Panama is one of the most complete and interesting destinations to visit in Central America. This beautiful country offers its visitors beautiful cities, such as Boquete and Portobelo, however, if anything stands out is its stunning natural surroundings. One of the main reasons that attract tourists to Panama are its spectacular beaches, some of which are considered to be among the best in the world, and its paradisiacal areas.
From the secluded and exclusive Dry Islands, to the popular beaches of Bocas del Toro, in this post we will show you the best beaches that you can not miss in your travel itinerary in Panama. Read on and discover with us, in addition, some travel tips and the best way to create an itinerary.
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1. Beaches of Bocas del Toro, the favorites for many in Panama
Bocas del Toro is a Panamanian archipelago located in the Caribbean Sea and one of the favorite areas for locals and tourists to enjoy the best beaches in Panama. Among its largest and most important islands are Isla Colón, which we will talk about later, Isla Bastimentos and Isla Popa among others. All of them have a paradisiacal coastline and dream beaches that you can’t miss on your trip to Panama.
Zapatilla Cays
The Zapatilla Cays are a set of two islands located very close to Bastimentos Island that have some of the most spectacular beaches in Bocas del Toro and Panama. It is part of the Bastimentos National Park, a protected area. The beaches are virgin and there are no leisure or hotel services. The cays are divided into North Zapatilla Key and South Zapatilla Key, the latter being the larger of the two with dimensions of approximately 35 hectares. The Zapatilla Cays are famous for their impressive coral reef that can be easily observed while snorkeling. In addition, you can stroll around the island and walk through its leafy paths and even see some giant tortoise. It is an endangered species that lays its eggs in Zapatilla Cays.
Beaches of the Colon island, among the best in Panama
Colon Island is the main island of Bocas del Toro in terms of size and services. Unlike the Zapatilla Cays, on Colon island you will find hotels and restaurants. So, if you are looking to stay in a dream vacation destination, Colon is a good option.
Among the best beaches of the Colon island is the Bluff Beach, the favorite of surfers for its ideal waves for this sport. It is a long virgin beach of about 3 km in length that. Despite being one of the best in Panama, it is always almost empty, making it the ideal place to rest and relax and, above all, enjoy a unique natural enclave without having to fight for a spot for the umbrella. In addition, here you can also see the nesting of the giant tortoises.
In the Colon island also highlights the Playa Estrella, a bay that, unlike Bluff Beach, stands out for its calm tide. If you wonder where its beautiful name comes from, the answer will delight you, as it is due to the infinite number of starfish that inhabit its shore. In addition to enjoying the sun, water and palm trees of a spectacular place, you can bathe among starfish. Just respect them and don’t take them out of the water!
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
2. The San Blas archipelago, the best virgin beaches in Panama
The San Blas archipelago is one of the most impressive destinations in Panama and the world. Located in the Caribbean Sea and about 115km from Panama City, this archipelago is made up of 365 islands and islets and create one of the most impressive landscapes in the world. The pristine beaches of San Blas are the perfect definition of paradise, with their crystal clear turquoise waters, fine white sand and lush vegetation. Among the best things to do on these Panama beaches are snorkeling, catamaran rides and meeting the islands’ curious self-governing population.
Isla Perro Chico
Among its wonderful islands highlights the Isla Perro Chico, one of the most popular islands for its proximity to Puerto Cartí, just 30 minutes by boat. It is an ideal option if you do not plan to stay in San Blas and you are only going to spend the day, since the island has no accommodations, or if you do not mind sleeping in a tent. The beach of Islas Perro Chico is especially famous for its sunken ship that you can see while snorkeling.
Another popular island in the San Blas archipelago is Isla Diablo, as it is ideal for short visits. It is the closest to Puerto Carti and has no accommodation, so sometimes there may even be too many tourists. However, it is a beautiful island with a spectacular beach.
Dutch Keys
And other not so popular, but certainly the most spectacular of all the archipelago, are those belonging to the Dutch Cays. It is a set of 10 very quiet islands, somewhat distant from the others and devoid of accommodation. So, its visitors usually come from private trips on sailboats or catamarans.
Discover more about these islands at Things to do on a trip to the San Blas Archipelago Panama.
3. Beaches of the Pacific Coast of Panama
But not all of Panama’s best beaches are on the Caribbean Sea. The Pacific also has some of the most beautiful and spectacular in the country.
Coiba Island, in the Gulf of Chiriqui
Located on the Pacific coast, more specifically in the Gulf of Chiriqui, Coiba Island is the largest island in the country. In addition to the best beaches of the Pacific coast, this island is home to the Coiba National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Among the beaches of Coiba National Park include Playa Damas and Playa Blanca. Being a protected area by UNESCO, the beaches are unspoiled and wild. They stand out for their colorful coral reef, as well as for their crystal-clear waters and fine white sand.
Santa Catalina, one of the most beautiful beaches in Panama
On the mainland of the Panamanian Pacific is Santa Catalina, in the province of Veraguas, one of the most famous coastal areas of the country for its wonderful beach. Santa Catalina stands out for its strong waves ideal for water sports such as surfing. So, it has become an essential destination in Central America for the practice of this sport and international competitions. In fact, depending on the area, as in the beach of Punta Brava, the waves can exceed 9 meters in height.
Also, the speed boats depart from Santa Catalina and in an hour and a half, lead to the Coiba National Park.
4. Dry Islands, the most exclusive beaches in Panama
On the Pacific coast there are the Dry Islands, a natural landscape practically virgin whose managers aim to preserve nature and ensure a unique experience for tourists. This small volcanic archipelago is a private space belonging to a resort located on the only (out of 14) urbanized island.
The only drawback of the place is the price. The islands belong to luxury resorts, which, as you can imagine, is not cheap at all. That said, the experience it offers is unique in the world as it includes wellness leisure activities such as guided nature trails, fine dining restaurant, yoga practice and whale watching, among others.
In this post we tell you more about the Dry Islands: Things to do and see in the Dry Islands of Panama?
What should I know before traveling to the best beaches in Panama?
- No visa is required to enter Panama, but a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months is required.
- The climate is warm all year round, but between May and December is the rainy season.
- We suggest bringing your own food and drink to Panama’s beaches, especially the pristine ones, since, if you’re going to spend many hours on the beach, you won’t be able to get anything to eat.
- Don’t leave trash on the beach, take your garbage with you.
- Respect the environment and take care of the fauna and flora of Panama’s beaches.
- Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, as well as sunglasses and a scarf or cap for the head.
- Be covered for possible medical emergencies: Travel insured.
- Be careful with your belongings, don’t display luxury items, and don’t leave tourist areas.
- It is recommended to e vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, triple viral, tetanus-diphtheria, typhoid fever, but they are not compulsory if traveling from Spain.
- In Panama there are two currencies in use, the dollar and the balboas.
How to organize your trip to Panama Beaches
Register or download the Passporter App and discover all of its possibilities.
- Get inspired by other travelers’ experiences
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the stops you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest we indicate in this post as a reference).
- Organize your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map (you can be inspired by the routes we present in the post).
- Check out the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the modifications you need and you’ll be all set for your trip.
- Share your experience. Upload photos of the places you visited on your trip to the app and recommend to other travelers what to see in Panama Beaches
Frequently asked questions about a trip to the Panama beaches
The temperatures are warm all year round and do not usually rise above 30ºC nor fall below 25ºC in all months. As for rainfall, the rainiest months are from May to November with a risk of rainfall exceeding 50% during these 7 months.
The best time to travel to the beaches of Panama are from mid-December to March, the driest months and with less risk of precipitation, which will allow you to perform outdoor activities without the risk of rain. Although it is also interesting to travel from June to October as this is the whale migration season.
Some of the recommended beaches are somewhat complex to access.
–San Blas Islands: The fastest way is by plane from Panama City, on a 45-minute flight, but round-trip tickets can cost up to $500. Another option is to hire an all-inclusive private tour. These packs are usually more economically priced and are a great option if you like to travel carefree. The most economical option is to travel to Puerto Cartí by rental car or jeep and once there, take one of the boats that depart to Kuna Yala.
– Dry Islands: You can arrive by Twin Otter private plane from Panama City in a flight of approximately one hour. This route operates about 3 or 4 times a week depending on the season. Its price is $550 plus a 7% fee.
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