WHY TRAVEL TO PANAMA?
Diversity
Panama is only the size of South Carolina - yet it has a great variety of attractions: exotic tropical rainforests, beautiful mountain refuges, Caribbean-style beaches and 1000 islands, one of the best birding sites worldwide, seven living Indian cultures, a Miami-style sophisticated capital city with a vibrant night life, Spanish colonial historical sites, golf, diving, snorkeling, not to mention that 8th wonder of the world and engineering marvel, the Panama Canal. It is hard to think of any other destination in the world that has such a variety of attractions that close and easy to get to.Great weather
Panama has a year-round warm tropical, but diverse climate. The waterfront areas of Panama are hot and can be humid, yet there are year round cooler temperatures in the mountain areas.
Political stability and low crime rate
Panama is one of the most stable democratic republics in the Americas and has been a committed U.S. ally since the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 1900's.The crime rate is far lower than that in most U.S. cities and other vacation and retirement destinations.
Excellent infrastructure
Panama has a first-world infrastructure starting with a US style capital city with high speed internet, the second largest Free Trade Zone in the world, a banking sector with 90 banks, first rate hotels and restaurants and the best shopping in Latin America.
Geographical position
As part of Central America, Panama is just a short plane ride away. There are direct flights from 10 major US cities to Panama City: Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. Newark, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale. For Europe there are currently two airlines with direct flights to Panama: KLM from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Iberia from Madrid, Spain.
Tourist-friendly culture
Panamanians are known for their peaceful, get-along and fun loving nature. As a result of the 90 year presence of Americans in the Canal Zone, Panamanians understand and appreciate other cultures and nationalities. English is also widely spoken and understood.
The US dollar currency
The dollar is Panama's currency-a great convenience. There's no need for currency exchange.
Panama has a healthy environment
Many Panamanian doctors speak English, sanitary conditions are excellent, and there is almost none of that tourism scrourge, "Montezuma's Revenge". You can even drink the tap water, a rarity in Latin America. An amazing abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables makes your visit truly enjoyable.
Best place for eco tourism
Panama has the easiest-to-get-to exotic nature in the world. Its position as a narrow land bridge connecting two continents endowed it with some of the worlds' most pristine and bio-diverse rainforests in national parks covering 5 million acres. There is a local saying: "In other countries you have 20 tourists looking at one bird, while in Panama you have one tourist looking at 20 birds." A key indicator of its bio-diversity: Panama has 978 recorded bird species, more than the U.S. and Canada combined. Importantly, all that great nature is very accessible- some of the best locations are less than an hour from Panama City!
No hurricanes or earthquakes
Panama is blessed by nature. It is the only country in Central America that is absolutely hurricane-free and has none of the destructive earthquakes that plague its Central American neighbors. Your Panama vacation will never be re-scheduled due to natural events.