panama

Panama City (2026)

Plaza de Santa Ana The colourful backstreets of the old town. Others might perceive the outskirts of the old town as a little 'sketchy', but I never found people to be anything other than warm and friendly. There's an unfortunate amount of litter/trash on the streets, although in a funny way it kinda adds to the unvarnished allure. The colours and graffiti on the peripheries are a contrast to the more 'important' buildings in the core. Like here, for instance. Iglesia de la Merced looming in the background. Charming streets wherever you look round here. Iglesia de la Merced. Churches in Casco Viejo require you to pay for entry, and given the sheer density of them, I had to pick and choose wisely. Which is to say, I didn't go inside this one. But it looks cool, eh. That facade dates back to the 17thC, I believe. Plaza Herrera, named in honour of an early Panamanian military hero / independence leader I think. More charming streets. Note how different things are in the core compared to the outer ring. The Metropolitan Cathedral as viewed from Independence Square. They first started building this in the 17thC, and it was finally consecrated in 1796. Epic. I think I did go inside this one but didn't/couldn't take pics. Plaza Simón Bolivar, a charming, quiet square surrounded by old colonial buildings. One of those buildings is this old church, Iglesia San Francisco de Asís, which I believe is the tallest point in Casco Viejo. Palacio Bolivar visible in the background. The colours tho! Convento de Santo Domingo. Loved this place. Crumbling ruins of a 17thC church+convent that was destroyed by fire in 1756. Fun trivia: its flat arch - which remains standing despite the ravages of time - is what helped convince the US that Panama was a suitable location for the ocean-connecting canal. It was perceived as a sign of stability and lack of seismic activity! The walkway above Plaza de Francia provides some wonderful views across the water. I drove through 'New' Panama City on my way in from the airport, but I never returned. Perhaps a shame, but there are other parts of the city that interested me more tbh (bear in mind that I live in Shanghai, and shiny modern towers are of zero interest to me as a result). The Instagram-pandering 'hats street' of Panama, La Calle de los Sombreros. Yes, I will always take the bait. Some more old town views. And again. I honestly preferred the slightly rougher areas outside the main tourist core, which felt more connected to actual human life. Things became even more 'real' just outside Casco Viejo, but sadly I didn't have time to explore. The legendary Panama Canal. Check out TikTok or IG Stories for a video of the ships passing through. I've been aware of this canal and its importance in history/economics/geography ever since I was a kid, so it was wonderful to finally witness it in person. It's great that the Miraflores Locks Visitor Centre is so accessible from the city centre. After the canal I beelined to Amador Causeway, a popular spot with locals, to see if I could catch a good sunset. Failed, but enjoyed the relaxed vibes round here nonetheless. Lots of joggers and cyclists doin' their thang. Felt very residential as opposed to touristic. A night view of the towers from within Casco Viejo. Plaza Centenario Casco Viejo by night More Casco Viejo by night My pics don't capture it, but this area is bustling with bars and nightlife and very vocal activity. There was some guy with a loudspeaker bellowing things from inside that lit-up building in the centre, but I had no idea what was being said and it seemed like no one else was paying attention either, so probably nothing important... One last glimpse of Independence Square by night.

Guna Yala / San Blas Islands (2026)

It was a 5am start the next day in order to jump in a minivan to the Caribbean coast. Eventually made it out here: to the gorgeous Guna Yala. Guna Yala is a semi-autonomous province of Panama that's home to the indigenous Guna people. They've had a traumatic history, defined by conflict with the national government, but things are calmer nowadays thanks to the San Blas Islands. The San Blas Islands are a renowned, unspoilt archipelago off Guna Yala's coast. There's approximately 365 islands, and many of them lack access to things like the Internet, electricity, and running water. Their status 'beyond' the grid is a massive part of their allure, as is their remarkable beauty. There are day tours to this region that run regularly from Panama City, but there are also options to overnight or even spend several days sailing between the islands. Tourism numbers are very strictly managed, however, which means it ain't cheap. Our day trip began with a visit to one of the principal indigenous villages. Sadly, there's a flipside to all the natural beauty, as visible here. It's hard to be critical of people's actions when the entire region still feels incredibly (although perhaps deliberately) underdeveloped, however. My understanding is that the revenues generated from tourism benefit these communities, and I really hope that's the case. It was humbling to walk in these kinds of surrounds. More villages visible in the distance. And again. Our guide explained that preservation of indigenous traditions and culture is paramount here. Starting to sail to some of the more stereotypically paradisiacal islands. If you know me well you'll know that I'm not a fan of open water, primarily because you can't see what's beneath you. Well, I had no choice but to stan the water here. Paradise? I was trying to get a pic of the boat (I ordinarily avoid taking pics of unwilling humans), but this guy wandered into my shot and made it perfect. Just an idiot doing his thing. The cost of beers here was like $1 or $2 iirc, which was a very pleasant surprise given how much of Panama was more expensive than expected. An amazing 'natural pool'/sand blank in the middle of the ocean. This was the only spot where you really felt the presence of other tourists. Seems San Blas is otherwise expansive enough to accommodate all its visitors without issue. The popularity of this 'pool' stems from the fact that you can easily stand up while in the middle of the Caribbean Sea! Back to island hopping. And also back to beer. I attempted to swing on this with grace, but my attempts were disastrous as were the ensuing pics, so have the swing sans me instead. Spotted the remnants of this shipwreck from the island we lunched at (note: a vegetarian lunch here is basically rice and potatoes, so fill up with beer!). Part of me regrets not spending the night here, as I spoke to many travellers in Central America that had done so and loved it. I think my bank balance thanks me for limiting my stay. FYI the 'San Blas Islands' is the common term in the English/tourist world, but our guide insisted that locals prefer the indigenous name. So: Guna Yala ftw. A gorgeous, magical day out.

Boquete (2026)

Got back to Panama City in the evening, had dinner with a new friend, went back to hostel to sleep as I intended to have another early start the next morning, found two fellow Brits who were heading in the same direction as me, and after like two buses and ten hours and lots of great convo, I finally ended up here: my (first) hostel in Boquete. Nestled in the highlands of Chiriquí province, Boquete's become a popular spot for those seeking hiking trails and the coffee plantations that its probably most well-known for. I stopped here to break up my journey between Panama City and Costa Rica, but I was quickly taken with the town's unique charms. I spent my first evening wandering, finding veggie food, and then trying to find others willing to come hiking the next day with me. I was successful, and we set out on the Lost Waterfalls hike early the next morning. I think my hostel made out that this would take four hours in total, and iirc we got it done in like, almost half the time? It was a good fitness test to have early on, as there were greater physical challenges in store for later in the trip. Most of the hike requires trudging through Cloud Forest like this. You're eventually rewarded with not one, not two, but THREE awesome waterfalls though. Here's the first. You can have it without me if you must. lol jk I loved this hike. Mostly very easy (ropes at one stage iirc, but nothing too strenuous), and the sounds of the forest and the rushing water were something else... One learns to cherish scenes like this when one lives in Shanghai. The mud was fun. Made a great friend doing this hike, who I'd end up reconnecting with later in my trip for more extended travels in Nicaragua. I enjoyed that more than this mud tbh. Lost Waterfall number two! Didn't really seem like a good idea to get in this water, but was great to admire from a safe vantage point. Spectacular scenes, no? Previous caption also applies here. Alright, even better without me in it. Finally, the third waterfall! This one's the tallest of them all, so you can only access it from a fenced viewing point unlike the others (where you can get right up close). Still worth it. After smashing the Lost Waterfalls hike, I convinced my new buddy to walk 20 mins down the road to do a second hike: the Pipeline Trail (pipelines that you follow along the way visible here). I was hoping to reconnect with my bus buddies from the day before here, but erratic signal/comms + transport woes on their end meant that we only briefly saw each other as we were exiting and they were beginning. :/ I *think* this is a 1000-year-old tree! A highlight because the Pipeline trail is just... fine? It's very easy, not really a considerable 'hike' imo. If you're in the region and limited for time, definitely choose the Lost Waterfalls instead. You're rewarded with another waterfall at the end of the Pipeline Trail, but compared to what we'd experienced during the earlier hike, this wasn't exactly overwhelming. It made for a great place to stop, chill, and soak up the environment tho. After killing those two hikes it was back to town for some much-needed lunch. My friend was prepping for a volcano hike the next day, whereas I was prepping to head across the border, so we later got some supplies, dinner, and beers before parting ways for a few days. One thing to note about smaller Central American towns and cities (not so visible in this pic): people happily leave their doors open and sit outside their homes chatting away to neighbours/friends without a care in the world. For someone who grew up with the idea that one should set clearly-defined barriers to one's personal space, I found this fascinating. Obv it doesn't happen in the sketchier, larger cities, but still. Part of the undeniable charm round here.

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