Preparing for a trip to Panama is a little different from preparing for a typical beach holiday. Panama is an easy country to travel through, but it is also wonderfully unpredictable. You can go from a modern city full of skyscrapers to a tiny Caribbean island, from a cool mountain town to a steamy jungle, or from a comfortable bus to a muddy trail leading to a waterfall, all within the same trip. The secret is not to prepare for every possible situation. It is to prepare for the realities of travelling in a tropical country while leaving enough room for the unexpected.
Don't Overpack
One of the biggest mistakes people make before travelling to Panama is bringing far too much stuff. Panama is hot in many places, and you will probably spend a lot more time wearing shorts, lightweight shirts, sandals and swimwear than you imagined. A huge suitcase quickly becomes annoying when you are climbing into buses, walking along dirt roads or moving between hostels.
A backpack is usually much more convenient for an adventure around the country. Lightweight clothing, comfortable walking shoes, sandals, swimwear, a light rain jacket, a small towel and a few basic toiletries will take you surprisingly far.
And bring something that dries quickly. Panama can be humid, and putting on a damp shirt that you thought was dry is one of those tiny travel experiences that nobody needs twice.
Expect Heat, Humidity and Rain
Panama is tropical. That sounds obvious until you actually arrive.
You can step outside in the morning feeling perfectly comfortable and be sweating ten minutes later. Humidity can make the temperature feel considerably warmer than the thermometer suggests, particularly in lowland areas.
Rain is another part of the experience. Even during the dry season, weather can vary from one region to another. During the green season, tropical showers can arrive suddenly and disappear just as quickly.
A lightweight rain jacket is therefore one of those boring things you will be very happy to have.
So is a waterproof bag for your phone.
Because there is nothing quite like watching an expensive smartphone slowly become a tropical fish.
Bring Sun Protection
The Panama sun can be intense, particularly around the coast and at lower elevations. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are worth bringing.
If you are planning to spend time surfing, snorkeling, swimming or exploring beaches, sun protection becomes even more important. You can spend hours outside without realizing how much sun you are getting, particularly when there is a breeze.
And remember that being in the water does not magically protect you from the sun. Quite the opposite.
Prepare for the Jungle
If you are planning to explore Panama's forests and mountains, think beyond the beach.
Comfortable walking shoes are extremely useful. Some trails can be muddy, slippery or uneven, especially during the rainy season. You do not need expensive expedition equipment for most backpacking adventures, but you do want footwear that you trust.
A small flashlight or headlamp is also surprisingly useful. Panama has plenty of places where you may find yourself walking after dark, and jungle paths are considerably more interesting when you can actually see where you are putting your feet.
A small daypack is ideal for carrying water, sunscreen, snacks, a rain jacket and whatever else you need for a few hours away from your accommodation.
Don't Forget Mosquito Protection
Mosquitoes are part of tropical travel, although their presence varies considerably depending on where you are and the conditions at the time.
Bring insect repellent and use it when appropriate, especially around wetlands, jungle areas and during the evening. Long lightweight clothing can also be useful when mosquitoes are particularly active.
The important thing is not to become paranoid. Panama is not a giant mosquito cloud waiting to attack you the moment you step off the plane. Just be sensible and prepared.
Think About Your Travel Style
Before arriving, it helps to decide what kind of Panama trip you actually want.
Are you interested in beaches and surfing? Jungle and wildlife? Hiking? Islands? Diving? Nightlife? Food? Coffee? Mountains? Adventure sports? Or a little bit of everything?
Panama can accommodate almost all of these, but trying to do everything in a short trip can turn your vacation into a bus schedule with occasional scenery.
One of the great things about Panama is that you don't necessarily need to plan every day.
You can arrive in Panama City, meet another traveler who tells you about a place you've never heard of, change your plans and suddenly find yourself heading toward the mountains.
That flexibility is one of the best parts of backpacking.
Learn a Little Spanish
You do not need to speak fluent Spanish to travel around Panama, but knowing some basic phrases can make the experience considerably easier.
Learn how to say hello, thank you, please, excuse me, how much, where, bus, bathroom, water and help.
Numbers are particularly useful.
So is the ability to say where you are going.
The further you travel away from major tourist areas, the more useful a little Spanish becomes. Even a terrible attempt at Spanish is usually appreciated more than standing there speaking louder and louder in English.
Understand the Transportation
Panama is relatively easy to travel around, but transportation can be very different depending on where you are going.
Panama City has modern transportation options, taxis and ride services. Outside the capital, buses become increasingly important. Smaller local buses can take you into towns and villages that would otherwise be difficult to reach.
Shuttle services are another option for popular backpacker routes. They can be more expensive than local buses but often save time and make complicated connections much easier.
If you are travelling between Boquete and Bocas del Toro, for example, you have several possibilities, including local transportation, organized shuttles and combinations of buses and boats. A stop in the mountains at Lost and Found Hostel can also break up the journey and turn what could be a long travel day into part of the adventure.
The important thing is to understand that Panama does not always operate according to the timetable you might be accustomed to at home. Give yourself some flexibility.
Don't Assume Everything Happens Online
One of the charming things about travelling around Panama is that you sometimes have to figure things out on the ground.
A bus station might be busy with people calling out destinations. A local bus might not have a sophisticated booking system. A driver may simply tell you where to wait.
This can seem confusing for the first hour.
Then it becomes part of the fun.
Ask people. Ask your accommodation. Ask the driver. Ask another traveler who looks like they know what they are doing.
Usually, someone knows.
Carry Some Cash
Cards are widely accepted in Panama, especially in larger cities and tourist areas, but cash remains extremely useful.
Small restaurants, local buses, markets, rural accommodation and little shops may prefer cash. You do not want to discover that the place you desperately need to buy water from only accepts cash when your wallet contains nothing but an expired loyalty card and a Canadian five dollar bill.
Keep some small denominations available.
You don't need to walk around carrying your entire travel budget, but having reasonable emergency cash is a smart idea.
Tell Your Bank You're Travelling
Before leaving home, make sure your bank knows you will be travelling if your bank still requires travel notifications, and check your card's foreign transaction and ATM policies.
It is also wise to have more than one way of accessing your money. If your main card disappears into the mysterious universe of lost luggage, having a backup card can turn a disaster into a minor inconvenience.
Keep your backup separately from your primary wallet.
Future you will be grateful.
Download the Important Apps Before You Leave
Your phone can be an incredibly useful travel tool in Panama.
Maps, translation, transportation, weather, messaging and offline navigation can all make life easier. Download anything important before leaving home so that you are not standing in a bus terminal desperately trying to connect to Wi Fi while holding a phone at a particular angle because someone told you that signal is better near the ceiling.
Offline maps are especially useful when heading into rural areas.
And don't forget to save important addresses, accommodation details and transportation information somewhere accessible offline.
Get Your Phone Situation Sorted Out
If you are staying for more than a few days, think about how you are going to handle mobile data.
Depending on your home carrier, roaming may be convenient but expensive. A local SIM or another travel connectivity option may make more sense.
Make sure your phone is unlocked if you intend to use another SIM.
And keep WhatsApp installed. It is extremely useful for communicating with accommodations, shuttle operators, guides, drivers and other travelers.
Think About Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is one of those things you hope you never need.
That is precisely why it is useful.
Adventure activities, unexpected medical expenses, cancelled transportation, lost luggage and other problems can become extremely expensive without coverage. Read the actual policy rather than simply assuming that the words "travel insurance" mean everything is covered.
If you plan on doing adventure activities, check whether your policy covers them.
Don't Plan Every Minute
This might be the most important piece of advice.
Panama rewards flexibility.
You may arrive somewhere intending to stay two nights and immediately decide you want five. You may meet travelers heading somewhere you've never considered. You may discover a waterfall, hike or beach that completely changes your plans.
If every hotel, bus and activity is booked months in advance, you lose some of that freedom.
Have a rough route.
Know your important dates.
Book things that genuinely need reservations.
Then leave some space.
Be Ready for Panama's Wildlife
If you are heading into the mountains and forests, expect to see more wildlife than you might in an ordinary vacation destination.
You could encounter monkeys, sloths, agoutis, armadillos, tropical birds, butterflies, frogs, lizards and an astonishing number of insects.
But remember that wildlife is wild.
Do not feed monkeys because they look cute. Do not try to pick up strange insects because they look interesting. Don't put your hand into holes in trees because you are curious about what lives inside.
Panama's jungle is full of fascinating creatures. You don't need to touch them to have an amazing encounter.
Sometimes watching a troop of white faced monkeys moving through the trees is far more memorable than any organized attraction.
Prepare Mentally for a Different Pace
One of the hardest things for some travelers is adjusting to the fact that Panama does not always operate at the same speed as home.
A bus may take longer than expected.
Lunch might take a while.
A tropical rainstorm might completely change the afternoon.
Something that should take twenty minutes may take forty.
Eventually, you stop fighting it.
You start sitting down.
You look around.
You talk to people.
You have another coffee.
You discover that you aren't actually in a hurry.
That is when the trip starts feeling like Panama rather than a checklist of attractions.
Bring Curiosity, Not Just Luggage
The best thing you can pack for Panama does not take up any space.
Curiosity.
Try food you cannot pronounce. Take a local bus. Walk through a market. Talk to people. Learn about the country. Take a hike that wasn't on your original itinerary. Sit in a hammock. Watch the clouds roll over the mountains.
Panama is far more interesting when you stop treating it like a collection of tourist attractions and start treating it like a country that happens to be incredibly fun to explore.
The Perfect Preparation
So what should you actually do before leaving?
Pack light. Bring comfortable shoes. Bring rain protection. Protect yourself from the sun and mosquitoes. Carry some cash. Make sure your cards work abroad. Download your essential apps. Save important information offline. Learn a little Spanish. Understand your transportation options. Get appropriate insurance. And most importantly, leave room for things you cannot plan for.
Because the best Panama stories often begin with a sentence like, “We weren't actually planning to go there.”
Maybe that becomes the best hike of the trip.
Maybe it becomes a ridiculous bus adventure.
Maybe you meet someone who becomes a lifelong friend.
Maybe you discover a tiny waterfall hidden somewhere in the mountains.
Or maybe you simply end up in a hammock in the jungle, listening to birds and realizing that you have absolutely no idea what day it is.
That's when you know your Panama trip has officially started.