PANAMA : 2 WEEKS ITINIRARY
2 WEEKS IN PANAMA
After a few days in Panama City, it’s time to hit the road and discover the rest of the country. You can check out our post about 10 things to do in Panama City.
To travel around Panama, you can rent a car or take public transport (obviously, it will take longer). To avoid spending too much time on the road, we advise flying one way. For car rentals, you just need to check if you can pick up or drop off the car in different locations, usually Almirante and Panama City.
This itinerary can be done in this order or the reverse, as you prefer.
Day 1: Bocas del Toro
We took a plane from Panama City (Albrook Airport) to Bocas del Toro. We arrived at our hotel, Bambuda Bocas Town. We chose to stay in town to be able to do the maximum number of things in a short time. From the airport, we walked to the hotel. We decided to eat at the hotel and enjoy the view. The food was good. Then, we took a water taxi to go to Red Frog Beach. It cost us $12 per person round trip. There, you need to pay an entrance fee of $5. We took a little path to get to the beach. You can find little red frogs on this path. We saw them at the end of the path. There are strong waves at Red Frog Beach. We enjoyed playing in the waves a lot. Then, we had a beer at the little restaurant, and at 5:00 PM, we were heading back to take our water taxi. Back at the hotel, we showered and decided to go to the main square to eat something at the little food stalls.
Day 2: Bocas del Toro
We took a little bus from the main area to Playa Drago. It costs $2.50. From Playa Drago, we walked until Playa Estrella (Starfish Beach). We walked to the end of the beach to find a spot without a restaurant. We went straight into the water and discovered a lot of starfish. It was beautiful and quiet. We ate on the beach; it’s full of restaurants. We walked back to Playa Drago. There is a bus every hour. We caught the bus at 2 PM. Then, we went to Tropical Suites Hotel to have a drink and enjoy the pool. We also ate there, and it was really good.
Day 3: Bocas del Toro
We booked a tour for $25 to see dolphins, snorkel in Cayo Coral, and discover Zapatilla Island. Food is not included. First stop was Dolphin Bay. It took some time, but we finally saw them! Second stop was Cayo Coral, where there is a restaurant. It’s a bit expensive (around $15 for a dish), so if you want to save money, you can bring sandwiches. Then, we did some snorkeling. It was nice. We saw more corals than fish, though. The last stop was Zapatilla Island – a beautiful and wild island. We enjoyed a swim, walked around, and relaxed. We left the island around 4 PM, heading towards Isla Colón. For our last night, we stayed at the hotel to eat and relax.
Day 4: Tulum: Bocas del Toro to Boquete
Around midday, we left the island. We booked the boat and shuttle via Hello Travel Panama for $35 to go to Boquete. (If you prefer to rent a car, you have to take a boat to Almirante, where rental car agencies are located.) We arrived around 4 PM at Selina Boquete. We walked around the town and went to Boquete Brewing Company to enjoy a beer. Boquete is cooler, so don't forget to wear a jacket. Then, we ate at a really good meat restaurant called Butcher Chophouse.
Day 5: Boquete
We went to the main square to take a taxi to the entrance of the Pipeline Trail. It’s an easy trail that takes around 3 hours round trip. You can see Quetzals, but we weren't lucky that day. At the end of the trail, there's a waterfall. On our way back, we found a minibus that took us down to the village. We went to eat at Sugar and Spice Boquete. We also booked an activity with Tree Trek Boquete for the afternoon. We hesitated between the hanging bridges ($35) and the canopy tour ($70), but we finally chose the hanging bridges. They also offer tea or coffee. They pick you up at the hotel, and you have a guide with you the entire time. At 4 PM, we were back in town. We went to buy some chocolate at The Perfect Pair - Coffee & Chocolate. And that night, we ate at Ngädri Gastronomía Panameña, which offers modern Panamanian cuisine. We loved it!
P.S.: We prefer beaches over mountains, but you can definitely spend another day in Boquete to do the Volcán Barú hike, visit the hot springs, go ziplining (canopy tour), or take a coffee tour.
We left early morning, taking our shuttle with Hello Travel Panama for $35 towards Santa Catalina, and arrived after midday. We checked in at Bodhi Santa Catalina. We went to buy juice and walked on the beach. We had dinner and went to bed.
Day 7: Isla Coiba
We booked our day tour to Isla Coiba – one of my best spots for snorkeling ever! The landscapes outside and inside the water are amazing. We saw dolphins, turtles, fish, little sharks, and a crocodile. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Around 4 pm, you are back in Santa Catalina, time to shower and relax. And we had dinner at Jammin Pizza.
Day 8: Santa Catalina to Playa Venao
If you don’t have a car and want to take the bus, you have to go: Santa Catalina > Soná > Santiago > Chitré > Playa Venao. Take the first bus from Santa Catalina, which is at 8 am. After that, there are regular buses, except that the last bus to Venao isn't super late, but if you leave in the morning, it will be okay. If not, you can also negotiate a taxi. By bus, you will arrive around 2 pm in Playa Venao. We booked at Selina; we loved the surf vibes of this town. We relaxed and enjoyed the beach and the pool in the afternoon. There are a lot of little restaurants around, so you will easily find something. We ate at Coleos, and it was good.
Day 9: Playa Venao
We had breakfast at Pan Ar Panadería Artesanal Argentina.
You can do different activities in Playa Venao: Obviously, you can surf, rent a board, or take classes if you want. You can also book a 2-hour zipline and waterfall activity for $50. Or, you can book a tour to Isla Iguana – a beautiful and wild island where you can walk around, chill on the beach, and do a bit of snorkeling. It’s also a good spot to watch whales during whale season.
End the day watching the sunset with a beer. We went to eat at El Sitio. Tuna is the fish of the region, so don’t hesitate to order it!
P.S.: You can definitely stay another day if you want to surf more or book other activities.
Day 10: Playa Venao to Valle de Anton
Today, we are going to El Valle de Antón. If you have a car, it will take you around 4 hours. If you are going by bus, you have to go to Las Tablas or Chitré and take a bus towards Panama City, but you will have to get off at Las Uvas. There, cross the street and take a small bus on the street towards El Valle de Antón. Don’t worry; ask the locals – they will help you.
We arrived in El Valle de Antón at Bodhi Hostel. We went to the market and had lunch at the restaurant next to it. Then, we went to Butterfly Haven, which is next to it. It was beautiful. And we went out in town for dinner.
Day 11: Valle de Anton
After breakfast, we decided to hike La India Dormida (Sleeping Indian Mountain). We only did the first part, as we aren't hiking experts; that took about 1.5 to 2 hours. But you can continue and do the longer path. After lunch, we went to the hot springs: Pozos Azules. The water isn't crazy hot, but it’s quite relaxing. Be careful; it closes at 4 PM on weekdays and 5 PM on weekends.
Day 12: Valle de Anton - Playa Farallon - Punta Chame
(P.S.: From this day on, the trip is easier with a car. If you are traveling by bus, you can go back to Panama City directly or take a bus that drops you off on the Panamericana Highway around Chame and then take another one to Punta Chame. For the last leg, I have no idea about the timelines.)
After breakfast, we went to Chorro Macho. It’s a nice and easy walk in nature. Then, we drove to Playa Farallón to have lunch at Mia Beach. After lunch, we took the road again for Punta Chame. We arrived at Punta Chame around 2 PM – the paradise of kite surfers! We loved the landscape just before the town. We spent the afternoon and sunset at Machete Wing. The landscape is amazing for sunset. We had a beer and pizza to end the day perfectly. You can also practice kite surfing. We checked into our hotel at Panama Kite Center. Time to sleep.
Day 13: Punta Chame - Panama City
We went for a walk at the point of Punta Chame. We had breakfast/lunch at Panama Kite Center and enjoyed the morning view. You can also take kitesurfing lessons. After checking out, we chose to spend the afternoon in Playa Caracol until 3 PM to avoid the traffic going back to Panama City. Two hours later, we were back in Panama City.
You can also complete your trip with 2 days on the Caribbean coast. Check out our itinerary.
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