152 Travel reports · Create a travel blog · About Vakantio
Panama packs remarkable variety into a relatively small country, making it especially rewarding for travelers who want big contrasts without long travel times. In one trip, you can explore the skyline and historic streets of Panama City, watch massive ships pass through the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, then head to cloud forests, surf beaches, or Caribbean islands. The country’s blend of modern urban energy, tropical biodiversity, and layered Afro-Caribbean, Indigenous, and Spanish cultural influences gives it a character that feels both cosmopolitan and deeply connected to nature.
Highlights include wandering the colorful colonial quarter of Casco Viejo, visiting the Miraflores Locks to understand the canal’s global importance, and escaping into nature in places like Boquete, Bocas del Toro, San Blas, or Coiba National Park. Travelers can hike in cooler highlands, spot sloths, monkeys, and toucans in lush rainforests, dive or snorkel in clear waters, and enjoy excellent coffee grown in volcanic soils. For practical planning, the dry season is generally the easiest time to travel, intercity buses are affordable and widely used, and the U.S. dollar is accepted alongside the local balboa. Pack light clothing, rain protection for sudden tropical showers, and book island stays or popular high-season accommodations in advance.
The best time to visit Panama is from January through April, when travel popularity is highest and conditions are generally driest, making it easier to enjoy cities, beaches, islands, and outdoor adventures. April stands out slightly in the data, but the whole January-April period is a strong choice for reliable weather and broad trip planning flexibility.
Today we were able to sleep in because we didn't have to vacate the apartment until 11:00 am. Unfortunately, Anne woke us up at 7:00 am by shouting in alarm. We saw a large...
Passage through the Panama Canal
Saturday, 07.02.26: Twice a month, there is an opportunity to take a special train of the Panama Canal Railway along the beautiful route from Panama City on the Pacific to Colón...
Today we were woken up by the sun again and we decided to take a boat tour through the islands of the archipelago. We informed Simon during breakfast and he booked us 3 seats...
This time we had to get up even earlier because Rudy wanted to pick us up at 6:45 a.m. The van was already quite filled as there were two Americans besides the couple from Saudi...
At 06:45 the alarm clock rang and at 07:20 we left the house. Rudy was already waiting in the van, where 2 more visitors were sitting. A couple from the UK who live in Saudi...
On day 2 in Panama, we rented a car to explore the canal. We started with the Puente des Americas over the Panama Canal, then visited the Miraflores Locks and continued to...
After almost three weeks of traveling together, we were simply dropped off at the border between Costa Rica and Panama - and we were on our own again, without a car....
After arriving in Panama yesterday morning without my backpack, I showered three times, washed the only clothes I have (for now) twice, and then bought a pair of thin pants and...
Off to Costa Rica! This morning I boarded the plane at 11 AM after saying goodbye to my family and Philipp. First, I flew to Madrid for 2.5 hours, then I had to rush to my gate...
Arriving at Guayaquil International Airport, we first sat down in a café and had cold drinks. After 1 hour, our Copa terminal opened and we lined up for luggage drop-off. Then...
We took a flight from Bocas del Toro to Panama City, we are getting lazy in our old age. And we didn't feel like listening to salsa for at least 12 hours on the bus. Everything...
Hello Caribbean 😉 From Cartagena we flew to Panama because we almost missed the flight when they said at the gate that we can only board with a flight or bus ticket that...
Panama Roadtrip (22.06-03.07) 🇵🇦 or maybe not! If you followed the news over the past few days, Panama suddenly made headlines - Panama declares emergency in western province...
When it rains, it pours - or how do you say it? 😄 When we arrived at our accommodation in the evening, we were a bit surprised because it looked like our Airbnb was still...
The journey and border control to Panama went really smoothly 🤗 at first, we were a bit unsure if everything was in order, as it didn't look at all like an official authority....
Today morning, it was finally time for the tour of the Panama Canal✨ My body can't wait to wake up before 5 am again, I'm constantly tired again from 1 am. But the tour was very...
After a noisy night caused by the strong surf, we woke up around 8:00 am. I immediately went to the terrace to enjoy the wonderful view. I got a coffee from the bar and sat on...
23.04.22-29.04.22 From Isla Colón we are now driving to our next hostel on Isla Bastimentos! Katja and Uli, who are staying on Colón, accompany us for a day and...
On Wednesday morning we were picked up at 5 AM 🛻 I unfortunately felt far from good because it seems I had upset my stomach the night before 😮💨 I was therefore more than...
Promenade Part 2 was early this morning, it could definitely become my favorite place here. Sitting on a bench in the sun all morning, snacking on fruit and looking at the sea...
We could fully feel Janosch's title "Oh how beautiful is Panama!" in Santa Catalina, because this village is really still a little insider tip. Relaxed beach atmosphere, cool...
Oh, how beautiful is Panama! We spent three days in the picturesque Bocas del Toro - a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. The water there is extremely clear, so we were...
17.04.22-23.04.22 The next 6 nights we will spend in the east of the beautiful island on the stunning Playa Bluff! The hostel is located right on the coast - from...
12.04.22-15.04.22 Völlig erholt starten wir in unser nächstes Abenteuer: Panama! Die komplette Flughafenatmosphäre (überall, nicht speziell in San José) mit den vielen...
We leave behind the tropical forests of Panama and head towards the mountains. Take water taxi 25 to Almirante. Then continue by bus for 3 hours through the mountains to...
Today we had rafting on our schedule. We started our trip from Boquete. We already knew a group of Americans from Balboa Inn in Panama City. It seems like all travelers take a...
After waking up, I went back to my spot on the terrace with a coffee from the bar and enjoyed the sound of the sea and the view. But today it was raining a little and we decided...
The adventure begins! But from the beginning... The idea of traveling alone for a few weeks came to me last summer. After a few days alone in Mallorca, I got a taste for it -...
is one of seven larger islands of the island group Bocas del Toro on the northern coast of Panama on the Atlantic Ocean. You can take the bus or a taxi and go through the whole...