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Travelling to Panama: what to know before you go

Panama is the narrow land bridge between the Americas, cut in two by one of the world's great feats of engineering. Beyond the canal and the skyline of Panama City there are Caribbean islands, cloud forests, coffee farms and two coastlines a short drive apart. It is easy for first-time visitors to Central America and good for mixing city, beach and nature.

Where to go

• The Panama Canal. At the Miraflores Locks near Panama City, viewing platforms and a visitor centre let you watch huge ships being raised and lowered.
• Casco Viejo. Panama City's old quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage site with colonial churches, plazas and restored buildings now full of cafés and rooftop bars.
• Guna Yala (San Blas Islands). An autonomous region of the Guna people on the Caribbean coast, with hundreds of small islands, many of them palm-fringed sandbars.
• Bocas del Toro. A Caribbean archipelago near the Costa Rican border with wooden stilt houses, surfing, snorkelling, beaches such as Starfish Beach and a laid-back atmosphere.

Best time to visit

The dry season, from roughly mid-December to April, is the most popular time to visit the Pacific side and Panama City, with sunny days and little rain. May to November is the green season, with afternoon downpours but fewer visitors and lush scenery.

Staying online in Panama

Coverage is good in Panama City, Colón, David and other towns, with fast 4G and 5G in the capital. It weakens on many islands, in the mountains and in rainforest areas, and the Darién and parts of Guna Yala have little or no signal. Wi-Fi is widely available in hotels, cafés and malls in the city, but island accommodation may have slow or limited internet. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land, so ride-hailing and maps work from the airport.