The 6 greatest highway journeys in Panama

Few locations can boast quite a lot of excellent geographical range as Panama.

Driving right here is much less about cruising by means of wide-open areas and extra about taking winding roads to hidden, jungle-shrouded enclaves. On an isthmus in any other case poorly served by public transport, having your personal automobile means straightforward (or a minimum of simpler) entry to a slew of memorable websites.

With your personal wheels, it is attainable to have breakfast by the Pacific Ocean and lunch by the Caribbean Sea. Or you’ll be able to spend your morning lolling on sugar-white seashores and your afternoon scaling rugged mountain peaks.

Equally, you’ll be able to expertise the city bustle of the capital and the teeming wilds of the rainforest all on the identical day. The chance for journey is countless. 

These are the six greatest highway journeys in Panama – simply to get you began.

1. Go west alongside the Pan-American Freeway

Finest highway journey to see Panama’s inside

Panama Metropolis to David; 448 km (278 miles)

Working east-west by means of Panama’s Pacific lowlands, the Panamericana (or Pan-American Freeway) is the nation’s principal transport artery – a 500-km-long (310 miles) much-used paved highway connecting the capital with el inside and, ultimately, the worldwide border with Costa Rica.

Most vacationers sort out the route in a single certain with a continuous bus from Panama City to David (7-9 hours), however doing this implies lacking out on Panama’s central provinces. Take two weeks as a substitute.

West of the capital, the Panamericana skirts a string of low-key seashore cities with scorching salt-and-pepper sands. They begin with Punta Chame (to not be confused with the village of Chame), a windswept headland with superb kitesurfing from December to May.  

Persevering with west, you’ll go the high-rise condos and manicured golf course of Playa Coronado earlier than hitting the surf cities of El Palmar and Rio Mar, the fishing village of Santa Clara and the hamlet of Farallón.

From right here, it’s price taking a one to three-day detour north to El Valle, a refreshing highland spa nestled amongst brooding peaks.

From Santiago, the capital of Veraguas, you’ll be able to veer north into the mountains and spend a couple of days exploring the arresting strolling nation round Santa Fe.

Or you’ll be able to take an older, poorly maintained freeway southwest, the place a flip simply earlier than Soná results in Santa Catalina, a legendary surf city pounded by Hawaiian-style waves. From there, it’s only a brief boat experience to Coiba Island and its world-class marine park.

West of Soná, the previous freeway re-joins the Panamericana on the checkpoint of Guabalá within the Chiriquí Province. The surroundings shifts to darker and greener tones because the freeway skirts the rugged foothills of Cordillera Central. 

To the north, the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé is a semi-autonomous Indigenous territory providing hikes and cultural exchanges from the community of Soloy.

To the south, the fishing village of Boca Chica is the gateway to tranquil Pacific islands. The ocean is wealthy in marine life, together with humpback whales (Sep-Nov). On the finish of your journey, David is Panama’s second metropolis and the proper publish to your subsequent massive journey.

2. The Azuero loop

Finest highway journey for tradition lovers

Divisa-Chitré-Pedasí-Tonosí-Chitré; 309 km (192 miles)

Filled with music and pageantry, the Azuero Peninsula is the nation’s fabled cradle of folklore. Sombrero pintados (painted hats), flower-festooned ox carts, fierce masks and intricately embroidered pollera attire are all symbols of the distinctive native tradition generally known as típico. 

Exploring Azuero’s mosaic of lost-in-time villages is straightforward due to its dense highway community and comparatively flat terrain. Most will full this highway journey in something from two days to per week. The one non-flat exception is the rugged west coast of Veraguas, which may solely be accessed from a turnoff simply east of Santiago.

From Divisa on the Panamericana, Freeway 2 connects with the village of Parita, the place the diminutive church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán boasts lavish Churrigueresque altars and a bell tower laden with mother-of-pearl. Parita can also be residence to the grasp masks maker Dario López – search for his delirious creations on show outside his house. 

Practically 40 minutes south is the city of Guararé, which hosts the Feria de La Mejorana – a memorable folkloric competition each September. There’s dancing, elaborate conventional costumes and competitions. The competition attracts guests from all around the nation.

Within the southeast of the peninsula, the sleepy city of Pedasí with a number of seashores together with Playa Venao – a world-class browsing hotspot with lengthy, constant barrels breaking over an ideal, horseshoe-shaped bay. 

Round 48 km (30 miles) west of Pedasí, Freeway 2 passes by means of the cowboy city of Tonosí earlier than tapering off on the black sand seashore of Guánico. From Tonosí, a collection of highways loop north to Macaracas and again to Chitré.

3. Mountains and islands

Finest scenic highway journey 

David-Almirante; 164 km (102) miles

The Caribbean coast of Bocas del Toro performs host to sultry rainforests and verdant offshore isles, some of Panama’s best. Most vacationers find yourself right here eventually. This 4-6 hour drive from the Pacific begins round 9 miles (14 km) east of David within the Chiriquí Province. 

Freeway 21 climbs north from the Panamericana and joins Freeway 10 in Gualaca. As you wind by means of bucolic farmlands, the terrain opens as much as provide views of the Pacific Ocean beneath.

As you method the continental divide, the air turns into noticeably cooler. Barren rocks and a shroud of fog give this stretch a darkish and desolate really feel.

Earlier than commencing your winding descent into the humid Caribbean watershed, you’ll cross a dam and reservoir on the Fortuna Hydroelectric Plant – a favourite cease for photographs. When you attain the Banana Coast, you’ll be able to pause for refreshments on the decaying port of Chiriquí Grande.

Ultimately you’ll arrive on the city of Almirante, the launch pad for the Bocas del Toro Archipelago. You’ll be able to take your automobile on the ferry, however contemplating the dearth of roads on the islands, it could be higher to go away it in a guarded lot close to the port.

4. The previous Panama Canal Zone

Finest highway journey for seeing the canal

Balboa-Miraflores Locks-Centenario Bridge-Gatún; 83 km (52 miles)

Established by the USA in 1903 for the needs of establishing and administering the canal, the Panama Canal Zone was an 8km-wide (5-mile) strip of unincorporated territory working from ocean to ocean.

It was a de facto state inside a state till its dissolution in 1979. The previous canal zone could be explored in a single lengthy day journey from the capital. Beginning in Panama City, the township of Balboa retains its working port and far of the civic and administrative structure from the early twentieth century.

Heading north, Avenida Omar Torrijos Herrera skirts the canal’s japanese flank, passing the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks. The latter has a wonderful visitors center and viewing platform.

On the sleepy township of Paraiso, you’ll go the Centenario Bridge and the Culebra Minimize – a frightening artifical channel painstakingly carved by means of the continental divide.

A mile or so north of Paraíso, the Madden Freeway branches east by means of the jungle and ultimately connects with the northbound Transistmica Freeway. Exterior of its huge and closely fortified free commerce zone, Colón is the Caribbean terminus of the canal, however it’s greatest prevented altogether. 

If you attain its outskirts, flip southwest towards the vast locks at Gatún. Close by, the Agua Clara locks have been constructed in 2016 to accommodate so-called Neo-Panamax vessels. It has a brand new guests middle and restaurant.

5. A experience by means of Panama’s rivers and rainforests

Finest highway journey for wildlife-spotting

Panama Metropolis-Gamboa; 32 km (20 miles)

The protected rainforests simply exterior of Panama Metropolis drain the huge portions of water crucial for the day-to-day functioning of the Panama Canal. Additionally they kind a scintillating organic hall that encompasses each the Pacific and Caribbean zones. 

Round 1.6 km (1 mile) north from the previous canal zone, a side-road results in the Canopy Tower, a jungle-shrouded birders’ lodge set in an previous U.S. Air Power radar tower. Subsequent door is the doorway to the Plantation Path, 13 km (8 miles) round-trip route that includes remnants of espresso, rubber and different industrial tree stands.

The Plantation Path ultimately connects with the Camino de Cruces Path, a Sixteenth-century transisthmian provide route, however proceed north on Omar Torrijos and also you’ll ultimately cross the Chagres River on the previous dredging port of Gamboa.

From right here, you’ll be able to take a ship to Barro Colorado, an ecological station managed by the Smithsonian Tropical Analysis Institute (advance bookings solely).

Alternatively, you’ll be able to journey about quarter-hour north from the Cover Tower to the Pipeline Path, a world-class birding path the place 385 avian species have been famously noticed throughout a 24-hour depend in 1985. The entire journey is doable in a day, however give your self three.

6. Pirates of the Caribbean

Finest highway journey for historical past buffs

Cólon-San Lorenzo-Portobelo-Nombre de Dios; 123 km (76 miles); 1-3 days

Panama’s lesser-visited Central Caribbean Coast has distinctive ruins that inform the tales of the exploits of pirates and privateers. This journey is feasible in a day, however take three to do it justice. West of Colón, a highway heads north by means of Fort Sherman (now a marina) and connects with the fortress of San Lorenzo. With a commanding clifftop setting, Lorenzo endured historic assaults by Sir Francis Drake and Henry Morgan.

The shoreline west is named the Costa Abajo. To entry its distant Afro-Panamanian fishing communities, you will have to loop again round to Lake Gatún earlier than heading south and rejoining the coast by way of Achiote.

Offshore, Isla Grande is a favourite hang-out of Panama Metropolis weekenders however empty throughout the week. Persevering with east on the Costa Arriba freeway, you’ll go the historic web site of Nombre de Dios, based by early Spanish colonizers in 1509.

This was the terminus of the Camino Actual, the primary transisthmian mule path established by Spanish colonizers. The Costa Arriba highway passes the villages of Viento Frío, Palenque and Miramar earlier than tapering off in Cuango.

We propose turning again until you could have a sturdy 4WD able to going off-road. The route is unpaved from right here and is commonly washed out throughout the moist season.

Suggestions for driving in Panama

There are a number of things worth knowing before traveling to Panama, however it’s best to know that driving in Panama Metropolis must be prevented when attainable – use metro trains and buses as a substitute. Exterior of the capital, drivers are typically courteous, however the following tips for driving in Panama ought to put you on the appropriate path for a profitable highway journey or two.

• You have to a 4WD to get round.
• Overtaking on highways is regular.
• All main roads are in affordable restore. Minor roads are continuously potholed and typically unpaved.
• Flash floods and landslides are frequent within the moist season.
• Anticipate police stops and immigration checks on the Panamericana.
• Protests typically trigger visitors on the freeway to grind to a halt for a number of hours.