There are endless possibilities of things you can do during your stay in Panama. No matter where your preference lies, you can find something of your like. From modern buildings, to beaches, surfing, diving, bird watching, eco-tourism and more.

Snorkeling

Prepare your diving mask, your snorkel and swimfins! There are many places where you can do snorkeling in Panama, but there are 3 sites that really stand out from the rest: Archipelago San Blas on the Caribbean side, Coiba Island and Archipelago Las Perlas on the Pacific side. Archipelago attracts the more people thanks to its excellent snorkeling conditions - sea turtles, reef sharks and many other curious creatures are found here. If you plan on staying more than a day doing this activity, you can stay at the Contadora Hotel & Resort, the most popular in the Pearls.

Surfing

Panama has great tides for surfing, that's why the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Champions has been hosted several times in Panama. The best surf locations in Panama are Playa Santa Catalina, Playa Teta and Rio Mar, all of them on the Pacific side. Santa Catalina has no equal on all of Central America, the best months for surfing in Santa Catalina are February and March. 2 to 4 meter waves in Santa Catalina are common, but on a good day with high tides - waves can reach 150 meters.

Hiking

Hiking in Panama has become pretty popular during the last years. Volcan Baru is Panama's highest point with 3474 meters high. There is a national park with the same name (Volcan Baru). Plenty of other options in Boquete, Chiriqui and El Valle, Anton, which is only a 2 hour drive from Panama City. In the city there are a few options - the trail called "Las Cruces" in the Soberania National Park is good for hiking as well as the Metropolitan Natural Park in the outskirts of Panama City.

Bird Watching

The Panama Audobon Society does annual bird counts and has recorded more bird species than anywhere else in Central America.

The symbol of Central America "Quetzal" is common in western Panama around the Volcan Baru, in the hills around Boquete and Cerro Punta. Other species found in Panama are the great green macaw and the king vulture. The Camino del Oleoducto trail near Panama City is a favorite spot for bird watchers, on a single day - 500 species were sighted! You may want to inquire about this spot if you enjoy this type of activity.

Fishing

With an approximate of 1500 islands, tons of rivers that empty into the ocean, you will have no problem finding a good spot for your fishing activity. Award winning Tropical Star Lodge is in Bahia Piña, 150 miles south from Panama City, currently holds more 250 records. Other good places for fishing are Archipelago Las Perlas, Coiba Island, Gatun Lake, the rivers down Volcan Baru, Bambito, Boquete and Cerro Punta.

Cycling

If you want to get the most out of Panama, you should try cycling. The roads for cycling are in good condition, but beware of the Panama weather, it often rains - so consider this factor.

Rafting & River Running

There are 3 types of river running in Panama: White-water rafting, kayaks and motorized river boats. White-river rafting and kayak can be enjoyed rivers in Chiriqui and motorized river running can be enjoyed in Bocas del Toro and Darien.

As you can see, there are tons of activities that can be done here in Panama. For more on Panama information visit our other articles.