Mixture of races, happy people of deep-rooted traditions, Panamanians burst with warmth and hospitality.

Its folklore, dances, holidays and music are highly expressed in the colorful carnivals of its cities and towns; while women’s typical dress known as Pollera is a whole national symbol complemented with a rich headdress and fine accessories. Panamanian handcrafts are famous such as the molas made out of fabric painted by Kuna indigenous people, dressing gowns by the Nogbe Bugle, or the chaquiras –multicolored bead necklaces-; as well as straw hats, cocobolo and ivory palm carvings made by the Embera and Wounam and earthenware pots and sculptures made by indigenous people from the central part of the country. There are colonial cities, an active program of stage arts in the theaters, hundreds of museums and a great patrimonial legacy of interesting archeological sites which turn this country into a true cultural treasure. Despite the most recent influence of Spaniards, Africans, Americans, Arabians and Asians, a component of special and curious connotation is the six native populations scattered throughout the country: the Embera, Wounan, Kuna, Gnobe Bugle, Bokota and Teribes, who preserve their ancient customs and their own dialects. Another cultural feature deeply marked by the mixture that characterizes the Panamanian people is their cuisine. Thus, the gastronomic panorama of Panama City goes from gourmet and experimental to typical, traditional or vernacular, offering a culinary blend with room for all tastes: Japanese, Chinese, Eastern, Italian, Spanish, Argentinean, Peruvian, Mexican and Caribbean food, among others. Fresh fish from the continental shelf, shellfish, beef, pastas and poultry are always present in restaurants’ menus; there are also classic American fast food and places for other specialties like Italian ice creams and French pastries.

Relaxing in coasts and keys Panamanian coasts and adjoining archipelagos embrace kilometers of spectacular beaches. On the Pacific side -west – the most populated area of the country is located, and a wonderful network of resorts and lodgings along the coastline. Decameron, Breezes, Playa Blanca, Coronado, Nikki Beach and Bristol are just a few of the tourist facilities, in addition to the project of the Peninsula of Azuero, known as Pedasi, another jewel for luxury and sophistication lovers. The Panamanian Caribbean is also fantastic. A must-see, because of everything it embraces: Bocas del Toro, with its beaches and sea of incredible colors. There are the Colon Island, with its wooden architecture; Coral Key, Bastimentos Island, Cayos Zapatillas keys. Everything is beautiful and smooth in these lands that look like a fantasy; everything is cheerful and colorful… wonderful and even unbelievable. That’s why the Panamanian Caribbean is such a pleasant experience. In this country with 2,857 kilometers of coasts and one thousand islands in the Pacific and half a thousand others in the Caribbean obviously anything you can dream of, seeing or adventures you can dream of living can come true. Surfing, swimming, playing golf, visiting sea parks, diving, going on seafaris, coasting with life aboard, taking adventures of any kind, sport fishing, excellent food and nigh entertainment are at hand in the beaches of Panama.

Bocas del Toro, Las Perlas: Two paradises at sea One in the Caribbean and the other one in the Pacific, both islands are luxury options for those seeking to run away from the busy world and treating themselves with a few days of comfort and relaxation. Bocas del Toro is made up a dozen small islands near the border of Costa Rica and is one of the most demanded tourist destinations of Panama. Small hotels fully-equipped and lodgings in more private or exclusive facilities are also available such as the elegant cottages built on tilts in Punta Caracol. On the other hand, within Las Perlas archipelago, we specially recommend Contadora Island, located 37 kilometers away from the capital of the country. The island offers multiple options for visitors, two beach hotels, restaurants and sailing aid including guides and equipment for those seeking to appreciate the exuberant underwater nature.

Wildlife Havens The different settings of the Isthmus of Panama can be ideal for those looking for the most active beaches: Santa Catalina and Mariato beaches in the province of Veraguas; or Venao Beach, in Los Santos, are some of the best for surfing. Portobelo and Bocas del Toro, in the Caribbean are two of a kind for diving lovers. For climbers and hikers, there is Cerro Azul, Cerro Campana, Chorro Las Mozas, the Baru volcano and Chorro Macho. For bird and wild animal watching, the most recommended places are Soberania Park and Darien; meanwhile, if looking to expose yourself to river currents, there is nothing better than the Chagres and Chiriqui rivers to experiment the excitement of its category 3- and 4-speed falls, according to the international River Rafting categories. One of Panama’s highlights is its spectacular natural diversity visible right after leaving the city or even in the city, in the Metropolitan Park. Fourth part of the territory is protected by different environmental management categories, which gives visitors a privileged panorama regarding ecotourism and contact with the natural world. Panama’s national parks are of world reference; we describe here some of them: La Amistad International Park Spanning across 207,000 hectares to the west of the country close to the border with Costa Rica from Panajungla in Bocas del Toro to Cerro Punta and the Volcan Baru National Park. The zone was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it covers an extensive area of primary forests of great biodiversity, featuring tourist assets such as the city of Boquete, Cerro Punta, Volcan, Rio Sereno, Sitio Barriles, La Quijada del Diablo, Potrerillos Arriba, La Cascada de Cabello de Angel, Sitio Coto, Rio Teribe and the thermal waters of Rio Caldera, among others. Volcan Baru National Park It is dominated by cloud forests surrounding the Baru volcano and its highest point is at 3,475 meters above sea level, which makes it the tallest summit of the country. It is one of the loveliest landscapes of Chiriqui, also known as Panama Highland. The path of the Quetzals is one of the most recommended walks in the place because of the possibility of seeing along the way one of these singular and beautiful birds. Many experts and ecotourists consider the experience of going from the fresh and humid forests of Chiriquí to the reefs and mangrove swamps of Bocas del Toro, an archipelago bathed by the Caribbean Sea and formed by nine islands, 51 keys and 200 islets. Isla de Bastimentos National Marine Park Being a great wildlife reserve in the Caribbean, located in Bocas del Toro archipelago, its unmatched beauty has made it a highly-valued tourist destination. This National Marine Park covers 1,322 hectares and includes lagoons, mangrove swamps, white-sand beaches, coral reefs and coasts with exuberant vegetation, with peers and options for explorers and visitors. Cope National Park It is located to the central part of the country in the province of Cocle. It embraces the fertile Anton Valley and the interesting Archeological Park of Caño. Its major assets are its undulating landscapes with hills and fast flowing rivers where visitors can find paths and take tours to India Dormida, La Pintada, the Chorro Macho waterfall and Cerro La Vieja hill, among others. Soberania National Park It protects 22,104 hectares of evergreen tropical forests along the right bank of the Canal of Panama, featuring a wide variety of flora and fauna, which makes the capital of this country one of the few cities of the world where visitors can quickly go from the city into virgin nature. One of its greatest attractions is the Tropical Forests Interpretive Center featuring a 31-meter tower overtaking the top of the trees and offering a fantastic view of the place. Together with the Chagres National Park, further east, this reserve is vital for the functioning of the Canal of Panama due to its capacity to attract the rain needed to provide the fluvial system flowing into the Gatun Lake, the big engine of the interoceanic course. Darien National Park It was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. It has 579,000 hectares and 132 species of mammals and 499 of birds have been counted there, among them the Harpy Eagle, the symbol of the nation. Dense forests, the Tuira, San Miguel, Chucunaque, Pucuro, Paya and Balsas rivers; beaches lost in unexplored coves, the Embera and Wounan ethnic groups which preserve their own dialects and ancients traditions offer an ideal panorama for a pleasant stay in contact with nature in one of the few virgin places left in the planet. The nine provinces of Panama On its more than 75,000 square kilometers, Panama has nine provinces with a long list of places of tourist interest ranging from beautiful beaches, forests and mountains to far-off sites where crystal-water springs rise, and are home to quetzals and jaguars and life continues to be like in pre-Columbian times, when it was all jungle and wildlife. Bocas del Toro Beautiful beaches and small hotels offering all sorts of nautical activities await visitors in this province of the Panamanian Caribbean. Its major tourist destination is Bocas del Toro archipelago whose center is marked by the Colon Island. Other attractive sites are Popa, Bastimentos and Cristobal Islands, as well as the keys of Agua, Carenero and Zapatillas. Shallow and deep water diving, sailing and sport fishing are the most common practices in the area, in addition to flora and fauna watching, hiking and anthropologic tourism.

Chiriqui The highlands of this province provide a nice weather all year long. Mountains and rivers facilitate the practice of action and adventure sports like rafting and climbing. Chiriqui is located in the far southeast of Panama and the capital is the city of David. Volcan and Boquete are other important urban areas in the province and in fact they are part of its tourist attractions because of its excellent hotels, restaurants and varied offer of night entertainment. The Volcan Baru National Park, the popular thermal wells of Caldera and the Chiriqui and Chiriqui Viejo Rivers attract thousands of tourists with the promise of living intense days and get the adrenaline pumping.

Veraguas Traditions, beautiful handcrafts, nice beaches and exuberant nature on its steep mountains and several National Parks are the proposal for those arriving in the province, the only one of Panama with coasts in both the Pacific and Caribbean. Some of its most outstanding islands are Coiba –wildlife reserve -, Cebaco, Jicaron, Gobernadora, Papagayo, Contreras, Canal de Afuera, Leones, Rancheria, Verde and Jicarita; and some of its worldwide known tourist sites are La Reina, Torio and Santa Catalina beaches included in the surf circuit of the American Pacific that stretches from the Californian coasts, in the U.S., to the Peruvian.

Colon Beautiful beaches and resorts, lots of commercial activities associated to the Free-Trade Zone of Colon, the most important ports of the country, several cruise ship terminals and traditional coastal cities such as mythical Portobelo provide a wide variety of options for tourists. Its capital, bearing the same name, is located at the Atlantic entrance of the Canal of Panama. The constant flow of ship crews and visitors has turned it into a very cosmopolitan city. Inevitable references regarding tourism are: Grande Island, Playa en Nombre de Dios beach, Palenque Beach, Cayo Tortuga key and the San Lorenzo y Sierra Llorona Fort.

Cocle Its territory covers the geographic center of Panama, boasting deep rooted tradition, folklore and nice weather that have favored the agricultural and industrial growth of the province and its development as an inland tourist destination. Penonome is its capital city, though the city of Nata de Los Caballeros, home of the Basilica of Santiago Apostle, is also very important. The Caño Archeological Park, the Santa Clara, Farallon and Rio Hato beaches, the Aguadulce saltworks and Las Mendozas Resort catch the attention of national and international visitors. On its natural spaces, small but fully-equipped lodgings are available; among the most singular places to visit are La India Dormida, La Pintada, Chorro Macho and Cerro La Vieja.

Herrera It is one of the smallest provinces of the country though big in natural wealth and places of interest for tourism, such as the Azuero Peninsula. Its capital city, Chitre, is famous for its colorful carnivals celebrated at the beginning of the year and because of its business activity. La Arena, known as craft town, is a big top-quality handcrafts workshop with ceramic and fiber items and carvings. The Sarigua National Park and the colonial city of Parita are interesting rides in the area, as well as the small peaceful beaches around Punta Estero.

Los Santos This province is characterized by a natural charming landscape, and its deep-seated culture is expressed in the parties of Corpus Christi, the Pollera Festival and the carnivals of Las Tablas –local capital-, considered as the most spectacular carnivals of Panama. Los Santos beaches attract surfing lovers because of its predominant winds and waves. Experts associate this fact to the sea currents flowing in the southern part of the Azuero Peninsula coming from deep in the Pacific Ocean; such currents, when coming closer to solid ground, cause 8-feet tall, long and well-structured waves. One of the most significant tourist projects of the country is currently developed in Pedasi; it has actually became already one of the most classy destinations, though Iguana Island is still the best wild place for diving, enjoying a lonely beach and leaving the hurries and stress of modern life behind.

Panama This province is home to the Panamanian capital, considered the most cosmopolitan city of Central America. Its privileged geographic location and connections with the world by both air and sea through the important international airport of Tocumen, the emblematic Canal of Panama, cruise ship terminals and marinas have raised special interest on the city among multinational companies and bank institutions, and has generated a spectacular real estate development with skyscrapers, state-of-the-art facilities and all the conditions needed for the city to become more and more prosperous and dynamic. It has a wide array of options for all types of tourism, an excellent infrastructure for MICE tourism, top-class hotels and exclusive gastronomy, all of which make it a promising destination. Darien To many, it is the best choice in Panama for nature and adventure tourism because of thousands of hectares covered by tropical forests, abundant rivers, beautiful beaches and flora and fauna existing in the province. The Darien National Park is a paradigm of environmental preservation, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is home to indigenous minorities such as the Embera and Wounam. Unexplored beaches, trails that go deep into the dense jungle, falls, rapids, hundred-year-old trees and an abundant fauna are the best reflection of the stunning natural splendor of Darien, a perfect invitation to enjoy and discover nature in a pure state.

PANAMA IS ALL THE RAGE Enjoy it!