Season guide · Panama City · Panama
Panama City in the dry season
mid-December–April: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: user:ArnoldReinhold, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Sunny, breezy days around 32 °C with little rain; the busiest and priciest time, with the jazz festival and Carnival. Expect highs up to 33°C (91°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 19 rainy days across mid-December–April. January–April are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- mid-December–April
- Temperatures
- 23°C (73°F) to 33°C (91°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 19
- Sea
- 25°C (77°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the dry season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32°C (90°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 3 | 11.7 h | 4/5 |
| February | 32°C (90°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 1 | 11.8 h | 4/5 |
| March | 33°C (91°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 1 | 12.1 h | 4/5 |
| April | 33°C (91°F) | 24°C (75°F) | 5 | 12.3 h | 3/5 |
| December | 31°C (88°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 9 | 11.6 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 32°C (90°F) against a yearly 31°C (88°F), and 19 of the year's roughly 140 rainy days fall in these 5 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the dry season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Panama Jazz Festival (usually January)
- February: Carnaval — four days of street parties before Ash Wednesday (February or early March)
- March: Semana Santa (March or April)
- April: Semana Santa (March or April)
- December: Mother's Day holiday (8 December)
- December: New Year's Eve fireworks over the bay (31 December)
Make the most of the weather
Landmark · Casco Viejo
Plaza de Francia and Las Bóvedas
At the tip of the old town peninsula, the Plaza de Francia has an obelisk and busts honouring the French engineers and workers who attempted to build the canal in the 1880s.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- History
- Couples
Historic site · Panamá Viejo
Panamá Viejo
Climb the cathedral tower for the contrast between the ruins and the modern skyline, then see the museum's scale model.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Outdoors
Museum · Amador
Biomuseo
Frank Gehry's brightly coloured building at the start of the Amador Causeway explains how the rise of the Isthmus of Panama joined two continents, split an ocean and changed life on Earth.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Nature
Waterfront · Amador
Amador Causeway
Rent a bike or surrey near the start of the causeway in the late afternoon, when it is cooler and the skyline catches the sunset.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
Waterfront · Bella Vista and Avenida Balboa
Cinta Costera
The coastal park built on reclaimed land along Avenida Balboa has kilometres of walking and cycling paths, sports courts and playgrounds facing the bay.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Views
- Active
Day trips in the dry season
- Gamboa and Soberanía National Park (About 45 minutes by road) — Lowland rainforest along the canal, famous for birdwatching on Pipeline Road, where hundreds of species have been recorded.
- Gatún Lake and Monkey Island (About 1 hour by road and boat) — 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.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the dry season a good time to visit Panama City?
Yes: January–April are among the best months. Sunny, breezy days around 32 °C with little rain; the busiest and priciest time, with the jazz festival and Carnival.
+What is the weather like in Panama City in the dry season?
Highs of up to 33°C (91°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 19 rainy days over the season.