Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
This wonderful privately owned museum features the best collection of Panamanian art anywhere, an excellent collection of works on paper by Latin American artists, and the occasional temporary exhibition by a foreign or national artist.
Arte Cruz Volcán – Master Wood carving
On the western side of the Concepción–Volcán road, 3km south of Volcán, you’ll see Arte Cruz Volcán – Artesanía en Madera, where artist José de la Cruz González makes and sells exquisite wooden signs, sculptures and furniture as well as impressive etchings on crystal and glass. Jos
Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos
Established in 1988, this 132-sq-km marine park was Panamas first. Protecting 130 islands of the Bocas del Toro archipelago, including the coral-fringed Cayos Zapatillas, and the wetlands in the center of Isla Bastimentos, the marine park is an important nature reserve for mangrove
Panama: The Crossroads of the World
A colorful bus travels down the street in Panama City. Photo by DoctorWho licensed Creative Commons Attribution No-Derivatives.
A word of warning: Panama is hard to shake. It has incredible natural beauty, a modern infrastructure, good roads, clean water, a booming economy, year-round warm weather
Living Abroad in Panama with Miriam Butterman
1. Are there any local customs that a newcomer to Panama should be aware of?
The most obvious local custom in Panama that will affect your daily life consists of arriving roughly 30 minutes to an hour fashionably late to any event. If an event is called for a certain time you can be sure it will n
Plan a Trip to the Azuero Peninsula
The Azuero is a region of farmers, cattle ranchers, and, on the coast, fishermen. Photo © FutureExpat, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
The Azuero PeninsulaThe Azuero Peninsula is a paradoxical place. It’s a heavily settled, terribly deforested land where wilderness has largely been sup
What to See in Panama City's Casco Viejo
Sunset in Panama City’s Casco Viejo. Photo © Ana Freitas, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Casco Viejo has always had a romantic look, but for decades the romance has been of the tropical-decadence, paint-peeling-from-the-walls variety. Since the 1990s, though, it’s been undergoin
Panama City’s Gay and Lesbian Nightlife
Panama City is still a place where gay bars have to keep a low profile, but you don’t hear horror stories of police raids, gay bashings outside of clubs, and so on — not, at least, among the relatively affluent. It’s more a matter of people wanting to be cautious and discreet. Gay bars and clubs a
Panama's Parque Nacional Soberanía
A Common Tody-Flycatcher spotted in Parque Nacional Soberanía. Photo © Geoff Gallice, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
The Panama Canal and Central IsthmusPanama’s Parque Nacional Soberanía is a true tropical forest, and it’s one of the most accessible in the world. Its 22,000 hec
Visiting Las Tablas, Home to Panama's Biggest Carnaval
Fireworks go off above Iglesia Santa Librada, the town church. Photo &Copy; Arleen-VH, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Las TablasLas Tablas (pop. 7,980 in town, 24,298 in the district) has more sprawl and less charm than Chitré, its sister town 30 kilometers north in Herrera province. Howev
Shopping in the Zona Libre de Colón and Colón 2000
The Zona Libra de Colón. Photo © Ana Freitas, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
ColónThe Zona Libre de Colón (Colón Free Zone, most shops 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Fri., a few open on Sat.–Sun.) is the world’s second-largest free-trade zone, after Hong Kong. A free zone is an area where goods c
Crossing the Border into Nicaragua or Panamá from Costa Rica
A sign at the border welcoming travelers to Nicaragua. Photo © F Delventhal, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
You cannot cross into Nicaragua or Panamá with a rental car; you can only do so with your own vehicle. If it has Costa Rican plates, you’ll need a special permit from the Registro Na
An Introduction to Panama for Volunteers
Famously divided by its canal, Panama’s tropical location has long beguiled everyone from tourists to volunteers, adventurers to retirees. Sandwiched between the Atlantic-Caribbean Ocean (to the north) and the Pacific Ocean (to the south), Panama connects North and South America, with Costa Rica p
Volunteering in Panama with Give and Surf
A U.S.-registered 501(c)3 organization, Give and Surf’s mission is to empower the indigenous Ngobe people of Bahía Honda through education and community development projects. Bahía Hondo is a traditional village whose 225 or so residents live in thatched huts and travel by dugout canoe. Their wor
Volunteering in Panama at APROVACA's Orchid Nursery
A purple orchid photographed in Panama. Photo © Brian Gratwicke, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
APROVACA is small grassroots association “dedicated to the conservation of native Panamanian orchid species in danger of extinction.” In addition to running an orchid nursery (with more th
Volunteer with Associacion Conservacionista de Playa Malena
Associacion Conservacionista de Playa Malena is a nonprofit group of community volunteers dedicated to the protection of the beach and its wildlife; in particular, the sea turtles that nest and hatch on its shores July-mid-January.
Volunteers with skills in carpentry, building, and conservation a
Doing business & staying in touch while in Panama
Panama: Doing business & staying in touch
Panama Weather, Climate and Geography
Panama Weather, climate and geography
Panama History, Language and Culture
Panama History, Language and Culture
Panama Travel Guide and Travel Information
Panama Travel Guide
