Panama is where continents shake hands and two oceans whisper to each other. The country’s headline act—the Panama Canal—rewrote world trade, yet it’s the blend of Spanish colonial lanes, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, Indigenous heritage, and world-class biodiversity that makes a trip here feel like several journeys in one.

Across 14 days, you’ll trace history in UNESCO-listed Casco Viejo, watch ships rise through canal locks, island-hop by catamaran, and meet monkeys on Gatun Lake. Then fly to the Chiriquí Highlands for Boquete’s cool cloud forests, quetzal-filled trails, and award-winning coffee estates, before unwinding on the Riviera Pacífica’s broad beaches and warm Pacific swells.

Practical notes: Dry season (roughly December–April) brings the sunniest skies; rains are more frequent May–November, with lush landscapes. Currency is the U.S. dollar (locals also use the Balboa for coins), standard plugs are Type A/B, and Spanish is the lingua franca. Book popular canal and island tours ahead, and pack light layers for the highlands.

Panama City

Panama City dazzles with a Miami-bright skyline, yet it’s Casco Viejo—the 17th‑century “new” old town—that steals hearts with coral-stone churches, tiled plazas, and rooftop views to the ships queueing for the Canal. The city’s green lung, Metropolitan Natural Park, puts toucans and agoutis just minutes from downtown.

Fly into Panama City using Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Taxis and ride-hailing are plentiful; the Metro is clean and efficient. Base yourself in Casco Viejo for character or in the modern business districts for skyline views and big-name dining.

Where to stay

• Search stays: VRBO Panama City | Hotels.com Panama City
• Editor’s picks: The Bristol Panama (discreet service, elegant rooms near Calle Uruguay dining); Hotel Casa Panamá (boutique vibe in Casco Viejo, rooftop pool); Wyndham Panama Albrook Mall Hotel (great for families and shoppers, easy highway access).

Days 1–5: Canal, Casco Viejo, and Island Time

Start with the story of the isthmus. Visit the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center to feel the rumble as steel giants rise and fall, then dive into Frank Gehry’s color-splashed Biomuseo on the Amador Causeway to grasp Panama’s role in global biodiversity. Walk the Cinta Costera at sunset and watch the city light up.

Casco Viejo rewards wandering: San José Church’s golden altar, the French Plaza’s sea views, and rooftop bars that catch both breezes and gossip. For a green reset, hike Metropolitan Natural Park’s short trails in the morning—sloths nap above, and the skyline appears like a mirage through palms.

Featured tours (book ahead)

• Panama Canal Partial Tour – Southbound: Navigate the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks and witness canal operations up close. Typical duration 4–6 hours; departures vary with lock schedules.

  

• Legends of Casco Viejo Tour: A historian-led stroll through cobblestone lanes, hidden courtyards, and plazas—great context for the quarter’s rebirth.

  

• Gatun Lake: Monkeys & Exotic Wildlife: Skim the canal’s backwaters by boat to spot capuchins, howler monkeys, crocodiles, and herons—a family favorite.

  

• All-Inclusive Taboga Island Catamaran: A breezy day out with swimming in a clear bay and free time on “Isla de las Flores,” just off the city’s coast.

  

Eat & drink like a local

• Breakfast & coffee: Café Unido (multiple locations; geisha tastings and Panama-grown beans), Café Coca Cola (old-school diner from the 1870s—order sancocho soup and fresh-squeezed juice), and Mahalo in Casco (colorful courtyard bowls and smoothies).
• Lunch: The Mercado de Mariscos ceviche stalls (try corvina or octopus with patacones), Santa Rita (Casco; hearty Mediterranean-Panamanian plates), and El Trapiche (interior-country classics like ropa vieja and yuca frita).
• Dinner: Maito (inventive Panamanian cuisine with jungle-to-coast flavors), Intimo (tasting menus that spotlight seasonal produce), and Nazca 21 (Peruvian staples—anticuchos and lomo saltado).
• After-dark: Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar (raspado-style cocktails made with Panamanian raspadura), La Rana Dorada (craft beer; sample the pale ale), and the Tantalo rooftop for skyline sunsets.

Travel to the next destination (morning of Day 6): Fly Panama City (PTY) to David (DAV) in 1 hour via Kiwi.com or Trip.com (typical one-way $60–140). From David, it’s a 45–60 minute taxi or shuttle to Boquete ($10–40).

Boquete (Chiriquí Highlands)

Cradled by cloud forests and coffee fincas, Boquete trades tropical heat for cool breezes and bird song. This is quetzal country, where hanging bridges skim the canopy and Volcán Barú stands sentinel—on rare, clear dawns, you can see both the Pacific and the Caribbean from its summit.

Boquete is ideal for hikers, coffee lovers, and anyone who likes a good hot spring soak after a day on the trail. Evenings bring cozy restaurants, local craft beer, and skies dusted with stars.

Where to stay

• Search stays: VRBO Boquete | Hotels.com Boquete
• Look for coffee-estate stays near Alto Quiel for sunrise views, riverside lodges along the Caldera River for birdsong, or in-town boutiques for walkable dining.

Days 6–9: Coffee, Cloud Forests, and Volcano Views

Spend a morning on a coffee estate tour (think Finca Lerida, Finca Elida, or Café Ruiz). You’ll walk the trees, learn about honey and natural processes, and taste Panama’s famed geisha varietal right where it’s grown.

Pick two trails: the Pipeline/Waterfall trail (gentle, quetzal-friendly) and Los Tres Cascadas (Lost Waterfalls) for more challenge and photogenic falls. If you’re fit and weather cooperates, consider a pre-dawn 4x4-assisted hike to Volcán Barú for the two-ocean sunrise.

Add some adrenaline on the hanging bridges & zipline circuit at Boquete Tree Trek, or float the Caldera Hot Springs after a Chiriquí Viejo whitewater rafting day (levels vary by season). Evenings, sample local brews and live music in town.

Eat & drink in Boquete

• Breakfast & coffee: Sugar & Spice (fresh breads, massive cinnamon rolls), Kotowa Coffee House (single-origin pour-overs and affogatos), and Café de la Casa (cozy nook for empanadas and espresso).
• Lunch: Big Daddy’s Grill (fish tacos and homemade salsas), Valle Escondido’s Sabor Escondido (garden salads and river views), and The Garden (healthy bowls and smoothies).
• Dinner: The Rock (riverside steaks, truffled mashed potatoes, house cocktails), RetroGusto (wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas), and Colibrí (romantic garden setting, Panamanian-meets-Mediterranean plates).
• Drinks: Boquete Brewing Company (rotating taps, food trucks), Tap Out (sports-bar energy), and an after-dinner geisha at Kotowa for a refined nightcap.

Travel to the next destination (morning of Day 10): Easiest route is a 1‑hour flight from David (DAV) back to Panama City (PTY), then a 1.5–2.5 hour drive west along the Pan-American Highway to Río Hato/Playa Blanca (private transfer or rental car). Book flights via Trip.com or Kiwi.com; expect $60–140 one-way.

Río Hato (Playa Blanca & Buenaventura) – Riviera Pacífica

Trade fleece for flip-flops on the Riviera Pacífica, a strand of wide, tan-and-black-sand beaches and mellow surf towns. Base in Playa Blanca/Buenaventura for resort comforts, golf, and easy day trips to El Valle de Antón, a cool crater town with waterfalls and orchids.

Dry-season afternoons bring glowing sunsets; mornings are ideal for paddleboarding and nearshore fishing. Local seafood lands daily at Farallón—perfect for a toes-in-the-sand lunch.

Where to stay

• Top resorts: The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama, Autograph Collection (lush grounds, golf, beach club), Hotel Playa Blanca Beach Resort (all-inclusive ease), and Royal Decameron Panama (multiple pools, long beach).
• Search stays: VRBO Río Hato | Hotels.com Río Hato

Days 10–14: Beach Days, El Valle Adventures, and Pacific Flavors

Unpack beachwear and slow down. Mornings: paddleboard the calm shoreline or book a nearshore charter for roosterfish and snapper. Golfers can tee off at the Nicklaus Design course at Buenaventura; spa lovers should reserve a mid-afternoon treatment to float into sunset.

Take a day trip to El Valle de Antón (about 45–60 minutes). Hike the India Dormida ridge for crater views, swim beneath Chorro El Macho, meet frogs and orchids at El Níspero, and browse the craft market for tagua-nut carvings and molas. Zipline options lace the canopy here if you crave one more adrenaline pop.

Beach walks at Farallón end well with a plate of just-grilled corvina and lime. If you prefer seclusion, aim for Santa Clara’s sands where pelicans skim the breakers.

Eat & drink on the Riviera Pacífica

• Breakfast & coffee: Pueblo Café (strong espresso before a surf), Mansa Café at Buenaventura (smoothies, brioche toasts), and resort buffets for tropical fruit spreads and hojaldres.
• Lunch: Pipas Beach Bar & Restaurant (right on Santa Clara’s sand—ceviches, whole fried fish, and cold Balboa beers), La Fogata Farallón (grilled seafood and garlic prawns), and El Faro Beach Club (poolside tacos and sea views at Buenaventura).
• Dinner: Humo (wood-fired steaks and smoky sides at Buenaventura), Tagua (sea-to-table plates), and Casa de Lourdes in El Valle (romantic garden setting; order the passion fruit sauce over fish).
• Drinks: Beach sundowners at Prime 19 (golf club terrace), or a rum flight back at the resort after stargazing on the sand.

Optional last-night swap near the airport (if you prefer to be closer to your flight): check into The Westin Playa Bonita Panama or Dreams Playa Bonita Panama (both ~25–40 minutes to PTY), or budget-friendly Express Inn Coronado & Camping if staying farther west.

Getting back to the airport (Day 14): Plan 2–2.5 hours by road from Río Hato to PTY in normal traffic, more on Sundays and holidays. Alternatively, return to Panama City the evening before and enjoy a final dinner in Casco Viejo.

Good to know

• Canal viewing times vary with daily ship schedules and seasonal water levels; morning slots often have better traffic.
• Highlands can be 10–15°F cooler than the city; pack a light jacket and trail shoes. Dry bags are handy for boat days and sudden showers.
• Tipping 10% is customary in restaurants. Always carry some small bills for markets and rural taxis.

From the thunder of the Panama Canal to the hush of Boquete’s cloud forest and the gentle roll of Pacific surf, this two-week itinerary stitches together Panama’s essential experiences. You’ll leave with the taste of geisha coffee, the memory of monkeys by the canal, and sand in your shoes—the best souvenir of all.