Destination OS · Old town mornings, Canal ships, glass towers
Panama CityCiudad de Panamá
Panama City is a morning city: Casco Viejo and the Miraflores Locks before 11:00, indoors from midday, taxis by app after dark.
- Local time
- --:--
- Weather
- forecast below
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Dec
- Airport
- PTY
Cash need
2/5
Heat risk
5/5
Stroller
2/5
Friction
55/100
Rules in force · 7Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) giv…
- Central America ↗Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) give one shared entry allowance, usually 90 days in total; leaving for Belize, Costa Rica or Mexico and coming back does not always reset it — check with immigration before a long stay.
- Central America ↗Cross land borders in daylight and early in the day; many posts close or empty of transport by late afternoon, and the approaches are where robberies happen.
- Central America ↗Several borders charge entry, exit or municipal fees in US dollars (Belize exit, Nicaragua entry and exit, Honduras entry); carry small, clean US notes and ask for a receipt.
- Panama ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Panama's National Migration Service or a Panamanian consulate; proof of onward travel and funds may be asked for.
- Panama ↗Do not travel independently in the Darién; the UK and other governments warn against parts of it, and there is no road crossing to Colombia.
- Panama ↗Guna Yala (San Blas) is governed by the Guna people: visitor fees apply, and photography of people usually needs permission and payment. Book through Guna-run or licensed operators.
- Panama City and the Canal ↗Check the Canal Authority's daily ship schedule before you plan the locks: the visit is worth most when a ship is due.
At a glance
- Clusters
- 4
- Places
- 5
- Day plans
- 1
- Places to eat
- 1
- Sleep areas
- 2
- Gateways
- PTY
Right now
Checking the weather…
Working out what is open near you…
Decide
Who it suits, the trade-offs and when to go
Overview
The city in one paragraph, who it fits, and how many days it takes.
Panama City packs a colonial old town, a working Canal and a tower skyline into one hot, wet, traffic-heavy city. The trips that go wrong walk Casco Viejo at noon, plan the Canal locks without checking the ship schedule, or add a long transfer on a rainy afternoon. Four areas cover a first visit; the airport, the locks and the causeway are car rides away from one kept bed.
Fits
- Stopover and short city breaks
- Travellers who like old towns and working infrastructure
- Early risers
Does not fit
- Travellers who hate heat and humidity
- Strollers and wheelchairs in Casco Viejo (cobbles and kerbs)
- Anyone planning long walks between areas
- 2 days
- Casco Viejo morning, Miraflores Locks the next morning
- 3 days
- Casco Viejo, the Locks, Amador causeway and the Biomuseo; mornings outside, afternoons indoors
- 5 days
- Three-day loop + Panamá Viejo ruins + one slow day or a rainforest morning in Gamboa
- Don't confuse
- Panamá Viejo is the ruined first city, east of downtown; Casco Viejo (also called Casco Antiguo) is the 17th-century old town that is lived in today.
Hover, tap or tab to an area to see what it is like. Pins are sleep areas; arrows at the edge point to the airport.
Where’s what, as a list:
- Casco Viejo: Morning and evening cluster: cathedral, plazas and the sea wall; cobbled and hot at noon, with bags forbidden on the streets.
- Miraflores Locks: Half-morning cluster: ships pass the locks, a viewing terrace and a small museum; go early, indoors after 11:30.
- Amador Causeway and Biomuseo: Morning or late-afternoon cluster: the Biomuseo and a flat seaside path; open and shadeless at midday.
- Panamá Viejo: Morning cluster: the ruins of the first city, open and shadeless; a tower climb and a small museum.
- Sleep area Bella Vista and Avenida Balboa: suits Families, older travellers, price band $$$.
- Sleep area Casco Viejo: suits Families, solo on a budget, price band $$.
- Tocumen International Airport (PTY), about 21 km from the centre, 45–75 min by the usual route.
Decide
The honest trade-off: what you will enjoy, what will wear you down.
You will like
- Old-town evenings
- Ships in the Canal
- Short flights to the islands
You will hate
- Midday heat
- Rush-hour traffic
- Afternoon downpours
When
Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec. Month-by-month verdicts below, with the live forecast first. When to go, month by month →
Panama City: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Dry season; hot, breezy.
Driest month; Carnival dates move.
Dry, very hot by afternoon.
Hot; first rains late in the month.
Rainy season starts; afternoon storms.
Wet afternoons; mornings usually fine.
Showers most afternoons.
Wet; humid.
Wet; heavy rain possible.
Among the wettest months; flooding on some roads.
Wet; national holidays crowd the old town.
Rains ease; Christmas season busy.
Festivals and events that change the plan
| When | What | Effect on your plan |
|---|---|---|
| Feb or Mar (four days before Ash Wednesday) | Carnival | National party; many offices and shops close and the centre is packed. |
| Nov 3, 4, 5 and 10, 28 | November national days | Parades and closures; Casco Viejo is crowded, and many offices are shut. |
| Dec 31–Jan 1 | New Year | Fireworks and traffic; book rooms and cars early. |
| May–November | Rainy season | Heavy afternoon rain; outdoor stops belong in the morning. |
Arrive & move
Getting in, getting around, and your bags
Arrive
Each gateway has its own airport-to-bed page with timings and the last safe connection.
Move
The default way around, when a pass pays off, and when the last trains go.
- Default
- Walk inside a cluster; ride-hailing car between clusters.
- Passes
- No pass. Rides inside the centre are cheap; check the fare in the app before you ride.
- Last trains
- The Metro closes at night and does not reach Casco Viejo or the locks; ride-hailing runs late but drivers may cancel in heavy rain.
- Other modes
- Other modes (Rome2Rio) ↗
Luggage
Where big bags are a problem, and how to get rid of them for the day.
Rule
- Lockers
- Few public lockers; hotels hold bags after check-out.
- Forwarding
- No forwarding service culture; keep the big bag at the hotel for trips to the islands or highlands.
- Dead zone
- Late check-out flights: ask the hotel to hold bags and for a shower room.
See & do
Walking clusters, day plans and the places worth the time
Clusters
Plan by cluster: each is a walkable area with a rescue point and a bag rule.
Morning and evening cluster: cathedral, plazas and the sea wall; cobbled and hot at noon, with bags forbidden on the streets.
rescue 91% · max p90 7′ · half
Half-morning cluster: ships pass the locks, a viewing terrace and a small museum; go early, indoors after 11:30.
rescue 91% · max p90 7′ · half
Morning or late-afternoon cluster: the Biomuseo and a flat seaside path; open and shadeless at midday.
rescue 91% · max p90 7′ · half
Morning cluster: the ruins of the first city, open and shadeless; a tower climb and a small museum.
rescue 91% · max p90 7′ · half
Days
Ready-made day plans, timed against opening hours and walking distances.
Places
Each place gets a verdict and the time to be there, not a star rating.
Day-trips from here
Gamboa rainforest
goCar or tour, about 45 min each way
Half day
Birdwatching and the Chagres river; go early.
Portobelo and Colón coast
go off seasonCar about 1.5–2 h each way
Full day
Colonial forts on the Caribbean side; check road and weather news.
Taboga Island
goFerry from Amador, about 30–60 min
Full day
Beach day; check the ferry times the day before.
Eat & sleep
Where to eat and which area to sleep in
Eat
A short list of places worth crossing the city for, each with how to get a seat.
Vegetarian-friendly score
2.5 / 5 · Workable
- Country diet noteOur country guide rates vegetarian eating as easy.2 / 2
- Places to eat in this guideToo few places with a known answer (0) to judge; 1 not yet checked.0 / 1.5
- Budget eating lines0 vegetarian lines in "Eat by budget".0 / 0.6
- Meat-free national dishes3 meat-free dishes in the country food list.0.3 / 0.4
- Dedicated vegetarian kitchens0 mentions of vegetarian restaurants, Buddhist or fasting kitchens.0 / 0.5
Country note: Easy in Panama City and Bocas; harder on San Blas (fish-based).
Vegetarian places near me →Make a diet card →
How we score
- Country diet note (up to 2): easy 2, workable 1, mixed 0.75, hard 0; no note 0.5.
- City places to eat (up to 1.5): 1.5 × (vegetarian-friendly + half of partly friendly) ÷ places with a known answer; needs 3 or more known places.
- Budget eating lines marked vegetarian (up to 0.6): 0.2 each.
- Meat-free national dishes (up to 0.4): 0.1 each.
- Dedicated vegetarian kitchens mentioned — Buddhist chay, shōjin ryōri, Jain, fasting food, vegan cafés (up to 0.5): 0.1 each.
- Total rounded to the nearest half point, 0 to 5. Built from our own pages only, not from reviews.
Sleep
Pick the area first: it decides your walk home at night and your first morning.
Practical
Money, essentials, safety and the pocket card
Money
What a day costs at three comfort levels, and how to pay.
- Budget
- $25–45 excl. bed / day
- Mid
- $45–100 excl. bed / day
- High
- $100+ excl. bed / day
- IC card
- No transit card needed for a first visit: ride-hailing cars, taxis and walking. The Metro has its own rechargeable card if you use it.
- Cash rule
- Keep $20 in small notes; use ATMs inside banks or malls, and refuse to pay with $50 or $100 notes at small shops.
More on moneyCosts
What things cost
- Coffee in Casco Viejo$3–5
- Empanada or fried snack$1–3
- Fish plate at a market counter$8–15
- Sit-down restaurant meal, per person$15–35
- Local beer$2–4
- Bottle of water, shop$1–2
- Ride-hailing car across the centre$4–10
- Taxi from Tocumen to Casco Viejo$30–40
- Miraflores Locks ticket$20–35 (check the Canal Authority)
- Biomuseo ticket$20–30
- Tourist SIM or eSIM, about a week$8–20
- Mid-range hotel room, per night$70–140
Essentials and accessEssentials
Essentials
- Paying
- Cards work in hotels, malls and most restaurants; cash for markets, small cafés and taxis. US dollars are the paper money; Panamanian coins are used for small change.
- Tipping
- About 10% in restaurants if service is not already added; round up for drivers.
- SIM & data
- Install an eSIM before you fly, or buy a tourist SIM at the counters in Tocumen arrivals (passport needed).
- Plugs & power
- 120 V; type A and B sockets, as in the United States.
- Drinking water
- Bottled water is the easy choice; ice in established places is usually fine.
- Toilets
- Cafés, malls, hotels and museums; carry tissues.
- Opening hours
- Museums often close one weekday (often Monday); check each place. Shops in Casco Viejo open late morning.
- Health
- Heat and humidity all year, mosquitoes (dengue is present), sun. Travel insurance with medical cover.
- Accessibility
- Casco Viejo has cobbles, high kerbs and uneven pavements; newer hotels, malls and the Biomuseo are step-free.
- Laundry
- Hotels do same- or next-day laundry, priced by the item or kilo.
- Emergency numbers
- 911.
Pack
- Light, breathable clothes and a hat
- A rain jacket for May–November
- Shoes that grip wet cobbles
- A layer for over-cooled shops and restaurants
Survive
Safety basics, the lines not to cross, and practical habits that save the day.
Safety
- Casco Viejo is busy and patrolled in the evening; the streets around its edge (toward Santa Ana and El Chorrillo) are not: take a car at night.
- Heat: AC stop every 60–90 minutes; drink bottled water.
- Emergency: 911.
Red lines
- Do not walk the streets of El Chorrillo, Curundú or Santa Ana at night, even close to Casco Viejo.
- Canal locks: stay behind the visitor-centre railings.
- Do not photograph police or the presidential palace guards up close.
Practical
- Toilets: cafés, malls and museums; carry tissues.
- Tap water in Panama City is treated and commonly drunk, but many visitors use bottled water.
Scams and red flags
Walk away if you see these
- Street taxis that name a high price for tourists or refuse the meter: use a ride-hailing app or agree the total before you get in.
- Airport touts offering a 'cheap' ride inside arrivals: use the official taxi counter or your app.
- Distraction thefts on buses and at busy corners: keep phones out of sight near the roadside.
- Unofficial guides at the locks or in Casco Viejo who ask for money afterwards: agree a price first or decline.
Phrases that do the work
Greeting
Hello
Buenos días
BWEH-nos DEE-as
Thanks
Thank you
Gracias
GRAH-syas
Market
How much is this?
¿Cuánto cuesta?
KWAN-toh KWES-ta
Food
Not spicy, please
Sin picante, por favor
seen pee-KAN-teh por fah-VOR
Café
The bill, please
La cuenta, por favor
la KWEN-ta por fah-VOR
Taxi
Please take me to this address
Lléveme a esta dirección
YEH-veh-meh ah ES-ta dee-rek-SYON
Taxi
Stop here, please
Pare aquí, por favor
PAH-reh ah-KEE por fah-VOR
Deep dive
History, reading, photos and every source
Sources
- officialAutoridad de Turismo de Panamá
- officialPanama Canal Authority
- secondaryWikivoyage — Panama City