Panama travel resources
The Panama Canal and Panama City, the Bocas del Toro islands, Boquete's highlands and the San Blas Islands.
Quick facts
- Currency
- Panamanian balboa (PAB) and US dollar (USD)
- Language
- Spanish
- Best time to visit
- Dec–Apr (dry season, except on the Caribbean side) Compare countries by month
- Emergency
- 911 Emergency numbers by country
- Plug types
- A, B Plug types by country
- Drives on
- Right Driving side by country
- Government travel advice
- UK Canada How to read it
General guidance; seasons vary by region. Plug types from Wikipedia's mains electricity by country table; currency and driving side from Wikidata; emergency numbers checked against UK government travel advice in . Check the latest advice for entry rules and safety before you book.
Before you go
- GOV.UK says UK citizens can visit for up to 3 months without a visa if they arrive by land or air. You may be asked for an onward ticket and proof of funds. Visit Panama’s travel requirements page lists entry documents and visa rules.
- TravelHealthPro recommends yellow fever vaccination for the mainland east of the Canal area, including all of Darién, but not for itineraries limited to the west of the Canal, Panama City, the Pearl Islands or the San Blas Islands. It lists a low malaria risk east of the Canal Zone, a very low risk west of it and none in Panama City or the Canal Zone.
Top destinations in Panama
Travel resources
Travel tips
- Travel east of the Darién line only in an organised group. GOV.UK advises this for the area east of a line from Punta Carreto through Yaviza to Punta Piña, and says local police and security authorities should know about your visit.
- Hire an experienced guide for hikes. GOV.UK says trails may not be well marked, phone coverage is unreliable, and tourists have gone missing and died hiking without a guide.
- Ask locally before you swim. GOV.UK says some Pacific and Caribbean beaches have strong currents and rarely have warning signs. It says not to swim in the Bay of Panama, which is highly polluted.
- Take a ride-hailing app or hotel-arranged transport instead of a street taxi. GOV.UK says taxis can be in poor condition and accidents are common.
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