Panama is a state of Central America, characterized by a particular horizontal “S” shape, bathed by two wide sea sides, one on the Pacific Ocean, the other on the Caribbean Sea. Between one and the other side are interposed mountain ranges that reach high peaks in the “Cordillera Central” located in the west, on the borders with Costa Rica and in the so-called “Serranía del Darién” on the other side, at the border with Colombia.
The border between North America, including the area commonly referred to as Central America, and South America is generally placed along the Isthmus of Panama. This fact makes Panama a transcontinental country, as it straddles two continents and is a natural bridge from North to South America.
Surrounded by the sea, illuminated by the tropical sun and rich biodiversity, Panama (which in indigenous language means abundance of fish) is one of the world’s most growth-potential tourist attractions. The World Economic Forum in 2021 (most recent edition) places Panama at the 60th position among the 140 most competitive tourist destinations in the world. The share of the travel and tourism industry is 5.8% of GDP.
Called “Hub of the Americas” Tocumen International Airport offers the best connection in Latin America, being the most connected in the region, with the largest number of direct international flights (more than 132,000 per year).
The ATP- Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá, is the government agency that ensures the worldwide promotion of Panama https://www.atp.gob.pa
The construction of the Panama Canal allowed the meeting between the waters of the two oceans and that is why we speak of Panama as the country where the oceans kiss.
Panama is not only the Channel, but it is a territory full of surprises that boasts an incredible variety of fauna and flora. Nature is one of the country’s main attractions: famous are the international park La Amistad, the national park of Darién, the island of Coiba (declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005) and many more from the beautiful beaches. The denser jungle area is home to lions and jaguars, and there are more than 10,000 species of plants in the country. The San Blas archipelago is one of the most pristine tropical paradises in the world, while the lush nature of the Bocas del Toro archipelago attracts tourists and surf lovers.
Panama Province and Panama Oeste
Panama City (Spanish: Ciudad de Panamá, English: Panama City) is the capital of the province of Panama. Bordered by the Panama Canal, one of the most important engineering works ever made that attracts about a million visitors every year, In the cosmopolitan and dynamic capital, modernity and colonization merge to create a vibrant atmosphere. The colonial quarter of the Casco Antiguo, with its historic buildings and terraces with breathtaking views, attracts tourists day and night, while an international gastronomic offer satisfies lovers of good food.
The Gulf of Panama can be divided into three main areas: the North-West area which includes the islands of Taboga, Taboguilla and Urabá; the central area formed by the largest number of islands including Contadora; the southern area that includes the three major islands: Isla del Rey, Isla San José, Isla Pedro Gonzalés.
The island of Taboga is located about 12 km from the capital on the Pacific Ocean. Along the boat crossing you can see the entrance to the Canal, the Bridge of Las Américas and the Cazada de Amador. The lack of cars, narrow streets, the colonial church from 1550 and the many flowers that adorn the houses are called the island of flowers.
The archipelago of Las Perlas comprises about two hundred islets with white beaches, fine sands and coral reefs. The largest island in the archipelago is Isla del Rey, a marine reserve rich in shrimp that are exported all over the world. Despite being a small island, from the tourist point of view, Contadora is the most important of the archipelago. The island is only one square kilometer and it is possible to walk.
Bocas del Toro Province Hotels
The Bocas del Toro archipelago, which includes the Chriquí lagoon and the Almirante Bay, was discovered by Columbus in 1502. The Bocas del Toro Province, created by the Panamanian government at the time of its separation from Colombia (April 22, 1904), comprising an archipelago of nine islands which are bordered by about two hundred islets and characterized by the extension of the coast, rich in coral and mangrove beds and for the richness of forests and jungle. In the 1920s, Bocas del Toro was a cosmopolitan city of about 22,000 inhabitants who communicated with each other mostly in English. It was only with the advent of the Republic, in the early twentieth century, that Spanish became an official language. The banana industry gave a great prosperity to the area but in the thirties a fungus destroyed the plantations and led to the economic decline of the area. However, in recent decades, the archipelago has become an important tourist destination that attracts young people and surf lovers from all over the American continent, In the islands of Colón and Bastimentos, numerous hotels and ecoresort are born for a holiday full of sea and diving.
Province of Chiriquí
The Province of Chiriquí is considered the Panamanian Switzerland for its valleys rich in flowers, the chalets and the freshness of its climate, The Indians call it Valle de la Luna for its contrasts of landscape: high mountains, fertile lands and ocean beaches. This variety of landscape has allowed the development of various productive activities: from breeding horses to coffee and banana plantations, from the greenhouses of cultivated flowers to the orange groves. The main tourist destination is the small town of Boquete, where you can visit coffee plantations and natural trails that lead to the top of the volcano Barú.
District Kuna Yala
The Kuna Yala County is an autonomous territory located in the northeast of the country and includes, besides the San Blas Archipelago, a narrow strip of Caribbean coast about 350 km long. This territory is inhabited by about 50,000 Kuna Indians, Many of them also live in the province of Darién.
Kuna Yala, the largest of the Comarcas inhabited by the Kuna, was declared an indigenous reserve in 1957. The Kuna are now very autonomous, they own their islands and do not pay taxes to the government. They have always used a language that until last century was only oral and still today finds resistance to be used in writing. The social and family structure is matriarchal, goods are passed on from mother to daughter and man must work to ensure the well-being of the family. They believe in the Great Mother and in the eight spiritual levels that are found in everything that exists, so they have a great respect for the environment and refuse any intrusion into their civilization.
The archipelago of San Blas, composed of over 360 islands and atolls, is a tropical paradise of white sand and crystal clear sea. It is visited by numerous tourists both in accommodation managed by the Kuna, and with cruises and charter sailboats and catamarans.
Colón province
The province of Colón (named after the Italian explorer) is the second most important in the country. The territory in the interior is flat and this conformation was decisive for the construction of the Interoceanic Canal. The capital of the same name, Colón, is an important port city that hosts the ZLC (Free Zone Colon). At the port level, Colón is considered the most important city in the Caribbean, thanks to its position on the Atlantic entrance of the Channel and thanks to its free zone, Second only in Hong Kong. The city was founded in 1852 by Americans.
On the coast there are still remains of splendid colonial fortifications from the Spanish era, including Portobelo and the Fort of San Lorenzo, numerous unspoilt islands and tropical beaches, The Congo culture is very widespread and characteristic, which distinguishes the population of Afro-Caribbean origin, declared an intangible heritage by UNESCO in 2018.
Los Santos and central provinces
The Province of Los Santos, created in 1850, is part of the Azuero peninsula and with Herrera, Coclé and Veraguas forms the so-called central provinces of the country. In the interior, the territory is rather mountainous while the coastline is characterized by solitary beaches scattered along the coast, also a destination for surfers. These are the most traditional provinces of Panama, where carnival parties and polleras (typical dresses for Panamanian women) are celebrated.
The Natural Reserve Isla Iguana, 7 km from the coast, is located in the province of Los Santos, in the district of Pedasi, and you can admire the largest and best preserved coral reef in Panama. Covering almost 16 hectares, the reef includes 11 species of coral, which according to scholars date back to five thousand years ago, and hundreds of fish. In the coastal area there are several species of mangroves while the interior is wooded. In 1980 the island was declared a Wildlife Refuge and as such protected.
Darien province
The Darién province is the wildest and most impenetrable of all the Panamanian Isthmus. This vast province, created in 1922, includes about 22% of the entire national territory. The almost 17,000 square km, sparsely inhabited, are covered for a large part by jungle and are crossed by wide rivers that can reach 18 km in width. Much of the jungle has been declared a protected area by UNESCO and other international organizations, and in fact much of the province is part of the Darién National Park.
The jungle is a natural barrier that prevents any direct connection with neighboring Colombia and is, for this reason, also a particularly dangerous area, where it is not recommended to venture without all the appropriate precautions. There are however some exclusive eco resorts in the jungle and while several tourist agencies offer tours and nature trails.