Is Panama City Worth Visiting? My Experience Visiting Panama’s Capital

Panama City was the first stop of my three-week trip through Central America, where the plan was to travel through eight countries by land and somehow make it to Mexico in time for our flight home.

And when I say that was the plan, I mean that was literally the entire plan.

My friend asked if I wanted to join him, I said yes, and we ended up starting in Panama City because we found a cheap last-minute direct flight from Madrid. Neither of us was particularly interested in the city, and we were much more excited about getting to Bocas del Toro, but we had one night and one day there before moving on, so obviously we went to explore.

We also hadn’t checked the weather, arrived during rainy season, and spent most of that day walking around in the pouring rain. Not exactly the introduction to Central America I had imagined.

So, is Panama City worth visiting if you’re planning a trip to Panama or traveling through Central America? Here’s what I thought after visiting.

Is Panama City Worth Visiting? My Quick Answer

I think Panama City is worth visiting if you’re already passing through, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit it.

For us, it made sense to spend the day exploring because we were already there before continuing to Bocas del Toro. And I think that’s how I’d approach Panama City again: if you’re flying into the city or passing through on a longer trip around Panama or Central America, use the opportunity to see it before moving on.

I wouldn’t make Panama City the main reason for a trip to Panama, though.

What I Liked About Panama City

Even though Panama City wasn’t really for me, there were still a few things I liked about it.

Panama City was much more modern than I expected

I honestly didn’t expect Panama City to look as modern as it did. We stayed at Casa Areka, in an area surrounded by huge modern buildings, and it looked completely different from what I had pictured before arriving.

That was probably one of the things that surprised me most about the city.

Getting away from the tourist areas

The main tourist area felt pretty quiet while we were there, although the constant rain probably didn’t help.

Once we walked further into the more local parts of the city, there was suddenly much more going on. There were more people around, local places to eat and just more normal everyday life, which I found much more interesting than walking around looking for tourist attractions.

It’s a good starting point for traveling through Central America

One thing Panama City definitely has going for it is how easy it can be to use as a starting point for a longer trip.

For us, flying into Panama City made sense because we found a cheap direct flight from Madrid at the last minute. From there, we could start making our way north through Central America, beginning with Bocas del Toro and eventually continuing toward Mexico.

I wouldn’t visit Panama City just because of that, but if you’re already looking at flights into Central America, it’s worth checking as a possible starting point for your trip.

What I Didn’t Like About Panama City

There were also a few things about Panama City that made me happy we were only there for a short time.

The rain definitely didn’t help

We visited during rainy season without actually realizing it because apparently checking the weather before booking a trip would have been too sensible.

It poured for pretty much the entire time we were exploring, and I absolutely hate spending the day walking around in the rain. Obviously Panama City can’t control the weather, but it definitely affected my experience of the city.

I found Panama City pretty boring

This is completely personal, but there just wasn’t much about Panama City that excited me.

I’m not someone who needs to spend a day going from one tourist attraction to another, so I was perfectly happy just walking around, seeing different parts of the city, watching local life and finding somewhere to eat. But even doing that, Panama City just didn’t really grab me.

That doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do here — there clearly is — it just wasn’t a city that made me want to stay longer.

Panama City was expensive for our backpacking budget

We were traveling through eight countries in three weeks, so keeping the trip as cheap as possible was pretty important. Panama City made that harder than I expected, especially when it came to food.

At one point we were trying to find somewhere cheap to eat when we noticed a line of locals outside a small food place. That seemed like a good sign, so obviously we joined them.

It turned out to be one of those places with several different dishes already prepared, where you choose what you want and they put everything on your plate. I paid around $6 for my food and a Coke, which still wasn’t incredibly cheap for our budget, but compared to the other prices we’d been seeing in Panama City, it felt like we’d found a bargain.

Is Panama City Worth Visiting for Solo Travelers?

I visited Panama City with a friend, so I can’t tell you what it feels like to travel there completely alone.

I also wouldn’t choose Panama City specifically for a social solo backpacking trip. We stayed at Casa Areka, so staying in a hostel is obviously one option if you want to meet other travelers, but the city itself didn’t feel particularly social to me while I was there.

Panama City FAQs

Can you visit Panama City without speaking Spanish?

You can, but I would definitely recommend learning at least some basic Spanish before your trip. I speak Spanish fluently, and we ended up relying on my Spanish a lot while traveling through Central America because plenty of the people we met didn’t speak English.

Panama City is a major international city, so you will find people who speak English, particularly in places used to tourists, but I wouldn’t arrive assuming everyone will. Even knowing a few basic phrases can make things much easier.

Can you visit the Panama Canal from Panama City?

Yes. The Panama Canal is one of the main attractions people visit from Panama City, and you can easily include it while staying in the city.

You can visit independently or book a tour from Panama City if you’d rather have the transport and visit organized for you.

Is Panama City a good vacation destination?

It depends on the type of vacation you want. If you’re looking for a city break with modern areas, restaurants, shopping and attractions like the Panama Canal, you might enjoy it much more than I did.

If you’re looking for beaches, nature or a more relaxed vacation, I’d choose somewhere else in Panama.

What’s the currency used in Panama?

Panama uses the Panamanian balboa (PAB) and the US dollar (USD). The balboa has the same value as the US dollar, and US dollar notes are widely used in Panama.

Do you need cash in Panama City?

Yes, I would always have some cash with you in Panama City. You can pay by card in plenty of places, but you’ll still need cash for some smaller local restaurants, shops and other small purchases. Cash is king throughout Central America!

You don’t need to carry loads of it, but I definitely wouldn’t rely only on your card.

Is Panama City Worth Visiting? Final Thoughts

So, is Panama City worth visiting? I think it is if you’re already planning a trip to Panama or traveling through Central America, but it’s not somewhere I would personally travel all the way to Panama just to visit.

It wasn’t one of the highlights of my Central America trip, and the pouring rain definitely didn’t help my first impression. But I’m still glad I got to see it for myself, especially because it was completely different from what I expected before arriving.

Would I go back specifically for Panama City? Probably not. But would I skip it if I found myself in Panama again? Also probably not.

Read My Other Panama Guides

Panama City in One Day: The Itinerary I’d Follow If I Went Back

The 5 Best Hostels in Panama City, Panama