Azuero Peninsula

The Azuero Peninsula is a remote agricultural region on a large peninsula in southern Panama that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. The beautiful peninsula with its semi-arid savanna vegetation, fertile river courses, coastal marshlands, deserted sandy beaches and pretty colonial villages, feels isolated from modern Panama and was one of the first regions to be settled by the Spanish and has continued to be at the heart of Panamanian culture and folklore.

The Spanish heritage is most evident in the regular religious fiestas that happen throughout the year and these are extremely colourful and vibrant events with processions, traditional music and fireworks and the locals showing off their wonderful traditional clothing.

The area is perfect for those looking for something a little more active as there is also some great snorkelling and diving off Isla Iguana, lots of quiet sandy beaches, surfing, fishing, hiking, cycling and horse riding. Visits to local artisans making traditional pottery are popular and Azuero is also home to Panama’s most popular drink, the sugarcane liquor known as Seco and it’s interesting to see how it is produced and enjoy a tasting as it’s also a key ingredient for the regular festivals!

Our preferred hotels include:
Villa Camilla
Casa de Campo Pedasi

Bocas del Toro

Bocas del Toro is a remote province in the north-western corner of the country close to the Costa Rica border and until the 1980’s when the first road was built, this region of pristine rainforest and beautiful Caribbean islands was completely cut off from the rest of Panama.

In recent years the area has slowly developed, but still retains much of its laid-back Caribbean charm. The archipelago of delightful islands is home to an incredibly diverse eco-system of marine flora and fauna with tropical forests, mangroves and coral reefs teeming with life that some biologists have described it as the ‘Galapagos of the 21st Century’.

Isla Colon is the most developed of the islands and is home to Bocas Town, the provincial capital. This is a relatively small, laid back fishing town best known for its pastel coloured wooden houses and as a gateway to the other islands and the Bastimentos Marine Park where you can enjoy wonderful snorkeling, kayaking and relaxing on lovely Caribbean beaches.

Our preferred hotels include:
Popa Paradise
Punta Caracol Aqua Lodge
Red Frog Villas

Boquete

Set in the Chiriqui Highlands in the west of the country, Boquete is a charming mountain village set on the slopes of Baru Volcano. This beautiful, fertile valley with its Spring-like climate is famed for its orange plantations, flower gardens, forested mountains and for producing some of the finest coffee in the world.

The town is also the perfect base to explore the surrounding area with many excellent walking and hiking trails in the Baru Volcano National Park including op the volcano for the keener hikers. There is also some excellent birdwatching with regular sightings of the Resplendent Quetzal. Other activities include white water rafting, quad biking, zip wires, horse riding and coffee tours to enjoy the superb coffee that is grown in the area.

Our preferred hotels include:
Panamonte Inn
Finca Lerida
Los Establos
The Riverside Inn

Canal Zone

Located just outside the city, the Panama Canal, which runs for 80 kms across the isthmus between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, is one of man’s greatest engineering achievements and arguably the defining feature of this tiny country.

The canal itself was initially started by the French in the 19th Century, but they abandoned the project and so the Americans then took it over and finally opened it in 1914. Interestingly the Canal Zone, which was a five mile wide strip of land either side of the full length of the canal, was officially US territory until 1977 and then in 1999 full control of the canal was handed over by America to Panama.

There are locks at either end of the canal that shift the boats between the different water levels such as the Gatun and Miraflores Locks and it is fascinating to see these enormous ocean going ships at such close quarters.

The canal passes through some beautiful scenery including the Gatun Lake and pristine rainforest, which is home to a huge variety of flora and fauna. The Gamboa Rainforest and Soberania National Park are areas of rich biodiversity and offers some of the best bird watching in the world.

Our preferred hotels include:
Canopy Tower
Gamboa Rainforest Resort

Colon

Situated on the Caribbean Coast and at the Atlantic mouth of the Panama Canal, the city of Colon is best known as a Duty Free Trading Zone that attracts traders from all around the world.

However there are three principal reasons to visit the area. Firstly to see the nearby San Lorenzo Fort, which enjoys a dramatic location overlooking the ocean and the mouth of the Chagres River. This remarkable fort was first taken by Sir Francis Drake in 1596 and then again by the famous pirate Captain Henry Morgan in 1670. The fortifications are still in pretty good shape with old cannons still pointing out to sea.

Not far from the city are the Gatun Locks, which raise and lower the ships into and out of the Panama Canal on the Caribbean side and it is well worth seeing these vast ocean going ships at such close quarters.

Colon is also the gateway to the historical bay of Portobelo, which is famous for not only its beautiful fort and other historical buildings that were also ransacked by Henry Morgan in the 17th Century, but also for its revered religious Black Christ figure carved out of black cocobolo wood and reputed to have miraculous powers. The area is also popular on account of its rugged coastline with pretty beaches and the wonderful marine life of the Portobelo National Park. Sir Francis Drake was also buried at sea somewhere along this bit of coast, however his lead lined coffin has yet to be discovered !

Our preferred hotels include:
El Otro Lado

El Valle

Just 95kms to the west of Panama City, El Valle is a delightful village set in a beautiful fertile valley that was once the crater of a long extinct volcano. Located at around 600m above sea level with a cool Spring-like climate, the area is famous for its wonderful scenery, flowers, fresh fruits & vegetables and the vibrant Sunday market where many locals come to sell their handcrafts and other produce.

This magical place offers not only a retreat from the heat of Panama City and the lowland coastal areas so the perfect place to come and relax and enjoy the stunning scenery, but also boasts great hiking in the cloud forest to see the amazingly varied flora and in particular the orchids, excellent bird watching, zip line tours and horseback riding.

Our preferred hotels include:
Canopy Lodge
Los Mandarinos
Park Eden

Panama City

On account of its key location as a land bridge between North and South America, Panama City has become not only an important trade hub, but a fascinating modern city with soaring skyscrapers and a vibrant social and business infrastructure.

However what makes this city even more compelling is its intriguing colonial history dating back to 1519 when it was founded by the conquistador Pedrarias Davila. Known as Panama Viejo, this is the oldest European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas, established by the Spanish and then conquered and plundered by the renowned pirate Henry Morgan in 1671.It is still possible to see some of these 16th Century ruins in the heart of modern Panama City today.

Casco Antiguo with its French plazas and surrounding monuments is another unique part of the city dating back to the 17th & 18th Centuries and many of these sumptuous mansions are slowing being restored to their former glory as delightful boutique hotels, shops and restaurants.

The other key aspect of the city is the Panama Canal, located close the the city (see the Canal Zone highlight).

Our preferred hotels include:
Bristol Panama
Las Clementinas
Trump Tower
Waldorf Astoria

San Blas Islands

The Caribbean coast along the north east of Panama is Kuna Yala territory and it is along this stunning stretch of coastline and on some of the 370 San Blas Islands that the self-ruling indigenous Kuna Indians live. The Kuna have been a fiercely independent tribe since the days of the Spanish conquistadors and won the right to self-governance back in 1952. They now make a living from fishing, agriculture on the mainland and the selling of colourful and intricate embroidery and handicrafts.

The San Blas Islands are a chain of coral atolls that run parallel to the coast like a string of pearls and are home to many beautiful palm-fringed islands and bountiful coral reefs. Only around forty of the islands are populated by the Kuna who are extremely protective of their natural environment. They welcome tourism as long as it is carefully managed and there are now a few small, basic resorts to stay in or private yachts can be arranged to sail around the islands. For those more interested in beautiful scenery, indigenous culture and wonderful marine life rather than 5 star luxury then these islands are well worth visiting.

Our preferred hotels include:
Coral Lodge
Akwadup Lodge
Private yacht