Travel Guide
PanamaCity travel guide
Panama City contrasts dramatically—gleaming skyscrapers of the "Singapore of Latin America" overlook the colonial gem of Casco Viejo. The Panama Canal engineering marvel connects oceans while rainforests reach the city edge. Banking hub, biodiverse paradise, and crossroads of the Americas rolled into one.
Language
Spanish (English common)
Currency
US Dollar (USD) / Balboa (PAB)
Timezone
EST (GMT-5)
Best time
December to April (dry season)
Budget/day
$80-180
When to visit
Jan
24 to 32°C
Feb
24 to 33°C
Mar
24 to 34°C
Apr
25 to 34°C
May
24 to 32°C
Jun
24 to 31°C
Jul
24 to 31°C
Aug
24 to 31°C
Sep
24 to 31°C
Oct
23 to 30°C
Nov
23 to 30°C
Dec
24 to 31°C
Safety
Medium RiskSafe in tourist areas. Some neighborhoods to avoid.
Women travellers
Exercise standard precautions. Research specific areas before visiting. Use registered transport services. Avoid isolated areas at night.
Culture & etiquette
- + Miraflores Locks—watch ships transit, best in morning
- + Casco Viejo gentrifying rapidly—colonial charm meets rooftop bars
- + USD used everywhere—no need to exchange
- + San Blas islands day trip—Guna indigenous culture
- - Don't display expensive items
- - Don't share too much with strangers
- - Don't ignore local customs
- - Don't assume everyone speaks English
Food to try
Ceviche
Panama's distinctive version uses fresh corvina (sea bass) diced and marinated in lime juice with culantro (serrated coriander), ají chombo (Caribbean hot pepper) and onion; served in plastic cups at the Mercado de Mariscos
Sancocho (chicken soup)
Panama's national dish and prescribed hangover cure—chicken stewed with ñame (taro), corn, plantain and culantro for 2 hours; every Panamanian family holds its sancocho recipe as cultural heritage requiring generational transmission
Patacones (fried plantain)
Twice-fried unripe green plantain slices—smashed flat between frying; golden, crispy and neutral-tasting, used as a vehicle for everything from shredded beef to ceviche; Panama's most universal side dish and snack
Ropa vieja
Shredded slow-braised beef in tomato, peppers and onion sauce; Panama's Caribbean coast version is slightly sweeter with achiote coloring; a Casco Viejo lunch institution served with white rice and patacones
Arroz con pollo
Seasoned yellow rice cooked with chicken pieces, annatto oil and culantro; Panama's complete family meal served at political events, quinceañeras and roadside restaurants with equal ceremony; simple, satisfying and unmistakably Panamanian
Hidden gems
Details are indicative and may change. Verify visa, safety, and entry requirements before travel.