The Great Natural Secret of Central America

Panama’s strategic location has been an advantage for some years now. I’m not just talking about the last 500 years but going back as far as seventy million years ago when volcanic activity and sediments created a natural bridge between what is today North and South America. This geological marvel promoted species exchange and “The Great Migration.” For more fascinating details, visit the BioMuseo on Amador’s Causeway.

Centuries later, this same narrow passage became the perfect hub for Spanish trade between South America and the Iberian Peninsula. Eventually, it also became the site of the world-renowned Panama Canal.

During your visit, don’t miss out on two must-see locations that can easily be covered in less than a day: Casco Viejo and the Panama Canal.

Casco Viejo: Wander through historical sites, visit beautiful churches, explore the Panama Canal Museum, and indulge in some of the city’s finest restaurants (we’ll dive into that later).

Miraflores Visitors Center: Discover the history of the French and American efforts to build the canal, and see how it shaped the world. The exhibitions here are truly enlightening.

To experience it all, hop on our Aero City Tour. This tour includes a visit to the Miraflores Visitors Center, an aerial tour over Panama’s most iconic landmarks, and you can link it with a delightful  exploration of Casco Viejo to finish the tour. We’ll even recommend the best time to visit so you can catch a glimpse of cruise ships passing through and tourists waving, restoring your faith in humanity for a moment. This tour can also be done as a helicopter ride visiting the same locations and allowing bigger groups.

My recommendation would be to book the aero tour around the “golden hour” so you can see an amazing orange-reddish-golden sunset screening through the skyscrapers (perfect for couples and marriage proposals, let me say).

Contact us as well if you’d like a complete or partial transit of the Panama Canal

Panama’s biodiversity is key and crucial to many species including migratory birds, whales, sea turtles, manta rays, sharks and many many more. Therefore more than 33% of the country (last time I checked) is declared a National Park, a Natural Reserve or a  Wildlife Refuge.

Good news for birdwatchers: Panama has 5 Ramsar areas to protect the landscapes required by migratory birds, it has the Darién National Park making it a dangerous passage for humans and an impossible way for vehicles.  This National Park has at least one new species discovered every year and we know we are scrapping only the surface.

According to the institute of statistics and census, Panama has at least 10,444 species of flora with a diverse type of vegetation areas.  Here’s the source file for us nerds.   As for mammals, reptiles, fishes, invertebrates and birds the numbers are amazing as well but I can talk about this for hours! 

The most known National Parks are Coiba Island and Darién. But there are also some locations worth the visit: El Valle de Antón, Volcán Barú National Park and Soberanía National Park.  Before you go to any National Park, please read this article about National Parks and how to pay your admission ticket online.

At El Valle de Antón, you can have great dining experiences, great lodging too and visit some curious locations as the forest of the squared trees and the EVACC Foundation where you can see the endangered Panamanian Golden Frog and other amphibians rescued from extinction.

At Volcán Barú National Park, you can get to the top of the Volcano via 4×4 or by hiking to see the sunrise making it a whole meaningful experience. We recommend the 4×4 trip as you won’t be worn out the next day and can keep visiting surrounding areas like Boquete for the best coffee in the world.

At the Soberanía National Park you can get to the Pipeline road lookout where you can see the rainforest canopy and have a different experience from the ground.  This is the closest to Panama City and you can get there and back in less than a day.  Click here a sneak peek (sound on!)

Chiriquí is the province next to Costa Rica. It has the Panama Highlands where The Best Coffee Of The World is made.  Lonely Planet listed it as one of the places to visit in 2025.

Chiriquí has more than the boutique town of Boquete or Volcán. It has the Barú Volcano, the most fertile territory of the country and some of the best panoramic views of the country.

David, its capital city, has it all. David’s weather is hot, but its close proximity to Boquete and Volcán makes it an ideal location for expats who want to retire while having access to commercial areas and hospitals to meet their needs.

Chiriquí’s Highlands are perfect for everyone who wants to experience hiking without the suffocating sun or hot temperatures.  There are many many hiking trails making the “Camino Los Quetzales” the most popular of the region. It was recently reopened to public with some adequations to make it easier for visitors enjoy this jewel.  Camino los Quetzales gets its name because if you pay close attention and follow the guides’ recommendations you can be lucky enough to see the beautiful Quetzal.

Bocas del Toro is the other province besides Chiriquí next to Costa Rica. It was the region where the Chiquita Banana established back in the 1900’s. It has beautiful islands, beaches, great surfing spots, National Parks, scuba locations… and the greatest nightlife of Panama.

Isla Colón is the best town in Bocas del Toro. This location has it all and is preferred by many foreigners and expats to relocate and live here, giving Isla Colón a unique nightlife compared to the rest of the country. And boy, is it recommended! With many exclusive hotels, great Afro-Caribbean cuisine, bars, live shows, it’s a place you’ll never get bored.

The best part? We have regular daily bocas del toro flights at a great price.

There’s also some Bocas del Toro for all those nature lovers.  Bocas del Toro has some National Parks you can visit and even book a hotel at the very edge of the Park’s limits. The Parque Internacional La Amistad between Costa Rica and Panama having some unexplored landscapes and hiking locations that not many people have made before. It’s also home of the Nasö tribe you can book and visit with us.

I didn’t mention it before but Panama has 5 of the 7 sea turtle species nesting on its beaches.  And Bocas del Toro isn’t the exception. Efforts to protect these endangered species were taking up to 20 years ago and today it’s an experience you can live too.  This is a seasonal experience and we must check before for the exact dates, but if you want to book, just ask us and we will give you more information.

You can also spot dolphins, do snorkeling, do some surfing at some world-class surfing beaches.  If you are a surfer, you can also get a connection flight between Isla Colón and Lago Bay in Santa Catalina to enjoy 2 of the best surfing beaches in Panama.