Luxury hotels in Panama City

Panama City guide

The Panama Canal and Casco Viejo

Watch ships climb the Miraflores Locks, then explore the colonial old town by night.

The Panama Canal is the most cited sight in Panama City, and the Miraflores Locks visitor centre, just outside the city, is the place to watch huge ships rise and fall between the oceans. Mornings and mid-afternoons usually bring the most transits.

Casco Viejo, the colonial old town and a UNESCO site, has restored plazas, churches and rooftop bars looking at the modern skyline. Add the Biomuseo designed by Frank Gehry and a boat trip on Gatún Lake, and travel in the dry season, from December to April.

The Panama Canal by boat

A partial transit of the Panama Canal by boat, rising and falling through the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks alongside giant ships, is one of the most cited experiences in Panama, offered on certain days of the week. Full transits run occasionally.

Gatún Lake, the artificial lake at the heart of the canal, can be explored by small boat to see monkeys, sloths and birds on its islands. The Soberanía National Park and the Pipeline Road are famous for birdwatching, a short drive from the city.

San Blas and the Guna Yala islands

The San Blas archipelago, more than 300 islands off Panama's Caribbean coast governed by the Guna people, is the most cited excursion from Panama City: white sand, turquoise water and palm trees, reached by a short flight or a drive through the jungle and a boat.

Accommodation is simple and run by Guna communities, who keep their customs; their molas, hand-sewn textile panels, are prized. Respecting local rules and photography etiquette is essential, and day trips or overnight stays can be arranged.