World Country Guide

Sport & Activities

Ecotourism
The Gamboa Tropical Rainforest Reserve and the Soberania National Park offer good opportunities for learning about tropical fauna and flora. Birdwatching enthusiasts will not be disappointed in Panama: there are about 950 registered species and the country is considered one of the world’s best birdwatching spots. The Antn Valley (El Valle de Antn), 120km/70 miles west of Panama City, is famous for its orchids and the El Nspero Botanical Gardens; one activity on offer here is the tree canopy adventure, where participants are fastened into a harness, pulled up to the tree tops and swung from one platform to another in order to enjoy particularly ‘green’ views. Trips to the famous Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on Barro Colorado Island (which houses a renowned tropical research laboratory) are also possible, although appointments need to be made at least one month in advance.

Boat trips
Boat trips on the Panama Canal are one of Panama’s major tourist attractions and there are various types of tours available. Crocodiles, frigate birds and other animals living along the banks and in the surrounding jungle can be observed. Canal tours often aim to provide visitors with a chance to observe one of the many large vessels moving through the canal locks. For further details, contact the Panamanian Institute of Tourism or the Panamanian Embassy (see Contact Addresses section).

Watersports
There are some excellent locations for diving and snorkelling in Panama, the best of which include Isla Grande near Portobelo, where there are a number of dive centres offering excursions to the best reefs; the Bocas del Toro archipelago; Taboga Island (20km/12 miles south of Panama City); and the San Bls Islands (off the northeast coast). Whitewater rafting is becoming increasingly popular on the Chiriqu and Chiriqu Viejo rivers (not possible during the rainy season, from April to mid-December). For further details on some of these destinations, see the Resorts & Excursions section.

Fishing
Fish are abundant in the Panamanian waters of the Pacific and the Caribbean. Locations include Pias Bay, Coiba Island, Contadora Island and Taboga on the Pacific side and the San Blas Islands and the Chiriqu Lagoon off the archipelago of Bocas del Toro in the Caribbean.

Golf
There are six golf courses on the isthmus. Panam Country Club, Summit and Fort Amador’s courses are all open to tourists. Guest cards are needed to play the 18-hole course at Coronado Beach Country Club. In addition, Itoroko, the former US golf course, has now opened up.

Horseriding
This is popular in the mountainous Chiriqu province, whose wild landscapes provide a natural habitat for cattle and horses. There are numerous horse-breeding farms, some of which can be visited. Horse trips to the Baru Volcano are also available.