10+ Immersive Things to do in Panama for an Unforgettable Vacation

FlightsCeo
December 12, 2024

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Panama is a popular travel destination thanks to its easy flight options, importance to the global economy, and use of the US dollar – no currency exchange needed! But is it a good vacation spot too? As someone who has visited Panama multiple times, I say “Yes!” It is even on par with its neighbor, Costa Rica. In this guide I’ll share recommended things to do in Panama for a truly immersive experience.

Disclosure: One of my visits to Panama was while attending the 2024 Adventure Travel World Summit. Some of my experiences in this list were hosted by that conference.

When you first touch down in Panama City’s metropolis you may think it looks like Miami with its city skyline and high rises. You have to venture out to get to know Panama on a deeper level.

The key to a memorable and immersive experience in Panama is exploring the country’s nature, wildlife, culture, and food. With so much history woven into these elements, you’ll leave with a much more intimate understanding of the country. Read on for my recommendations!

Visit the Embera Indigenous Community

One of my first recommendations is to get in touch with Panama’s indigenous culture. Despite suffering under the thumb of genocide and colonization, Panama has a rich indigenous history that you can still access today.

The Embera, in the Chagres forest, is one of Panama’s seven remaining tribes – and one that has closely worked with tourism to create awareness about their people, villages, and traditions. For a beautifully immersive experience, travel by traditional dugout boat through the Chagres River to Embera Puru for a day at their village.

On the tour, you can travel by traditional dugout boat and will be welcomed by traditional drum and flute music. You can shop crafts hecho a mano (handmade), go on a nature walk with the village herbalist, and have a sustainable lunch with them before enjoying a traditional dance performance. You can expect a long day making this trek, but it is worth it.

Escape to Secluded Islands in Guna Yala

Another Indigenous community in Panama is the Guna (Kuna) tribe. They’re located off the Caribbean coast of Panama and inhabit 50 of over 400 islands in the Caribbean sea.

Guna Yala, previously called San Blas, is completely self-governed and the province is very particular about visitors. Visiting these islands is one of the most bucket list things to do in Panama because of its pristine waters.

The journey to Guna Yala is extensive, requiring a 4×4 drive through winding roads, a province toll, and then a bumpy boat ride – but worth it! For an immersive experience with nature and community, I recommend staying at least one night in Guna Yala on one of the islands.

I stayed on Yani Island, which was also arranged by Cultour Panama. Yani Island is fairly quiet being owned by one family, but you can take day trips to more populated islands.

Dance Congo in an Afro-Panamanian Town

Have you ever heard of Portobelo? Like many Latin countries, the history of slavery runs deep in the Americas but is also often glossed over – despite Latin music, food, and dance being so heavily influenced by African cultures.

In Panama, you can connect with rich Afro-Panamanian history and congo culture in Portobelo, located on the Caribbean side of the country. While Panama as a whole is quite diverse, this area in particular is extra special, and is protected with an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity designation by UNESCO.

If you seek things to do in Panama that represent a unique part of the country’s soul, visit the Museo de la Memoria Afro Panameña. You can also watch a folkloric dance performance (“Congo”) – which is influenced by African rhythms and created as a way to communicate and tell stories during slavery and by the formerly enslaved.

Or, if you visit during October, you may even get to celebrate Black Christ Day with thousands of pilgrims. You can see the figurine, Black Jesus (El Nazareno) in Portobelo’s Iglesia de San Felipe.

Trek the Historic Camino Real

Hiking is one of the most popular outdoorsy things to do in Panama, but have you considered combining outdoor treks with history? The Camino Real is Panama’s off-beat jungle trek through the Chagres forest and beyond. I trekked a portion of it for a few hours but you could truly hike it for days.

So what is the Camino Real and its significance to Panama? Paved by the indigenous and the enslaved, this road spanned from the pacific to the Caribbean to transport gold, silver, and other items. It is said these items were taken from the Inca in the south.

Cultour Panama has the best insight on this trek because the tour operator and lead researcher, Christian, was the one who officially documented its “re-discovery” and activated local agricultural communities to help him bring it back to the surface. It is an ongoing restoration project.

If you find jungle adventures with heavy brush and low-comfort to be a style of immersive adventure, this is for you. It is not for the faint of heart, given the uncomfortable conditions, but is an immersive way to connect to the Chagres, the Embera people, and more.

Explore the Streets of Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo is probably my favorite place in Panama because its architecture reminds me of most old towns in Latin countries (like Old San Juan in Puerto Rico, or Cartagena de Indias in Colombia) – which makes sense given their shared colonized history.

There are countless bars and restaurants, beautiful hotels, and narrow streets and alleys to get lost in. In the near 10 years since I last stayed in Casco Viejo, it has developed so much and is now bustling with new things to do and places to see.

I recommend taking a walking tour of this old town, sitting on a square and listening to live music while enjoying Respao icees, and hopping into one of the many shops selling Panama hats (though you should know, Panama hats are actually from Ecuador, so no need to splurge!)

Restaurants to visit in Casco Viejo: Fonda Lo Que Hay and La Pulpería Casco Antiguo
Bars I recommend in Casco Viejo: Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar and Tántalo Hotel Rooftop Bar
READ MORE: my travel guide to Casco Viejo

View Wildlife in the Gamboa Rainforest

One question people often ask me about Panama is, “How does it compare to Costa Rica?” As a new visitor exploring Panama, you may be surprised to learn that Panama has rich biodiversity, just like Costa Rica.

Cloud forests, waterways, jungles, and tons of wildlife span the country, and there is much to explore. In Panama you can find turtle hatchings, sloths, varieties of monkeys, and over 400 bird species.

To experience Panama’s wildlife, I recommend heading to the Gamboa Rainforest. I went birdwatching from a high viewpoint with an expert guide, and then boating on the Chagres River to view various types of monkeys. I love how good my pictures came out!

It was a fun experience and similar to my time visiting Monteverde and Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica.

Explore Panama’s BioMuseo

If heading to Panama’s rainforest and boating on the Chagres River simply doesn’t fit your itinerary, consider nature and wildlife immersion at the famous BioMuseo.

Designed by Frank Gehry (who you may know from the Walt Disney Concert Hall or Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum), this colorfully abstract structure showcases Panama’s biodiversity with interactive exhibits and green spaces.

Learn about Traditional Garments (mola)

If you are big on bringing home souvenirs, consider one with cultural significance to Panama instead of a mass produced tchotchke.

The mola, which is Guna for “shirt” is a handmade garment representing elements of nature. The Guna women draw their ideas from scratch and often start learning how to construct the mola from childhood.

You can find square fabrics of these designs within souvenir shops and on the islands in Guna Yala. There is also el Museo de la Mola in Casco Viejo, where you can learn more about this indigenous traditional art craft in a guided museum setting. On the islands, the cost of a mola fabric square start at about $10 USD.

Eat Staple Panamanian Food

Whether with a Panama food tour, visiting some of Panama’s top restaurants, or taking a cooking class, one of the main ways to immerse yourself while in Panama is through your belly!

As a caribe descendent myself, a lot of Panama’s food is similar to my Puerto Rican cuisine. They have foods like patacones (tostones/plantains), arroz con guandu‘ (rice and pigeon peas), sancocho (soup), and lots and lots of seafood.

As mentioned earlier, there is also respao – which is a Panamanian icee (reminds me of Puerto Rican piraguas, like a snow cone). It can be the perfect touch of cool on a hot Panama day.

Visit the New Locks at the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is certainly Panama’s biggest attraction, but did you know in the last decade a new set of locks were constructed (2016)? I’ve been to both the Miraflores and Agua Clara visitor center and highly recommend them for an immersive understanding of the canal’s significance.

The new locks at Agua Clara allow for bigger ships to come through on the Atlantic side, and in my opinion is also a nicer constructed park/hill for visitors to view up close. It is near the city of Colon.

That said, Miraflores on the Pacific side is over 100 years old, easier to get to from Panama City, and has an immersive IMAX theatre. The below photos are from my recent visit to Agua Clara.

More Amazing Things to do in Panama

Any of these immersive things to do in Panama sound up your alley? If you get to experience even half of the activities on this list, you will surely enjoy your time vacationing in Panama!

If you’ve done them all and want more, consider heading to Bocas del Toro for a tropical escape and Afro-Antillean culture; learn about folklore in Los Santos; or enjoy the western mountains of Boquete.