8 best day trips from Panama City

Day trips compared

The day trips

35 km · About 45 minutes by road

1.Gamboa and Soberanía National Park

Lowland rainforest along the canal, famous for birdwatching on Pipeline Road, where hundreds of species have been recorded. Trails, an aerial tram and observation towers near the small town of Gamboa give chances to see toucans, monkeys and sloths.

Getting there

Car, tour or taxi along the canal

Best for

Families, Quiet stays

40 km · About 1 hour by road and boat

2.Gatún Lake and Monkey Island

Boat tours on the artificial lake created for the canal pass huge cargo ships in the shipping channel and stop at forested islands where capuchin, howler and tamarin monkeys live. It is one of the easiest ways to see wildlife and the canal together.

Getting there

Tour from the city with a boat from Gamboa

Best for

Families, First-timers

50 km · About 1.5 hours by road and dugout canoe

3.Emberá village on the Chagres River

Emberá communities in Chagres National Park welcome visitors who arrive by dugout canoe along the river. Visits usually include traditional dance, music, crafts and a meal of fish and plantain, as well as a short walk to a waterfall.

Getting there

Organised tour with transport and canoe

Best for

Culture, Families

20 km · About 30–45 minutes by ferry

4.Isla Taboga

The 'Island of Flowers' has a small village of whitewashed houses, one of the oldest churches in the Americas, beaches and walking trails up to a hilltop viewpoint with views back to the city skyline and ships waiting for the canal.

Getting there

Ferry from the Amador Causeway

Best for

Beach, Couples, Quiet stays

100 km · About 2 hours by road

5.Portobelo

A Caribbean town whose Spanish fortifications once protected treasure fleets, now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors explore the forts and the customs house, see the church of the Black Christ and take boats to nearby beaches.

Getting there

Car or tour via Colón

Best for

Culture, Beach

80 km · About 1.5 hours by road

6.Agua Clara Locks

The visitor centre at the Caribbean end of the expanded canal overlooks the newer, larger locks, where vast Neopanamax ships pass, with Gatún Lake in the background. It combines well with Portobelo or the Gatún locks.

Getting there

Car or tour via the Panama–Colón expressway

Best for

First-timers, Families

120 km · About 2 hours by road

7.El Valle de Antón

A town built inside the crater of an extinct volcano, with a cooler climate, a weekend craft market, waterfalls, hot springs and hiking trails such as India Dormida. It suits a relaxed day or an overnight escape from the heat.

Getting there

Car, bus or tour via the Pan-American Highway

Best for

Families, Quiet stays, Couples

150 km · About 2.5–3 hours by road and boat each way

8.Guna Yala (San Blas Islands)

The autonomous territory of the Guna people covers hundreds of small Caribbean islands with palm-fringed beaches and simple cabins. Day trips are possible but long; an overnight stay arranged with a Guna-run operator is far more rewarding.

Getting there

4x4 transfer and boat, usually as an organised tour

Best for

Beach, Couples, Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• MetroBus air-conditioned buses cover the city on fixed routes, and the Albrook Gran Terminal next to the Albrook Mall handles long-distance buses across the country.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask