Panama Travel and Tourism

With two coastlines of gorgeous beaches, pristine rainforests, mountain villages, and a modern, cosmopolitan capital city, Panama has something to offer for every kind of sustainable traveler. As an isthmus connecting the two huge continents of North and South America, Panama enjoys a wonderfully diverse array of flora and fauna and offers visitors a striking variety of natural and cultural experiences. Because of its compact size, visitors can choose to experience several vastly different regions in one trip—or to focus deeply on one or two areas.

Panama has two different faces. There’s the modern, developed Panama—its sophisticated capital, Panama City, boasts many tall skyscrapers, a sizeable international community, beautiful 18th century architecture, and of course, the famed Panama Canal, the architectural wonder that connects the Caribbean Sea and the northern Pacific Ocean. However, travel just 10 minutes outside of the city and you quickly find yourself immersed in a lush, tropical rainforest bursting with wildlife. In contrast with its urban population, Panama’s many indigenous tribes still thrive in the traditional manner of their ancestors, preserving cultural and spiritual practices that have been around for thousands of years.

The rainforests of Panama, less known among tourists than those of its neighboring country, Costa Rica, is a paradise of Central American wildlife. Panama has more than 900 species of birds (the most of any Central American country), 10,000 species of vascular plants, 1,000 species of orchids, and 125 animal species found nowhere else in the world. Wildlife enthusiasts will never run out of brilliant animals to observe: the famous and elusive resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), the jaguar (Panthera onca), and multiple species of howler monkeys (Alouatta), sea turtles (Chelonioidea), and sharks (Selachimorpha) are just a fraction of the wildlife Panama has to offer.

The untouched coastlines and marine environments of the Chiriquí lowlands are considered some of the best in the Western Hemisphere for boating, surfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling, while those who prefer to hike can journey to the peak of Volcano Barú, where on a clear day you can see both oceans. Volcano Barú is among Panama’s many amazing wildlife hotspots, which also include the Marino Golfo de Chiriquí, La Amistad, and Darién national parks, and the Coiba National Marine Park.

Sustainable Lodging in Panama

SustainableTrip.org features businesses in Panama that are certified by the Green Globe program.

Find your Sustainable Trip to Panama.

Learn more about ecotourism and sustainable tourism in Panama on the Rainforest Alliance’s Eco-Index Web site.