A single strip of land between the Atlantic and the Pacific, with thriving wildlife and friendly people: Panamá remains the wild land it was in the past, and it is up to you to come and discover it on your bike.
Key points
- Between Costa Rica and Colombia, a single strip of land separates the Atlantic and the Pacific, now joined by the Panama Canal.
- White-sand beaches, rivers, jungles and mountains, water sports on the coast and national parks all over the country.
- Beyond nature: baseball, Panama City and its more than one million people, and the colonial forts of Portobelo.
- The country is safe, for motorcycle riders too, if you follow a few basic recommendations.
- Dry, sunny summer from December to April; green season from May to November, with lower prices and more wildlife to photograph.
Panamá is the youngest of the Central American nations. It became an independent nation in 1903, after struggling a lot against the odds. Located between Costa Rica and Colombia, the country has a geographic position that makes it of great interest to the world.
A single strip of land keeps the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans from merging. A beautiful land with thriving wildlife and friendly people. Still, humans needed to connect both bodies of water for commercial and transport reasons. Because of this, this land has become home to one of the most brilliant architectural achievements of the human race: the Panama Canal.
But Panamá today remains the wild land it was in the past, and it is up to you to come and discover it on your bike with one of our Panamá tours.
What Panamá can offer
Panamá has white-sand beaches, mighty rivers, exuberant jungles, and green mountains, among other attractions. When it comes to water activities, Panamá has a lot of places for them. Surfing, kayaking, scuba diving, sailing, fishing, snorkeling, etc., are available in every main town near the coast. This article could take hours to read if we talked about each of these topics. For example, when it comes to surfing, there are a lot of beaches with different kinds of waves for every skill level.
National parks and private reserves are scattered around the country, offering nature lovers a source of good photos of the local fauna. Canopy, trekking, and other services are also offered in these reserves.
Other details about the country
There is plenty of info about Panamá's nature on the Internet, so it may be better to talk about some lesser-known details about the country. For example, when it comes to sports, Panamanians are huge fans of baseball. Any match between the biggest clubs in the country is worth watching: crowds attend these matches to support their favorite team. Soccer, or football, is just behind baseball, but it is getting more popular as the national team has qualified for the World Cup.
Panamá is also modernity, with Panama City the vibrant home of more than one million people. Huge buildings, big malls, museums, parks, and populous neighborhoods with restaurants and cafes are just part of its appeal. Other important cities are Chitré, Santiago, Colón, and David, each one of them unique. Different tourist services are offered around these cities.
You can still find colonial architecture all around the country. In Portobelo, for example, many colonial forts and buildings remain, visited by those interested in Panamá's rich history.
Is Panamá safe?
Panamá's political and social stability has improved a lot in the last 20 years. The country is safe if you follow these basic recommendations:
- Travel light, only with the necessary stuff.
- Use apps to find transport.
- Avoid suspicious people in the street offering “services”.
- You can go to restaurants and bars at night, but check the reviews and avoid places with a bad reputation.
- Always keep your belongings in your pockets when you are out; do not leave them on the table or any other surface.
- Avoid crowds in small places, perfect for pickpockets.
- If you plan to drink alcohol, try to be in a safe place, for example, your hotel room. If you are out, just do not get drunk.
With these basics covered, you can travel to Panamá safely. There are no such things as terrorist attacks or dissident militias here. The country is safe for motorcycle riders too. Only friendly people.
When to visit Panamá?
The region lies within the tropics, so expect only two seasons. From December to April, the summer season keeps the jungle dry and the beaches sunny. The rains visit the country during the green season, between May and November. Still, the green season is an excellent time to look for offers and lower prices in hotels and other services.
The jungle also looks more vibrant in the green season, with trees and plants in bloom. You can still enjoy sunny mornings, and sometimes the rain won't appear for days. Many animal species prefer the green season to mate. These animals become way less shy, driven by the need to pair up. So nature lovers will have a better chance of taking some good pictures of the Panamanian jungle fauna.
In the summer season, Panamanians celebrate fairs and bull riding championships all around the country. The fairs come with food stalls, rides, contests, and other amenities. So no matter which season you choose to visit the country, fun is guaranteed.
Our Panamá tours are ready to take you to the most interesting places, well known and not so well known. The best way to explore Panamá is on a motorbike.
Find out more about our Panamá tours: Panamá Tour 9 days
