Panama City in the transition

Weather in the transition

Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 31°C (88°F) against a yearly 31°C (88°F), and 9 of the year's roughly 140 rainy days fall in these 1 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.

What's on in the transition

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• December: Mother's Day holiday (8 December)
• December: New Year's Eve fireworks over the bay (31 December)

Good choices for the transition

Museum · Casco Viejo

Panama Canal Museum

Visit before going to the Miraflores Locks; the history makes the locks far more interesting.

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

Cost

Low cost

• History
• Rainy day

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

Day trips in the transition

• Isla Taboga (About 30–45 minutes by ferry) — 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.
• Portobelo (About 2 hours by road) — A Caribbean town whose Spanish fortifications once protected treasure fleets, now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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

• Panama City: Dry season
• Panama City: Early rainy season
• Panama City: Late rainy season
• Panama City in December

Questions travellers ask