What adventure activities are there in Panama?
Panama’s geographic terrain is ideal for exciting activities, including zip-lining, kayaking, horseback riding, surfing, scuba diving, and white-water rafting. The availability of these activities depends on the destination. The area surrounding Boquete has excellent hiking, zip lining, horseback riding, and white-water rafting. Surfing is good in Bocas del Toro, Santa Catalina and along much of the Azuero Peninsula. Kayaking is also popular in these areas, as is scuba diving, particularly in Coiba National Park near Santa Catalina.
Rafting Tours in Panama
Panama has several rivers that are fantastic for white-water rafting. These include the Río Chiriquí, Río Chiriquí Viejo, Río Gariché and Río Dolega, most of which are in highland areas near Boquete. There are thrilling stretches of water for experienced rafters, as well as slower sections that are perfect for beginners. These tours are a great way to see beautiful outdoor areas that most visitors to Panama miss.
Canopy Tours in Panama
Zip-lines are slowly becoming popular in Panama, although nowhere near the level they are in Costa Rica. Zip-lines are composed of steel cables strung between platforms in the forest canopy. During a canopy tour, participants are fitted into a harness, attached to the cable, and sent down the cable between platforms. Canopy tours are an exciting way to get outdoors and also learn about the ecology of Panama.
Kayaking Tours in Panama
With nearly 1,550 miles (2,495 km) of coastline and crisscrossed by around 40 rivers, Panama has ample opportunities for kayaking. Kayak tours allow both experienced and inexperienced kayakers to get into the water and enjoy. These tours are a fun and active way to encounter nature and search for wildlife.
Horseback Riding Tours in Panama
Riding horses in Panama is a pastoral and even historical experience—this is, after all, the way locals have been getting around for hundreds of years. Even better, riding horses allows you to see several areas within the span of a day. You can visit waterfalls and mountaintops, pasturelands and coastal coves. These tours are safe and open for both inexperienced and experienced riders alike.
Bocas del Toro
With an archipelago that boasts impeccable beaches, turquoise waters, and a distinct Afro-Caribbean culture, it’s easy to see why this region has become a must-see for visitors to Panama. Located along the Caribbean coast in the northwestern part of the country, Bocas del Toro is known for its beautiful islands and laidback vibe, a combination that tends to attract younger backpacker types. Still, the services and amenities offered here are extensive, which makes it possible for travelers of all ages to enjoy the abundance of natural beauty that this region is famous for.
Boquete
The small town of Boquete sits in the highlands of Panama’s Chiriquí province, snugly fitted into a lush valley and surrounded by towering mountains, gushing streams, and abundant coffee farms. Though once a sleepy mountain town forgotten by time, Boquete is beginning to see more and more tourists these days, and for good reason – its natural beauty is astounding and its range of activities spectacular. Panama’s only volcano, Volcán Barú, lies only 9 km away, providing visitors with excellent hiking, nature viewing, and camping. Boquete’s other attractions include white-water rafting, canopy tours, hot springs, botanical gardens, and more.
Santa Catalina
Santa Catalina is shaping up to be one of Panama’s hottest destinations. Located along the Pacific Ocean in the Veraguas province, it has some of the most consistent surf in the country and is the jumping-off point for trips to Parque Nacional Coiba, a massive national park with amazing scuba diving and hiking trails. Santa Catalina's somewhat remote location has kept Santa Catalina devoid of large tourist crowds, but the word is out, and people are starting to show up.
Coiba National Park
Panama’s Coiba National Park is incredible and exotic. Set along the Pacific coast near the Gulf of Chiriquí, this massive park protects the country’s largest island and some of the most biologically rich waters in Central America. For this reason alone, it’s a favorite among scuba divers and snorkelers.
