panama trip report

How To Plan An Unforgettable Panama Itinerary

Looking for an incredible Panama itinerary?

I’ve got you covered below.

Every summer, my boyfriend Andy and I plan an epic two-week vacation together. It’s one of the few times annually I’m not traveling solo; and because it’s such a special time, a lot goes into planning the perfect trip.

We’re curious outdoor enthusiasts who love experiential accommodations.

If that sounds like you, then you’ll want to keep reading to steal our favorite Panama vacation spots and travel tips.

Note that this post contains affiliate links to trusted partners I think you’ll love!

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Table of Contents

Panama Travel Video

Prefer to travel Panama through video?

You’re in luck!

We filmed a Panama travel guide to really show you what the experience was like.

Watch the video here:

A big thanks to Andy for helping me shoot the footage, and for editing this video!

Panama Travel Tips

Before I get into actual things to do in Panama, I want to go over some important Panama travel tips.

This way, when you begin diving into our Panama itinerary, you can better understand what your trip will look like.

Additionally, you can grab my free Ultimate Travel Planning Kit — which also includes a downloadable Google Map of this Panama itinerary.

Is Panama Safe?

In short, I felt very, very safe doing the Panama itinerary I share with you below.

That being said, whether at home or on the road, I’m never without a few very important safety essentials.

Vigilant Personal Alarm . Vigilant makes personal safety alarms — or sound grenades — in a variety of models and styles. Press a button to activate an alarm louder than a firetruck, meant to disarm and scare potential attackers. The model linked here even has a backup alarm in case the primary alarm becomes disabled.

Speakeasy Supply Hidden Pocket Scarves . Hand-made by my fellow travel blogging friends over at Beers & Beans, these stylish scarves come in designs for all seasons. Bonus: The hidden pockets in the scarf are large enough to fit your passport!

Clever Travel Companion Pickpocket-Proof Garments . Nervous about pickpockets? In more touristy areas of Panama City, for example, pickpockets are fairly common. Having pickpocket-proof garments ensures thieves don’t even know you’re carrying cash. I love the underwear, tank top, long johns and short sleeve dress!

Planning A Trip To Panama: Destinations

There are so many options when planning your Panama itinerary.

Below, I provide an overview of some — emphasis on some — of your options based on your travel preferences.

Beach Destinations In Panama.  Bocas del Toro, Pearl Islands, San Blas Islands, Isla Coiba, Santa Catalina, Colon.

Hiking / Outdoor Adventure Destinations In Panama.  Boquete, El Valle de Anton, Cocle Province, Santa Cruz de Cana.

Urban Destinations In Panama. Panama City, David.

Agricultural Destinations In Panama. Boquete, Santa Fe, Cocle Province, Isla Bastimentos, Isla San Cristobal, Colon.

Two Weeks In Panama Itinerary

If you don’t feel like reading this entire article, you can swipe my two weeks in Panama itinerary here in this quick overview.

We arrived into Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, and then took an Uber to get to the Albrook “Marcos A. Gelabert” International Airport to board a domestic one-hour flight to the Bocas del Toro “Isla Colón” International Airport in Bocas Town.

Our Panama itinerary was as follows:

Bocas Town on Isla Colon in Bocas del Toro  ( Airbnb- Stay Bocas ). One night.

Arrived via Air Panama flight from Panama City.

Highlights included Bibi’s on the Beach, Starfish Beach and simply wandering the lively town to peruse the shops, bars and even a brewery called Bocas Brewery.

Isla Bastimentos in Bocas Del Toro ( La Loma Jungle Lodge & Chocolate Farm ). Two nights.

Arrived via pickup in Bocas Town by the La Loma Jungle Lodge boat captain (ride is about 20 minutes).

Highlights included sleeping in a treehouse with no walls in the jungle, hiking to a bat cave, kayaking at sunrise and the creative meals made with mainly ingredients grown on their onsite farm.

Isla San Cristobal in Bocas del Toro ( CocoVivo ). Two nights.

Arrived via skiff boat taxi (about 25 minutes from Bocas Town).

Highlights included onsite hiking trails to waterfalls, snorkeling the healthy coral reefs, night swimming in the bioluminescent Tierra Oscura Lagoon, a dock with a second-storey diving board and hammocks right over the water, and paddle-boarding to the local fried chicken shop nearby (a very Panamanian experience!).

Boquete (Airbnb- Lost Waterfalls Cabin ). Two nights.

Arrived via Hello Panama tourist bus ($30), with the Airbnb host picking us up at the bus stop to take us to the cabin.

Highlights included hiking in Panama  — specifically through high altitude jungle to numerous waterfalls — a farm-to-fork dinner at Colibri Restaurant in Boquete Town and having a secluded cabin in the breathtaking cloud forest where our yard was filled with unique flora and hummingbirds.

Panama City ( The Bahia Grand Hotel ). One night.

Arrived via Air Panama flight from Enrique Malek International Airport in David, which we got to by paying $50 for a taxi from Boquete to David (though note there is also a cheaper bus option that we didn’t feel like navigating with our luggage).

This was just a one-night stopover before our trip to El Valle de Anton (aka “El Valle”), and we spent it by exploring some of the hotel’s amenities. These included swimming in the infinity pool, having an unforgettable chef’s tasting dinner at Tejas Restaurant, gambling in the Ocean Sun Casino and having drinks at their 66-storey Poolbar rooftop. Afterward, we took a bubblebath with wine in our in-room standalone tub. Heaven!

El Valle de Anton (Airbnb- Casa del Alma ). Two nights.

Arrived via 2.5-hour bus from the Albrook Bus Terminal in Panama City (~$4.50 one way).

Highlights included hiking to the top of La India Dormida for incredible views, having a seafood dinner on the chill patio of Bruschetta Restaurant, and enjoying our funky zen lodging with had a pool, garden and deep soaking tub.

Panama City ( The Bahia Grand Hotel ). Three nights.

Arrived via the same bus we took to El Valle de Anton, but in the opposite direction.

Highlights included more swimming and enjoying cocktail-filled pineapples at the infinity pool, wandering the UNESCO-listed Casco Viejo neighborhood, seeing boats pass through the Panama Canal, walking the scenic Cinta Costera at night, savoring craft cocktails at the Strangers Club and a satisfying dinner at the innovative Wall Street Bar & Lounge where menu prices change based on their inventory.

If I could change anything about the above Panama itinerary, I would have stayed a few days longer in Panama to spend more time in Panama City. There is a lot to do there, both within the city and as day trips.

Currency In Panama

Interestingly, US Dollars — along with the Panamanian Balboa — are both official currency in Panama.

They even equal the same. Sometimes locals will mix up currencies, too.

So, if you’re supposed to get $1.50 change back, you might back $1 USD and 50 cents in Panamanian Balboa coins.

In short, we used US dollars the entire time.

Getting Around Panama

To get around Panama, Andy and I opted to travel by plane and bus.

There’s so much to do in Panama, and we were on a tight two-week schedule; so, we did take two domestic flights on Air Panama to save time, even though they were pricier than the bus.

Additionally, we opted for the tourist transfer bus offered by Hello Panama between Bocas and Boquete.

Another option we heard a few travelers rave about is renting a car, as long as you’re outside Panama City and Bocas del Toro.

Next time I go to Panama I’ll probably opt for this, as there are so many natural places and beautiful parks to explore that are time-consuming to get to via public transportation.

I recommend using a service  like Discover Cars  to determine the best car rental deals available.

Users of this site can save up to 70% on their booking just by being able to easily compare their options!

What’s great is their comparison tool does the hard research work for you.

You can use their widget right here to compare right now:

Solo Female Travel In Panama

While I was not traveling solo in Panama per my usual trip style, I know many of you are solo travelers.

Ladies, you can definitely feel confident traveling alone through Panama. We encountered a number of solo female travelers during our trip, and at almost all of our accommodations.

Actually, while the Panama itinerary I’m sharing works well for couples, there’s nothing we did on this trip that I wouldn’t come back and do solo, aside for maybe staying at the Lost Waterfalls Cabin because it’s pretty secluded (and I’m terrified of ghosts!).

Even the hikes in Boquete that I mention below — both of which are very well marked — would be fine to do on your own without a guide.

Just make sure you have the Vigilant Alarm I mention above on you for added protection, especially from wildlife.

Health Concerns & Zika Virus In Panama

Note that as of this writing (September 2018) there is a risk of Zika Virus in Panama. This means that if you’re pregnant you should avoid visiting Panama.

All travelers will definitely want to take precautions to limit mosquito bites, as well as bites from no-see-ums (or sand flies), which can also carry diseases.

In Bocas del Toro both of these insects were very prevalent.

Personally, I typically opt for natural insect repellent, as I feel it works better and doesn’t harm the environment.

I was able to buy an incredible insect repellent and bite soother at La Loma Jungle Lodge. It was made from coconut oil, citronella and fresh lemon.

If you’d prefer to buy your insect repellent before your Panama trip, here are a few highly-rated natural options from Amazon:

• 2 ounce repellent (spray)
• 2 ounce repellent (cream)
• 4 ounce repellent
• 8 ounce repellent

Another question in terms of health safety you’re probably asking yourself:

Can you drink the water in Panama?

The answer:

Yes and no.

Do realize in certain Panama regions and cities you can’t drink the tap water, like Bocas del Toro.

On the other hand, drinking the tap water in places like Boquete, El Valle de Anton and Panama City is absolutely fine.

Honestly, I thought the tap water in Panama — especially in mountainous places like Boquete — was some of the best I’ve ever tasted!

And while we’re on the topic of drinking, do remember to ask for your beverages without a straw when ordering at restaurants.

Many restaurants and bars will typically provide straws automatically, which can then get eaten by wildlife and harm or kill them.

My Panama Itinerary In-Depth

Now that we’ve covered some important Panama travel tips, it’s time to dive deeper into where to go in Panama, and what to do once you’re there.

Visiting Bocas Del Toro 

Christopher Columbus actually visited this beautiful archipelago in 1502, when he was searching for Asia. That’s why you’ll find a number of Bocas del Toro islands that give nods to the Spanish explorer — like Isla Colon, Isla Cristóbal and Bahía de Almirante — because he named them after himself.

According to Rough Guides , it wasn’t until 1826 that the town of Bocas del Toro — today called Bocas Town — was founded by West Indian immigrants.

Later on in the 19th century, it was the United Fruit company that built up Bocas del Toro’s wealth by planting banana plantations.

This strategic move led to over 50% of Panama’s export income coming from Bocas bananas.

While disease eventually hurt the banana industry in Bocas del Toro, a growing tourism industry is taking its place as a key money maker.

How To Get To Bocas Del Toro From Panama City

Arriving into Bocas del Toro via Air Panama flight was one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever had on a plane.

With the soft hum of the aircraft as my soundtrack, I gazed down over hundreds of lush islands — some large enough to have homes, some so small they appeared like rocks from above.

As the plane descended, I noticed the water hitting the shoreline of the vibrant emerald green islands, sprouting dense forest that appeared like billions of broccoli stalks, the trees so close together.

Suddenly, the plane made a loud whizzing noise, and a burst of colorful buildings broke up the repeating green hues.

We were in Bocas Town.

Now, flights to Bocas del Toro from Panama City are relatively inexpensive on Air Panama. Andy and I paid $112 each for our one-way flight — including taxes and fees — booked for the end of August.

If you’re wondering how to get to Bocas del Toro, the above-mentioned flight to Bocas del Toro airport will be the easiest, quickest way at less than one-hour of travel time.

Another option is taking a bus from Panama City to Almirante, and then a boat to Bocas Town (or another Bocas del Toro island), though note this takes 10.5-11.5 hours total. Considering the flight is about 50 minutes, I personally think it’s the smarter option unless you’re on a really, really tight budget.

Driving is another option, and we met loads of travelers road tripping around Panama.

The thing with this is that once you’re in Bocas del Toro you’ll be getting around by taking tiny skiff boats. These don’t fit cars, so you’ll need to leave yours in Almirante. Driving from Panama City to Bocas del Toro takes about eight to nine hours.

Now Bocas del Toro is interesting in that it sits on Panama’s Caribbean coast and features some truly unspoiled beaches.

Moreover, you can swim in crystal waters, snorkeling lagoons and watching dolphins in the wild. You can float in a bioluminescent bay. You can hike through the jungle spying birdlife, monkeys and sloths, or head into a bat cave and go cliff jumping inside.

These are just a few of the many Bocas del Toro attractions and experiences to be had.

Bocas del Toro islands are plentiful. In fact, aside for the mainland there are nine main Caribbean islands to choose from when planning your trip.

That being said, you’ll notice as your flying over this Panama province that there are actually myriad small islands, calm waters sprinkled with lush emerald tufts of land. While you won’t find Bocas del Toro hotels on these smaller islands, many make for fun kayaking and paddle boarding destinations.

Visiting Bocas Town On Isla Colon [Bocas Del Toro, Panama]

Bocas Town — situated at the southern end of Isla Colon — is the capital and main hub of the Bocas del Toro archipelago, so this is where you’ll likely begin your journey, even if just to connect elsewhere.

That being said, no  Bocas del Toro vacation would be complete without spending a night or two in Bocas Town.  It’s extremely lively, with loads of restaurants, bars, shops, a main square and a walkable layout.

Bocas Town Hotel Recommendation: Stay Bocas

When researching where to stay in Bocas del Toro, specifically in Bocas Town, we chose Stay Bocas due to its positive reviews.

Plus, it’s literally a three-minute walk from the Bocas del Toro “Isla Colón” International Airport. This is where you’ll arrive into when flying into Bocas del Toro from Panama City.

As soon as we walked through the garden patio up to the check-in desk, a smiling man greeted us and offered us local Balboa beers.

The room was clean with air conditioning, and the location was walkable to all of the noteworthy things to do in Bocas Town.

It’s also budget-friendly at less than $50 per night, including breakfast, wifi and bike rentals.

We booked this Bocas Town accommodation on Airbnb. If you’ve never used Airbnb before, I recommending clicking here to set up your account so you get $40 off your first booking .

Once you’ve created your account, you can click here to book Stay Bocas.

Bocas Del Toro Restaurants: Bibi’s On The Beach

Bocas Town is the epitome of a chill beach town. Even as we walked around on a Monday night, small wooden bars and restaurants painted in bright tropical colors blasted calypso and reggae.

Near to a small brewery strung with fairy lights was a dock where locals eagerly wait to take people by taxi boat to other islands and destinations nearby.

Our destination for the night:

Bibi’s on the Beach , a restaurant recommendation from Stay Bocas.

Located on nearby Carenero Island, Andy and I were dropped off on the dock — after paying the $2/person fare — and took a short walk along the palm shaded, sandy shore to the open-air eatery.

Fresh seafood paired with fruity cocktails made fresh in a blender is the name of the game here.

On the water, we sipped Pina Coladas and Bahama Mamas while enjoying grilled tuna, mussels, shrimp and Bibi’s famous tender octopus.

The scene is uber romantic, with bare bulbed lights strung up over picnic tables and lounge chairs right on the water.

I highly recommend going before sunset so you can watch the sky light up and cast warm hues over the islands.

Bocas Del Toro Beaches: Starfish Beach

Possibly my favorite Bocas del Toro beach from the whole trip was Starfish Beach near Bocas Town.

On the main road in Bocas Town — the widest road, two blocks from Stay Bocas — is a park square.

Here, you’ll catch the bus to Bocas del Drago ($2.50 each way, payable on the bus in cash), the last stop on the bus.

The ride takes about 30 minutes, and you’ll drive through lush jungle and even some cow-laden countryside.

When you arrive at Bocas del Drago, you’ll be greeted by soft sand coastline shaded by palms, azure warm waters and chill beach bars selling rum drinks and lobster.

The real treat though:

Hiking 25 minutes along the coastline —walking barefoot through the warm water — to the gorgeous Starfish Beach.

Not only is the beach stunning, with hawks gliding overhead, but the clear water is filled with giant colorful starfish!

A note on responsible tourism at beaches:

Don’t touch the starfish!

There are signs everywhere warning visitors not to touch them, and that if you do they might die; but yet, we saw tourists not only touching them but moving them to take a “great” Instagram photo.

A photo is never worth hurting a living creature over, so just admire them with your eyes!

A warning on the buses:

They apparently come earlier than they tell you when you get off. The 2pm bus back to Bocas left at 1:55pm! Luckily we got back early.

Back in Bocas Town, we took a stroll through the lively, colorful streets, spending most of our time shopping at the artsy  Black Cat boutique.

Afterward, we headed to a really cool bar and restaurant —  Bocas Blended , aka the Batido Bus — to eat lunch.

This hippie bus serves smoothies, healthy wraps, salads and refreshing mojito lemonades.

It was the perfect place to relax while we waited to meet our captain — Mr. Kelly — who’d be whisking us away to our next Bocas del Toro island destination.

Visiting La Loma Jungle Lodge On Isla Bastimentos [Bocas Del Toro, Panama]

When Mr. Kelly arrived, we boarded a small skiff boat to visit La Loma Jungle Lodge & Chocolate Farm on Bastimentos Island.

The scenic ride took about 20 minutes — taking us past inlet eateries, small islands and mangroves — until we pulled up to dock dense with forest; a small dog, who we came to know as Zorro, greeting us.

Resting on 57 acres of tropical forest and fruit groves, La Loma Jungle Lodge is unlike any of the other Bocas del Toro hotels you’ll come across on your search.

First of all, the property is a self-sustaining experiential accommodation only accessible by boat, meaning you don’t need to worry about having a negative impact on the environment or about encountering too many tourists.

As a guest of the hotel — which is also a working farm — your stay includes three deliciously prepared meals.

About 60% of the ingredients in the food are grown right on their property. During my stay, I savored dishes like pumpkin soup with fried yuca, grilled blackjack fish over coconut rice, and roasted red pepper-laced lentils served alongside fresh salad from the garden and locally-sourced cheese.

For dessert, sometimes we savored homemade guava cookies showcasing onsite grown fruit, or decadent chocolate cake gowned in dulce de leche, made with La Loma’s renowned cacao.

Hey, Panama chocolate is some of the best in the world. And if you want to have the best of the best, it’s smart to get it right from the source.

You can work off the food through onsite hiking trails, night walks to spot caimans and jungle insects, trips to trek across Red Frog Beach and kayaking to the nearby bat cave or Sloth Island (which is home to — you guessed it — hundreds of sloths!).

While mornings were filled with watching wildlife — mainly birds and sometimes sloths and monkeys — through our open air treehouse, evenings were spent playing cards under the stars while enjoying a bottle of wine and listening to tree frogs.

Moreover, staff were happy to set up their kayaks for sunrise paddling with views looking out toward the active Volcán Barú — Panama’s tallest mountain at 11,400 feet — and the rest of the Cordillera de Talamanca range.

Adventures On Isla Bastimentos: Beach Hiking

No trip to Panama would be complete without visiting the beautiful beaches.

And one of my favorite experiences during my La Loma stay was to Red Frog Beach , specifically to do the 45-minute hike from that beach to the more secluded Polo Beach .

Admittedly, Polo Beach is a proper hike to get to.

While your feet will be slapping over the warm Caribbean Sea most of the time, you’ll also need to navigate jagged tufts of coral and humongous fall trees blocking the path.

Once you arrive, though, you’ll realize the effort was worth it as you have the crystal waters and outer island views all to yourself.

There aren’t beach bars at Polo Beach, so pack lots of water and lunch!

Adventures On Isla Bastimentos: Panama Bat Cave Exploration

Another one of the unforgettable things to do in Panama while staying at La Loma:

Hiking through the  Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park to the  Nivida Bat Cave with a local named Roger, whose father actually discovered the cave.

I always joke that when I’m working hard I’m in my bat cave; but the truth is I’ve never been in a bat cave like this.

Hundreds — possibly thousands — of bats hung upside down, grinning devilishly through the glow of our headlamps in the darkest corners of the cave.

Every few seconds, one would whizz past our ears so quickly they looked like a burst of black light; so close you could almost feel it’s little hairs on your skin!

I was glad I wore a bathing suit, as the further we hiked into the cave, the deeper the water inside became.

Actually, what started out as a stream quickly came to above our waists!

When we got to a large dry rock shelf the water didn’t reach, Roger instructed us to leave everything behind aside for our helmets and headlamps.

“The water gets very deep. You’ll need to swim at parts.”

Peering at a giant tarantula-like spider on the wall, I hoped the creepy crawlers of the cave wouldn’t also be making the journey.

After about 15 minutes, we came to a giant cave pool sitting below loads of stalagmites — where you could also cliff jump.

Andy jumped three times, and each time I held my breath hoping I wouldn’t need to tell his parents I’d lost their son in a Panamanian bat cave.

Luckily, he came up laughing each time.

The bat cave excursion also included a scenic boat ride through the mangroves. Roger not only gave us a comprehensive overview of the three types of mangroves on Bastimentos Island — red, brown and yellow — but also helped us spot an array of wildlife.

Crabs, capuchin monkeys, caimans and giant clawed pistol shrimp all made their way onto my camera roll, though the highlight was a sloth so close we could make out her facial features.

I learned sloths go to the bathroom once per week in the water, where the caimans sit hungrily waiting.

As this sloth moved about the tree, I hoped she realized what waited below her.

Luckily, what waited for Andy and I was much less scary:

A delicious multi-course lunch at La Loma, complete with plates of guanabana fruit and chocolate truffles for dessert.

Visiting CocoVivo On Isla San Cristobal [Bocas del Toro, Panama]

After washing down our meal with homemade passionfruit juice, Andy and I said our farewells, faithful Zorro giving us his final doggy kisses on the dock, before we headed back to Bocas Town to catch a taxi boat to CocoVivo Panama , a sustainable eco-retreat on Isla San Cristobal.

A friendly Bocas local named Choy was our captain, recommended to us by CocoVivo.

The scenic 20-minute ride cost $45 total for both Andy and I, and as our boat pulled up to the CocoVivo dock, surrounded by lush jungle, we knew we were in for a relaxing treat.

This portion of our trip was about simply enjoying the beauty and chilled out vibe of the property.

Actually, my laptop had sadly fallen prey to humidity on Isla Bastimentos. While I was more than a little sad about the screen of my $1500 laptop being destroyed, I decided to look at it as a blessing:

No laptop meant I had no choice but to take a deep breath and relax.

And CocoVivo certainly was the place to it.

Owned by expat couple Carmen and Lazare — who met while living in Bocas Town — the property is rustic and environmentally conscious using solar panels, a rain catchment system and composting.

You’ll need to be mindful of water usage, electricity usage and waste.

Moreover, our in-room toilet — for #1 only — was a hole right over the mangroves, and short cool showers handled only bio-digradeable products like this shampoo (though they provide soap, and have a beautiful Hill House with western facilities, too).

If you’re okay with that, then you’ll be rewarded with simple clean rooms built right into the island’s landscape.

Things To Do On Isla San Cristobal: Aquatic Bocas Del Toro Adventures

Actually, swimming in their bioluminescent Tierra Oscura Lagoon when the sky is completely dark is a magical experience; each slap of your hand on the water making bright sparkles shoot out from your fingertips.

Swimming during the day is also a must, as the property is surrounded by healthy reefs full of tropical fish and colorful corals.

A must-have CocoVivo experience:

Jumping off the second-storey diving board that’s on their main deck lounge, where fresh communal meals are served and the bar sits.

Here, you’ll find hammocks and wooden swings hanging right over the water, with a second-storey diving platform.

It’s scary the first time you jump, though after you come up for air giggling, you’ll want to do it again and again.

Things To Do On Isla San Cristobal: Bocas Del Toro Restaurants

Additionally, we loved grabbing the free-to-use kayaks and paddle boards and paddling across the lagoon to Los Amigos Restaurante & Bar .

Here, in this eatery on the water that genuinely feels like someone’s home, they serve one thing:

Three pieces of delicious fried chicken with fries and coleslaw.

It’s a true Panamanian experience, from getting to practice your Spanish to chatting with the owner — Ernesto — about his time living in the states, but coming back to where he was born and opening the business.

Behind the counter sits a shelf with a few bottles of liquor and a handful of mixers, which we turned into ginger ales spiked with local rum.

Around the open air restaurant, locals play music and sit on their porches, offering a glimpse into daily life in Panama.

Things To Do On Isla San Cristobal: Hiking On Isla San Cristobal

Additionally, the onsite hiking trails at CocoVivo allow you to see birds, wildlife (read: sloths!), waterfalls and crazy insects.

Led by CocoVivo’s three pups — Captain, Osa and Nanoosh — we ended up at a lovely waterfall.

This was a refreshing stop to cool off as Bocas del Toro weather can be very hot and humid.

After my laid back stay, I truly felt like I was leaving home, especially when Carmen, Lazare and the dogs stood at the dock waving (and barking!) goodbye.

Click here for a great list of unforgettable Bocas del Toro tours!

Visiting Boquete In Panama

So, where were we leaving Bocas del Toro for?

Boquete, a small mountain town located in the highlands of the bountiful Chiriquí province of Panama, renowned for its hiking trails and proximity to Volcán Barú , Panama’s highest point.

This is one of the best Panama vacation spots for those wanting to experience the country’s gorgeous cloud forest.

According to  Hotel Panamonte , Boquete was founded on April 11, 1911, when it became a shortcut to California for those looking to profit from the California Gold Rush.

Many locals and immigrants settled here, also drawn by the Panama destination’s abundance and natural beauty.

Today, the town is known for a few things:

• Boquete coffee production. The coffee in Boquete is said to be some of the world’s best!
• It’s retirement community. Many senior locals and expats settle in Boquete to take advantage of the mild weather, low costs, modern amenities and slower pace of life.
• Boquete tourism. If you’re looking for outdoor adventures, Boquete should be on your Panama itinerary!

Hotels In Boquete, Panama: The Lost Waterfalls Cabin

Andy and I booked the Lost Waterfalls Cabin on Airbnb, so if you’ve never used Airbnb before make sure to use this link to signup and get $40 off your first stay !

If you’re interested in hiking in Panama, the cabin is situated at the beginning of the renowned Lost Waterfalls Trail, high up in the cloud forest.

So high in fact that you’ll need to hike 20 minutes up a steep trail to reach the dwelling — meaning you’ll definitely need to be physically fit, and be okay with walking across shaking suspension bridges — to stay here.

Once you reach your cozy wooden cabin, you’re surrounded by hummingbirds, blue vervain, red spiky heliconias, tall moss-covered oaks and other high elevation flora.

Or, as I like to call them, Dr. Seuss-looking plants.

Plus, you won’t need to look up to see clouds; they’ll roll right past you like puffy tumbleweeds as you sit on the large porch — complete with rocking chairs and resident pup named Rocky Balboa.

Even the outdoor toilet and shower — both very clean — have views of the valley.

We loved our stay at this Boquete accommodation, especially because we spent almost our entire time hiking.

If you want to explore the actual main town in Boquete — with its many restaurants, bars and shops — you should stay at a hostel or hotel down there. For example:

• A popular choice is Hostel Mamallena , which has budget-friendly dorms and private rooms.
• Another great option if you’re not a hostel person is Agaseke Lodge Boquete , a simple and inexpensive Panama hotel right in Boquete Town that includes breakfast, Wi-Fi, and a clean room.

Another idea:

Do a few days in Boquete Town and a few days in the Panamanian cloud forest at the Lost Waterfalls Cabin.

You can always get to town via 15-minute hike down to the trailhead and then get a $10 cab, which the Airbnb host can call for you since you won’t have cell service.

If it’s the evening, make sure to bring a flashlight to see and your Vigilant Personal Alarm for safety, as it gets dark.

Most likely, you’ll eat most meals at the cabin, where you have a cooler (no fridge), outdoor grill, stove (no oven), sink and dishes / glassware.

Things To Do In Boquete, Chiriquí: Boquete Restaurants

One meal I do highly recommend you have in town:

A globally inspired farm-to-fork experience at Colibri Restaurante .

“Colibri” means “hummingbird” in Spanish, which is a great name for this restaurant focused on creative Mediterranean meals infused with mainly local ingredients.

They have outdoor seating, as well as indoor tables surrounded by walls covered in local artwork.

The menu is extensive with lots of noteworthy tastes, from the locally-made passionfruit limoncello to the home-brewed beer to the creative ice cream flavors.

Personally, I loved the tree tomato option, as well as the goat cheese made with a variety they find at a local farmer’s market.

Instead of bread, we were given a bowl of fried pasta with a pesto dipping sauce.

As a starter, the beef tenderloin salad was almost too pretty to eat, laced with carrot spirals, faddish slices and tender seasoned beef; all dressed in a passionfruit dressing.

The meal offered a delicious introduction to discovering the terroir of Boquete and the Chiriqui Province, as the reason many travelers visit is access to unique outdoor adventure opportunities.

Things To Do In Boquete, Chiriquí: Boquete Hiking Trails

Andy and I decided to continue exploring the landscape through two esteemed hiking trails:

The Pipeline Trail ($3 entrance fee) and the Lost Waterfalls Trails ($7 entrance fee), the latter of which our cabin sits at the trailhead of.

Both are moderately difficult, unbelievably scenic hikes that introduce you to lush jungle and renowned bird life. Moreover, they’re a short taxi or collectivo (shared taxi) ride from Boquete Town.

Additionally, both are well-traversed enough that I’d highly recommend them for solo female travelers — though do pack your personal alarm just in case. We didn’t see any, but there are jaguars here, and a sound grenade can help scare off wild animals.

The Pipeline Trail is 2.8-miles long, gradually bringing you to 1,578 meters above sea level. Despite the elevation gain, this is the easier of the two Boquete hikes. This is because the Lost Waterfalls Trail is very, very steep in sections.

During the hike, you’ll pass through two micro-climates of the cloud forest, seeing a wide variety of flora — and fauna, mainly birds.

Actually, along this trail sits a designated Quetzal habitat.

If you’re wondering where to see the sought-after Resplendent quetzal in Panama, this is where you need to go — though note having a local Boquete guide like this one will dramatically increase your chances of spotting one. These beautiful birds, despite their bright colors and dramatic feathering, are tough to spot on your own.

Another Pipeline Trail highlight:

A 1,000+ year-old Mexican elm tree, with enormous roots twisting out of the ground.

This is a fun photo spot for sure!

Along the way, you’ll cross lovely bridges — many crafted from parts of the pipeline the trek is named for — and will likely see lizards, butterflies and possibly even snakes, sloths and howler monkeys. We didn’t see the latter, but we definitely heard them!

At the end of the hike, you’re rewarded with a front row view of a waterfall perfect for swimming.

As Andy and I visited in the late August rainy season — Panama’s off season — we had the place all to ourselves.

The Lost Waterfalls Trail in Boquete was, in my opinion, even more beautiful, albeit more challenging with hugely spaced staircases and steep climbs — sometimes so sharp you’ll need a rope to assist you.

That being said, you’re introduced to three wildly gorgeous waterfalls, each quite different from the other.

Here is Lost Waterfall #1, the tamest of them all, with a viewing platform to see the falls:

Here is Lost Waterfall #2, my favorite of the three due to the multiple tiers and the cave behind it:

And here is Lost Waterfall #3, which you can also climb up and walk behind:

As a photographer on this Panama hike, I couldn’t help but notice the many opportunities for gorgeous natural framing.

Bring a raincoat! That rain can come out of nowhere. I’m a fan of the compact LINENLUX Rain Poncho .

Boquete gets much cooler than Panama City and Bocas del Toro, so bring some warm clothing. My travel-friendly scarf shawl  — which also makes for an excellent airplane blanket — came in handy for keeping me warm when hanging out on the porch.

Click here for a great list of unforgettable Boquete tours !

Visiting El Valle De Anton In Panama (aka El Valle)

After our cloud forest adventure in Boquete, we bid farewell to our Airbnb host, Elias, and the adorable Rocky Balboa.

While there is an inexpensive bus from Boquete to David — where you can board another inexpensive bus from David to Panama City — we decided to save time and hassle and instead grabbed a taxi to David’s international airport (1 hour, $50).

Then we took a flight from David to Panama City, where we grabbed a 2.5-hour bus to El Valle de Anton. Or, as it’s more commonly called, El Valle.

The town of El Valle — which I was told sits inside the largest inhabited volcano crater in the world — is known for its hiking trails, natural beauty and unique geography. Here, you’ll enjoy mountain treks, waterfalls, butterfly and orchid gardens, and hot springs.

Taking The Bus To El Valle From Panama City

So from Albrook Bus Station in Panama City there are ticket sellers coming up to you and anxiously asking you where you’re going.

“El Valle de Anton,” I said.

“Come!” A man said, beckoning me to follow.

He hurriedly brought me to a ticket selling table, and I again said “El Valle de Anton.”

A bunch of men were shouting around me, it was hectic and rushed, so when the guy repeated back “Anton?” I didn’t think that that might be a different place.

But alas, it was.

And our 2.5-hour bus ride took almost six hours as we arrived in Anton — different from El Valle de Anton — and had to backtrack to then take two different buses.

But hey, it was an experience.

Picture a small bus where people get on and off before the vehicle even really comes to a complete stop. Latin club beats blast, and on some buses there are even R-rated music videos to go along with them!

El Valle Panama Hotels: Casa del Alma (aka House of Soul)

We booked the funky, zen Casa del Alma space on Airbnb — so if you’ve never used Airbnb before, click here to create your account and receive $40 off your first stay!

This large house with four thoughtfully-decorated guest rooms, each with a private bathroom, is chock full of inspiring nooks, female-centric artwork and playful touches.

Moreover, the outdoor garden features a pool, fireplace (upcharge for setup) and tropical flora attracting birds — including hummingbirds!

In the morning, a big kitchen stocked with coffee, eggs, cereal and bananas is included in your stay.

Hiking In El Valle: La India Dormida Trail

While we had a nice seafood meal at Restaurante Bruschetta and tasty fried chicken from a place off the main drag that read “Bar Restaurante,” the reason to visit El Valle isn’t the food.

It’s the nature.

Specifically, it’s to hike La India Dormida , or “The Sleeping Indian.”

From afar, this mountain range looks like a sleeping indigenous woman, quite a sight to see from afar.

And from the top, the views are even more spectacular.

According to Journey Era , there is a legend surrounding the mountain.

Apparently, an indigenous woman named Luba — a local chief’s daughter — fell in love with a Spaniard, despite incessant fighting between them and her tribe.

There was an indigenous man in her tribe who did love her, but she didn’t feel the same. Deeply hurt, he threw himself off a mountain in front of Luba.

Luba then became hysterical and got lost in the bushes, perishing.

Back to the La India Dormida hike itself, Andy and I were told there are four routes by which you can get to the top. Three are free and one is paid.

We weren’t sure where the free ones were, so we went in the paid entrance near the Piedra Pintada. You’ll see tons of signs in El Valle Town pointing you to La India Dormida as well as to the Piedra Pintada trailhead.

Honestly, I was happy to pay $3 for such a beautiful, well-maintained trail.

After paying, you’re shown a 3D diagram of the natural Panama attractions that await; neat, but nothing compared to seeing them up close.

At  times the 45-minute uphill hike is pretty steep, and you’ll need to traverse uneven rock steps and roots.

That being said, you’ll be distracted from any fatigue thanks to the fact that there’s barely any lag time between sites.

Almost immediately, you see the famed Piedra Pintada , an enormous rock covered in petroglyphs said to date back to Pre-Columbian times; as in, before 1492 when Christopher Columbus “discovered” the Americas.

After that, you’ll cross wooden bridges and veer off the path out onto small outcroppings to view three different waterfalls, each cascade offering something different.

Here is a look at my favorite waterfall from the La India Dormida hike, with beautiful views out toward the Pacific Ocean.

Along the path we saw so many giant Blue Morpho Butterflies, along with yellow-bellied flycatcher birds.

Toward the top, we saw one more petroglyph rock before shortly arriving at a crossroads.

We almost missed it, but in very faint white there is an arrow directing you toward the left.

This takes you higher up the mountain, until you come to a tent with decent views over the valley.

As usual, I thought this was the end before it really was. Like in Boquete, Andy volunteered to run ahead and scope things out.

We were lucky he did, as despite having to climb up a very steep and uneven rock face, we were ecstatic to come up onto the edge of the volcano crater.

The views here are completely open, with rolling hills on one side and the valley drop on the other as you walk along the crater rim.

There are a lot of great photo opportunities here; though do be smart, as the drop down is really long.

Visiting Panama City

After 10 days of Panama beach and jungle exploration, we ended our trip with three nights in Panama City.

Panama City is definitely the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan city I’ve ever been when traveling Central America , with a lot of money coming in thanks to the Panama Canal.

Along with exploring innovative infrastructure, cosmopolitan architecture and cultural institutions like the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo and the Martin Theatre, you can also enjoy Panama beaches, hiking and wildlife in and around the city.

Getting Into Panama City From Tocumen International Airport

When you arrive into Tocumen International Airport, you’ve got a few options for transportation into the city — or to the nearby Albrook “Marcos A. Gelabert” International Airport for domestic flights.

• The bus. The cheapest option at less than $2, though note you can’t bring suitcases.
• Taxis. These you can grab right in the Arrivals Hall. The tourism information booth advised us it would be $35 from Tocumen International Airport to Albrook “Marcos A. Gelabert” International Airport.
• Uber. The best option if you’ve got luggage. We paid about $17 for the 14-mile ride to Albrook “Marcos A. Gelabert” International Airport.  If you’ve never used Uber, you can use code jessief7 to get your first ride free!

Where To Stay In Panama City: Bahia Grand Panama City

While trekking up hills to reach gorgeous jungle view rooms and hiking up steep stone paths for a secluded cloud forest retreat was so worth it, we decided to end with some luxury — and an elevator — by staying at the Bahia Grand Panama City   (formerly the Trump International Hotel & Tower Panama, though it’s now been taken over by JW Marriott).

This Panama City hotel is located in the opulent Punta Pacifica neighborhood, where you’ll see a number of luxury high rise hotels and condominium buildings.

Essentially, the Bahia Grand is a city within a city, with a shopping corridor, four restaurants, five oceanfront pools, a business center and a wellness center.

While mornings were spent enjoying fresh fruit and eggs at the BARcelona buffet breakfast and taking a dip (with a view!) in the 13th floor infinity pool, evenings were enjoyed taking baths in the standalone tub, drinking wine on our 31st-floor balcony and savoring the chefs menu at Tejas .

Their seafood — specifically their ceviche — is incredible!

Attached to the hotel is also the Ocean Sun Casino , from which you can take the elevator up to the 66th floor rooftop bar called Panaviera   Pool Bar .

I don’t think I’ve even been to a bar that high back home in NYC!

Now I have to be honest:

I was much less active in Panama City than I usually am while traveling.

Andy and I packed so much into our Panama itinerary that by the time we reached Panama City we really wanted to chill out.

So, a nice chunk of our time was spent sipping pina coladas out of pineapples by the pool.

#SometimesYouJustGotta

But, that’s not all we did…

Things To Do In Panama City

As stated above, if I could have changed one thing about our Panama itinerary, it would have been staying a few extra days to really get to know Panama City.

A few things we’ve added to our bucket list for the future since we didn’t have time on this Panama trip:

• Visiting Monkey Island where there are a lot of — you guessed it — monkeys.
• Whitewater rafting on the Mamoni River , which offers Class III-IV rapids.
• Taking a food tour of Casco Viejo , Panama City’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed quarter dating back to the 1670s. We certainly explored it, but it would have been a lot of fun to do an actual food tour with a local guide.
• Trekking to the top of Ancon Hill , which is about 1.2 miles each way and offers gorgeous views from the top.
• Spending a few nights in the San Blas Islands , an autonomous territory in Panama touted as possibly the country’s most pristine archipelago. There are over 365 islands, with the native Kuna people inhabiting a few of the larger ones where tourists also visit.
• Hiking the Pipeline Road from Panama City , which introduces you to Panama wildlife like numerous bird species and monkeys.
• Doing an all-inclusive catamaran booze cruise to the renowned Pearl Islands . Out of all the Panama City excursions we saw, this is the one we were most bummed to miss out on. Unfortunately, the catamaran goes out on very specific days which didn’t align with our Panama vacation plans.

Okay, enough about what we didn’t do in Panama City. Let’s talk about what we did do.

One must-have experience is wandering Casco Viejo .

As mentioned above, this Panama City neighborhood dates back to the late 17th century, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You really don’t need a plan here. You can simply walk and admire the historic Spanish colonial facades, which are protected.

In fact, many modern restaurants and bars gut the insides, but are not allowed to change the outsides. This gives Casco Viejo an enchanting old world feel.

Some of our favorite stops within Casco Viejo:

• Café Unido . Attention Instagrammers: This Panama City cafe was made for you. Along with being lovely looking, this is also one of the few places you can try the soft, tea-like Geisha Coffee. It costs a steep $9 per cup, but offered a gentle pick me up!

• CasaCasco . In this multi-level Panama City restaurant you’ve got three eateries to choose from, not to mention a rooftop bar serving tapas and a dance club. We opted for the Asian-focused NacionSushi. Warning: Their rolls are much, much, much bigger than you’re likely used to!

• The Strangers Club . This American-style craft cocktail bar was started by the team behind NYC’s famed Employees Only, along with two Panamanian partners. As many of you know, I lead a cocktail tour in Manhattan, so of course I had to try it. The ambiance is relaxed, with the menu showcasing Panama’s best ingredients. Pro tip: Order the “Angie,” featuring gin shaken with fresh passionfruit, house-made lemongrass syrup and frothy egg white. Yum!

Of course, you’ll also want to admire the views of the Panama City skyline and Panama Bay, as the neighborhood juts into the water.

Additionally, Casco Viejo is full of historic and cultural attractions, like  Palacio de las Garzas (where Panama’s president lives), the 18th century  Catedral de Panamá and the 17th century  La Iglesia San Felipe Neri .

Another experience you can’t miss when you visit Panama City:

Spending time at the Panama Canal !

While I appreciate engineering, I’ll be honest that this isn’t usually how I’d want to spend my time; however, Andy and I agreed that it would be wrong to miss it.

I’m glad we went, as we were able to get up close to the action.

Even if the idea of learning about boats and canals bores you, just seeing how the system works is interesting.

Something else fascinating:

The idea for the canal actually came from France; however, they eventually pulled out, which is when the project became a joint venture between the USA and Panama.

This short two-minute video by The BBC does a great job of explaining this further.

So, how long is the Panama Canal?

A whopping 48 miles, with ships generally taking eight to 10 hours to pass through. Astounding!

After visiting the Panama Canal, Andy and I spent some time roaming Panama City’s lesser-explored areas.

We really enjoyed the walkable  El Cangrejo, Obarrio and Marbella neighborhoods. 

Once we’d sufficiently worked up an appetite, we stopped at one of the most unique Panama City restaurants we’d seen yet:

Wall Street Bar & Lounge in Marbella.

Their concept is innovative in that the menu prices change based on what’s in stock.

The idea is that diners might be tempted to try something they normally wouldn’t order based on a great price.

Plus, the food and cocktails are just really good. Our drinks were works of art, adorned with flowers and burnt fruit slices.

In terms of dining it’s mainly hearty comfort food. We especially loved the burger topped with a creamy house sauce and served with spiced fries.

Definitely don’t come here on a diet!

To end the night — and the trip — Andy and I took an evening stroll along Panama City’s  Cinta Costera .

The coastal beltway begins and ends on the mainland, though a large portion of it weaves away from the city into the water, like one of Saturn’s rings.

Despite it being after 8pm, many locals were out running, skating and riding their bikes.

As we walked, Andy and I were able to take in an impressive view of Panama City, really grasping how humongous the cosmopolitan city really is.

Click here for a great list of unforgettable Panama City tours!

While Andy and I packed a lot into our two-week trip to Panama, we’re both looking forward to going back and exploring even more of what this beautiful country has to offer.

Because trust me, it’s a lot!

Travel Insurance

While you hope everything runs smoothly, sometimes travel just doesn’t go according to plan.

This is why I recommend always purchasing travel insurance. The scary truth is it only takes one bad accident to lose everything — or be thankful you were covered.

Personally, I use SafetyWing, as they’ve got a large network, offer both short-term and long-term coverage (including limited coverage in your home country), are budget-friendly, and offer $250,000 worth of coverage with just one low overall deductible of $250.

Click here to price out travel insurance for your trip in just a few clicks .

What would you add to this Panama itinerary? Any questions on backpacking Central America? Please share in the comments below!

Panama Itinerary Logistics: Electronics Warning: MacBook Pro problems! Make sure to keep your electronics, namely your laptops, in a sealed bag, as high humidity in places like Bocas del Toro can ruin them. Additionally, you can purchase a dry bag for when your gadgets are not in use, like this one . Panama Transfers: Hello Panama is a top-rated company in Panama who do many of the popular transfers. We used them to go from Bocas Town to Boquete for $30. Car Rentals: Discover Cars  lets you compare various rental companies and save up to 70% on your booking!  Bocas Taxi Boat Recommendation: If you need a boat ride between Bocas Town and another Bocas island, contact Choy at +507 6711 8878. Taxi Service In Boquete Recommendation: William. Very nice guy recommended to us by our Airbnb host! His cell is +507 6784 0277. Recommended Reads:  Panama Fever: The Epic Story of the Building of the Panama Canal Panama: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Panama Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species Hands of the Rain Forest: The Emberá People of Panama Packing List:  A few must-pack items when visiting Panama include: A Vigilant personal safety alarm or safety whistle Clever Travel Companion pickpocket-proof garments Speakeasy Supply Co hidden-pocket scarves A compact raincoat A waterproof backpack All-natural insect repellent  Panama Tours: Bocas del Toro Tours Boquete Tours Panama City Tours All Panama Tours

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Thank you, Jessie, for sharing everything in so much details. You’ve made planning a trip to Panama very easy for me. Would love to go for hiking trails. Keep sharing your trips with us!

The natural beauty of Panama looks out of this world! And omg those little hummingbirds! So cute. Panama is officially on my list now. Thanks for such a comprehensive guide Jessie.

That’s a very informative post! You have covered so much and it seems like you had a perfect trip! Whenever I read such posts, my attention diverts to the food bit hehe (which looks amazing in your post btw) but my favourite here is the hands down, the Jungle Lodge, looks like a slice of heaven!

This is such a fantastic & comprehensive guide! It looks gorgeous! Panama is one of my husband’s top destination choices, so I’ll definitely be pinning for when we finally make it out there!

Really appreciate this wonderful post that you have provided for us. Great to share this information thanks.

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Things To Do In Panama: A Complete 10 Day Panama Vacation Itinerary

last Updated: December 17, 2023 bocas del toro boquete panama panama city san blas islands

FYI: Affiliate links may be sprinkled throughout the awesome, free content you see below. I’ll receive a small commission when you purchase from my links (at no extra cost to you), which I’ll totally blow on adult things like boba tea and avocado toast. As always, thanks for the support.

→ Planning a trip to Central America and looking for the ultimate Panama vacation itinerary? Look no further; I’m sharing our favorite things to do in Panama (we just got back!), including our exact 10 day itinerary, when to go, where to stay, how to maximize your time on your Panama trip, and oh so much more!

Panama is a tropical destination that has a little bit of everything – stunning turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, lush rainforests, laid-back surf towns, misty mountains, and vibrant cafes. There’s cultural diversity, cloud forests, and colonial charm. Wondering what to do in Panama? I’ve got you covered, don’tchu worry, my friend! <3

I was determined to somehow get all of this onto my recent Panama vacation itinerary, and was thankfully able to figure it all out! And now I’m sharing my list of things to do in Panama with all of you, including my exact Panama itinerary that we pretty much followed to a T.

I have to admit that figuring out this itinerary was kinda tricky. Yes, we followed the typical tourist route – Panama City (with a side trip to San Blas ) → Boquete → Bocas del Toro , but with only 10 days in the country, squeezing everything in proved rather difficult.

At first I wished we had a few more days, but after seeing the trip come to life (aka doing it all), I’m not so sure extra time was in fact necessary. I think we would have liked an extra half day or so in Boquete, but I just couldn’t make it work.

Do note that this Panama vacation itinerary is pretty jam packed; if you’re looking for a more relaxed trip, it’d be wise to tack on at least another 2 days or so. That being said, I carefully researched the most efficient transport options in order to fully maximize our time in the country, and it all worked out pretty swiftly.

MAIN REGIONS VISITED ON THIS ITINERARY:

• Panama City
• San Blas Islands
• Bocas del Toro

Pre-Travel Guide to 10 Days in Panama

Where is panama you ask.

The country is located in Central America sharing borders with Costa Rica to the north and Columbia to the south. It’s actually the connection of land that links Central and South America (hence, the Panama Canal)!

This itinerary starts in Panama City (which is where most international travelers arrive in the country), heads up northeast to the San Blas Islands , due west to Boquete, and then finally up north to Bocas del Toro .

We chose to fly from region to region when we could, as this saved us lots of time considering our Panama vacation was only 10 short days. The country is large but not too large, making it possible to visit three (if not four) areas when planning out your Panama itinerary.

There are a whole myriad of things to do in Panama, so carefully planning out your trip is so very important if you don’t have tons of extra time for mistakes and possible transportation mishaps (more on this below).

WHEN TO VISIT PANAMA:

Before planning a trip to Panama, it’s important to understand its weather patterns. BUT first things first – humidity is always high (hey, it’s a tropical country!), so be prepared for frizzy hair and sticky skin throughout your trip.

Panama experiences two distinct seasons, the dry season (mid-December to mid-April) and the rainy season (May to November). If you’re looking for comfortable temperatures and little to no rain, I highly suggest you visit during the dry season, which is actually Panama’s summer.

However, thankfully, temperatures remain pretty consistent throughout the year, at an average of 86 F/30 C.

But of course it’s not that easy, as different regions around the country experience different climates, temperatures, and specific rainfall patterns.

Caribbean destinations, like Bocas del Toro, have a shorter dry season, occuring in September/October and February/March, although rainfall can happen any day. Unusually heavy rains are common in Bocas in December, so it’s best to avoid that month.

Boquete experiences high winds and some misting (called bajareque) from mid-December to mid-February, while January see’s the occasional thunderstorm. Looking for some sun? Head to Boquete between March and May.

San Blas is a whole different story, which we’ll get into down below.

Don’t fret if your Panama vacation plans don’t fall within the country’s dry season – the early months of rainy season (April to July) only receive short bursts of sudden thunderstorms in the afternoon, with plenty of sunny mornings or afternoons. I’d try to avoid August through November if you don’t want rain to possibly take over your trip.

HEALTH AND SAFETY:

A few notes on health-related things:

• I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the tap water in many parts of Panama is potable, as many visitors don’t expect this! However, do note that you cannot drink the water in Bocas del Toro or on San Blas → stick to bottled.
• I was also thrilled to learn that there are no required vaccinations to enter the country. With so much lush jungle, I was shocked by this! However, always consult your doctor, as yellow fever, typhoid, rabies, and hep A and B vaccinations are recommended.
• You’ll want to take along a decent amount of sunscreen with you, as the sun is extra brutal over in these parts.
• On the last day of our trip I felt a little dizzy and wasn’t feeling my best – pretty sure I was wildly dehydrated and the intense heat and humidity wasn’t helping. Make sure to stay hydrated and drink plenty and plenty of water!

And now some safety info:

• For the most part, Panama is a relatively safe country. We felt safe during our entire Panama vacation, and didn’t worry about pickpocketing or other petty crime. That being said, there are a few areas in Panama City that are a bit seedier than the rest.
• This Panama itinerary doesn’t visit the city of Colon, but if you diverge from my recommended plans and end up there, know that the city has a high rate of street crime. Stay alert.
• There have been cases of drug trafficking on boats traveling from Colombia to Panama → just FYI and something to keep in mind if you’ll be on the water near the border.

Psst: it’s a good idea to get travel insurance no matter where you go. I recommend and personally use SafetyWing (the best insurance out there because they include pandemic coverage). They’re reliable, cost-efficient, and cover a wide array of potential travel problems, not only health-related. Check them out and get a free quote over here.

No visa is required for U.S. citizens traveling to Panama as long as a valid tourist passport and proof of onward travel is in possession, and you’re traveling to the country for 180 days or less.

HOW TO GET TO PANAMA:

Most international flights arrive at Tocumen International Airport (PTY) in Panama City, with many direct nonstop flights leaving from a wide array of large cities in the states.  

Our flight was originally scheduled as a direct flight from San Francisco to Panama City, but we got rerouted to Las Vegas at the last minute due to the groundings of the 737 MAX’s (better safe than sorry, though!)

I like using Skyscanner and Google Flights to check for prices, and most commonly find the cheapest flights on one of these. We flew economy class from SFO to Panama City for approximately $650 round trip per person, which we thought was a pretty good deal considering our dates were not particularly flexible.

→ It’s important to be very careful when booking your flights to Panama City, as there is also an airport in Florida with the same name! For this Panama vacation, you’ll want to head to the Tocumen International Airport, code PTY. And if you end up in Florida, don’t blame me! :p

Where to Stay in Panama :

• Panama City : American Trade Hotel (we LOVED) -or- Hotel Casa Panama (also great!)
• San Blas : we opted for a private thatched hut on Isla Diablo (lots more info here )
• Boquete : The Haven and Spa (Adult’s Only)
• Bocas del Toro : Azul Paradise Bocas Town

(more info on each one throughout itinerary below)

HOW TO GET AROUND:

You’ll be taking a myriad of public and private transportation during your Panama vacation! There was definitely a lot of moving around throughout the 10 days, and as noted was kinda difficult to figure out the logistics of this trip, but we made it work! And lucky you, I did all the hard work for you!

We found Uber to work in Panama City, and rates were typically much cheaper than taxis.

→ Don’t have Uber yet? It’s super easy to use! Sign up here and use code jessicak148 for $$ off your first few rides!

Here’s a quick synopsis of our travels throughout Panama:

• flight from SFO to Panama City (Uber around Panama City )
• shuttle bus and speedboat to San Blas Islands
• return to Panama City via speedboat and shuttle bus
• flight from Panama City to David → taxi to Boquete → taxi around Boquete
• shared van and shuttle boat to Bocas del Toro → taxi and boat around Bocas del Toro → walk to airport (for real)
• flight back to Panama City → flight back HOME.

Phew, told you we were moving!

You’ll want to book your inter-country flights as soon as possible, as there aren’t tons of flights per day and I’ve heard the prices jump exponentially the closer the dates get. We paid approximately $100 each per person per flight within Panama (all one-ways).

If you follow this Panama trip, you’ll need a flight from Panama City to David (for Boquete) and then Bocas del Toro to Panama City.

Do note that the airport in Bocas is prettyyy much the smallest one I’ve seen to date, with one waiting room, one “gate”, and 1-2 bag scanners. That’s pretty much it. Don’t expect to be able to grab food here, that’s for sure.

WHAT TO PACK FOR PANAMA

Panama is a country of all climates: dense, misty jungles, stunning sunny islands, and humid cosmopolitan cities.  Within this itinerary, we’ll be doing tons and tons of exploring, so you’ll want to make sure you’re completely prepared for those 10 days. Don’t worry, I gotchu.

• Because of its hot, sticky climate, you’ll want light, airy clothing.
• Comfy footwear- you’ll be walking ALOT!
• Sandals/bathing suits for the islands
• MORE DETAILED LIST COMING SOON!

Currency in Panama

Those coming from the USA will be pleased to know that Panama uses the same currency as the States, so there’s no need to worry about an exchange rate or getting foreign bills! It’s important to note that you’ll undoubtedly come across some Panamanian coins, called Balboa, used around town and on the islands in the form of coins.

With that being said, the US dollar is accepted everywhere and you don’t need to worry about exchanging dollars for balboa. Just be sure to use up any balboa you receive (when receiving change) as you obviously can’t use them in the States!

Communicating in Panama

The official language of Panama is Spanish, although quite a few Panamanians know basic English as well. We had no trouble communicating with hotel staff, taxi drivers, and/or restaurant staff, either using our limited Spanish or since they knew English. There’s also quite a few expats as well.

We had the most difficulty in the San Blas Islands, and wish we had brushed up on our Spanish a bit more before visiting (many of the locals speak their native language and Spanish, but very minimal English).

And now, what you’ve been waiting for, my complete 10 day Panama vacation itinerary!

Things to do in Panama: My Ultimate Panama Vacation Itinerary

Day 1: arrive in panama city and explore.

Fly into Panama City! You’ll find most international flights to Panama will fly into Panama City, which is perfect as it’s the first stop on our Panama itinerary!

The flight isn’t as long as I had originally thought – just over 7 hours from San Francisco (which is just over my usual flight time between SFO from JFK where I frequent for long weekends).

We chose to take a red-eye flight (so, the night before) in order to arrive in Panama City mid-morning (we landed around 10:30am, FYI), allowing us ample time to explore the city our first day.

If you’re tight on time like we were, I highly recommend you take advantage of flying the night beforehand and arriving into Panama City in the early morning.

Check into your hotel, drop your bags if ya room ain’t ready yet, then we’re directly off to lunch in Casco Viejo! There’s a whole slew of restaurant options, but we loved both the ambiance and food at Tantalo Hotel and Kitchen. The rooftop terrace was divine, and that watermelon juice was the perfect way to start our oh so lovely Panama vacation.

Panama Canal | Miraflores Locks

We’re getting right to it on the first day (don’t wanna waste any time), so the Panama Canal it is!

Ahh, the connection between the Atlantic and the Pacific – how could you miss this super popular attraction in Panama City? Ya can’t! We took an Uber from Casco Viejo to Miraflores Locks for about $15 (something like that?), which took roughly 35 minutes or so.

Out of all the things to do in Panama, the Panama Canal is at the top of everyone’s list, and for good reason. It’s utterly fascinating.

Upon arrival, you can opt to pay for a $20 ticket to all the attractions at Miraflores Locks (the museum, exhibition halls, short films, highest viewing platforms, etc), but if you’re fine with reading about the canal yourself, head up to the restaurant and watch the ships pass through for the price of a beer.

We enjoyed a few drinks while basically getting the same view as everyone who bought a ticket (woop woop). And since we didn’t have much prior knowledge on the whole Panama Canal system, we googled some fun facts and read them over a few beers.

Things to know before visiting:

• Miraflores is just one of three sets of locks in the Panama Canal, and it’s the most popular one to visit (due to its close proximity to Panama City).
• The ships don’t pass through every minute of every hour. You’ll be able to watch the ships between 9am-11am, and then again from 3pm-5pm(ish). If you’re here at a different timeframe, you’ll have to wait! We arrived at the canal around 2:45pm after getting lunch, and only waited a few minutes for the first boat to start making its way through the Miraflores section of the canal.

• Oh and trust me, you won’t want to stay the entire 2 hours or so, as the ships pass by super slowly and it takes quiiteeee a long time to set everything up. We watched 2-3 ships pass then had enough. Do keep your eyes peeled on the locks and water levels prior to a ship passing through – it’s wild!

Afternoon Stroll on the Cinta Costera

Once you’ve had enough of the Panama Canal, make your way to the Cinta Costera. We had planned to visit around sunset, but arrived early due to how quickly we got over the canal – it’s intriguing the first 2 times a ship passes through, but then kinda monotonous going forward (you’ll see). And it literally takes foreverrrr (10 hours for a ship to fully pass through the canal).

The Cinta Costera is essentially a pedestrians walkway and complex park next to the water. We enjoyed strolling around for about an hour or so, picking up some raspados from a street vendor (kinda like the Panamanian version of a shave ice) to cool off.

Walk far enough and you’ll find the iconic Panama sign – a giant colorful piece of artwork (which we unfortunately missed). If you finish early like we did, don’t fret – just watch the sunset from the next spot!

Sunset drinks at Finca del Mar

Cocktails and ceviche with a view of the sun setting on the water with a gentle ocean breeze? Sounds like the perfect way to finish off the day, am I right? The atmosphere here is very fun, with outdoor seating, string lights, and colorful seating (including a few swinging chairs at the bar). Tuna ceviche was very tasty, as were the mojitos we ordered.

If you’re still hungry → consider Cafe Coca Cola for a fast and simple dinner

This unassuming restaurant is actually the oldest cafe in Panama City! I heard that the Coca-Cola brand let the restaurant keep its name due to how long they’ve been in business! While the ambiance was nothing to write home about and the food was decent at best, it’s a quick and easy spot if you’re exhausted (like we were).

Where we stayed: Hotel Casa Panama → we loved the trendy and open-air leafy vibe of the hotel. The room was basic with funky decor touches, and the shower was heaven on earth! Located right in Casco Viejo, which is a great location to base yourself in while in Panama City!

There’s also a rooftop plunge pool if you find yourself with some time to enjoy it! It’s known to get kinda noisy on weekend nights since there’s a bar on the roof, so just keep that in mind! We slept like babies though!

Day 2: Off to the San Blas Islands!

Hopefully you went to bed early last night, because you’re getting picked up bright and early this morning! 5:30am to be exact. 🙂 Alllll your tropical island dreams, coming right up (you can sleep on the bus, I promise, although the last hour is kinda bumpy)!

Note : You’ll want to have your hotel in Panama City hold your luggage – you only need to pack a small bag for your few nights in San Blas. Suitcases are unheard of on the islands, and you’ll be getting to your final destination via tiny speed boat, so leave that large luggage behind.

We packed a few bathing suits, shorts, and tank tops, and that’s all we really needed besides basic toiletries. Ladies – leave your makeup and beauty bag behind (I couldn’t even find a mirror on the island and there’s no place to plug in items for doing your hair)! DO take lots of SPF though!

Yes, the San Blas Islands are kinda a pain to reach → you’ll need to take a 3 hour shuttle ride to the Kuna Yala port, then hop on a speed boat for 45 minutes or so to reach your island of accommodation. Worth the hassle? Easily. My advice- book a tour and everything will be taken care of for you.

P.S. → We booked with San Blas Dreams and had a lovely experience. We opted for the 2 night, 3 day experience, as you can choose to spend only 1 night on the island, or even do a day trip to San Blas (although I recommend staying over at LEAST 1 night). Alternatively, if you don’t wanna stay on the islands for 2 nights like we did ( read my FULL recap over here ), you can spend the extra time in the rainforest in Boquete.

→ Read next: everything you need to know about visiting the san blas islands

We reached our island of accommodation around 10ish or so, and had the option of lazying around or going straight out on a tour. We opted to stay put and soak up the sun, swing in the hammocks, read our books in the sand, and just enjoy each other’s company with zero distractions that first day. Oh, and get a few coconuts – the freshest water you can get!

A few things to note about the San Blas islands:

There’s really no best time of year to visit the San Blas Islands , but the Kuna’s (the indigenous people on the island) informed me that the least rainfall occurs in January, February, and March. Rainy season begins in April, comes out in full force in May, and basically lasts until the end of the year.

However , if you’re planning on heading to San Blas in the rainy season, don’t fret – you’ll still find beachdays with hours of sun even when the clouds aren’t cooperating. The weather can be tricky and unpredictable, so just hope for the best!

Accommodations are basic at best , with super simple thatched huts with literally only a bed in a single room. You won’t find any pools, sun loungers, or anything remotely luxurious on the islands (not even hot water or the amount of electricity you’re used to).

It’s very possible you’ll be sharing bathrooms with other guests (our island had one set of shower stalls and toilets for everyone), will have to charge your devices at the few outlets at the restaurant, and will eat the same meal time and time again.

You will, however, find untouched beauty, starfish in their natural habitat, tons of healthy fresh fish and coconuts, and luminous turquoise waters.

The islands are not a culinary experience ; you’ll have minimal meal variations and given a choice of fish fillet (my meal of choice), fried/grilled fish, mixed seafood, prawns (when available), and chicken (on occasion). The food wasn’t half bad, we just ate mostly the same thing for 3 days.

The Kuna’s and San Blas in general are a cash society . Plan to take some small bills with you to buy coconuts and beers, and purchase any handicrafts you may wish, as well as to supply a ~$23 Kuna tax and port fee.

Read my very thorough post about our experience in the San Blas islands to help decide if you want to add a few days on the islands to your Panama vacation.

In my opinion though, no trip is complete without visiting these glistening palm tree ridden islands (just suck it up and rough it for a few days, you got this!. Make some room in your itinerary and you’ll come home with glistening golden skin and feel relaxed as ever.

Where we slept : Beach bungalow in San Blas! Be sure to go for a night walk and look up – the stars are so bright over here!

Day 3: Get some Sun on San Blas

After a hectic first few days on this Panama vacation, it’s finally time to just relax and soak up some sun. Hopefully you slept ok, as I woke up hot and sticky each morning (allll the more reason to jump in the sea, right?)

Here’s a typical day-in-the-life on San Blas, and what you can expect during your time here:

• 7:30ish: Wake up to the birds happily chirping (your ears off)
• 8:15ish: Hot Breakfast
• 9-10: Lounge on beach, read, free time
• 10:15ish: Island hop (tour of the day)
• 1:00: Lunch back on your “home” island
• 2-7: Free time/showers (snorkel, nap in hammocks, read, swim, laze around)
• Night: beers and card games, stargazing and short beach walks

Those San Blas tours we took each day for a few hours took us to nearby islands, natural swimming pools (previously sunken islands), and sand bars, where we wandered around the islands taking photos, going for swims, snorkeling, and hanging with other people from our boat.

The Kuna’s provided rum and cokes for us to enjoy, and we even saw a bunch of exceptionally large orange starfish in the shallow waters!

I talked about this in my big San Blas blog post , but I think it’s important to mention again. Starfish are living creatures, you guys. They need to be kept in water – do not lift them out! They are extremely sensitive and should be handled with care, for the least amount of time possible.

Our Kuna guides said we could lift them up for a quick photo (still halfway submerged in water), then place them right back. Don’t go moving them all around for your perfect IG shot, just don’t do it. They’re so delicate – we want to keep these little sea beauties alive!

Where we slept : Beach bungalow in San Blas!

Day 4: San Blas in Morning/Afternoon, then back to Panama City

Last Morning in Paradise

Another day in paradise it is! Well, most of the day at least! Depending on what tour company you book with, and which package you choose, you’ll either leave San Blas at 9am or 3pm. We chose the latter, and enjoyed exploring other islands before leaving our new favorite place.

If you think you’ll want to explore a bit more of Panama City (we’ll have another ¾ of a day before leaving the country later on in this itinerary), you may want to choose the earlier San Blas departure. The beach is sooo our thing, so we opted to stay as long as possible without staying another night.

Make sure to drink alll the coconuts, revel in the warm, luminous waters one last time, and take your last nap under the palm trees!

It was a breath of fresh air to have limited amenities and zero wifi availability. After 3 days in San Blas we were oh so relaxed, although any longer and I think I’d have been longing for a hot shower more so than actually enjoying the picturesque beaches.

Back to Panama City and Dinner at Ocho y Medio

Say goodbye to San Blas, because it’s back to Panama City we go! And yes, you’ll have to head back the same way you came → a 45 minute speed boat ride back to the port, then ~2hr, 30 min van ride back. If I remember correctly, we got back to Panama City around 6:30pm or so, then headed out to dinner at Ocho y Medio before picking up our suitcases at our first hotel, Hotel Casa Panama.

→ We booked a super early morning flight to David in order to have as much time as humanly possible in Boquete, so we chose to stay close to the airport at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel , which is roughly a 5 minute drive to the airport.

We’re definitely not morning people, and when there’s a sliiiiight chance we may oversleep, we like to stay as close to the airport as humanly possible, while still having a comfy bed.

Where we slept: Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel (highly recommended)

Day 5: Coffee Tasting in Boquete

First things first, get yourself to Boquete

Okay, so in order to get to Boquete at a normal hour, you’ll need to take an early morning flight to David. Our flight left Panama City at 7:30am, arrived in David around 8:50am, then we took a 45 minute taxi straight to Boquete for $35 (standard price). There are no ubers in David or Boquete, so you’ll need to find other ways to get around (hence the taxi).

Note that you can also take a bus to Boquete from the David airport, but you’ll need to get yourself to the bus station first (for only a few bucks or so). If we weren’t so exhausted I think we would have attempted to take the bus as it would have been the much more cost-effective option, but oh well, we were tired!

And not to stress you out, but be sure to book early as there’s only a few fights to David per day. We booked on COPA airlines and noticed there were only two flights a day from Panama City to David, at 7:30am and 4:30pm. I’m pretty sure Air Panama has flights as well, but no more than 2-3 either (7ish, 11ish, and later on in the day).

If you want to follow this Panama vacation itinerary exactly as I have laid out, you’ll NEED to get yourself on an early morning flight. If you have an extra day or two, getting into Boquete later on in the day will be fine, but we didn’t have this luxury.

Morning Stroll through Boquete Town

As soon as we checked into our hotel (yay for early check-ins), we dropped our bags then set out for town. Honestly, we were kinda surprised at how dirty and downright sad the town looked from an outsiders point of view (I didn’t even take one photo – there wasn’t anything really to photograph). I wondered out of all the things to do in Panama if I had made a bad choice by coming here, but nope, I’ll explain below!

It’s a pretty small town and I have to admit, the walk from The Haven (our hotel) to town was much, much nicer than the actual town itself. There was tons of construction going on, a mildly run-down main street, and a few unattractive shops.

BUT, let’s not dwell on the negatives, because there are SO many positives to this luscious green area that makes Boquete so appealing. (Plus – we learned that there’s even a large expat community here, so Boquete must be more than it’s tiny unassuming little town).

So, what is Boquete known for? First of all, after one look around, it’s evident all the lushness surrounding the town more than makes up for the complete lack of charm within the town itself. With its towering mountain views, blankets of flowers, and oh so much greenery, you’d be hard pressed to find a more stunning natural scenery in the mountains.

Venture outta town and you’ll find pristine waterfalls, an ancient volcano, and treetops full of birds! If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to spot the stunning Volcan Baru through the misty clouds.

Boquete is located on the Caldera River, within the Chiriqui Highlands, which is home to coffee plantation after coffee plantation, and is known as more of an adventurous mountain village for those wanting to take part.  

If you have an extra day or so, you can climb Volcan Baru, go ziplining, go on epic waterfall hikes in the jungle, go rafting, and partake in a chocolate making class (among other things).

It’s high elevation in the mountains provides a cool, enjoyable climate, so you’ll want to dress a tad warmer during your day in Boquete. We thankfully were blessed with an absolutely beautiful day in the mountains, only needing a light jacket at times.

In town we had some brunch at Sugar and Spice (the most popular breakfast spot in Boquete which we LOVED) and tried the famous gesha coffee at La Viuda del Cafe (The Coffee Widow)!

The coffee, originating from a village in Ethiopia, is said to be the most expensive cup on Earth. It commonly sells for about $9 a cup, but would found it (albeit a very small cup) at The Coffee Widow for about $5. A bargain if you ask me!

We actually saw it selling for $9 a cup in Panama City later on in the week. It’s said to be smooth, fruity, silky, and aromatic, tasting a bit more like tea than coffee, and we enjoyed our few sips.

We attempted to go to Fresas Mary for some famous Boquete strawberries and whipped cream, but they were unexpectedly closed (what a bummer – we even took a taxi there!) Hopefully they’re open when you go!

The walk back to our hotel was exceptionally scenic, as we found ourselves high above the town taking in all the lush greens and fuscia-colored flowers.

Afternoon Coffee Plantation Tour

Boquete is widely known for their mass coffee production, and boasts some of the best and most expensive coffee in the world. Yup, the world!

There are plenty of coffee plantation tours to choose from, but after doing a bit of research, Finca dos Jefes sounded like the best one! And I have to admit, I think we chose correctly. The story of the farm is just so moving and inspiring!

We walked through the fields, learned about coffee cherries and traditional organic farming, were given a brief education of the coffee industry (oh, it’s so fascinating you’ll see), and learned how to properly roast coffee beans. And of course we tasted a whole bunch of freshly brewed coffee (both a medium and dark roast blend)!

Unlike other coffee tours, there were only about 8 of us in total, so we felt like we were given a more personalized experience and had allll our crazy coffee questions answered.

I especially appreciated how the tour spoke a lot about economics; the realities of the global coffee economy and the impacts made on the farmers and workers were especially eye opening and really makes you think.

And plus, the dogs on site were the absolute cutest (we’re a suuuuucker for pups!) The farm was covered in plants, flowers, and hummingbirds, and I just couldn’t get enough. Towards the end of our tour a rainbow appeared above the fields, which made for such a beautiful end to the day. A well-spent $30 (each).

Note that there are two options for tours each day, at 9am and 2pm. We obviously chose the 2pm tour since we weren’t even in Boquete by 9am! The tour lasts for roughly 3 hours, so we got back to our hotel around 5ish or so.

Private pool time and some dinner

If you’re staying at The Haven and Spa , take advantage of the pool before dinner! You’ll have to make a reservation, but this just ensures you have the pool to yourself! We were bummed it wasn’t heated, so just enjoyed putting our tired feet in.

If you’re looking for a good dinner option, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Boquete Fish House – you can never go wrong with some fish and chips, yucca fries, and fresh fish sauteed in white wine lemon garlic butter. Oh, and their house margs were a-okay and only a few bucks.

Where we Stayed: The Haven , and it was just like I imagine heaven to be. As soon as we arrived, I was overly wowed – the grounds are so incredibly luscious and green, and the outdoor space was so inviting. I desperately wish we had another night here.

Note that the hotel is an adults-only resort, so if you’re traveling with kiddos, you’ll have to find another place to stay. We loved the indoor pool, and we even took advantage of the fully equipped gym and sauna/steam room. The included room-service breakfast was lovely, and we ate on our outdoor patio in the garden every chance we got!

Day 6: Arrive in Bocas del Toro

Today we’re making our way to Bocas del Toro , another one of Panama’s hot spots with a chill, surfer vibe and gorgeous islands off the coast, oh, and a jungle too! Bocas is kinda the best of both worlds, allllll rolled into one archipelago of beautiful islands.

Before we dive into the Panama vacation itinerary of the day, lemme explain the geographical makeup of Bocas del Toro for a hot second (as I was semi-confused when initially researching).

Bocas del Toro is made up of a few different islands, with Isla Colon being the most popular and consisting of Bocas Town, where the bulk of visitors decide to stay, and Starfish Beach (very popular spot as well). Next you’ve got Isla Solardo, which is only a few minutes off the coast of Isla Colon, and an island not many choose to visit.

Finally, there’s Bastimentos, which is the largest of the archipelago and where you’ll find Old Bank, Up in the Hill, Red Frog Beach (very popular), and other secluded resorts/hotels. We chose to base ourselves out of Bocas Town on Isla Colon, which I’ll explain in more detail below.

→  Read Next: A Comprehensive Guide to Bocas del Toro

Transfer to Bocas del Toro

It’s semi-complicated (yes, again) to get from Boquete to Bocas del Toro, as you’ll need to take a 3.5 hour shuttle to Almirante (a port town), then a 30 minute marine taxi (which was essentially a speed boat) from there to Bocas Town. Thankfully, there are organized transportation services that will take care of everything for you.

We booked with Hello Travel Panama through Mamallena Hostel, left Boquete around 9am, and arrived in Bocas del Toro around 1:30pm or so. Make sure to schedule this transfer in advance as the shuttles get booked up beforehand.

With that being said, there’s absolutely no reason to attempt this transfer yourself, as prices weren’t half bad: $30 per person, including the boat transfer from Almirante. Our shuttle was comfortable, air-conditioned, spacious, and safe, with enough room for all luggages (on top of the shuttle actually).

Wander Bocas Town -or- head to Starfish Beach

Since we arrived in Bocas around 1:30pm, we had quite a bit of time to explore on the first day! And with so much going on this area, you’ll want to make sure to use your time wisely!

You’ve got a few different options for your first afternoon in Bocas del Toro:

• Wander around town; get some ceviche and cocktails (the lazy man’s choice)
• Head to Starfish Beach (the need-to-see-and-do-it-all choice)

Since we were feeling a bit sluggish (and hungry) after our transfer to Bocas, we kept things pretty casual by wandering around Bocas Town. We opted to miss out on Starfish Beach since I had read tons of negative reviews, with many even saying they hardly saw any starfish, or none at all.

And since we had suuuuch a wonderful experience seeing the starfish in San Blas, I felt okay missing out on Starfish Beach in Bocas del Toro. Do your own research though, as the reviews are mixed at best.

However, if you think you’ll have FOMO (fear of missing out), getting to Starfish Beach on the outskirts of Isla Colon isn’t all that difficult from Bocas Town. You’ll need to take a 45 minute bus ride from the park in the middle of town to Drago, and then you can either take a quick water taxi to Starfish Beach or walk 20 minutes.

Where we Stayed : Azul Paradise Bocas Town (not to be confused with the location on Bastimentos). After doing tons of research (it’s what I do best!), we ultimately decided on Azul Paradise Bocas Town, as other hotels looked a bit run down and not in the best shape.

Bocas is kinda like a party town so be prepared for late night shenanigans and loud music, although we didn’t experience any of these things.

The hotel was modern, fresh, and in a wonderful location. We splurged and booked the King Luxury Suite, and it was roomy to say the least. With floor to ceiling windows with views of the sea, a soaking tub, and a superrr comfy bed, we couldn’t have picked a better spot.

→ There are two main options for accommodation in Bocas del Toro. You have the option of staying in Bocas Town (close to lots of bars and restaurants), or spending a few nights on Bastimentos, the island next door and much more secluded. Up to you, but we highly prefered being in the middle of everything and having dinner options (after basically eating the same thing for 3 days on San Blas).

After visited Bastimentos (later on in the itinerary), we quickly learned the sheer seclusion of the island just wasn’t for us. Up to you!

Day 7: The Ridiculously Gorgeous Zapatilla Islands

Intoxifying. Serene. Wild. Enchanting. There’s no words significant enough to describe the Zapatillas. It’s say to safe that I’m low-key obsessed with this place I had never previously heard of.

If there’s one stop you can’t miss while in Bocas, it’s the Zapatilla Islands, also known as Cayos Zapatilla. These two uninhabited islands are located east of Isla Bastimentos and are quite honestly, one of the most amazing places I’ve ever been (same level as Bora Bora I might add).

While many say that San Blas is way more beautiful than Bocas, I’d have to disagree, as long as you make your way to the Zapatillas. We booked a tour the day before with Hello Travel Panama on a whim, and I’m obviously more than glad we did.

All was (more than) fine in the end, as we not only got to visit Zapatilla Island, but also visited Sloth Island, went snorkeling and anfibia boarding, and had a fresh seafood lunch overlooking the sea.

1st Stop: Searching for Sloths at Sloth Island

We first visited the protected mangroves of Sloth Island to, well, you guessed it, look for some sloths! Despite how difficult they are to spot, we found a whole bunch! Our guides were experts at spotting them, and thankfully made sure everyone on the boat got a few glimpses! They’re kinda hard to see in the photos, but look for the hornet’s-nests-looking things! Makes me wanna go to Costa Rica (they’re known for them, right?)

2nd Stop: Snorkel and Anfibia Boarding

Next up, it was finalllyyy time to jump in the refreshing waters with some snorkel gear! We had about 45 minutes or so to snorkel, where I saw tons of colorful coral (many that I had never seen before!), schools of glistening silver fish, sea fans, parrotfish, and so much more. It’s hard to keep your eye on one thing when you’re underwater – they’re just so much to see and I get distracted quite easily.

The water was calm, clear, and sheltered from debris from land – we were out in the middle of the Caribbean Sea! I so wish I had brought my go-pro with me to photograph all the lovely underwater life.

Since we were already in the water, anfibia boarding it was! It’s kinda hard to explain what anfibia boarding actually is, so I’ll just leave you with this: it’s oh SO much fun. You’ll feel like you’re flying underwater. Move the board up and down and you’ll see what I mean.

3rd Stop: Seafood Lunch

A fresh seafood lunch over the water? Yes please! Plates start at $15 per plate, so thankfully we had brought exactly $31 with us…enough to cover two lunches and nothing else. Take a bit more cash if you want more lunch choices. Kinda expensive for what it is, but hey, they’ve got little to no competition out in the sea so they can charge as much as they want.

You can plan to pack your own lunch, but the food was surprisingly really tasty and a hot lunch after being in the water for a while was appreciated.

We had some time to explore the restaurant on stilts, and some people chose to snorkel around as there’s known to be starfish nearby.

4th and Final Stop: Zapatilla!

In my opinion, Zapatilla is by far the best beach in Bocas del Toro, and all of Panama I might add. Yes, we LOVED San Blas more than anything, but if you get a perfect day weather-wise on Zapatilla, you’ll see exactly what I mean. This serene island paradise is absolute heaven and then some. It’s actually where Survivor Panama was filmed!

Out of all the things to do in Panama on this itinerary, spending the day on Zapatilla was by far my favorite. <3

It was soooo nice to just relax on a (nearly) deserted island and soak up the sun for a few hours. Oh, and that crystal clear water didn’t hurt either – I spent a decent chunk of our time wading in the shallow waters offshore, just admiring that gorgeous turquoise Caribbean water.

Note that there are zero facilities on this stunning and untouched uninhabited island, but our tour company set up a gorgeous spread of tropical fruits for us to enjoy. The Zapatillas are actually part of the undeveloped national marine park, so you can expect to find lots of little fishies under the water, as well pay a $10 National Park entrance fee if you aren’t part of a tour.

Thankfully it was quite isolated when we were there so didn’t have to share the palm-tree lined beach/waters with too many others. There was tons of space to lay out our towels, and we chose a shady spot underneath a few palms.

With sooo many shades of turquoise and oh so many palm trees inland made for an absolutely wonderful day. It was almost unreal how perfect the day was. Just don’t forget the sunscreen!

Where we Stayed: Azul Paradise Bocas Town (not to be confused with the location on Bastimentos)

Where we ate dinner: Restaurante Azul (6 course tasting menu for $20 and very tasty!)

Day 8: Explore the Jungle and Beaches of Bastimentos

Ahh, back to the jungle it is! If you’re kinda sad you only had one day in Boquete, now’s the time to make up for it! We found Bastimentos SO incredibly different from Isla Colon and Bocas Town, so make sure you hit up this spot when you’re in the area as well! And despite their close proximity, they’re like different worlds!

Quick Note → Bastimentos is another island in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, and is roughly a 10 minute boat ride from Isla Colon. If you’re staying in Bocas Town like we were and want to follow the days activities I planned out, you’ll have to first get yourself to Bastimentos Town.

You can do so by basically asking anyone on the street in Bocas for a water taxi ride (they’ll probably come right up to you and offer their services). We paid $5 each to get from Bocas Town to Old Bank, which was our first stop of the day.

Wander throughout the sleepy town of Old Bank

When we first stepped off the water taxi, we instantly knew that Bastimentos was much more rugged and real that Bocas Town. We explored Old Bank, an Afro-Caribbean community which is right off the dock from where our boat let us off. There’s not as much tourism in this area, and you’ll get to see first-hand how the people live.

We saw roosters, baby chicks, lots of laundry hanging to dry, and tons of colorful old wooden buildings amongst lush vegetation. Just follow along the main dirt path directly from the port, and you’ll come across all this and more. With flavors of the West Indies, and being the second largest town in the Bocas archipelago, don’t miss it!

(P.S. pop into any market and you’ll find cans of rum and coke – my husband loved that!)

Up in the Hill Organic Chocolate and Coffee Farm

And now the main reason we popped on over to Bastimentos for the day – to learn all about how chocolate is grown/processed! When I first heard about Up in the Hill, I knew we just had to include this on our longgg list of things to do in Panama. An organic chocolate and coffee farm with jungle tours – sign me up!

Up in the Hill is a fully sustainable farm, producing zero waste and using every last bit to better their efforts. There’s a tour through the family farm everyday at 11am, which we signed up for the night before.

But beware — Getting there is an activity in and of itself! Start making the short trek from Old Bank around 10:15ish, and keep going up, up, and up into the jungle and through the woods. They’ll be signs, don’tchu worry. The hike/walk wasn’t difficult per say, we were just super hot and sweaty from the intense humidity and heat.

Be sure to take ample amount of water, and forget about having a good hair day (I had just washed and blow dried my hair the night before – biiiiig mistake).

On the tour we saw poisonous red frogs (harmless to look at, but no touching allowed), huge spiders with insanely strong webs (you can touch these to see what I mean), parades of ants carrying leaves (just wow !), yellow tailed birds, and chocolate cocoa trees!

We learned the reasons why they’ve chosen to live off the land, how the plants work together to help the others grow, and how they go about creating and sustaining a permaculture organic farm. It’s all very fascinating stuff, and quite inspiring to say the least.

Our guide carried a machete with us throughout the jungle (don’t be alarmed), which he used to chop down plants and show us some of the fruits of his labor. At the end of the tour, we were served a delicious spread of jackfruit, plantains, banana with fresh cocoa, chocolate drinks with coconut milk, pumpkin soup, coconut brownies, and more, all made with fresh ingredients from the farm.

→ Practicalities : $25 per person; tour starts at 11am; we emailed the lady the night before to register for the tour; put on LOTS of bug spray beforehand if you don’t want to get eaten alive (I warned you)

Red Frog Beach

Beach time, finally! After making your way back down to Old Bank (it’s sooo much easier going down, trust me), take a water taxi straight to Red Frog Beach ($5 per person). We chose to get dropped off at Palmar Dock, and took a 15 minute walk to the beach through the “shortcut” for another $5 each.

It didn’t quite seem like a shortcut, but it is what it is!  On the nature walk to the beach we saw lots of monkeys playing in the jungle (ahhhh I was exceptionally excited about this) and passed a pond with caiman (in the alligator family) which royally freaked me the F out (we didn’t see any thankfully).

We unfortunately didn’t find Red Frog Beach to be anything that spectacular; considering we had already spent time at both San Blas and the Zapatillas, Red Frog was just so-so comparatively. Nevertheless, our veggie bowls and fresh fruit smoothies made for a fantastic lunch at Palmar Resort.

And after our tiring morning hiking in the jungle to Up in the Hill, laying out on the beach was an afternoon well spent. Oh, and seeing those monkeys out in the wild totally made the short trek to Red Frog Beach worth it.

You’ll have to cough up around $8 to get back to Bocas Town from Red Frog Beach.

Where we Stayed : Azul Paradise Bocas Town (not to be confused with the location on Bastimentos)

Where we ate dinner: El Ultimo Refugio

Day 9: Cocktails at Blue Coconut (or the “Floating Bar”)

Chill out for a while, then it’s off to the airport to head back to Panama City!

Cocktails and Tacos Over the Sea

On our last day in Bocas, we chose to take it easy and had a relaxing brunch at Francine’s, where we had the most delicious breakfast crepes and coffees. We wandered around town a bit more before we set off for the Floating Bar, which is essentially just that – a bar floating in the middle of the Caribbean sea!

We took a $5 water taxi here, and it only took a few minutes or so to reach the freestanding bar surrounded by water.

It was kinda dead when we went (probably because of the unfortunate foul weather), but I heard that there’s usually live music playing and people snorkeling around in the surrounding waters (to see the nearby starfish). Although we didn’t make use of all the amenities (hellooo pool floats), we still had a relaxing time. The fish and chicken tacos were bomb, don’t miss them!

Psst : you can also head to the famed Blue Coconut (closed on Fridays), which is a bit farther away but still the same vibe, so we ultimately decided on the Floating Bar because of the mix of clouds and rain.

Fly Back to Panama City in Late Afternoon

Our flight was at 6:10pm, so we had the better portion of the day to see the last of Bocas. If the weather had been more cooperative, I’m sure we would have appreciated this extra time in the area, but we were itching to get back to Panama City.

Up to you if you want to book an earlier flight or not. We flew into PAC (Albrook International) on Air Panama, but there are flights to PTY (Tocumen) as well.

Note that the airport in Bocas is supperrrr tiny and located directly in town! We even chose to walk from our hotel in town to the airport, it was that close! As noted earlier, there’s only one waiting room, one “gate”, and 1-2 bag scanners. Make sure you eat beforehand (or take along a few snacks) because there’s no restaurants over here!

Night in Panama City

We had our last official dinner in Panama at CasaCasco, which was quite delicious, although a bit pricey I might add! There’s also a night club at top, in case you’re feeling a bit frisky and wanna dance your heart out on your last night.

Where we stayed: The American Trade Hotel

The American Trade Hotel was quite possibly our favorite accommodation of our entire Panama vacation, and we wish we could have at least stayed another night. Located smack dab in the historic center of Panama City right in the heart of Casco Viejo, ATH   boasts lovely marbled tiled floors, tall ceilings with large windows (oh that natural light <3), and such charming architecture.

The old world charm of this place just makes it that much more appealing. And plus, it’s part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection, so you know this place will not only have beautiful decor, but wonderful service as well. We were lucky to be given a room with a cute flower-filled balcony overlooking the square, which we enjoyed using both night and morning.

Day 10: Wander Casco Viejo and head home!

After a short sleep in, we hung by the pool for a bit then made our way downstairs to brunch at The American Trade Hotel. The decor is just lovely and the husband had to literally put my camera down for me. Even if you’re not spending the night at The American Trade Hotel , I highly encourage you to check out the restaurant for brunch/lunch, and grab some liquid fuel at the adjoining coffee shop (Unido Panama Coffee Roaster).

Stroll Around Casco Viejo

Out of all the things to do in Panama City, going for an aimless wander around Casco Viejo was by far my favorite! This historic district and UNESCO World Heritage Site wasn’t always what it is today, but has now revitalized into Panama City’s center of art and nightlife, with tons of hip cafes and restaurants.

Oh, and the colonial buildings are to die for. To. Die. For. The absolute cutest. It’s beyond instagrammable → trust me. You’ll find boutique hotels, rooftop bars, crumbling facades, and cobblestoned streets. Swoon.

Psst: you may hear this area being called Casco Antiguo or San Felipe – they’re all the same beautiful spot. 🙂

A few things not to miss out on your wander in Casco Viejo:

• Grab a quintessential Panamanian ice cone, known as a raspado to keep cool
• Check out La Michoacana and try out their condensed milk popsicles
• Enjoy fresh ceviche at the Fish Market
• Head to Weil Art for a traditional Panama Hat
• Lunch at Mahalo (loved this trendy spot)
• Admire the hand sewn molas (by the Kuna’s!) at Plaza de la Independencia

It’s important to note that Casco Viejo lies on the border with El Chorrillo, known to be a bit seedy and not highly recommended to walk around. I’m pretty sure we unknowingly ended up here, and it was quite obvious the distinction between the two areas. Note: after doing some research, I learned that El Chorrillo is one of the city’s most famous ghettos – whoops.

We were butt tired by this point, so just carelessly strolled around the city looking for buildings to admire and had some lunch.

If you want to eat all the things, I highly recommend booking a Panama City food walking tour , which will take you to the best restaurants in town to sample local coffee, chocolates, beer, cocktails and ceviche. You’ll also wander around Casco Viejo with a local guide who can explain the history of the area better than I ever could.

If you have additional time in Panama City (we would have loved another night at the American Trade Hotel and quite possibly another day or so to see the monkeys on Monkey Island ), be sure to check out these highly-rated activities:

Say Goodbye to Panama and Head Home

Be sure to book a flight later in the day or evening (our flight was at 6:30pm) so you can properly explore on your last day in Panama! It’d be an absolute shame to miss out on Casco Viejo – we loved it oh so much!

Phew! Hopefully that answers all your questions about things to do in Panama and how to carefully plan an itinerary for roughly 10 days! We were absolutely blown away by the country and can’t wait to return!

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February 24, 2023 at 5:45 pm

This is amazing!! Would you be willing to share the approximate amount your trip cost total without the flights from USA included? We are considering a trip to Panama!! So excited! But I would like to do the reservations myself as I also am a serial planner 🙂 Thank you!!

February 25, 2023 at 3:33 pm

Hi Tracy! Unfortunately I don’t have current prices, as I took this trip a few years ago! It really varies depending on your choice of hotels, where you eat, etc. I will say we found Panama to be a bit more expensive than other Central American countries, minus Costa Rica. Enjoy — it’s a fantastic country!

August 20, 2023 at 2:39 am

This is such a helpful guide! Can’t wait for my trip to Panama 🙂

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Panama 2021 trip report

So I’m back home from Panama ! This would be a reasonably routine introduction to a travel report until about a year ago. But thanks to unpredictable times these past two years, when nothing can be planned and what is planned must be changed many times or improvised, this is a sentence that I have not been able to say out loud for a long time. And so I’ll say it again – I’m home from Panama. Yeah, it feels great to have been able again to plan, realise and complete something. Who knew, right?

View of the Panama City through Soberanía National Park lowlands 

My fifth visit to Panama was challenging, beautiful, convoluted, and yet absolutely relaxing. It came to be by a combination of circumstances that did not allow me to implement other trips that I had to reschedule or cancel due to covid-19. And so, one early morning at the Ruzyně airport, the four of us happened to check in flabbergasted that it was actually happening. When we landed in Panama and went through all the necessary safety procedures, we began to suspect that it was not a dream. The next day, having flown across Panama to the Costa Rican border and accommodating ourselves in the first hostel, everything was so beautiful there that we were doubtful again that it was real. When we woke up the following day at the same place and the photos from the first day were still on the SD cards, it was clear that it was real, we were really in Panama, and those hummingbirds were real too. Thus began a two-week trip, in which I planned to explore three different habitats: mountains – highlands – lowlands . Apart from visiting the earlier mentioned areas, we had no specific goal. We merely wished to observe the surroundings in-depth and look for exciting motifs to photograph on numerous outings. Panama hostels are much less adapted for photographers than in Costa Rica or Ecuador. Although there are bird feeders, you will find they are built mainly for observing. As such, they lack the emphasis on perfect perch branches, distant backgrounds or a steady attraction to various species. By the way, that was the reason why I planned this trip and why the cancelled trip to Costa Rica would have had very similar parameters. I craved, or needed, impulses that would lure us further away from the hostel and allow us to create photos that might be imperfect and yet truly natural with an element of chance, which is exactly what makes them difficult to repeat.

Note: You will find more than 40 photos in this article, so it may take a little longer to load fully. If it takes too long, try refreshing the page ( F5 ). To fully appreciate the photos, I recommend (especially the landscape ones) clicking on the lightbox or right-click to open in a new window.

Grren-crowned Brilliant , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

THE MOUNTAINS

Our first destination was the Mount Totumas Lodge , where a few years ago, I found a natural paradise and my second home. Due to us visiting in the out of season and the ongoing pandemic, we had the whole complex to ourselves. And that is, believe me, the best impact of the pandemic. If you manage to get someplace, there are so few people that you can enjoy the place to the fullest. The weather in the mountains was notoriously capricious, gracing us with everything from frozen hands and horizontal rain to a clear sky, overcast as well as an impenetrable fog. All randomly and sometimes even twice a day. If you succeed to force yourself for a bit to stop photographing only birds and just look around, you will notice a wide variety of numerous other species. Insects, lizards and hummingbirds all represent an integral part of the Panama mountain forests and occur in ample numbers. Below you can see sample photographs from my day and night walks here. The list is far from complete, but it will take me many weeks to process everything from this trip.

Spot-crowned Woodcreeper , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Treehopper , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 60mm/2.8 Macro

Squirrel Cuckoo , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Dusky Nightjar , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Acorn Woodpecker , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Three-wattled Bellbird , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Violet Sabrewing , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Manduca sp. Moth , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 8-25mm/4

Spider Monkey , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

The main lodge of Mount Totumas

Photo hunt of a wren

Search for mountain birds

Coffee, mountains, hummingbirds, relax

THE HIGHLANDS

The lower altitude of Canopy Lodge in El Valle also brought about the change in the species that we encountered. During the first hours, we met the first motmots, trogons, toucans and barbets. Naturally, frolicking primarily in the bush or far up in the treetops. When we got a little more “within range”, we got faced with a toucan, which could be photographed quite well but had an injured beak; the motmot lost its eye after a fight and had a torn tail, and the kingfisher was being a little impetuous. One of the motifs I wished to photograph was the basilisks that like basking in the sun on rocks in a local stream. I managed to take a few long exposure photos with blurred water in the first minutes of my arrival and was falsely led to believe that the next step (photo of a basilisk at a wide-angle) would be a piece of cake. So, I crossed the stream and set up my camera to take pictures of the place all morning. The plan was straightforward; the basilisk will climb on his favourite boulder, which will result in an impressive photo. In the end, it didn’t turn out that way, but I also almost lost my camera. The locals warned me that the stream might flood after the rain and that my waterproof gear might be irrelevant. Luckily, I trusted them, and as soon as a regular afternoon downpour approached, I hastily removed my camera just in time. After the rain, the water level rose so much that all the rocks disappeared, including “mine”. So, I don’t have a wide-angle photo of the basilisk, but I have plans for doing it in the future. In addition to these daily trips, we explored the garden at night, finding great places to photograph frogs and insects, which you can see in the following gallery.

Hourglass Tree Frog , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 60mm/2.8 Macro

Common Basilisk , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Katydid , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 60mm/2.8 Macro

Fleischmann’s Glass Frog , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 60mm/2.8 Macro

Fleischmann’s Glass Frog , pulci na listu, Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 60mm/2.8 Macro

Red-webbed Tree Frog , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 60mm/2.8 Macro

Canopy Lodge, El Valle

On this rock I placed my camera to photograph a basilisk (before the rain/ after the rain)

THE LOWLANDS

Our last location was around the Panama Canal. Here, in the territory of the Soberanía Park , you can encounter an incredible number of bird species. The world-famous Pipeline Road , which stretches for tens of kilometres into the park, holds the record for the highest number of bird species counted in 24 hours . In one day, an incomprehensible 357 bird species were recorded here! The composition of the birds is again very different in the lowlands from what we have seen in the previous two destinations, mainly since the elevation is around 50 m above sea level. Here, you get the most out of all the bird species by walking, peeking and praying. The heat was quite oppressive, followed up by incessant mosquitoes, and due to uneasy dark undergrowth, we were only able to recognise some species back home once reviewing the files on the card. From an ornithological point of view, the most valuable encounter was with the antbirds and other birds closely related to Army ants. This phenomenon is one of the most exciting observations you can watch in the rainforest. Army ants go through the forest in large numbers, catching and tearing many insects to pieces instilling panic in terms of ‘save your soul’. Grasshoppers, caterpillars, flies (but also smaller vertebrates) all flee the ants at all costs. Enter antbirds that make the most of this mayhem indifferently, leaving the ants alone. As a result, if you find raging ants, it is possible to observe many other bird species otherwise closely hidden. Once, we managed to do this with the help of a local guide ( tamanduaphoto.com ), and we were indeed able to OBSERVE several species of the antbirds. Photographing them is an entirely different story. In the pictures from behind the scenes, you can see what such a place looks like. In an utterly chaotic undergrowth, several birds are hopping about, and their colours are left to your imagination while you try to find a peephole with the camera in your hand to capture the bird. Unfortunately, the surrounding darkness is not your friend. To get at least 1/ 50s exposure time, the lowest ISO is about 3200. The lens is heavy, and you can forget about a tripod because the birds have a perverted ability to hop away just when you think you found the right spot. That’s why it seemed like a dream when I had the opportunity to photograph ocellated antbird, arguably the king on an imaginary throne of all antbirds thanks to his colourful plumage. He didn’t show up while watching the ants, but I photographed him a day later elsewhere. The circumstances were most peculiar. I played the sounds of the three most attractive ones on my walk to know what kind of ant is around. And as I walked and played the sound of the Ocellated Antbird , something flickered in the undergrowth whence I could hear the same sound. I made sure it wasn’t a recording but an actual bird. I briefly spotted a blackbird-sized antbird on a low branch and tried to take a picture of it before it flew off to another branch and then disappeared altogether. That was all. Five whole days and all I got was a few lousy seconds with this little guy. He no longer responded to further attempts to lure him back. A later visit to a Canopy Tower was much less adventurous and more relaxed. There, we had the opportunity to photograph several sloths face to face and we even caught glimpses of the panorama of Panama City skyline through the morning mist that, with its impressive modern architecture, surpass everything that can be seen in Central America. Below are some more day and night photos. I’ll get to the rest gradually.

Variable Seedeater , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Three-toed sloth,  Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Keel-billed Toucan , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

American Snail-Eater , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 8-25mm/4

Spectacled Caiman (young) , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 8-25mm/4

Ocellated Antbird , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Long-billed Hermit , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 150-400mm/4.5 IS TC

Rosenberg’s Tree Frog , Panama, Olympus E-M1 III, Olympus 8-25mm/4

Panorama from Canopy Tower

Antbirds habitat in Soberanía NP

Searching for birds on Pipeline Road

Morning fog in Gamboa

While on the trip, I had the chance to test several amazing pieces of new technology. I mainly used the Olympus E-M1 Mark III body leaving the E-M1 II as a backup. For the second time, I was also able to use the Olympus 150-400mm / 4.5 IS TC lens, which I reviewed in my articles from Costa Rica . I still consider it to be best telephoto lens on the market thanks to its design and performance – in my opinion it’s a small miracle. It will be some time before I can add it to my equipment permanently, but one day. My second lens was the new Olympus 8-25mm/ 4 with very promising specs for shooting wide-angle “close-ups” and for night hunts of frogs, insects and other bugs. It performed impressively in all of the above so much so that I added it to my gear permanently right after my return. Shortly, I will write a few lines in a separate review highlighting what I like about the lens and what annoys me. I will also be reviewing separately the Laowa 10mm/ 2 Zero-D manual lens, which I also had with me but didn’t use it that much. After all, the trip was not about testing new gear but about photography as such and about improving the photographic skills of other members on the expedition. In total, I took 7 lenses with me to Panama and I was interested to see which one will be most versatile. If it was a usual trip with photoshoots by the bird feeders, I probably wouldn’t care about it that much, but on an expedition where we walked day and night over 60 km (and that’s really above standard on a phototrip to Latin America) I thought twice about every gram in my backpack. Admittedly, around 95% of all motifs were delivered by my trusted trio – Olympus 150-400/ 4.5 IS TC, Olympus 8-25mm/ 4 and Olympus 60mm/ 2.8 Macro . About twice I wished for a different lens – especially with sloths, when 150mm was too much and 25mm not enough. A 40-150mm would have been ideal and I borrowed one from Vítek (thanks); or a 12-100mm which I left in the hostel. It was satisfying to acknowledge that I could do with three lenses. If I had planned to take pictures of the night landscape, I would pack a Laowa 7.5mm/ 2 or a Laowa 10mm/ 2. These are both so tiny and light that they don’t encumber even if you take only the essentials. I barely used my tripod, but when I did I was thankful for the minimal dimensions and weight of my favorite Peak Design Travel Tripod . As always, all my gear was in a Shimoda Explore 30l backpack, which has been my travel companion for two years now and I’m still happy with it. By the way, its second version will hit the shelves soon! I also had a lot of junk that I didn’t use with me, but that’s the way it is.

This Shimoda Explore 30l backpack has been my trusty companion for over two years

Time to relax with Olympus 150-400mm/ 4.5 IS TC

My base in the woods during a shoot of the treehoppers

Size comparison of Olympus 150-400mm/ 4.5 IS TC and Sigma 500mm/ 4

I like to think that the trip to Panama was successful and a lot more memorable, having had the opportunity to photograph several attractive species in their natural habitats. In general, it was a very different expedition to Costa Rica or Ecuador mentioned above, where people tend to spend a lot of time by the feeders. I genuinely believe that the travel situation will gradually stabilise. It will then be possible to realise similar trips again because I have a lot of ideas for where to return next.

Next time I plan to incorporate in one of my shots a tapir, so keep your fingers crossed for me

Stunning as always.

I currently live in Panama from the U.S and stumbled upon this article. I’m so happy I did, very good and informative read and outstanding photos!

Beautiful images (as usual) Petr. Quick question, why no EM1-X on this trip and just the EM1’s ?

Thrilling even to read about! I can only imagine being there. Your photos are as always spectacular and inspiring. Thank you, Petr!

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Read about our latest adventure in beautiful Panama

Trip Report Author: John Brooks Guide : Michael Castro

Friday 4 th  Panama City

Panama was chosen as a superb birding location, not just because of the species reported there, over 1000, but also it is a safe country and in February was dry and warm.

We flew from Madrid arriving in the evening at Tocumen International Airport  in Panama City and were met by our driver who took us to the Summit Rainforest and Golf Resort. As it was dark we sensed that this was going to be a great location as we would be staying 4 nights here.

Saturday 5th 

We were right, located about 20mns from Panama City this resort stood in the countryside with outstand views of far away hills.

Here we met our exceptional guide, Michael Castro. His sight, hearing and ability to mimic the calls of an incredible range of birds heralded well. 

We immediately went to the famous 17.5 km Pipeline Road, a track which is easy to walk for the first 7kms, and then becomes a narrower track, where the mature forest canopy precludes most understory growth. Birds were everywhere, in fact over 400 species have been seen here.

We took a lunch break when there was little bird activity before going back to the entrance to the Pipeline Road , where we scanned a small, but very rewarding marshy area, called Ammo  Pond and then drove for a few minutes to the village of Gamboa, which is a servicing depot for the Canal. Here we had great views of the ships being escorted through the Canal.

The days highlights were Great Potoo, Gartered Trogon, Black-Striped Woodcreeper, Sulphur-Rumped Flycatcher, Broad-Winged Hawk, Bat Falcon, Dot-Winged Antwren, Greater Ani,  Squirrel Cuckoo, Black-Throated Mango, Grey-Cowled Wood-Rail, Rufescence Tiger-Heron, Black-Tailed Trogon, Whooping Motmot, Lineated Woodpecker, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Purple-Throated Fruitcrow, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Rusty Margined and Social Flycatcher, Isthmian Wren, Tropical Mockingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Bay-Breasted and Yellow Warbler, Golden-Hooded Tanager, Blue-Black Grassquit, Red-Legged Honeycreeper. Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Magnificant Frigatebird, Anhinga, Brown Pelican.

In the morning we drove into the city and started birding in the 573 acre Metropolitan Nature Park which is a dry forest. In the heart of the city this is an unspoilt large open park, pleasant to walk around and easy birding. After lunch we went back to the Canal  and the Ammo Pond areas but started by walking a short distance to the Summit Ponds near Gamboa. 

Today we saw Commom Potoo, Violet-Bellied Hummingbird, Wattled Jacana, Green and Little Blue Heron, Plumbeous Kite, Slaty-Tailed Trogon, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Red-Crowned Woodpecker, Fasciated Antshrike, Cocoa and Black-Striped  Woodcreeper, Plain Xenops, Yellow-Margined, Boat-Billed  and Great-Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-Crowned Tyrannulet,  Lesser Greenlet, Clay-Coloured Thrush, White-Vented Euphonia, Yellow-Backed Oriole, Prothonotary Warbler, Red-Crowned and Reed-Throated Ant-Tanager.

Monday 7 th

We went back to the Pipeline Road/Ammo Pond, Gamboa and the Canal area as well as a short walk along Plantation Road. Today we added  Grey-Headed Chacalaca, White-Tipped Dove, Short-Tailed Swift, Long-Billed Hermit, White-Throated Crake, Purple Gallinule, Southern Lapwing, Osprey, Black-Breasted Puff-bird, Cinnamom Woodpecker, Yellow-Headed Caracara, Brown-Hooded Parrot, Moustached Antwren, Checker-Throated Stripplethroat, Dusky Antbird, Spotted Antbird, Red-Capped Manakin, Golden-Crowned Spadebill,  Southern Bentbill, Olivaceous Flatbill, Rufous Mourner, Piratic and Acadian Flycatcher, Scrub Greenlet, Yellow-Crowned  Euphonia, Scarlet-Rumped Cacique, Yellow-Tailed Oriole, Plain-Coloured Tanager, Blue Dacnis,Slate-Coloured Grosbeak.

Tuesday 8 th

Leaving the Summit Resort we drove to the East Coast Beach in Panama City to spend the morning in a totally different environment.  It was relaxing to be able to bird at eye level with uninterrupted views. Then to a local restaurant in the old harbour where we had the best fish meal of the tour.

After that we drove 2hrs west to El Valle de Anton which is in the hills of the La Mesa range. The town is in the bowl of an extinct volcano at  550mtrs, surrounded by mountains and cloud forest. Here it was cooler with a very pleasant climate.

We checked into a beautiful hotel, Casa Grimaldo, with stunning gardens from where it was possible to see many species. However we immediately went for a short walk in the cloud forest.

Birds seen include  Black-Necked Stilt, Semipalmated, Spotted and Solitary Sandpiper, Long-Billed Dowitcher,   Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet, Laughing Gull, Sandwich Tern, Neotropic Cormorant, White Ibis, Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, Rufuos-Tailed Hummingbird, Zone-Tailed Hawk, Rufuos-Breasted Wren, Tennessee Warbler.

Wednesday 9 th

We spent all day in the cloud forests. Warm but very pleasant easy walking along forest trails, and more open woodland outside . We saw Ruddy Ground Dove, Rufous-Crested      

Coquette,  Violet-Crowned Woodnymph, Roadside Hawk, Spectacled Owl, Collared Trogon, Rufuos Motmot, Keel-Billed Toucan, Crimson-Crested Woodpecker, Russet Antshrike, Chestnut-Backed Antbird, Spotted Woodcreeper, Olive-Striped Flycatcher, White-Breasted Wood-Wren, Tawny-Capped Euphonia, Giant Cowbird, Blackburnian, Canada and Rufuos-Capped Warbler, Palm, Tawny-Crested, Flame-Rumped  and Emerald Tanager,  Yellow-Faced Grassquit.

Thursday 10 th

This morning we  birded the Juan Hambron rice fields area near to Anton Valle, then we drove back to Panama City  Airport for an afternoon flight to David, followed by a 1.5hr drive up to Volcan  village where we stayed in another lovely hotel, Dos Rios, again with  a beautiful garden. Volcan is 2500mtrs up on the side of Volcan Baru and here the weather is chilly and cold when the wind is blowing. A huge contrast to the other regions of Panama.

In the 2hrs we had birding in the morning we did not see a great many birds but they included Pale-Vented Pigeon, Plain-Breasted Ground Dove, Groove-Billed Ani, Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, Great Blue Heron, Tricoloured Heron, Savanna Hawk, Green Kingfisher,  Lance-Tailed Manakin,  Common Tody-Flycatcher, Mouse-Coloured Tyrannulet, Rufuos-Browed Peppershrike, Yellow-Green Vireo, Grey-Breasted Martin, Blue-Grey Tanager.

Friday 11 th   

Today was exciting as we had an early start to drive up to the  Quetzal Trail  which goes through the Baru Volcano National Park. This mountain rainforest is part of the Talamanca mountain range which goes up to 3500mtrs. During the late morning the rain started so we had to cut short our walk. However we went to a local hummingbird station where we sat, had lunch, and watched seemingly hundreds of hummingbirds as well as other species feeding. Unfortunately the bad weather continued the rest of the day, so birding was called off.

However we did see the Resplendant Quetzal, which was the main  reason for coming to Volcan. Other birds seen were Lesser Violetear, Talamanca , Scintillant ,  Rufuos-Tailed and Snowy-Bellied Hummingbird, (we saw 7 species in total here), Violet Sabrewing, Red-Tailed Hawk, Costa Rican Pygmy Owl, Red-Faced Spinetail, Eye-Ringed Flatbill, Grey-Breasted Wood-Wren, Black-Faced Solitaire, Common Chlorospingus, Rufuous-Collared Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, Wilson’s Warbler, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Silver-Throated Tanager.

Saturday 12 th

In the morning we went to the cloud forest in La Amistad International Park, then in the afternoon we birded Chiriqui Viejo river valley and mixed secondary growth forest.

White Collared Swift, Long-Tailed Starthroat, White-Throated Mountain-gem, Stripe-Taailed Hummingbird, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Prong-Billed Barbet, Northern Emerald Toucanet, Acorn Woodpecker, Blue-Headed Parrot, Ruddy Treerunner, Mistletoe Tyrannulet, Grey-Capped and Tufted Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Black-Chested Jay, American Dipper, Ruddy-Capped Nightingale-Thrush, Mountain Thrush, Elegant Euphonia, Lesser Goldfinch, Sooty-Faced Finch, Yellow-Thighed Brushfinch, Black and White, Magnolia, Black-Cheeked  and Flame-Throated Warbler, Slate-Throated Redstart, Slaty Flowerpiercer.

Sunday 13 th

Today was special as we went down off the volcano to Paraiso village where we found ‘Birders Paradise’. This is a hummingbird station set in a large estate which has been planted with indigenous trees and bushes  over many years by its owner Mishael, thus attracting a wide variety of native birds to his land. In fact over 300 species have been seen here. Afterwards we drove back to David to catch our flight to Panama City but before checking in we went to a part of the airfield where we found 3 new species. Once again stayed at the Summit Resort.

We saw Smooth-Billed Ani, Brown Violetear, Scaly-Breasted Hummingbird,  Sapphire-Throated Hummingbird, Lesson’s Motmot, Fiery-Billed Aracari, Brown-Throated Parakeet, Chiriqui Foliage-Gleaner, Blue-Crowned and Orange-collared Manakin, Yellow-Breasted, Streaked and Dusky-Capped Flycatcher,  Blue and White Swallow, Orange-Billed Nightingale-Thrush,  Spot-Crowned Euphonia, Black-Striped Sparrow, Costa Rican Brushfinch, Shiny Cowbird, Buff-Rumped Warbler, Painted Bunting, Bay-Headed Tanager, Green  Honeycreeper, Cherrie’s Tanager, Scarlet-Thighed Dacnis, Thick-Billed Seed-Finch, Morelet’s Seedeater, Buff-Throated and Streaked Saltator.

Monday 14 th

We birded the grounds of the Summit Resort including part of the golf course before setting off on a long drive along the Pan-American Highway to Torti. This should have been an easy 3hr drive except for the very poor state of the road which delayed us considerably. We stopped along the road to explore the Bayano Lowlands before reaching our lovely hotel, Portal Avicar. In the evening we birded along the Torti River.

Here we saw Greater Yellowlegs, Snowy Egret, Grey-Lined Hawk, Amazon Kingfisher, White-Whiskered Puffbird, Spot-Breasted Woodpecker, Orange-Chinned Parakeet, Black Antshrike, Masked Tityra, Yellow Tyrannulet, Greenish Elaena, Golden-Fronted Greenlet, Buff-Breasted Wren, Chestnut-Headed Oropendula, Yellow-Rumped Cacique, Northern Waterthrush, Chestnut-Sided Warbler, Summer and Crimson-Backed Tanager,  Variable Seedeater.

Tuesday 15 th

We spent the morning at a wonderful natural forest park, called San Fransisco. The 1000 hectares were bought over 30 yrs ago before deforestation devastated the surrounding area and it sits astride hills and includes a beautiful lake. After walking around its varied habitats we drove along the road to Meteti. Fortunately as soon as we reached the Darien Region the road became good again.  We then checked into a very basic hotel  for 2 nights. Later we drove down the road before turning off along a track through mixed woods and open savannah in an area called El Salto in Pinogana District.

Blue Ground Dove, Striped Cuckoo, Band-Tailed Barbthroat, Purple-Crowned Fairy, Wood Stork, Cocoi Heron, White-Tailed and Black-Throated Trogon, Broad-Billed Motmot, White-Necked and Pied Puffbird, Grey-Cheeked Nunlet, Black-Cheeked Woodpecker, Laughing Falcon, Mealy Parrot, Pacific Antwren, Orange-Collared Manakin, Royal and Boat-Billed  Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Long-Tailed Tyrant, Black-Bellied and Bay Wren, Thick-Billed Euphonia, Orange-Billed and House Sparrow, Bananaquit.

Wednsday 16 th

Today was the big day. After a very early start we drove west for 10mns before heading off down a track for nearly 1 hr until we reached the end of the track in a traditional Indian village, Altos Playon. Here we started our 2hrs walk through thick tropical forest along a very narrow undulating rough track guided by 2 locals  carrying litres of water. It was very hot, around 35dgs  and humid. Eventually we arrived at a specially constructed platform, from where we had excellent views of the Harpy Eagle’s nest, as this was the bird we had come to see. There was a 5 month, nearly fully grown juvenile  who kept us all riveted as it was expecting to be fed and kept scanning the horizon. We sat on the platform for 4 hours but the adults didn’t return. Our guide said they wouldn’t come during the heat of the afternoon and would probably arrive just before dusk. This  would have meant a very difficult walk back in the dark, so reluctantly  we headed back to the village. On the way back we did stop but  there were few birds to be seen.

So our count for the day was only a juvenile Harpy Eagle, Blue-Chested Hummingbird, Golden-Green Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Cinnamon Becard, House and Song Wren,Tropical Gnatcatcher, Orange-Crowned Oriole.

Thursday 17 th

Today we drove 50kms east of Meteti and birded the road. However our guide said he had never seen it so quiet so few species were added. Then a 6 hr drive back to the Summit Resort where we said goodbye to our superb guide.

During the day we saw Lesser-Headed and King Vulture, Double-Toothed Kite,  White Hawk, Choco Toucan, Red-Lored Parrot, Black Antshrike, Fork-Tailed Flycatcher, Pied Water-Tyrant , Crested Oropendula, Ruddy-Breasted Seedeater.

Friday 18 th

We decided to take a 3 hr boat trip along the Panama Canal as well as check out some river inlets. Seeing the ships traversing the waterway close up was fascinating and we did manage to add Limpkin, American Coot, Snail Kite, and Mangrove Swallow. 

Later we went to the old city, a beautiful colonial style district which is now being restored to its former beauty. Then off to  Tocumen International Airport for a late evening flight back to Europe. 

Amazingly we had only one afternoon affected by rain, but we still saw 307 species, stayed in lovely hotels and saw some amazing scenery. Panama feels very safe and the people were very friendly. Not all the birds we saw are listed as I have left out the very common ones which are seen regularly. We could have seen more species but we insisted that all of our group had good views of every different bird.    

Travelling together as Friends

A Field Guides Birding Tours Report

Panama's canopy camp: lowland darien i 2022, december 30, 2022-january 7, 2023 with john coons & eliecer rodriguez guiding.

We enjoyed a great week of birding in eastern Panama. Warm temperatures were the norm, and we had a couple of light showers that never affected our birding. On our first day after leaving our airport hotel in Panama City, we headed east with a birding stop along Lake Bayano, where we saw an assortment of birds to get us introduced to the tropics. One of our first birds was a Bat Falcon perched on the bridge. Another stop near Torti before lunch added to our growing list. We arrived at the Canopy Camp in the afternoon and spent time enthralled with the array of hummingbirds visiting the feeders and the flowers, including a magnificent male Ruby-topaz Hummingbird. We got settled in to our luxury tents and celebrated John's birthday on New Year's Eve. I don't think any of us made it close to staying up until midnight.

Starting 2023, we spent our first morning in Darien birding the grounds of the Canopy Camp before heading out on the one-kilometer trail. We encountered a lot of new birds and tracked down a few hard-to-see canopy-level species. That afternoon we birded our way to Yaviza, the last point on the Pan-American Highway before the Darien Gap.

The next two days were highlighted by our visits to nests of two of the great raptors of the New World, Crested Eagle and Harpy Eagle. Leaving the Camp right after breakfast, we drove to the El Salto Road and switched to the 4WD vehicles. We birded along the road for a few kilometers before taking a trail into the forest. Just above us were four Brown-throated Three-toed Sloths in one tree. We found a forest flock and scoped a Semiplumbeous Hawk before reaching the nest of a Crested Eagle. The eaglet had left the nest several weeks earlier but Eliecer told us it was still hanging around the site. With hopes of the bird returning, we watched the nest while Eliecer went into the forest with Oscar and Nelson to search for the fledged eagle. We watched a couple of White-headed Wrens high in the trees, and they worked their way to the large nest and began probing among the sticks for food. After 15 minutes Eliecer appeared, saying they had found the fledged Crested Eagle. We followed him into the forest and came upon this fully grown but still mostly white bird perched in a huge tree. I have no idea how they managed to spot this bird that we watched for about 15 minutes before it made a short flight out of view. Walking out, we spotted a Great Potoo well camouflaged on its perch. That afternoon we walked a road at the Yaviza Wetlands where we spotted open country birds and a wave of Fork-tailed Flycatchers.

On the following day, we drove about an hour to the banks of the Rio Tuira, the largest river in Panama, and we birded here for a spell as we waited for the tide to come up so we could board our boat. We traveled upriver and hung a right onto the Rio Marea, where we had to negotiate many partially submerged logs before arriving at the Tutumate camp. From here we birded along a trail through the forest for about 45 minutes before arriving at the Harpy Eagle nest, where we found the huge female eagle perched slightly above the nest, where there was a small, all-white chick. Fantastic! We enjoyed these two for a while and saw other birds moving through the forest before we headed back to the forest camp for lunch. Returning to the boat, we found the tide had really come in, making our return trip much easier for the boatmen and doing it in one-third the time.

The next two days we left the Camp after breakfast, and we spent the first day walking stretches of the El Salto Road in the morning and another open country road in the afternoon. The second day we drove to Peñitas and boarded our dugouts and went up the Rio Chucunaque, the longest river in Panama, and took a tributary to the village of Nuevo Vieja. We birded the river edge along the way, then walked a trail to a couple of lagoons near the village. On our final day of birding, we packed up after breakfast and stopped at a house along the way and had fantastic views of three Great Curassows eating fruit in the yard. This is normally a very difficult bird to see in the forest. We also birded the San Francisco Reserve for a few more specialties before lunch and heading back to Panama City.

As well as the birds mentioned above, we had many more highlights that included nice views of Blue Ground-Dove, Striped Cuckoo, Great and Common potoos, all those hummingbirds, the Agami Heron at the lagoon, Boat-billed Heron, close King Vultures, American Pygmy and Green-and-rufous kingfishers, the Barred Puffbird perched on the powerline, our Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Dusky-backed Jacamar from the boat and a Great Jacamar right overhead, Golden-green Woodpeckers, Spectacled Parrotlets, flying Blue-and-yellow Macaws, the local Black Antshrike, Golden-headed Manakin at the Camp, Blue Cotinga, Speckled Mourner, colorful Red-breasted Meadowlarks, and a scoped view of the very local Black Oropendola, among others.

The Canopy Camp was an exceedingly comfortable place to stay, with delicious meals and a wonderful staff that took great care of us. Our drivers Oscar and Nelson were great spotters, but I can't say enough about Eliecer, who was so great to be with for our time in Panama. I hope to see all of you again for another expedition.

KEYS FOR THIS LIST One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

Tinamidae (Tinamous)

LITTLE TINAMOU (Crypturellus soui)

We heard these calling each morning and evening in the forest at the Camp. At Quebrada Felix, we were watching the ground-doves feeding on the spilled rice in the road when one dashed across the road.

Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)

BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

We saw a group of three flying, then saw about 30 birds on a roadside pond the day we returned to Panam City. There were a good number of babies in this group as well.

MUSCOVY DUCK (Cairina moschata)

We saw about five individuals flying at the Yaviza Wetlands.

Cracidae (Guans, Chachalacas, and Curassows)

GRAY-HEADED CHACHALACA (Ortalis cinereiceps)

We had a few next to the road on our drive to La Peñitas.

GREAT CURASSOW (Crax rubra)

On our final day of birding, we stopped at a house along the Pan-American Highway and saw two males and female coming to fruit in at a house. This is usually a very difficult species to see in the forest.

Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)

ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]

PALE-VENTED PIGEON (Patagioenas cayennensis)

We saw several in the open country.

SCALED PIGEON (Patagioenas speciosa)

We saw one perched up in the morning along the El Salto Road.

PLAIN-BREASTED GROUND DOVE (Columbina minuta)

We saw a fly-by in the Yaviza Wetlands.

RUDDY GROUND DOVE (Columbina talpacoti)

These were quite common throughout the week.

BLUE GROUND DOVE (Claravis pretiosa)

We had scope views of this forest bird in the Yaviza Wetlands and another one or two feeding at the rice along the Quebrada Felix Road.

WHITE-TIPPED DOVE (Leptotila verreauxi)

Cuculidae (Cuckoos)

GREATER ANI (Crotophaga major)

Lots of these were seen during the week.

SMOOTH-BILLED ANI (Crotophaga ani)

STRIPED CUCKOO (Tapera naevia)

We had nice looks at one with broken tail feathers along the Quebrada Felix road.

LITTLE CUCKOO (Coccycua minuta)

A single bird flushed and flew past in the Yaviza Wetlands.

SQUIRREL CUCKOO (Piaya cayana)

It seemed that one or two were seen each day.

Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)

COMMON PAURAQUE (Nyctidromus albicollis)

These started calling each evening at the Camp at sunset and we heard them each morning. On our drives back to the Camp we spotted a couple in the road.

Nyctibiidae (Potoos)

GREAT POTOO (Nyctibius grandis)

After hearing one at night at the Camp, Eliecer spotted one in the forest along the El Salto Road and we had great scope views of this camouflaged species.

COMMON POTOO (Nyctibius griseus)

The guys found one along the Quebrada Felix Road a week earlier and it was still on the same perch and gave us a great look.

Apodidae (Swifts)

SHORT-TAILED SWIFT (Chaetura brachyura)

We saw a few flying about near Yaviza.

BAND-RUMPED SWIFT (Chaetura spinicaudus)

We saw a few at La Reversa where we boarded the boat on the Rio Tuira.

Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)

WHITE-NECKED JACOBIN (Florisuga mellivora)

These were frequent visitors to the feeders at the Camp.

RUFOUS-BREASTED HERMIT (Glaucis hirsutus)

We saw one visit a feeder at the Camp and saw another along the El Salto Road.

BAND-TAILED BARBTHROAT (Threnetes ruckeri)

John spotted one near the feeders at the Camp.

PALE-BELLIED HERMIT (Phaethornis anthophilus)

This local specialty showed a handful of times, most often at the camp.

STRIPE-THROATED HERMIT (Phaethornis striigularis) [*]

We heard a few in the forest on their lek as we walked to the Harpy nest.

RUBY-TOPAZ HUMMINGBIRD (Chrysolampis mosquitus)

It was fantastic to see this quite uncommon but beautifully colored male hummingbird at the flowers at the Camp. We saw it few times a day for the first four days but mostly didn't put time in at the feeders later in the week.

BLACK-THROATED MANGO (Anthracothorax nigricollis)

We saw these daily at the Camp as well as at the restaurant at Torti.

LONG-BILLED STARTHROAT (Heliomaster longirostris)

Another quite fancy humming bird; we saw one at the feeders a few times during the week.

WHITE-VENTED PLUMELETEER (Chalybura buffonii)

This was another regular vistitor to the feeders.

SCALY-BREASTED HUMMINGBIRD (Phaeochroa cuvierii)

Most of our sightings were at the feeders at the lunch restaurant in Torti.

SNOWY-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD (Saucerottia edward)

Again, we just saw this species at the Torti restaurant feeders.

RUFOUS-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Amazilia tzacatl)

This is quite a widespread species in Panama.

SAPPHIRE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Chrysuronia coeruleogularis)

This species with the bright blue throat was frequently seen at the feeders at the Camp.

BLUE-CHESTED HUMMINGBIRD (Polyerata amabilis)

VIOLET-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD (Chlorestes julie)

Not as common as Sapphire-throated but we saw males a few times at the feeders.

Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)

GRAY-COWLED WOOD-RAIL (Aramides cajaneus) [*]

One called pre-dawn at the Camp.

PURPLE GALLINULE (Porphyrio martinica)

A few were seen in the Yaviza Wetlands.

WHITE-THROATED CRAKE (Laterallus albigularis)

We heard a handful at the Yaviza Wetlands but couldn't get a view.

GRAY-BREASTED CRAKE (Laterallus exilis)

This very difficult to see rail vocalized a few times in the Yaviza Wetlands but was never close to us.

Aramidae (Limpkin)

LIMPKIN (Aramus guarauna)

We saw one on our first morning in the field at Lake Bayano.

Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)

SOUTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus chilensis)

Good numbers were seen on a few days in the open country.

Jacanidae (Jacanas)

WATTLED JACANA (Jacana jacana)

A few were at one of the ponds at the Yaviza Wetlands then we saw it again at the roadside pond on our way back to the city on our last day.

Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)

WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus)

We saw a few on the banks of the Rio Tuira where these birds were wintering.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius)

There were several seen along the banks of the larger rivers.

Ciconiidae (Storks)

WOOD STORK (Mycteria americana)

We encountered a fair number of these as we motored along some of the rivers.

Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD (Fregata magnificens)

A single bird passed over while we were walking the trail near Nuevo Vieja.

Anhingidae (Anhingas)

ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga anhinga)

Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)

NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Nannopterum brasilianum)

We saw a handful along the rivers and at Lake Bayano but not a lot.

Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)

GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)

We flushed one from the shore at Lake Bayano.

COCOI HERON (Ardea cocoi)

A few were seen along the larger bodies of water.

GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)

SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula)

Only a few were encountered.

LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea)

These were quite obvious along the river banks.

TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor)

At least a couple were seen along the Rio Tuira.

CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)

GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)

We scoped one at the Yaviza Wetlands and saw another one or two.

STRIATED HERON (Butorides striata)

AGAMI HERON (Agamia agami)

At the forested pond near Nuevo Vieja, Eliecer spotted an immature deep in the trees that flushed a couple of times before he, remarkably, refound it. Then a bit later we found a more colorful adult at the other end of the pond that we got in the scope. This is always a tough one and took some amazing spotting from Eliecer to find it.

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nyctanassa violacea)

We saw about eight individuals along the Rio Tuira.

BOAT-BILLED HERON (Cochlearius cochlearius)

One was found at the forested lagoon at Nueva Vieja.

Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)

WHITE IBIS (Eudocimus albus)

Cathartidae (New World Vultures)

KING VULTURE (Sarcoramphus papa)

Near the Camp we had great close views of a few at the "feeder" before we saw a few soaring over the forest later.

BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)

Lots of these were seen daily.

TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)

Seen daily but in fewer numbers than the above.

LESSER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE (Cathartes burrovianus)

We had nice looks at a couple of low-flying individuals at the Yaviza Wetlands.

Pandionidae (Osprey)

OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)

A few were seen at Lake Bayano on our first morning.

Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)

CRESTED EAGLE (Morphnus guianensis)

We had a fantastic experience with this rarely seen species. We walked a trail into a nest site where the young bird had fledged several weeks earlier but still was "hanging around" the area. We watched the nest while Eliecer, Oscar, and Nelson went into the forest and, amazingly, found this large raptor perched in a large tree a couple of hundred meters away. We watched it with bins and scopes for a good while, a very special treat.

HARPY EAGLE (Harpia harpyja)

We had incredible views of this iconic raptor, the national bird of Panama. We took a boat on the Rio Tuira to a tributary and barely got over the submerged logs to get to Tutumate. From here we walked about 40 minutes to a nest where we watched the huge female Harpy Eagle tending to a two month old chick. The bird called on occasion as did the chick, which gave soft peeps. All this was a fantastic experience. Yip! Yip! Yip!

BLACK HAWK-EAGLE (Spizaetus tyrannus)

We had pretty good views of a calling bird soaring above the Camp.

DOUBLE-TOOTHED KITE (Harpagus bidentatus)

Our only sighting was a soaring bird near Yaviza.

CRANE HAWK (Geranospiza caerulescens)

We had pretty good views of this long-legged raptor along the trail at Nuevo Vieja.

COMMON BLACK HAWK (MANGROVE) (Buteogallus anthracinus bangsi)

We saw a few, with our first at Lake Bayano on our opening morning.

SAVANNA HAWK (Buteogallus meridionalis)

A handful were seen during the week in open habitats.

GREAT BLACK HAWK (Buteogallus urubitinga)

A young bird was in the Camp where it was hanging out on the ground with a swarm of ants. We never figured out what all was going on.

ROADSIDE HAWK (Rupornis magnirostris)

We saw these just about daily, mostly along the Pan-American Highway.

SEMIPLUMBEOUS HAWK (Leucopternis semiplumbeus)

Oscar and Eliecer spotted a calling bird in the forest off the El Salto Road.

GRAY-LINED HAWK (Buteo nitidus)

A few were seen, with our first along the Rio Torti on our first morning.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK (Buteo platypterus)

A couple of these wintering birds were encountered.

SHORT-TAILED HAWK (Buteo brachyurus)

One seen at Lake Bayano.

ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus)

Dan spotted our first at Lake Bayano then we had another the following day.

Strigidae (Owls)

CRESTED OWL (Lophostrix cristata) [*]

We heard this species every night at the Camp but it would not venture closer.

SPECTACLED OWL (Pulsatrix perspicillata) [*]

I heard one call in the middle of the night on our second night at the Camp.

CENTRAL AMERICAN PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium griseiceps rarum) [*]

Again, one called a few times on our second night but it would not respond as we looked for it over the following days.

MOTTLED OWL (Ciccaba virgata) [*]

One was calling consistently on some of the nights near the further tents but it would not respond whenever we tried to see it.

BLACK-AND-WHITE OWL (Ciccaba nigrolineata) [*]

The same story here, a calling individual would not respond.

Trogonidae (Trogons)

BLACK-TAILED TROGON (Trogon melanurus)

This was the most commonly seen of our trogons.

WHITE-TAILED TROGON (Trogon chionurus)

We had a couple of these along Nando's Trail at the Camp.

GARTERED TROGON (Trogon caligatus)

We saw one near the dining room at the Camp before heading out in the vehicle.

BLACK-THROATED TROGON (Trogon rufus)

On our final day we caught up with this species, getting good views at San Francisco Reserve.

Momotidae (Motmots)

WHOOPING MOTMOT (Momotus subrufescens)

Our best views were through the scope at the Camp on our first morning there.

BROAD-BILLED MOTMOT (Electron platyrhynchum)

This species likes a bit higher elevation than most of the areas we birded on the trip. We caught up with it when we went up the road at San Francisco Reserve where it perched well for us.

Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)

RINGED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle torquata)

A few were seen along the bigger rivers.

AMAZON KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle amazona)

Our only one was along the Rio Turquesa.

AMERICAN PYGMY KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle aenea)

We had nice views of a male at the lagoon near Nuevo Vieja that we first spotted across the water but it ended up perching on a log on our side as well.

GREEN KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle americana) [*]

We heard one calling along the stream at San Francisco Reserve.

GREEN-AND-RUFOUS KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle inda)

The least commonly seen of the six species of New World kingfishers. We had a scope view of one at the lagoon near Nuevo Vieja.

Bucconidae (Puffbirds)

WHITE-NECKED PUFFBIRD (Notharchus hyperrhynchus)

We saw a few along the El Salto Road.

PIED PUFFBIRD (Notharchus tectus)

This small puffbird ended up being seen well after we heard it calling in the forest.

BARRED PUFFBIRD (Nystalus radiatus)

We had good views of this cooperative species at Quebrada Felix.

GRAY-CHEEKED NUNLET (Nonnula frontalis stulta)

Our first one at the Camp was quite close to us. This is a very small puffbird and one of the Darien specialties.

Galbulidae (Jacamars)

DUSKY-BACKED JACAMAR (Brachygalba salmoni)

It took quite a bit of looking but we finally connected with this Darien specialty as we spotted it from the dugouts along the narrow tributary of the Rio Turquesa.

RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMAR (Galbula ruficauda)

Eliecer spotted one of the couple we saw at the lagoon near Nuevo Vieja.

GREAT JACAMAR (Jacamerops aureus)

We had great looks at this wonderful bird along the trail to the Harpy Eagle. It was perched right over the trail and was there again when we returned a while later.

Capitonidae (New World Barbets)

SPOT-CROWNED BARBET (Capito maculicoronatus rubrilateralis)

We saw our first ones in Camp.

Ramphastidae (Toucans)

COLLARED ARACARI (Pteroglossus torquatus)

A fairly common bird.

YELLOW-THROATED TOUCAN (CHESTNUT-MANDIBLED) (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii)

Many of these were calling around the Camp and most other forested areas we visited. We had a few nice looks.

KEEL-BILLED TOUCAN (Ramphastos sulfuratus)

This species was outnumbered by the above but we still had a few sightings.

Picidae (Woodpeckers)

OLIVACEOUS PICULET (Picumnus olivaceus)

A tiny woodpecker; we had a couple along the side roads.

BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes pucherani)

We heard more than we saw, but we had a few nice looks including one at a nest hole at Quebrada Felix.

RED-CROWNED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes rubricapillus)

RED-RUMPED WOODPECKER (Dryobates kirkii)

We saw this small woodpecker and area specialty right at the Camp. There were three of them there the first morning.

CRIMSON-CRESTED WOODPECKER (Campephilus melanoleucos)

We saw one along the El Salto Road.

LINEATED WOODPECKER (Dryocopus lineatus)

We saw a few, with a couple of them at nests.

CINNAMON WOODPECKER (Celeus loricatus)

A quite nice looking woodpecker; we had a good look at Camp during our first morning. Then we heard them most days after that.

GOLDEN-GREEN WOODPECKER (Piculus chrysochloros)

Another specialty of eastern Panama; we ended up seeing three individuals along the El Salto Road.

SPOT-BREASTED WOODPECKER (Colaptes punctigula)

A couple of birds showed well at the Yaviza Wetlands. This species is only found in a few localities in eastern Panama.

Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)

COLLARED FOREST-FALCON (Micrastur semitorquatus)

On our second visit to the El Salto Road we saw one perched up along the edge of the road while we were walking. Just as we got the scopes on this great bird it flew off into the forest.

RED-THROATED CARACARA (Ibycter americanus)

These were seen well at the Camp and they were quite noisy.

CRESTED CARACARA (Caracara plancus)

We only saw a few of these widespread birds.

YELLOW-HEADED CARACARA (Milvago chimachima)

This species was seen daily, often hunting for road kills along the Pan-American Highway.

LAUGHING FALCON (Herpetotheres cachinnans)

We had a couple of nice views of this falcon and we heard a few more.

AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)

BAT FALCON (Falco rufigularis)

This was one of first birds we spotted at our first birding stop at Lake Bayano where it was perched on the bridge.

Psittacidae (New World and African Parrots)

ORANGE-CHINNED PARAKEET (Brotogeris jugularis)

These were seen several times with our first coming to the fruit at our lunch stop in Torti.

BROWN-HOODED PARROT (Pyrilia haematotis)

We never got these perched. They were always flying over.

BLUE-HEADED PARROT (Pionus menstruus)

A commonly encountered species with our first ones along the Rio Torti.

RED-LORED PARROT (Amazona autumnalis)

These were also seen in numbers, and they were frequent visitors to the fruit feeder at the Canopy Camp.

YELLOW-CROWNED PARROT (Amazona ochrocephala)

There was one perched in a tree in Panama City as we loaded the luggage to head out the first morning.

MEALY PARROT (Amazona farinosa)

Only a few were seen.

SPECTACLED PARROTLET (Forpus conspicillatus)

Eliecer alerted us to two individuals feeding in a small tree in Nuevo Vieja. This is a hard to find species with a very limited range in Panama.

BLUE-AND-YELLOW MACAW (Ara ararauna)

We saw a pair, and a group of three birds flew over us at Tutumate just off the Rio Marea.

CHESTNUT-FRONTED MACAW (Ara severus)

We heard a few but only saw a single bird flying at Quebrada Felix.

Thamnophilidae (Typical Antbirds)

GREAT ANTSHRIKE (Taraba major) [*]

BARRED ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus doliatus)

We had good looks at a male at Lake Bayano.

BLACK-CROWNED ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus atrinucha)

We heard a lot of these in the forest and saw one along the trail to the Crested Eagle site.

BLACK ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus nigriceps)

A pair of these Darien specialties were at the Camp on our first morning. The female is quite a bit more colorful than the male.

MOUSTACHED ANTWREN (Myrmotherula ignota) [*]

We could never lure one into view.

PACIFIC ANTWREN (Myrmotherula pacifica)

Our only sighting was when we were waiting for the boat at La Reversa.

WHITE-FLANKED ANTWREN (Myrmotherula axillaris)

We saw a few amongst mixed flocks in the forest.

RUSTY-WINGED ANTWREN (Herpsilochmus frater)

After seeing one along the El Salto Road we had good views at San Francisco Reserve on our final morning. This was formerly known as Rufous-winged Antwren.

DOT-WINGED ANTWREN (Microrhopias quixensis)

We had one in a flock at San Francisco Reserva.

DUSKY ANTBIRD (Cercomacroides tyrannina)

A calling bird popped up for a few looks along the El Salto Road.

JET ANTBIRD (Cercomacra nigricans)

It took some looking but we eventually got looks at this skulker near Lake Bayano.

BARE-CROWNED ANTBIRD (Gymnocichla nudiceps)

Always a tough one to see well. We saw a calling pair moving along the road edge and flying across the El Salto Road.

WHITE-BELLIED ANTBIRD (Myrmeciza longipes)

We heard many more than we saw.

CHESTNUT-BACKED ANTBIRD (Poliocrania exsul)

We ended up with pretty good views of this quite dark, mostly ground dwelling forest bird along the El Salto Road.

BICOLORED ANTBIRD (Gymnopithys bicolor)

A flock of antswarm following birds moved through the forest while we were at the Harpy Eagle nest and a couple of Bicolored Antbirds were in tow.

SPOTTED ANTBIRD (Hylophylax naevioides) [*]

Formicariidae (Antthrushes)

BLACK-FACED ANTTHRUSH (Formicarius analis) [*]

Furnariidae (Ovenbirds and Woodcreepers)

PLAIN-BROWN WOODCREEPER (Dendrocincla fuliginosa)

We had close views of one along the trail to the Crested Eagle nest.

NORTHERN BARRED-WOODCREEPER (Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae)

This large woodcreeper showed quite well with the other antswarm birds near the Harpy Eagle nest.

COCOA WOODCREEPER (Xiphorhynchus susurrans)

We saw a handful and heard this widespread species daily.

BLACK-STRIPED WOODCREEPER (Xiphorhynchus lachrymosus)

A rather fancy looking woodcreeper; we saw it near the Crested Eagle site.

RED-BILLED SCYTHEBILL (Campylorhamphus trochilirostris)

Driving to La Peñitas, Eliecer heard one calling and we ended up working on it for a spell before getting nice looks at this great looking bird.

STREAK-HEADED WOODCREEPER (Lepidocolaptes souleyetii)

These were fairly common in the open country and right in the Camp as well.

PLAIN XENOPS (Xenops minutus)

A single bird was with a mixed-flock along the El Salto Road.

DOUBLE-BANDED GRAYTAIL (Xenerpestes minlosi)

One of the real specialties of Darien; we had nice looks at this unusual species along the El Salto Road.

Pipridae (Manakins)

GOLDEN-COLLARED MANAKIN (Manacus vitellinus)

We had good views of males at the lek along the trail at the Camp. We heard and encountered a couple more during the week.

RED-CAPPED MANAKIN (Ceratopipra mentalis)

A greenish-gray female put in an appearance at San Francisco Reserve.

GOLDEN-HEADED MANAKIN (Ceratopipra erythrocephala)

This gorgeous little guy was seen a few times plucking the small berries off the shrub right next to the dining area at the Camp.

Cotingidae (Cotingas)

PURPLE-THROATED FRUITCROW (Querula purpurata)

We saw a few of this unusual species, including males in the scope.

BLUE COTINGA (Cotinga nattererii)

Our first was a female in the Camp then we had a couple of stunning males along the El Salto Road.

Tityridae (Tityras and Allies)

BLACK-CROWNED TITYRA (Tityra inquisitor)

Our only one was near Yaviza.

MASKED TITYRA (Tityra semifasciata)

We saw a few of these.

RUSSET-WINGED SCHIFFORNIS (Schiffornis stenorhyncha panamensis)

A responsive bird came in a couple of times along Nando's Trail at the Camp. This species has had a lot of names and bounced around in different families before settling with the tityras.

SPECKLED MOURNER (Laniocera rufescens)

We had great views of this uncommon bird as we were hiking back from the Harpy Eagle nest site.

CINNAMON BECARD (Pachyramphus cinnamomeus)

We saw a few during the week, often with a mixed-flock.

WHITE-WINGED BECARD (Pachyramphus polychopterus)

A couple of birds showed along the El Salto Road.

Oxyruncidae (Sharpbill, Royal Flycatcher, and Allies)

ROYAL FLYCATCHER (NORTHERN) (Onychorhynchus coronatus mexicanus)

This seemingly fancy bird showed well at San Francisco Reserve but it never wants to raise its crest.

RUDDY-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Terenotriccus erythrurus)

We saw a couple of these in mixed-flocks in the forest.

Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

SOUTHERN BENTBILL (Oncostoma olivaceum)

An unusual looking bill on this small flycatcher makes it distinct with mixed-flocks in the forest.

COMMON TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum cinereum)

We saw a handful of these handsome little flycatchers.

BLACK-HEADED TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum nigriceps)

A calling bird overhead at the Camp led us around a bit before we got great looks including scope views.

OLIVACEOUS FLATBILL (Rhynchocyclus olivaceus)

We saw one on Nando's Trail behind the Canopy Camp.

YELLOW-OLIVE FLYCATCHER (YELLOW-OLIVE) (Tolmomyias sulphurescens flavoolivaceus)

OCHRE-LORED FLYCATCHER (Tolmomyias flaviventris)

Known as Yellow-breasted Flycatcher until very recently; we saw a few of these. This, mostly South American species, has a quite limited range in Panama.

BROWN-CAPPED TYRANNULET (Ornithion brunneicapillus)

We heard several of these in the forest canopy but had a nice view of one right at the Camp that came down to get a better look at us.

YELLOW TYRANNULET (Capsiempis flaveola)

We saw one along the roadside near the Rio Torti before we headed in for lunch.

YELLOW-CROWNED TYRANNULET (Tyrannulus elatus) [*]

FOREST ELAENIA (Myiopagis gaimardii)

We saw a few and heard many more around during our wanderings.

YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA (Elaenia flavogaster)

This is a fairly common second growth species.

SOOTY-HEADED TYRANNULET (Phyllomyias griseiceps)

Another eastern Panama specialty, we had pretty good views during our morning birding at the Camp.

TROPICAL PEWEE (Contopus cinereus) [*]

ACADIAN FLYCATCHER (Empidonax virescens)

We saw a couple of these wintering birds and heard several more in the forest.

WILLOW FLYCATCHER (Empidonax traillii)

We had nice views of a wintering individual that was singing at the Yaviza Marsh.

PIED WATER-TYRANT (Fluvicola pica)

One was seen by some from a dugout along the Rio Turquesa.

LONG-TAILED TYRANT (Colonia colonus)

A quite nice looking flycatcher; we saw a couple of pairs a couple of times.

BRIGHT-RUMPED ATTILA (Attila spadiceus)

We enjoyed good views of this large flycatcher right in the Camp clearing on our first morning.

RUFOUS MOURNER (Rhytipterna holerythra)

We had good views of one along the trail on the way to the Harpy Eagle nest.

DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tuberculifer)

GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus crinitus)

I was surprised how often we heard and saw this well-known US breeder. They seemed to have had a good year up north.

LESSER KISKADEE (Pitangus lictor)

Always found near water; we saw a few along the river edges on the way to Nuevo Vieja.

GREAT KISKADEE (Pitangus sulphuratus)

Several seen.

BOAT-BILLED FLYCATCHER (Megarynchus pitangua)

Our first were along the Rio Torti.

RUSTY-MARGINED FLYCATCHER (Myiozetetes cayanensis)

This species was quite common throughout.

SOCIAL FLYCATCHER (Myiozetetes similis)

Generally Social and Rusty-margined flycatchers don't overlap in range much, but they do in several areas of Panama. However, we only recorded this bird once, on our first morning.

GRAY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (Myiozetetes granadensis)

We had good views of a rather local species in Panama.

STREAKED FLYCATCHER (Myiodynastes maculatus)

PIRATIC FLYCATCHER (Legatus leucophaius)

This species, an Austral migrant, had just returned from the south. They were a frequent voice around the Camp.

TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus)

FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus savana)

We estimated at least 35 individuals at Yaviza Marsh.

Vireonidae (Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis)

SCRUB GREENLET (Hylophilus flavipes)

Nice looks on our first morning at Lake Bayano.

LESSER GREENLET (Pachysylvia decurtata)

We saw a couple with mixed-flocks in the forest.

GOLDEN-FRONTED GREENLET (Pachysylvia aurantiifrons)

We saw one at the edge of Lake Bayano on our first morning.

Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)

BLACK-CHESTED JAY (Cyanocorax affinis)

This handsome jay showed well along the Pan-American Highway near Yaviza.

Hirundinidae (Swallows)

SOUTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis)

We saw a fair number during the week.

GRAY-BREASTED MARTIN (Progne chalybea)

This was the most encountered swallow we saw in Darien.

MANGROVE SWALLOW (Tachycineta albilinea)

A handful were seen flying about the rivers while we were boating.

Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)

LONG-BILLED GNATWREN (Ramphocaenus melanurus)

We had views of this odd-looking bird while waiting for our boat at La Reversa.

WHITE-BROWED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila bilineata)

A few were seen here and there. This is a recent split from Tropical Gnatcatcher.

Troglodytidae (Wrens)

HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon)

These were at our first stop at Lake Bayano and were also seen and heard around the Camp.

WHITE-HEADED WREN (Campylorhynchus albobrunneus harterti)

This large wren showed well near the little church along the Pan-American Highway then we saw them at the Camp and then again foraging amongst the branches of the Crested Eagle nest.

BLACK-BELLIED WREN (Pheugopedius fasciatoventris)

It took some looking but we finally saw this skulker along the El Salto Road.

ISTHMIAN WREN (Cantorchilus elutus)

One showed well for us at Lake Bayano. This species was formerly known and split from the Plain Wren.

BAY WREN (CENTRAL AMERICAN) (Cantorchilus nigricapillus schottii)

At San Francisco Reserve we had nice views of one that got up higher into a thicket. The form we saw with the barred underparts is only found in Panama in Darien province.

BUFF-BREASTED WREN (Cantorchilus leucotis)

Another wren that we saw at Lake Bayano on our first morning. We heard a lot more of them singing throughout the week in the cut-over areas.

WHITE-BREASTED WOOD-WREN (Henicorhina leucosticta)

We had one show a little on the side track off of the El Salto Road but it ended up receding into the forest.

Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)

TROPICAL MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus gilvus) [I]

We saw our only one in Yaviza. This species has been introduced to Panama and is common in the Canal area but it occurs naturally in Colombia making me wonder if those seen in eastern Panama (Darien) are natural immigrants and not introduced.

Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)

CLAY-COLORED THRUSH (Turdus grayi)

There were only a few seen.

Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)

HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I]

Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)

YELLOW-CROWNED EUPHONIA (Euphonia luteicapilla)

We ended up with good views, mostly of females along the El Salto Road.

THICK-BILLED EUPHONIA (Euphonia laniirostris)

LESSER GOLDFINCH (Spinus psaltria)

We saw a couple along the road edges at Quebrada Felix.

Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)

RED-BREASTED MEADOWLARK (Leistes militaris)

A few, about eight, were seen in the rice field at the end of the Quebrada Felix Road.

CRESTED OROPENDOLA (Psarocolius decumanus)

We saw several and watched a few in display here and there.

CHESTNUT-HEADED OROPENDOLA (Psarocolius wagleri)

A quite common species here, they were tending to their hanging nests right in the Camp.

BLACK OROPENDOLA (Psarocolius guatimozinus)

We gave this species a good search along the Pan-American Highway near Yaviza without luck before we finally tracked down a couple of calling birds near Nuevo Vieja. This is one of the Darien specialties with a quite limited range. We had good views through the scope near the lagoon.

YELLOW-RUMPED CACIQUE (Cacicus cela)

ORCHARD ORIOLE (Icterus spurius)

YELLOW-BACKED ORIOLE (Icterus chrysater)

We only had one individual.

ORANGE-CROWNED ORIOLE (Icterus auricapillus) [*]

YELLOW-TAILED ORIOLE (Icterus mesomelas)

One was heard then seen along the El Salto Road.

BALTIMORE ORIOLE (Icterus galbula)

Jeff saw a lot of these in the trees at the Riande Hotel.

SHINY COWBIRD (Molothrus bonariensis)

We saw a few flocks in the open country.

GIANT COWBIRD (Molothrus oryzivorus)

We saw a handful in the Yaviza area.

GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)

CARIB GRACKLE (Quiscalus lugubris)

This species has only recently invaded Panama from Colombia and has spread across the Canal Zone. We never got a great view but we saw a few flying here and there.

Parulidae (New World Warblers)

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis)

One was around the Camp and we heard and saw a few along the rivers we traversed.

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (Protonotaria citrea)

One popped up along the Rio Torti on our first day of birding.

TENNESSEE WARBLER (Leiothlypis peregrina)

This was also seen near the Rio Torti.

MOURNING WARBLER (Geothlypis philadelphia)

One popped up briefly along the roadside while we birded along the Quebrada Felix road.

AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla)

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER (Setophaga castanea)

This was the most common wintering warbler we encountered in the forest.

YELLOW WARBLER (Setophaga petechia)

We saw several of these wintering birds during the course of the week.

BUFF-RUMPED WARBLER (Myiothlypis fulvicauda)

On our final day of birding, we heard then saw this denizen of tropical streams hopping about the rocks in the creek at San Francisco Reserve.

Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)

SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra)

We saw several with a couple coming to the fruit feeders at the Camp.

INDIGO BUNTING (Passerina cyanea)

John got a photo that he sent me after our trip of one that he saw in the Yaviza Wetlands area.

Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)

GRAY-HEADED TANAGER (Eucometis penicillata)

After our first with the mixed-flock near the Harpy Eagle site, we had better views along the El Salto Road.

WHITE-SHOULDERED TANAGER (Loriotus luctuosus)

The forest flocks usually had a pair of these.

FLAME-RUMPED TANAGER (Ramphocelus flammigerus)

Jeff saw one in the second growth habitat as we were walking back to Nuevo Vieja.

CRIMSON-BACKED TANAGER (Ramphocelus dimidiatus)

This species is found at edge habitats in a lot of Panama and that's where we saw them.

BLUE-GRAY TANAGER (Thraupis episcopus)

A familiar tropical species.

PALM TANAGER (Thraupis palmarum)

Always seen close to Blue-gray Tanagers.

GOLDEN-HOODED TANAGER (Stilpnia larvata)

A fancy look tanager; we had a few good views with a couple right in the Camp.

PLAIN-COLORED TANAGER (Tangara inornata)

We saw several of these small tanagers with our first at Lake Bayano showing the blue patch in the wing that is often hidden.

BLUE DACNIS (Dacnis cayana)

We saw our first at La Reversa while we were waiting for the tide to rise so we could board our boat.

RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER (Cyanerpes cyaneus)

We had a scope view at La Reversa.

WHITE-EARED CONEBILL (Conirostrum leucogenys)

After our first in the Camp, we had great looks at a few individuals from the bridge over the Rio Mono on our final day of birding. This is another species that is mostly limited in range to Darien province.

BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT (Volatinia jacarina)

These were most obvious in the open pastures at the Yaviza Wetlands where we saw them in their display, jumping about a foot into the air from a perch while giving the buzzy call.

RUDDY-BREASTED SEEDEATER (Sporophila minuta)

Lisa spotted a bright male near the following species along the road at Quebrada Felix.

THICK-BILLED SEED-FINCH (Sporophila funerea)

One sat up for a nice view along the roadside at Quebrada Felix.

VARIABLE SEEDEATER (Sporophila corvina)

There were daily sightings of this widespread seedeater.

BANANAQUIT (Coereba flaveola)

BUFF-THROATED SALTATOR (Saltator maximus)

We saw one the first morning at Lake Bayano.

OLIVE-GRAY SALTATOR (Saltator olivascens)

This species, formerly known as Grayish Saltator, is a recent arrival from Colombia and is seen in a few places in Darien. We had scope views of one on top of the thicket while we birded the Yaviza Wetlands. The old Gray Saltator was previously known from western Panama but that species is now called Cinnamon-belled Saltator.

RED-NAPED TAMARIN (Saguinus geoffroyi)

These entertaining and rather colorful primates were frequent visitors to the feeders at the Camp.

MANTLED HOWLER MONKEY (Alouatta palliata)

We saw several during our week, with our first in the tall tree at Lake Bayano. We certainly heard them daily.

WHITE-THROATED CAPUCHIN (Cebus capucinus)

A fair number were seen around the Camp.

HOFFMANN'S TWO-TOED SLOTH (Choloepus hoffmanni)

We saw about three during the week. This is the larger of the two sloth species occuring here.

BROWN-THROATED THREE-TOED SLOTH (Bradypus variegatus)

Eliecer is remarkable at spotting sloths in trees. On our hike in to see the Crested Eagle he spotted one then... there were four curled up in one tree. We had a few others here and there.

RED-TAILED SQUIRREL (Sciurus granatensis)

A few were seen near Camp and we had a few more in the forest.

WHITE-NOSED COATI (Nasua narica)

A few were hanging around Camp and hitting the feeders.

TAYRA (Eira barbara)

I think one was seen by one of the vehicles along the El Salto Road but I didn't get the details.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Additional creatures of interest:

Green-and-black Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) -- This was the gorgeous small frog we saw on the forest floor on the way to the Harpy Eagle nest.

Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) -- We saw a few along the rivers we traversed.

American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) -- John and I saw one at the lagoon near Nuevo Vieja.

Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) -- A few here and there in trees.

Panamanian Red-rumped Tarantula (Sericopelma rubronitens) -- This appears to be the very large tarantula we saw long the trail to the Harpy Eagle nest.

Totals for the tour: 267 bird taxa and 8 mammal taxa

Panama: The Canal Zone and Darien Trip Report March 2023

Day 1: group introductions.

Settled in at the Hotel Riande Aeropuerto, the group convened over supper at the hotel restaurant, and discussed the outline for the first full-day of Panama birding. Many of us glad to be away from the chilly northern climes, and the Ontario contingent in particular relieved to have made it out of Toronto despite the previous night’s winter storm.

Day 2: Hummingbirds galore in the Chagre National Park

A relatively relaxed start: our driver, Misael, drove us for 45 minutes (Panama time!) up to the highlands overlooking the city, into the Chagres National Park, the first port of call being the administration office to purchase passes. Scanning from here, we were treated to our first views of migrating Swallow-tailed Kites .

We had arranged a rendezvous with Linda and Jerry, an American couple who have maintained a busy bank of feeders at the forest edge for more than a decade. We stopped here for an hour, marvelling at the constant parade of hummingbirds: mainly White-necked Jacobins , and Snowy-bellied Hummingbirds , but with small numbers of White-vented and Bronze-tailed Plumeleteers , Blue-chested Hummingbirds , and even a Green Hermit .

Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer © Paul Prior

The hummers were joined at the feast by an equally dazzling array of Honeycreepers ( Green , Shining and Red-legged ), while the fruit trays brought in Hepatic and Crimson-backed Tanagers , and Fulvous-vented Euphonias . Beyond the feeders in the understory, we managed to get great looks at a Chestnut-capped Warbler , and meanwhile, our first Three-toed Sloth lounged in the canopy.

Three-toed Sloth © Paul Prior

Casa de los Colibris © Paul Prior

Jerry then offered to take us to a known location for Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker , and, although only a couple of the group managed to glimpse the rarity, the detour was worthwhile for the host of other birds on the show plus the first of several active nests we’d encounter over the next 10 days. This one was being visited by a Mistletoe Tyrannulet as he carried food to the incubating female. Squirrel Cuckoo , Broad-billed Motmot , Black-striped Woodcreeper , Yellow-green Vireos , and a selection of lingering Neotropical migrants (including a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ), rounded out the morning before we returned to Casa de los Colibris for our first picnic lunch. Before leaving the highlands and returning to the Riande, we stopped in at a nearby creek where Common Basilisks basked on the rocks and Black Phoebe and Green Kingfisher foraged. Another stop got us brief looks at a Yellow-green Tyrannulet and an assortment of tanagers and honeycreepers.

Day 3: Transfer to Darien via the central highlands

Anticipating the long drive east to Torti, we opted for the boxed breakfast, and left the Riande at dawn. Stopping briefly for coffees – and several migrating Fork-tailed Flycatchers – we made it to our first proper birding stop near Chepo and walked the quiet road off the main highway, scanning farmland and riparian forest for various goodies. Spot-breasted Woodpecker was a pleasant surprise, and the relatively sparse cover allowed good looks at Panama Flycatcher , Barred Antshrike , Lance-tailed Manakin , Common Tody-flycatcher , Buff-breasted Wren , and lots of Yellow-crowned Tyrannulets .

After a short drive, we turned left off the Pan-American Highway and onto the El Llano-Carti Road. At times it seemed the bus might not make it up the steep hills as we drove into the highlands. Unfortunately, our visit coincided with one of the only two rainy hours of the entire trip. The rain was not heavy but certainly seemed to dampen the bird-activity considerably, affording views of just a handful of common species: White-browed Gnatcatcher , Buff-throated Saltator , Golden-hooded Tanager , Blue Dacnis , Louisiana Waterthrush and the usual mix of honeycreepers. But even when weather is not conducive to birding there’s always other beauty to marvel at in the tropics – a roadside Sobralia powellii brought us all to a halt.

Roadside orchid © Paul Prior

We broke for a picnic lunch in the shelter of an obliging, roadside eatery, closed for the day. The sun emerged and coaxed a few raptors – Plumbeous Kite and Broad-winged Hawk – into the skies. We then continued along the Pan-American Highway and after an hour or so, approaching Ipeti, we stopped along a conveniently intact stretch of blacktop where passing vehicles would not envelop us repeatedly in dust clouds. Here we found our first troupe of Mantled Howler Monkeys in the company of a mother and young Three-toed Sloth .

Mantled Howler © Paul Prior

Whatever had drawn the mammals here seemed to have attracted good numbers of birds, because the forest on either side of the road was alive: Black-headed Tody-flycatcher , Slaty-tailed and Gartered Trogons , Plain-brown and Cocoa Woodcreepers , gorgeous Golden-collared Manakins , Great Crested Flycatcher , Tropical Parula , White-shouldered Tanagers and many others.

Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher © Paul Prior

Another hour or so’s drive and we reached Torti and our home for the next three nights, Portal Avicar.

Day4: The San Francisco Forest Reserve

After breakfast we headed out to the San Francisco Forest Reserve stopping en route to check a roadside farm-pond for Black-bellied Whistling-ducks . The surrounding fields held several Red-breasted Meadowlark territories and the resident males were easily drawn in by a broadcast of their song. Misael then drew our attention to the hedgerow trees on the other side of the highway where good numbers of passerines were feeding in the canopy; a mixture of migrants ( Orchard Orioles , Eastern Wood-pewee , Fork-tailed Flycatchers ) and residents ( Yellow-bellied Elaenias , Streaked Flycatcher , Thick-billed Euphonias , and a lone Scaly-breasted Hummingbird ).

Watching Red-breasted Meadowlarks © Paul Prior

Waylaid for long enough, we continued to the reserve for wear long walk along the main forest-tracks where we met some excellent species. First, we stopped at a small reservoir where a band of Greater Anis responded well to Alex‘s broadcast, and a Green Heron stalked along the far bank. The nearby trees hosted a pair of Uni-colored Becards , an Olivaceous Piculet and Long-tailed Tyrant , and we were briefly distracted by a small troupe of Geoffroy’s Tamarins before we headed along the road into the forest proper past a Blue-chested Hummingbird , Tropical Pewee and Acadian Flycatcher , Wedge-billed Woodcreeper and Grey-headed Tanager , Yellow-green Tyrannulet and Stripe-tailed Hummingbird .

As the heat of the day hit hard, half the group opted to retreat to the cool of the bus, while the remainder continued along the side-trail across the creek where a Royal Flycatcher was adding to her nest. Uphill we encountered a feeding flock with Rusty-winged Antwrens , Scrub Greenlets , and White-shouldered Tanagers . A raucous racket from the nearby ravine heralded the arrival of a pair of Red-throated Caracaras ; a very excited Alex managed to find the handsome birds through the muddle of canopy leaf cover and set the scope up for excellent looks.

Rainforest Rocket Frog © Paul Prior

Before we turned back we were taunted by an unseen Buff-fronted Warbler singing from the creek. On the creek bank though there was one of very few frogs encountered on the trip, a Rainforest Rocket Frog ( Silverstoneia flotator ). We paused to pull in a Bright-rumped Attila but the Southern Bentbill remained out of sight. Finally, we were treated to incredible looks at a stunning adult White Hawk perched over the creek. As we drove back to the Reserve offices a shout for the bus to stop was heeded and sure enough a handsome Crimson-crested Woodpecker was foraging low on the trunks of roadside trees.

White Hawk © Paul Prior

Before heading home for lunch we made a brief stop at the Cattle Egret colony on the lagoon behind the Reserve’s barn. Here, one lucky member of the group encountered the only snake of the trip which was subsequently identified as a Puffer Snake ( Phrynonax poecilonotus ), the rest of us had to make do with the Spectacled Caiman loitering with intent below the nesting egrets.

After lunch and a well-earned siesta, the group met to head out to the nearby Rio Torti but we were briefly distracted by a very cooperative Striped Cuckoo in the hotel grounds. At the river, we hiked a short distance until dusk turned us back, but not before we found Pale-bellied Hermit , Whooping Motmot and more Golden-collared Manakins . Hiking back to the bus, we encountered Boat-billed Flycatcher and Amazon Kingfisher while the lollygags at the rear managed to hear Tody Motmot calling from the forest depths.

After supper, most of the group still had enough energy to attempt some owling and so we headed back to the San Francisco Forest Reserve and parked at the barn adjacent to the wetland that we had visited earlier. A young Barn Owl hissed unseen from its nest in the barn as we walked past to the lagoon; Common Pauraques called from the fields around us; but we could elicit no response from any owls. So, we headed back to the reservoir where we’d encountered the Greater Anis earlier in the day. As we disembarked from the bus, Alex‘s spotlight caught a party of Capybaras scurrying up the far bank. A Spectacled Owl was calling from the far forest but sadly refused to come any closer and so we decided to walk further along the road, where again Common Pauraques called affording excellent looks. At the forest edge there was a pair of Kinkajous foraging in the canopy and then in the distance we could hear a Great Potoo , but again unresponsive to Alex’s broadcast.

Common Pauraque © Paul Prior

Day 5: The Darien – El Salto Road.

An early departure from Portal Avicar (provided with an excellent packed breakfast) saw us arriving at the prime birding spot of El Salto Road before the heat began to build. Here we spent an extremely productive morning, walking the wide sandy road with Misael following along in his bus to provide the occasional water-break and welcome respite from the baking sun.

Highlights of the walk would be the trio of Blue Cotingas that we encountered: a female at her nest in a tall, leafless, roadside tree; a stunning male feeding nearby; and a rather distant immature male.

Blue Cotinga, male © Paul Prior

Blue Cotinga female © Paul Prior

The Grey-cheeked Nunlet was perhaps the rarest bird found on the hike, but my personal favourite was the tiny, cute gecko – Lepidoblepharis sanctaemartae – that a couple of the participants found at the side of the road. Continuing drought conditions throughout much of Panama (though not along the Llano-Carti road apparently!) meant that herps and butterflies had been really difficult to find.

At the start of the hike we encountered Black-chested Jays calling from the treetops, and as we walked the trail, Black Oropendolas flew over back and forth, presumably visiting a nearby colony. Alex broadcast repeatedly for unresponsive Jacamars, but several feeding flocks provided ample birding opportunities. Residents such as Spotted Barbtail , Cinnamon Woodpecker , Grey-headed and White-shouldered Tanagers , Yellow-backed Oriole , Black-bellied Wren , Ochre-lored Flycatchers , Forest Elaenias , and Brown-capped Tyrannulets were joined by northbound migrants, such as Prothonotary , Blue-winged , Bay-breasted , and Tennessee Warblers , Yellow-throated Vireo and Acadian Flycatcher .

Other goodies included Choco Manakin , Choco Sirystes , and Purple-throated Fruitcrows . All the while we scanned the skies and found Wood Storks , King Vultures and a White-and-Black Hawk-Eagle .

By late morning, the relentless sun had got the better of us and so we embarked on the search for washrooms – which proved even more elusive than the Great Jacamar! At the very end of the road in the town of Yaviza, we persuaded a restaurant to at least allow the female contingent the opportunity to use their washrooms.

A quick stop for photos at the end of the Pan-American Highway and then we backtracked to a likely looking roadside picnic spot. Conveniently, this was located right next to a tiny wetland, where while, Alex and Misael prepped the food, the rest of us were treated to views of Pied Water-Tyrants , Purple Gallinules and Wattled Jacanas (the calling White-throated Crake typically refused to show)

Day 6: Return to the Canal Zone

Pre-breakfast the group headed back to the Rio Torti just south of town and even in this somewhat brief visit we were able to find goodies hanging out at the riverside: Amazon and Green Kingfishers , of course, but also another Royal Flycatcher , a couple of Black-tailed Trogons , a pair of Masked Tityras , Southern Bentbill , and even a very obliging Chestnut-backed Antbird . But the best was the spectacle of 140 Swallow-tailed Kites , presumably having recently left roost at dawn, heading northwest.

Rio Torti walk © Paul Prior

And then for the two-hour drive back west and north to Gamboa. Despite a stop to support the local craft industry we arrived in good time, via an of unexpectedly satisfying parrilla-style meal at the mall that Misael suggested so as to avoid getting stuck in downtown Panama City. The mall was extremely quiet but sadly one of the few visitors was a very distressed Prothonotary Warbler, which, though we rescued from between the grills at Burger King, will surely not survive, despite being released in neighbouring shrubland, because the poor thing had snapped its lower mandible in its collision with the mall windows.

stop at craft shop © Paul Prior

At the Gamboa Rainforest Lodge we all retired to our rooms for the early afternoon, but then reconvened in the lobby for a pleasant stroll by some nearby lagoons. Here we were treated to wonderful looks at an extremely tame American Pygmy-Kingfisher , and rather more obscure looks at a Boat-billed Heron on her nest.

American Pygmy-Kingfisher © Paul Prior

In the non-avian department the lagoon held Common Basilisk ( Basiliscus basiliscus ), Yellow-headed Gecko ( Gonatodes albogularis ), Spectacled Caiman and Mesoamerican Sliders ( Trachemys venusta ).

Common Basilisk © Paul Prior

Day 7: Pipeline Road.

The entire morning was spent strolling along the famous Pipeline Road. High expectations were somewhat tempered by the ongoing drought but right from the very start it appeared that some of the larger species hadn’t been informed of these conditions. Within minutes we got great looks at Black-breasted , White-necked and Pied Puffbirds , and then the astonishing Alex pulled out a fourth species: White-whiskered !

We encountered several small feeding flocks and each one elicited a rush of excited pointing and directing as people sorted through the foliage-obscured species: Fasciated Antshrike , Checker-throated Stipplethroat , Dot-winged Antwren , Plain Xenops , Black-bellied Wren , Green Shrike-vireo and Yellow-rumped Caciques .

In the afternoon a smaller group of diehards headed back out into the heat, first to walk a short forest- trail where just about the only bird on the show (quality not quantity) was a leking Velvety Manakin . He seemed pretty excited so perhaps there was a female hidden nearby as well.

Near the lone manakin lek © Paul Prior

From here we headed to the Ammo Dump Pond by the canal, where we found a surprising variety of more-easily observed birds: Solitary and Least Sandpipers , Willet , Black-bellied Whistling-ducks , a pair of Muscovy Ducks , Green and Striated Herons , a Yellow-tailed Oriole , and a flock of 43 Yellow-bellied Seedeaters .

After supper Alex persuaded some of us to go try again for owls, and again we had to be satisfied with just audio – although the nearby Black-and-white Owl certainly put on quite a performance!

Day 8: The Discovery Trail and Canopy Tower.

View of river from hotel lobby © Paul Prior

The pre-breakfast stroll produced the now familiar mob of Grey-headed Chachalacas and great looks at poorly named but stunning Flame-rumped Tanager . We headed back to the forest after breakfast with the main target being the canopy tower at the end of the discovery trail. En route we passed occasional mixed flocks of honeycreepers and tanagers, White-necked and Black-breasted Puffbirds , Cocoa and Black-striped Woodcreepers , a couple of Red-capped Manakins , and a very obliging group of Purple-throated Fruitcrows . One of the mixed flocks contained a particularly pleasant surprise in the form of a Moustached Antwren , and on the approach to the tower we stopped to check the several leks of Long-billed Hermits affording excellent views as they squeaked out their uncomplicated song.

Canopy tower © Paul Prior

Jacaranda © Paul Prior

The ascent off the tower was something to be done slowly, but once at the top the view was splendid with several Jacaranda copaia trees in full bloom. We were joined by not just one but two pairs of Double-toothed Kites who repeatedly flew past the tower, seemingly disputing a territorial boundary. Distant Blue Cotingas teased us, but closer by we got good looks at White-browed Gnatcatchers and Piratic Flycatcher , and then on the way back down we met the cutest Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher foraging, complete with nervous little wing-snaps, close to the spiral staircase.

From here, we strolled onto the nearby Discovery Centre to take in the parade of White-necked Jacobins and Crowned Woodnymphs at the feeders, and to ogle the nearby Broad-billed Motmot .

Broad-billed Motmot © Paul Prior

Most people made the most of the early pm siesta time-slot the intention being to meet in the lobby at about 4pm ready for the planned boat-trip. Of course, now was the time for the drought to finally take a break and the heavens opened with a healthy downpour! For a while we discussed alternative plans but in the end Misael’s friends at the marina indicated that in fact the rain was easing off and that the boat-trip would be “muy tranquilo”. And so we found ourselves donning life-vests and sitting in the covered panga which then sped off into the main channel of the Panama Canal, passing a huge container ship on our way to a quieter backwater on the west side of the channel. It really was quite a beautiful evening after all, and we chugged slowly along close to the mangrove covered banks.

Canal mangrove scene © Paul Prior

From the vantage point of the boat, we were able to approach Snail Kites for great looks, the post-rain lighting was quite dazzling. A Limpkin probed along the muddy shoreline and a Grey-headed Kite was coaxed into presenting finally excellent views. Flocks of Red-lored Parrots collected pre-roost, and we passed close by a deserted oropendola colony with just a couple of Chestnut-headed Oropendolas hanging out with a Giant Cowbird .

We got an all too brief look at another Geoffroy’s Tamarin and then a nesting pair of Fulvous-vented Euphonia . Our captain turned the boat homewards and we left the quiet backwater for the main canal and headed back to meet Misael at the dock.

Day 9: After the rain.

The afternoon and overnight rain had left a pall of humidity steaming over the hotel grounds and the surrounding forest presenting challenging conditions for photographers in the group. But we headed out again for our now customary pre-breakfast stroll. This time we took a slightly different route and found ourselves checking the forest and trail to the west of the main hotel complex, and it was here that we heard the first Black-faced Antthrush of the tour. There is no doubt that this bird’s new-found voice and then the subsequent bird activity along the lower trail was a direct result of the recent rain. The antthrush showed himself very briefly for only a couple of people in the group, but around the next corner, a Chestnut-backed Antbird and a Black-bellied Wren foraged openly in a pile of forest debris. Fantastic views of both birds.

We ducked into the now damp trail, taking care not to tread on the new emergence of dozens of tiny Forest Toads (Rhinella alata) – up till now we had seen just one frog on the entire trip! The trail was very productive: Red-capped Manakin ; Black-tailed Flycatcher ; nest-building Red-rumped Caciques ; a very obliging Scale-throated Leaftosser , tossing leaves on the trail just a head of us; a Rufous-and-white Wren entertaining us with his lovely mellow song. it was difficult to tear ourselves away from all the action and head back for breakfast.

By 9 o’clock Misael had us all aboard and on the road for Panama City. But we had one more birding destination to visit – the Metropolitano Park near downtown Panama City! It was Sunday and so the park was busy with locals both humans and avian. Lance-tailed Manakins called at trailside and foraging flocks presented us with both Red-throated and Red-crowned Ant-tanagers .

A pair of Rufous-breasted Wrens responded nicely to a broadcast of their song, but unfortunately, we were just minutes too late to see the Rosy Thrush-tanager which another birder had just watched leave the trail-side. We could hear it still singing in the distance, but it preferred to stick to its own routine. Flycatchers were busy along much of a walk; a pair of Yellow-olive Flycatchers were building a nest right next to the trail hanging over the turtle pond where several Mesoamerican Sliders basked.

View from Met Park © Paul Prior

Lunch was a rather untidy affair – Misael’s preferred choice was closed off due to a Sunday running event, and our mall food court alternative was more chaotic than our previous success, again due to Sunday family events. We left the mall in time for a quick visit to the famous Miraflores Museum, where the history of the Panama Canal was presented.

A few people who gave this a miss walked to the nearby bridge to scan the low tide flats for Yellow-crowned Night-heron , Tri-colored and Little Blue Herons , White Ibis , and an assortment of shorebirds: Willet , Whimbrel and Black-bellied Plover . Finally, Misael took the long route back to the Riande Aeropuerto through the traffic-clogged streets of the old city for views of various historic colonial buildings and then along the shoreline highway for passing glimpses of hundreds of shorebirds, Magnificent Frigatebirds, Laughing Gulls and Brown Pelicans .

Day 10:  Homeward bound …

Today was the day for most of the group to fly back home although several people had chosen to remain in the city for a couple more days of sunshine and historic sightseeing. Some down-time allowed a few of us with afternoon flights to continue some more relaxed birding in the hotel grounds where Thick-billed Euphonias , Variable Seedeaters , Clay-coloured Thrushes and Tropical Kingbirds busied themselves with nest-building. But thoughts were certainly turned more to winter birds and our return to slightly more chilly climates.

Thick-billed Euphonia female © Paul Prior

Over the course of the past 10 days, the group had amassed an impressive tally of over 300 species of birds. Alex Alvarado – an 11th hour, stand-in for our regular guide – had proved to be very much up to the task and beyond. His ability to pull birds out of nowhere and then set up his scope and capture smart phone photographs for every member of the team was frankly astonishing. I for one definitely look forward to travelling with Alex again in the future.

The same can be said for this wonderful group of birders, people from all over North America, from all walks of life; the dynamics of this dozen was in the end a huge part of what made this trip such a success. But timing also is always an important factor – being in the right place at the right time. On a couple of occasions this had played against us (missing the Rosy Thrush-tanager by a mere minute at Metropolitano and arriving on the Llano-Carti road in the worst weather of the entire 10 days), but most of the time we had definitely lucked in pretty well!

Watching the Blue Cotinga at her nest was a real highlight for me, but each participant will have their own star bird. The photographers in the group were blessed with the best of weather conditions; the hardcore birders managed some great additions to their life lists; and the more pedestrian among us were simply able to enjoy great company in some wonderful landscapes. I know I speak for Alex when I say that we really look forward to travelling with each and all of the group again in the near future.

Safe travels!

Panama: Canal Zone & the Darien

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3 weeks with a car through Panama: trip report! - Panama Forum

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3 weeks with a car through Panama: trip report!

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First of all we rented our own car . We did so with a local company Coronado Cars , which was just excellent! No hidden fees, scams or hassling with insurance. Everything in the price you book online is all in and the service was really excellent! The owner responded to all my mails within a few hours in perfect English and we could reach him on Whatsapp too. Very personal service. After reading all the horrible stories about car rental in Panama, I cannot recommend them enough.

They delivered the car to our hotel which was so convenient.

The next day we drove through the city to Soberania and the Miraflores locks. Driving in Panama City is kind of hectic and navigation does not always tell you the right way to go (since often it says "go straight" for example but then there are 4 lanes going straight: 2 going up, one going down on the left, one going down on the right... go figure :-D ). Anyway: in the end you end up turning a few times more, but you'll always get there.

We then drove to Casco Viejo where you can park you car on a large parking lot on the water. We could also have taken an Uber of course but since we were coming from Soberania anyways we just went ourselves. I think if you are from Europe, driving in Panama City is not that crazy. I did not feel it was a lot different from driving in Paris (well maybe except or the lack of direction signs and sometimes complicated highway spaghetti's haha). I would not recommend driving around the city 3 days just for fun (Uber is just too convenient) , but I did not think it was impossible to just take our car somewhere either. Just expect to take few wrong turns :-D

The day after we went to El Valle. Perfect stay in Casa Mariposa where they have slots in the garden. It is such a relaxing place with hammocks and a little stream through the tropical garden. We spend 1,5 days in El Valle and did the hike to La India Dormida.

After El Valle we drove to Santa Catalina, but we then decided to take a little detour to La Pintada for the cigar factory. Unfortunately at the little town square a car came from the left and hit our car . So we had to wait for insurance officers to come (apparently in Panama an officer form both parties has to come). The police was also called but did not show up at all (3+ hours waiting). In the meantime though Coronado Cars had responded excellently and had brought a replacement car before the police ever showed up. Great service! So after all the hassle we continued our journey.

In Santa Catalina we stayed at the lovely Villa Coco, which was such a relaxing experience with the beautiful villa's and infinity pool.

We went diving at Coiba with Panama Dive Center. I had been a bit worried because I had read about currents and we only have done like 15 dives before. But the staff there was so friendly and pleasant, and reassured us that they were very careful and that divers like us would be fine.

So we went and we had a fantastic day!

Felt some currents at some point but our dive instructor knew exactly where to go so not a bit of an issue here. I am so glad we went, it was amazing!

After 3 days in Santa Catalina we then drove to Boquete , where we resided in The Hacienda B&B up on a mountainside just a 6 minute drive from town. It was again a very tranquil place (I tend to look for these when I book online ;) ) with an amazing garden and spectacular views on the Baru Volcano. The owners were 2 American retirees who were so friendly, it really felt we had our own house up in the hills there.

We did 2 hikes: the El Pianista and the Pipeline Trail . Both without guides which was perfectly fine. I can recommend the All Trails app though, since you can then see if you are still walking on the trail or not :-D We also went rafting for a day which was great fun.

From Boquete we had booked a special stop on the way to Almirante: the El Refugio Del Diablo B&B in the Hornito Valle. I had read so many raving reviews about this place and the food there that we just decided to spend a night there. No regrets, it seriously was amazing. Our room had amazing views over the Baru volcano and we were looking over the clouds. Olga is the cook and she seriously cooks Michelin star meals. Even breakfast looks like you are having dessert in a haute cuisine restaurant. It was really an experience, so if you are on the way to Almirante and need a stop (or don't need it like us but just plan it): this is where to go! It is right next to the road

Then we drove on to Almirante through the beautiful Hornito Valle. An amazing drive but the road is full of potholes so you have to take your time here. In Almirante we got a bit confused. I was expecting that we would automatically see the fenced parking lot everyone was talking about but we did not. When we drove into town a guy immediately showed up and started biking in front of our car waving that we had to come with him. So our first reaction of course was: okay let's NOT follow him. In the end though he turned out to be from the Leiza parking lot, which apparently (we heard from locals) is one of the best. We did find our car back in perfect condition 6 days later indeed so I guess it is a good spot to park your car :)

Bocas did not impress us very much the first few days. We stayed on Bastimentos in a b&b on the water but every night loud music I think from Bocas town was reaching us. Also the dirty streets of neaby Old Town and the fact that we could not really get out and about on the island was something we did not like. Bocas Town we thought was absolutely horrible in every way, but we don't like typical tourism stuff and it is full of that.

We had booked another stay at Bluff Beach but were almost considering not going. I am glad we did though since that was more of the island life we were looking for. We stayed at Oasis Bluff which was magnificent and a true little paradise. From there we made jungle walks to the top of the island where you can swim in little coves and we took the bus to Starfish Beach , which was stunning! I think I spotted at least 20 starfish, which I was not expecting so that was a nice surprise. Other than that the beach and walk to it is really beautiful.

After 6 days in Bocas we then went back to Almirante and drove back in 2 days to Panama City.

In retrospect we could have easily done it in 1 day, since we were already in Santiago by 2:30 pm and from there it is only 3,5 hours more. But we had decided in advance not to push it or take the risk (you never know what happens along the way, as we knew from previous experience) so we stayed in a hotel in Santiago and drove the last few hours the next morning.

In Panama City we stayed in the AC Marriott which was great. Very new and fresh hotel.

We had a lot of fun in Panama! I think having your own wheels is so much more convenient than traveling by bus (if you are willing to spend the money of course). We met so many other travellers who were complaining about their bus having broken down and ending up waiting for hours. Also: you get to go places you normally would not and you are independent which we love. Maybe that was also a reason why Bocas in the end was our least favorite destination of the whole trip: because we had to hassle boats, buses and taxi's for every little thing we wanted to do.

If anyone has any questions feel free to ask or shoot me a pm

Hope this can be of some help :)

Glad to hear your reviews, it sounds about what I am imagining. Sorry to hear about the accident, that is a bummer though! Hope everything was safe besides that though!

With Refugio do you mean the B&B I was talking about? That is just next to the "highway" to Almirante.

That road can be driven in a normal car but there are huge potholes everywhere so we thought the height of the SUV was a bit more comfortable there. But if you are talking about a town called Refugio, we have not been there.

Personally for us Bocas was the least location of our itinerary. But as I said: if you are able to stay in the Bluff Beach area you are in totally different world. There you get the wild beaches and the bounty beaches without music, noise and too much people. Or on Bastimentos I think the Red Frog Beach side is also a lot more quiet. But indeed: the fact that you have to arrange a boat or a bus for everything gets a bit tiring (and is expensive too, I was amazed at the amount of money we spend on water taxi's and buses).

At Oasis Bluff we actually never returned to Bocas Town except to switch buses to Starfish Beach. But other than that we stayed 3 full days in the remote area and enjoyed ourselves with beach and jungle walks.

If you want a similar experience to San Blas I think the Starfish Beach area (the walk from Boca del Drago to the beach is picture perfect paradise) is very beautiful and I heard the Zapatillos islands (where most snorkel tours go) are sort of similar. We did not go there but the photos looked beautiful.

We spend 4 nights in Santa Catalina, 4 nights in Boquete and 6 in Bocas.

I thought 4 nights in Boquete was enough but on the other hand we could easily have filled 2 more days with hikes and maybe a zipline tour. It just depends on how much activities you want to do.

When are you going? :)

If you ever get far enough back in the interior, and need 4WD to get someplace, you're better off paying a local. In towns like Cerro Punta and Santa Fé, some of the taxis are small 4WD pickups. Of course, if you need their services, expect to pay more for the ride versus a regular cab.

To the OP's comment about bus service: is it possible the comments about buses breaking down were multiple people commenting about the same broken down bus? I've taken public buses many times in Panamá, everything from the big double deckers on the overnight to David, to multiple Coasters, even minibuses driving to little towns like Barrigón. Heck, even municipal buses in Panamá City. Never been on a bus that broke down. I'm sure it happens, but I doubt it happens frequently

The party noise you heard on Bastimentos at night was most probably not from Bocas Town but from Careneros where most of the bars are located on the water. We like to stay on the north shore of Bocas Town ... close enough to walk to the restaurants and dive shop, but far enough to be away from the noise of the bars.

Don't know how frequent of course. I did not interview every traveler I met ;)

I did read quite a few stories like that on the LP travel forum as well when I started researching my trip.

One of the reasons we decided to rent our own car .

Nothing against buses...I am just writing down what I have seen and experienced.

If there was a person who missed their connection from Soná to Santa Catalina, benefit of the doubt, that is possible. But it could be a case of poor planning by the traveler. Looking at the bus schedule, there's only two buses per day leaving Soná for Santa Catalina. If this person did not allow for enough time to make the transfer at Soná, it's unfortunate they learned the hard way, the scheduled arrival/departure times are not set in stone. If it was me, I'd make sure I was at the correct departure location at least 30 minutes ahead of time, especially for the last bus of the day, and be prepared to wait if the bus leaves a bit late. Buses can sometimes be delayed, especially if drivers are making deliveries on the way, or they stop to get a snack, etc. This specific subject (Soná-Santa Catalina travel by bus) has been covered before on this forum.

As for posts on LP Panamá forum: I went there, typed in "bus" as the search term, and got 174 results. Went through all 174 results. There were zero mentions of buses breaking down. A few posts about bus travel being inconvenient, a few stories about the frigid overnight buses to David (which I can vouch for, I wore a long sleeved shirt + light jacket because I was prepared), but that's it.

All I am saying is that WE were glad we rented a car , for more than one reason. Amen

Can I ask how long the drive was from PC to Santa Catalina? Can you do it in one go (we have only got two weeks so don't want to stop off if I can help it). Was Villa Coco the best option do you think, and is there enough of interest if you snorkel only? Also was Coiba as lovely as it seems?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks!

No problem!

We drove from El Valle to Santa Catalina which was about 4 hours (make it 5 counting in stops and slower traffic).

On our way back we drove from Santiago de Veraguas to PC in 3,5 hours. From Santiago to Santa Catalina is about 2 hours

I feel Villa Coco was the best option in town yes. Although Vista Coiba is a little further down the same road (and a little cheaper) also looked pretty nice. But Villa Coco was really relaxing (we had room 6 and could see the ocean from our deck). I loved the infinity pool there which was so nicely designed and tranquil.

It is also just a short walk from town.

Visibility was not the greatest when we were at Coiba, but we were there during rainy season. I don't know when you will be going? I think if visibility is better in the dry season then snorkeling may be better as well. I really liked Coiba but you have to realise it is not a colourful underwater world. There are alsmost no corals, it is mainly the wildlife that makes it interesting. So we saw white tip reef sharks, turtles, huge barracuda's, morays and loads more. I don't know where they would take you for snorkeling since these fish were all pretty deep in the waters.

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