One of those surprisingly important questions when packing for Panama is: do you actually need to bring your own towel?
The short answer is not necessarily. If you're backpacking around Panama, a small travel towel is extremely useful, but you can also buy towels cheaply once you arrive, and many hostels and accommodations rent towels to guests.
So there is no reason to panic if you forget yours. Panama is certainly not a country where being towel less will ruin your trip!
Most Hostels Have Some Kind of Solution
Many hostels provide towels, particularly for private rooms, while others have towels available for rent for a small fee. Policies vary from hostel to hostel, so it is worth checking the accommodation information before arriving.
Some properties include a towel in the room, while others might ask for a deposit or charge a few dollars to rent one. This is particularly common in budget backpacker accommodation where keeping room prices low is more important than providing every amenity for free.
For a traveler moving from hostel to hostel, renting when you need one can actually be perfectly practical.
You Can Also Buy One Very Easily
Another advantage of traveling in Panama is that you don't have to arrive completely prepared for every possible situation.
Towels are widely available in supermarkets, department stores, local shops and other stores selling household goods. You can pick up a basic towel without spending much money, especially if you don't care about having a fancy microfiber travel towel.
This can actually make sense for long term backpackers.
If you arrive in Panama without a towel, spend a few dollars on a lightweight one, use it throughout your trip and then decide later whether it is worth carrying for the rest of your travels.
It is certainly better than filling half your backpack with a huge hotel style bath towel.
But a Travel Towel Is Still the Backpacker's Best Friend
If you already own a small microfiber or quick dry travel towel, bring it.
Panama offers an almost ridiculous number of opportunities to get wet. Beaches, waterfalls, rivers, swimming holes, boat trips, surfing and tropical rain can all leave you looking for something to dry yourself with.
A compact travel towel takes up very little space and dries much faster than a normal cotton towel.
That last part is important.
Panama is humid.
You can hang a towel up and discover several hours later that it is still damp. A quick drying towel makes life much easier, particularly when you're moving between destinations and packing your entire life into a backpack.
The Beach Problem
You might start your trip thinking that you don't need a towel because your hotel or hostel provides one.
Then you discover a beautiful beach.
Or someone at the hostel suggests a waterfall.
Or a group is heading to a river swimming hole.
Suddenly everyone is jumping into the water and you're standing there wondering why you didn't pack a towel.
This is one reason having your own small towel is convenient. You don't have to worry about whether the hostel allows its towels to be taken to the beach.
And if you lose it, damage it or eventually decide you don't want to carry it anymore, buying another inexpensive one in Panama is easy enough.
Don't Forget the Humidity
One of the biggest challenges with towels in Panama isn't finding one.
It's getting the thing dry.
In a hot but humid environment, wet fabric can stay wet surprisingly long. This is especially noticeable in places such as Bocas del Toro, the Caribbean coast and Panama's tropical lowlands.
Hang your towel somewhere with good airflow whenever possible. Don't immediately stuff it into the bottom of your backpack after swimming unless you have no alternative.
And if you have a wet swimsuit, keeping it in a separate waterproof bag is another excellent backpacking habit.
What About Hotels?
If you're staying mostly in hotels, you can probably skip bringing a towel.
Hotels normally provide bath towels, although you shouldn't assume that a hotel towel can be taken to the beach or pool unless the property specifically says so.
For a hotel based holiday, buying or carrying a separate towel may simply be unnecessary luggage.
What About Backpackers?
For backpackers, the answer is slightly different.
A towel is one of those items that is small enough to justify carrying even if you don't use it every day.
You might use it after a shower one day, at a waterfall the next, on the beach the following day and as an emergency drying cloth after getting caught in a tropical downpour.
And if you don't have one?
Don't worry.
Rent one.
Buy one.
Ask the accommodation whether they provide one.
There are plenty of solutions.
The Best Strategy
For most backpackers, the ideal approach is simple:
Already own a lightweight travel towel? Bring it.
Don't own one? Don't buy an expensive one just for Panama. You can buy an inexpensive towel after arriving.
Staying in hostels? Check whether towels are included or available for rent.
Staying in hotels? You probably don't need to carry one.
The important thing is not to overthink it.
Panama is a well traveled country with plenty of shops, supermarkets, hostels and hotels. If you forget something as simple as a towel, you can usually replace it without much trouble.
The Bottom Line
A towel is useful rather than essential in Panama.
A small quick drying travel towel is probably the best option for backpackers because it takes almost no space and is perfect for beaches, waterfalls, swimming and rainy days.
But if you're trying to travel ultra light, you can comfortably leave it at home and rent one when necessary or buy a cheap one once you're in Panama.
In other words, don't let the fear of forgetting a towel stop you from getting on the plane.
Panama has plenty of towels.