The capital city sits on the Pacific Coast of Panama, next to the Panama Canal. It’s the country’s largest and most metropolitan city, acting as a hub for business and commerce. It has a historic old town called Casco Viejo, with beautiful colonial architecture and charming cobblestone streets. Nearby are the Miraflores Locks where you can watch ships travel the famous canal, as well as the incredible Soberania National Park. There you can visit the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve which offers many exciting activities including boat tours, hikes, and an aerial tram. Panama City is an excellent jumping off point for travel in Panama, and we highly recommend including it in your trip! Keep reading for our complete lesbian guide to Panama City.
What To Do
Explore Casco Viejo
Visiting Panama City’s old town is definitely a must-do. The historic district offers many interesting sights including beautiful churches and cathedrals, the residence of the Panamanian President, as well as plazas, museums, and historical landmarks. It’s worth wandering around to admire the architecture, and discover the many wonderful cafes and restaurants in the area. We also recommend heading down to the waterfront to enjoy lovely views of downtown Panama City. Don’t miss wonderful Casco Viejo!
See the Panama Canal
When visiting Panama, seeing the Panama Canal needs to be on your list. About 15 minutes outside Panama City are the Miraflores Locks, where you can see the canal up close! There is a visitor centre with exhibits explaining the fascinating history of the canal, as well as observation decks where you can watch the ships passing through the locks. There is a $20USD admission fee, but it’s well worth it to see the famous canal in action. It’s easy to take a taxi or an Uber here from the city.
Visit the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve
Located in the Soberania National Park, the Panamanian Rainforest is a tropical ecosystem of more than fifty thousand acres, and home to some incredible wildlife. It sits at the meeting of the Chagres River and the Panama Canal, allowing for some truly unique experiences. There are beautiful accommodations on the reserve, or you can opt for a day trip from Panama City, with plenty of time to do tours of the rainforest, the canal, and the incredible animal sanctuaries. This was a huge highlight of our trip and we highly recommend it! Read more about the Gamboa Reserve here.
Enjoy the San Blas Islands
The San Blas Islands (also known as Guna Yala), are an archipelago made up of more than 350 islands off the Caribbean Coast of Panama. They are home to indigenous Panamanians known as the Guna people, and the islands remain mostly untouched. They are very remote and secluded, and it is quite a journey to get to them from Panama City. However, it is doable and entirely worth it! There are several tour companies that offer day tours, or you can opt for an Airbnb Experience like we did. It’s a full day of swimming, snorkelling, and exploring the islands, and it is truly unforgettable.
Discover More Islands
While the San Blas Islands are well known for being a bucket list destination in Panama, there are other beautiful islands off the Pacific Coast that are much easier to get to. With easy ferry service from Panama City, you can explore Taboga, Contadora, Saboga, and more. Some of these islands are more developed than others, but all of them offer a wonderful break from the city!
Where to Stay
In our opinion, the best spot to stay in Panama City is definitely in historic Case Viejo! In the heart of the old town you will find plenty of accommodation options including boutique hotels and Airbnb apartments. It’s a very charming area, and is central to many of the main sights in the city. It’s a great spot to be close to the action, and can also be quite lively! Expect it to be busy with lots of locals and other travellers. There are also plenty of accommodation options in the downtown area of Panama City, such as the Obarrio and El Cangrejo neighbourhoods. Here you will find more luxury and upscale options, as well as many reputable hotel chains. This area is the financial district of the city, and it has a vibrant nightlife scene and is busy with tourists. If you’re looking to book hotel accommodations in these areas, our favourite tool is Hotels.com. It’s easy to search within a certain price range, and filter for the amenities that you like. They also have a great reward system – for every ten nights you book, you receive one night free. The other option for accommodations in Panama City is Airbnb. There are listings all over the city, including some in the historic old town. We opted to stay in the heart of Case Viejo, in an Airbnb apartment right in the middle of the hustle and bustle. It was walking distance to all of the sights we wanted to see in the city, and it was a convenient spot for all of the day trips we did. If you enjoy using Airbnb like we do, it’s definitely worth taking a look to see what’s available! If you’ve never used Airbnb before, click here to set up a profile and save on your first stay!
Where to Eat & Drink
Panama City has a diverse food scene offering plenty of local and international cuisines. With everything from street food to fine dining, there are plenty of options to satisfy any traveller! We found some really great cafes and restaurants in the Casco Viejo area. Our favourite was Mahalo, a casual eatery that was started by two Canadian sisters, and they just recently opened a second location. Both offer a vegan-friendly, but well-rounded menu, as well as a cozy patio. Also in Casco Viejo is Dodo, a must-visit restaurant near the waterfront. It’s also very vegan-friendly, and offers all day breakfast! If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, be sure to check out Las Clementinas, another popular spot in the old town. For traditional Panamanian food, head to El Trapiche in the San Francisco neighbourhood. If you’re looking for upscale dining, make a reservation at Donde Jose. They update their set menu every couple of months, focusing on local Panamanian ingredients. If you’re looking for seafood, add Mercado de Mariscos to your list. The fish market is a great spot for lunch and a truly unique experience. For drinks, you can’t leave Panama City without enjoying a rooftop beverage! The city is packed with trendy rooftop bars offering gorgeous views. In Casco Viejo, be sure to check out Tantalo, Casa Casco, Salvaje, or Capital Bistro. In downtown Panama City there’s the AC Hotel rooftop, The Roof at the Best Western, and Bits Lounge at the Hard Rock Hotel. Enjoy!
Lesbian Friendly
Panama is currently in a transition period, with some big changes to LGBTQ+ rights currently pending. Same-sex sexual activity is legal, but there is no recognition for same-sex partnerships at this time, and no discrimination protection for members of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that all Latin American countries (including Panama) must recognize same-sex marriages, and the Panamanian Government has “welcomed the decision”. The ruling should mean that same-sex marriage will become legal in Panama soon, and hopefully some anti-discrimination laws will follow. You can check out our full post on how lesbian friendly Panama is here. Panama is still considered to be a fairly conservative country, with the biggest opposition to the LGBTQ+ rights movement being the Roman Catholic Church. But there are advocacy groups helping to shift the conversation, and more recently there has been open support from the Panamanian government. While we would consider Panama to be a fairly safe destination for LGBTQ+ travellers, it’s best to use your personal judgement to stay safe while visiting. We held hands in public and showed affection to one another, and didn’t run into any issues. We were open about our relationship and weren’t met with any hostility from the locals, even though we were told that not everyone in Panama is ‘cool’ with it. We never felt the need to hide our relationship, but we always did our best to read each situation and keep our safety in mind. Panama City doesn’t have much of a gay scene, but it certainly does offer some incredible and unique travel experiences. We really enjoyed our time there and would definitely recommend it!
How to Get Around
Walk
The downtown area and the old town of Panama City are both very walkable, and it’s easy to see these parts of the city on foot. If you’re able, it can be a great way to discover all of the main sights as well as some hidden gems!
Taxi/Rideshare
Uber is available in Panama City, and there always seemed to be plenty of cars available. We used Uber to get up to the Miraflores Locks, as well as to the Gamboa Rainforest, and to the airport. The rates were very reasonable and it was always easy to find a vehicle. There are also plenty of regular taxis in Panama City that you can hail from the street. It’s a great way to get around the city if you need a break from walking, or if you’re heading to a location outside the city centre. Taxis in Panama are not metered, and the rates are based on standard fares measured by zone. Be sure to look up the fare for where you are going, and discuss the rate with the driver before departing. If you don’t speak any Spanish and are worried about being taken advantage of as a tourist, opt for Uber instead!
Ferry
There are several islands off the Pacific Coast of Panama that are easy to access by ferry. Isla Toboga is only a 30 minute ferry ride from Amador Causeway, and the Pearl Islands are about 1.5 hours by ferry from the Flamenco Marina.
Has anyone else fallen in love with Panama City? Let us know in the comments!
2 comments
Sounds wonderful. If we ever have the chance, we would go. Thanks for such a detailed article. 🤠🤠🤠🤠💜💜💜💜
Thanks so much for reading!