Panama Sightseeing by Region
Panama’s landmarks spread across five regions that rarely connect in a single trip: Panama City’s colonial and canal-era core, the Bocas del Toro archipelago, the Pacific dive coast around Santa Catalina and Coiba, the Chiriquí highlands, and the Caribbean fortifications near Colón.
Panama City’s colonial and canal core
Casco Antiguo (San Felipe), a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in 1673, blends Spanish colonial, French neoclassical, and Art Deco buildings around Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Francia, and Plaza Bolívar. Iglesia de San José holds the Golden Altar, a baroque cedar altar legendarily painted black to hide it from Henry Morgan’s raiders; entry is free with donations welcomed. Panamá Viejo, the original 1519 settlement sacked in 1671, charges $15.00 foreign adult admission and includes a climb up the 30-meter cathedral bell tower, open Tuesday-Sunday 08:30-16:30. The Panamá Viejo Trust posts current hours and ticket rules at patronatopanamaviejo.org . Ancon Hill, a 199-meter protected reserve inside the city, is free and best walked early morning for sloths and toucans. Three bridges mark the canal’s history: the 1962 Bridge of the Americas, the 2004 Centennial Bridge, and the 2019 Atlantic Bridge near Colón.
Bocas del Toro archipelago
Bocas Town anchors the islands with Caribbean Creole architecture and a laid-back waterfront. Isla Colón holds Starfish Beach, where handling the cushion sea stars is illegal and kills them; look, don’t lift. A sloth sanctuary near Gamboa on the mainland, not on the islands, is the real rescue center for the species. Bastimentos Marine National Park covers Red Frog Beach and the Cayos Zapatilla for snorkeling.
Santa Catalina and Coiba
Santa Catalina is a renowned Pacific point break and the departure point for Coiba National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage marine site (ref 1138) with 38 islands and reef diving for white-tip sharks, manta rays, and migrating humpbacks. Park entry runs $20.00 per day, set by MiAmbiente, Panama’s environment ministry ; a 2-tank dive day charter runs $140-180. Search Coiba dive day trips on Viator .
Volcán Barú National Park
Panama’s highest point at 3,475 meters is a genuine 12-to-14-hour round-trip hike from Paso Ancho, 13.5 km each way with 1,800 meters of gain, not a casual afternoon walk. MiAmbiente registration and entry run $5.00.
The verdict
Casco Antiguo and Panamá Viejo pair into one full day in the capital; Coiba and Barú each need to be planned as their own trip legs given the distance and effort involved. Compare Panama City hotels on Booking.com for a base near the colonial core, or see the walking tours guide for a route through Casco Viejo on foot.
Before you go
The Pacific coast around Panama City and Santa Catalina sees 5-6 meter tides that expose mudflats and reef; check tide tables before planning beach time there, since the Caribbean side barely moves by comparison.