Travel Information for Panama

I should give you a little background to my favorite holiday destination Panama because you’d probably like to know more about Panama before you go and before you start looking for hotels and beaches in Panama City. I think Panama is one of those undiscovered tourist destinations which is only just now opening up to tourism. So it’s one of those undiscovered secrets that will quickly change as more and more people from North America look to find another sunny vacation destination apart from the traditional islands and places like Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, Jamaica etc.

Location of Panama

Panama or officially known as the Republic of Panama is most southern country located in Central America on the isthmus which connects North and South America. It is between two great bodies of water, the Pacific Ocean in the South and the Caribbean Sea in the North. The local population of Panama is about 3.1 million people but it is growing with the increasing number of retirees who are choosing Panama to retire in. Check out the map of Panama.

The Economy of Panama

Economically speaking, Panama is the third largest economy in Central America but it has the largest consumer of resources in Central America. Its unemployment rate is about 7.2% and a poverty rate of about 20%. However, it’s infrastructure and economy is booming. It’s an up and coming vacation destination for travelers from North America who look every year to escape the bad winter weather. It’s industries are mostly in the commerce, banking, tourism, private industries, and trading and because of its privileged geographic situation. There’s lots of construction going on and real estate is also thriving. Both tourists and retirees heading south are checking out Panama as a retirement destination. Lots of surprises for those who know nothing about Panama.

Currency of Panama

The national currency is the balboa, but American dollars are used here for the most part.

What to See in Panama

Although most famous because of the Panama Canal, for the tourist to Panama – there are lots of other delights to discover. It’s a paradise for snorkeling, bird watching and hiking in Latin America. The white sand beaches of the coastline are magnificent. There is also an indigenous people there called the Kuna and you should explore their culture and meet the Kuna people to really get a sense of Panama.

Security Warning for Some Areas of Panama

Just a warning though for travelers to avoid the smugglers, bandits, Colombian guerrillas and paramilitary forces in Darién Province from the Columbian border along the Tuira River to Yaviza because of bandits targeting tourists. Most of Darién National Park is safe, but take a travel guide with you or avoid it altogether. Also avoid the Madden Dam in Chagre National Park because of the same safety concerns.

The Weather in Panama

When is the best season to travel to Panama? There are two different seasons, a dry season which runs from mid-December to mid-April and a rainy season which lasts from mid-April to December. On the Caribbean side of Panama, it basically rains all the time, but less in February to March, September to October. The days are hot throughout the year, on average 32 degrees celcius, (90 degrees Fahrenheit to about 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit in the nights. When it’s the rainy season, the humidity is pretty high. If you are going to the mountains, the cooler temperature ranges from about 10 – 18 degrees Celsius (50 – 64 degrees Fahrenheit and remain in this range through all of the seasons.

So there you have it, a basic introduction to the Republic of Panama and the country you have decided to explore for your next southern escape from the cold winters of North America. I’m mostly blogging here about Panama City beach hotels, but I figure you need some extra information about the actual country of Panama before you head there.