditions
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vaexpeditions
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vaexpeditions/