What to Do in Panama: 10 Unmissable Experiences

Humidity in Panama is constant, especially between May and November, during the rainy season. If you're planning to visit the city for a few days, choosing a hotel with a pool and amenities to enjoy during the day is a good idea. There are several places worth visiting in the afternoon, when temperatures drop. A relaxed morning, with an unhurried breakfast and some time by the pool, can be the perfect complement to the rest of your activities.

JW Marriott Panama occupies the tallest building in the city, in Punta Pacífica, one of the most beautiful and safest areas. The hotel has four restaurants with different concepts, a gym with panoramic views and several outdoor pools. Two of them are infinity pools overlooking part of the city's skyline, where you can capture a beautiful travel snapshot.

The rooms deserve a special mention: they're incredibly spacious, comfortable and were recently renovated. All of them have a workspace, a private balcony with ocean views (some facing the ocean directly and others with side views), as well as a space to relax, have some mate or simply spend more time in the room. They also feature bathrobes and a station with a coffee machine and minibar stocked with a mix of nuts, hazelnuts, banana chips and much more.

The tip: the hotel offers a free shuttle service connecting it with different locations in the area. The shuttle runs every hour and takes you, for example, to Multiplaza Pacific, one of the city's best-known shopping malls.

Where: Corregimiento de San Francisco, Cl. Punta Colón, Panama City.

In Panama, many people would probably describe it as the city's trendiest neighborhood. The place for little cafés, after-work drinks and nights out for the over-30 crowd. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the plan here is simply to walk through its narrow streets and discover not only historic buildings, but also colorful walls and design shops. One recommendation: explore it both during the day and at night. If you're traveling alone and want to get the most out of your visit, going with a tour guide the first time is a great idea.

Some stops you shouldn't miss: Sisu, to try the famous Geisha coffee, a variety known around the world for its quality and exclusivity; Monsters (there are two locations, but the one on C. 4a Oeste has the greatest variety), where you can pick up the coolest souvenirs from Panama; Plaza de la Independencia, the heart of the neighborhood; and the Mirador de los Candados, offering a unique panoramic view of the city, both day and night.

The tip: we recommend taking a taxi or an Uber to get there. Outside of peak hours, it takes around 10 minutes from Punta Pacífica. Panama has a lot of traffic, so patience is key.

Where: Avenida Central and Calle San Pablo (Plaza de la Independencia); Sisu Calle 9na Y, Av. B; Monsters C. 4a Oeste.

Although it may be a must-see that evokes mixed feelings, the Panama Canal is something you should see at least once in your lifetime. Considered an “engineering marvel,” this feat connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and serves as a passageway for thousands of ships, which take around 10 hours to complete the full journey.

“The Panama Canal shows that small countries can do things right for the world,” says Ismael Gutiérrez, the excursion guide. One important fact is that this part of the city was controlled by the United States until 1999, when Panama regained sovereignty over it. One recommendation: there are several ways to tour the Canal, but the Guided Tour is the only one that allows you to access the side wall of the locks and get a close-up view of the ships passing through them. At the end, all visitors are invited into a movie theater to watch a 3D film about the Canal, narrated by none other than Morgan Freeman.

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The tip: this outing can be combined with a boat trip on Gatún Lake, the artificial body of water created for the operation of the Canal. Along the way, you may spot monkeys of different species, including tamarins and capuchins.

Where: Miraflores Locks, Panama.

For years, Panama has been known as a shopping destination. The city has more than a dozen shopping malls and a free-trade zone that is one of the largest in the world, located in the city of Colón. But if your trip is only two or three days long, Multiplaza Pacific is a great option.

It has more than 500 stores and an exclusive hall for luxury brands. As for prices, they can really be worth it during sales periods. If you travel in January or July, you'll find seasonal sales, with some clothing stores offering discounts of up to 80%. In October, November and December, you may coincide with special events such as Panama Black Weekend.

The tip: if you're not traveling during these dates or want access to even more promotions, you can register on the official Multiplaza website and get additional discounts.

Where: Vía Israel Corregimiento, Panama.

“Panama has always been a country of transit. Not only because of the Canal. 2.5 million years ago, we were the last piece of land to emerge from the ocean and connect the Americas,” explains Juan José de la Guardia, a guide who regularly accompanies groups to different tourist attractions around the city.

And in this case, the best way to understand what he means is to visit the Biomuseo, which opened in 2019 and has a distinctive feature: from the outside, it's a colorful, seemingly chaotic structure; inside, it resembles a tree, with its trunk and different branches. The architect is Frank Gehry, the same architect behind the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

Inside, it offers a portrait of Panama from different perspectives: its biodiversity, origins, evolution and oceanic richness. The museum is also surrounded by several parks that are worth exploring.

The tip: once you've finished your visit, we recommend taking a walk along the Amador Causeway, where you can enjoy sweeping views of the city's skyline.

Where: Calz. de Amador 136, Panama.

As the plane approaches Panama to land, the first thing that catches your eye is the ships: huge, heavy, as if they were breaking away from the continent itself. The second is the buildings, one next to another, like pins in a pincushion. On the skyline, one stands out for its height and shape. Right there, on the top floor of the JW Marriott, you'll find ALMA, the highest rooftop in Panama City.

This space opened just a few months ago. The first thing that surprises you is the view: the entire city at your feet, with visitors able to choose between two terraces or several indoor tables, where the panoramic views can also be enjoyed. The cuisine and cocktails at ALMA are subtle, elegant and precise. One recommendation: the Chicken Bao (crispy with a sweet sauce) and the Jungle Bird (Flor de Caña rum, Campari, pineapple juice, lime juice and simple syrup).

The tip: you don't have to be staying at the hotel to enter. The menu also includes mocktails and gluten-free options.

Where: Corregimiento de San Francisco, Cl. Punta Colón, Panama City.

Every city has places where a lot happens. In Panama, this somewhat hidden little bar in El Casco is one of them. Here, they serve Panamanian rum made with artisanal raspadura (a block of cane sugar) from a family-owned farm near the city. They have eight varieties of rum that can be sampled through tastings or special cocktails.

“All our products are handmade and crafted using traditional methods. Rhum (the original French word for the drink) comes from another word that means ‘people dancing happily around the fire,’” explains Roberto Saavedra Lo, the bartender and barista in charge of guiding that day's tasting. One recommendation: if you like rum, take the opportunity to try all the varieties; if you don't, I recommend trying it in their mojitos, which are the house specialty.

For those who are curious, Pedro Mandinga was a cimarrón leader and captain of communities that resisted colonial power in the Caribbean during the 16th century. A symbol of rebellion and freedom, he operated from the jungles of the Panamanian isthmus, where he led resistance networks. That's where this place gets its name.

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The tip: some nights feature live salsa, making it an ideal place to learn and experience a little more of Panamanian culture.

Where: Calle Avenida A. Casco Antiguo, between Plaza Herrera and Calle 8A, Panama City.

Lazotea invites you to discover El Casco from another perspective: it's one of the few rooftops in the area and a great option for cocktails at night or at sunset. Although they have several different spaces, we recommend choosing a table in the skyline area to enjoy the views.

The menu is extensive, featuring everything from small plates to share to meats cooked in a Josper oven. The cocktails are perfectly suited to Panama's hot, humid climate: they're fruity and refreshing. We recommend the Lupita (tequila, dry vermouth, pineapple juice, cranberry juice and lemon) or, if you prefer a non-alcoholic option, Pink Panther, a sort of strawberry-and-pineapple lemonade. To eat, don't miss the Wagyu tartare, lamb arepitas and lobster tacos.

The tip: to make sure you get a table, you can make a reservation through OpenTable.

Where: Av. Eloy and C. 11 Este, Panama.

If you like getting a feel for how a city moves and lives, this is a must. It's a seven-kilometer promenade running along the entire Panama Bay. Along the route, you'll find gardens, sports fields, viewpoints and restaurants. It's a popular spot among locals for cycling, enjoying the outdoors and exercising.

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Some gems you'll come across include the Japanese Garden, Anayasi Square, where in summer you can try the famous Panamanian raspa'o (shaved ice with condensed milk and fruit), the Mirador del Pacífico and the Seafood Market, where you'll find some of the city's best flavors.

The tip: the city itself, especially in Punta Pacífica, has very narrow sidewalks. So this is a good place to take a relaxed walk, enjoy its different attractions and even bring your mate to stop at one of the green spaces.

Where: the Cinta begins in the heart of the city, in the Paitilla neighborhood, and ends in Casco Antiguo.

Ají trompito, ají chombo, sweet potato, culantro and pineapple are staples of Panamanian cuisine. They're part of the seasoning and the distinctive flavors found not only in sophisticated restaurants, but also on the table of any family. MASI is a place that opens the door to the country's most intimate flavors and puts them on the table for everyone to enjoy, in an atmosphere that makes you feel at home.

The host is Marcos Herrera, the restaurant's executive chef, who shows an enormous passion for what he does. Not only because he knew from a very young age that he wanted to dedicate himself to this profession, but because he loves innovating and combining flavors and textures while always keeping the focus on what's important: the ingredients. “To create a dish, I have to be alone. I put on a song I like and get inspired,” he says.

We left this place with one certainty: any dish on the menu will create a memory. The freshness of the avocado cannelloni (filled with shrimp salad, creamy corn and crispy rice cubes), the silkiness of the salmon ceviche and the intensity of the flavors in “My Interpretation of Arroz con Pollo” (creamy rice, crispy chicken, culantro powder and black olive soil). To finish, Coffee: Boquete coffee parfait, caramelized cashew, chocolate sauce, cacao soil and a coffee ice cream that brings all the flavors together.

The tip: this restaurant is located on the 14th floor of the JW Marriott but is open to the public. You'll probably hear the phrase “Beso de Mariposa” several times after sitting down at the table. It's not a spell or secret password, but the name of a mocktail that has become part of the place's identity. One recommendation: don't leave without trying it (passion fruit juice, lemon juice, soda and strawberry juice).

Where: Corregimiento de San Francisco, Cl. Punta Colón, Panama City.