Colon is a city that lies at the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal and is an important centre for trade and commerce in Latin America. For train lovers, it’s worth travelling here via the Panama Canal Railway, passing by the Panama Canal, Chagres River and spectacularly lush mountain ranges. Portobelo (meaning ‘beautiful port’) is a pretty port town a short distance from a number of great diving spots and full of lagoons, coral reefs, mangroves and unspoilt beaches and is an excellent spot for snorkelling, kayaking or just relaxing on the beach. It has a strong African art and cultural scene and while it is now a tranquil town, it used to be the most important trading hub in the Americas, particularly for gold and silver. San Blas is an archipelago of circa 380 islands (some home to just a few palm trees!) where the Kuna Yala indigenous community have made their home and produce their beautiful brightly coloured hand-stitched textiles called ‘Molas’. The accommodation is very basic and locally run, but the islands are beautiful with palm-dotted beaches and are far from the tourist hustle and bustle.
Bocas del Toro consists of an archipelago of three main islands: Isla Bastimientos, Isla Colon, Isla Carenero, and you can easily hop between islands with quick scheduled boat services. It has a fabulous Caribbean flavour, is backed by lush tropical rainforest and is also home to some of Panama’s indigenous communities.
The Chiriquí highlands offer a welcome breath of fresh air from the heat and humidity you’ll find in the rest of the country. The fertile volcanic soils produce numeros crops – notably cacao, tropical fruits and coffee.
Panama City is a city of contrasts – from the Miami style skyscrapers along the coast, to the beautiful colonial Casco Viejo (old town), and on to the Panama Viejo site, where the original city was built in the 1500s. It’s also backed by thick rainforest, which makes wildlife spotting activities very accessible.
The Azuero Peninsula is where you will find Panama’s folkloric culture – a combination of Spanish origins with native Panamanian influences. This is a particularly artistic part of the country where you will find beautiful typical Panamanian skirts called ‘polleras’ and many handicrafts based on pre-Columbian designs.
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