Panama Itinerary
We just returned from a short 3 day trip to Panama and fell in love with this colorful country!
We were wonderfully surprised by how much this compact Central American country has to offer.
With some of the world’s most bio diverse landscapes you can explore rain forests, relax on remote island paradises and have a skyscraper topped urban metropolis – all within a day’s drive.
Keep reading below for our 3 day Panama itinerary!
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Day 3: Day Trip to San Blas Islands
Day Trip to San Blas
We decided at the spur of the moment to visit Panama’s San Blas Islands.
From Panama City, it is a bit of a trek, but the islands are so pristine and beautiful that water lovers will definitely want to carve out a visit!
Definitely book transportation in advance, to guarantee that you’ll be able to visit.
We hired a local driver to take us, but it’s probably better to book a tour. The drive took about 2 hoursfrom Casco Viejo to reach the checkpoint area and you’ll need your passport.
The San Blas Islands are sort of a self-governed state by the indigenous Kuta Indians and we found out once we arrived that you need to hire a local Indian driver and guide or they won’t let you through.
They barely let us through after we paid a bribe, so I’d recommend booking a tour instead.
Overnight: American Trade Hotel
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Where to Eat in Panama
Panama has a great food scene! We mostly stuck to Casco Viejo as it was the neighborhood we loved most.
Here are some of our favorite Panama restaurants:
The Dining Room: Inside the American Trade Hotel, this airy, tiled restaurant is gorgeous and serves classic meat and seafood dishes. We loved how fresh everything was!
Ocho Y Medio: A beautiful brasserie hidden on a side street, this restaurant has a fabulous bar and garden courtyard. It’s a little pricey (think American prices) but everything we had, from the octopus petacones to the beef steak to the garden dessert was incredible. Don’t skip the cocktails!
Tantalo: Great lunch spot in Casco Viejo, with lots of happy hour specials and delicious sandwiches
Casacasco: A great happy hour or dinner spot in Casco Viejo. This energetic restaurant was recently restored, and is located right opposite the American Trade Hotel.
Each night from our balcony we saw how popular the rooftop restaurant was and decided we had to try it! Inside, each floor is swankily decorated. We chose to sit outside on the rooftop for a fun view of Plaza Herrera below!
Read more: Weird Fun Facts About Panama
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And that’s our quick Panama itinerary for 3 days!
With more time, we would have loved to explore the Panamanian rainforest Boquete and the Bocas del Toro archipelago.
We’ll have to save that for a future visit!
Visiting Panama – Travel Checklist
Flights | Copa Airlines, the national Panamanian airline, offers non-stop flights from select US cities. We hopped on a direct flight out of New York City’s JFK Airport and arrived 5 hours later. Check for flight deals and routes here.
Accommodation | After arriving in Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport, you can opt to stay in Panama City or head to the Old Town of Casco Viejo. Check here for last minute hotel deals.
We found Panama City to be quite safe and would highly recommend staying in Casco Viejo for its charm and history. It’s approximately a 20-30 min taxi ride from Panama City Airport. Be prepared for a slower exit out of Tocumen International, as they scan all bags with your person (like in Mexico).
Currency | Panama’s currency is pegged to the U.S. dollar and therefore all prices are 1:1. There’s no need to change money and in fact, little need to carry large sums of cash. We were happily surprised to discover that credit cards are widely accepted at restaurants, museums, etc and all our bills were charged directly in USD.
Insurance | Be sure not to visit Panama without travel insurance. Whether you get injured and need to be hospitalized, or your phone gets stolen (C managed to lose his for the second time in 2 weeks), travel insurance will help when you need it most. Get a quote for your trip here.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Panama Vacation Planning Articles
Travel Tips: The Ultimate Panama Travel Guide
Itinerary: How to Spend 3 Perfect Days in Panama
Activities & Where to Stay
20 Interesting Facts About Panama I Bet You Never Knew These!
Seeing the Panama Canal & Why It's Worth Visiting!
The American Trade Hotel: One of Our Favorite Boutique Hotels
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Panama City sounds like it has a lot of attractions. In particular, the Biodiversity Museum sounds fascinating. However, for me, the San Blas Islands look like they are worth far more than a day trip!
Hi. Your photos are awesome. Do you mind sharing how did you get this tone for your photos? Is it through photoshop/ some app?
Author
Hi Jay – thanks! I use lightroom to edit my photos. I don’t use really any presets, for the most part I make light basic adjustments!
I love your post on Panama City, Panama. The website is clean and pretty and easy to read. Love all the pictures, very pretty like in a magazine! We are spending 4 days in Panama City and this was a perfect itinerary.
Thank you!
Author
thx for reading!