Panama

Tailor-Made Tours

Introduction to Panama

Panama is the southernmost country of Central America and a microcosm of the region’s rugged beauty, rich history and year-round warm weather, filled with natural and cultural treasures. Whether you are interested in exploring the Panama Canal by boat or train, seeing the historic buildings and sites, enjoying a natural history tour, bird watching, arranging a family adventure or a jungle expedition, Panama is a surprising destination just waiting for your discovery.

At South America Travel Centre we know that it can be hard to know where to begin when planning your holiday. Because of this, we specialise in meticulously creating a unique, tailor-made itinerary specifically for you and your interests. This may include visiting the Panama Canal, the San Blas islands, Coiba Island or simply wander the streets in awe of the history of Panama city. Contact us on 1300 784 794 to see where your journey to Panama could take you.

HIGHLIGHTS

OVERVIEW:

Home of the Kuna Indians who were granted regional autonomy to protect their unique culture, forming the ‘Comarca’ (autonomous territory) of Kuna Yala where to this day an indigenous congress rules.

The San Blas islands are a group of islands in the archipelago de San Blas, located in the Northwest of Panama facing the Caribbean Sea. There are 378 islands within the archipelago and they are scattered around in an area of about 100 square miles. The majority of the 378 islands have no inhabitants, but on the larger ones you will find the gentle native people known as the Kuna’s.

The San Blas Islands are the number #1 holiday destination in Panama. This is because the Islands have not yet discovered mass tourism; they are controlled by the Kuna people. The Kuna people are very proud and protective their lands. You will sleep in eco-friendly accommodations Yandup Island Lodge being one of the best.

OVERVIEW:

One of the world’s greatest engineering and scenic marvels – a major shipping canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, obviating the need for the long and treacherous voyage via the Drake Passage and Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of South America.
The Panama Canal Railway, built between 1850-1855, was the world’s first transcontinental railroad. It stretches across the isthmus of Panama from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The train ride will take you alongside the magnificent waterway to the west, flanked by the exuberant rainforests of Soberania National Park to the east.

OVERVIEW:

There are sixteen species of birds in Panama, classified as Globally Threatened; some of the most splendid are Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Resplendent Quetzal, Three-wattled Bellbird and Yellow-billed Cotinga.

Panama is an excellent place for bird watching and has just over 1,000 species recorded, 11 of them are endemic, and around 107 species are regionally endemic.

A SELECTION OF ACCOMMODATION

Luxury

America Trade Hotel

Casco Viejo, Panama

Top class design and the finest facilities. Usually located in a spectacular setting it may be an exclusive hotel in a meticulously restored historic building, or recognised as the leading property of an international chain.

Boutique

Villa Palma Boutique Hotel

Panama City, Panama

Opened in 2014, the Villa Palma Boutique Hotel is a fabulous boutique hotel located in the old town of Panama City. It has 14 spacious ‘European styled’ rooms with an combination of distinguished design, elegance and high-class. equipped with everything you need for a very comfortable stay.

First Class

Hyatt Place

Panama City, Panama

High quality with an excellent room standard, a full range of facilities and first-rate service; may be a new property or regularly refurbished with attention to ongoing maintenance.

Tourist-superior and tourist class accommodation is also available. For more information on the accommodation we offer, call 1300 784 794 or email contact@satc.com.au.

Plan My Trip

SAMPLE ITINERARIES

Panama Highlights
6 Days

Costa Rica & Panama
19 Days

Planning Your Trip

The Booking Process

South America Travel Centre can look after all aspects of your holiday, including flights and travel insurance.

We start by asking you what your interests are and where you are interested in, when, for how long, what standard and style of accommodation. Once we have a good understanding of just what you’re looking for, we can begin to create a holiday to meet your time and budget requirements and, most importantly, that will deliver interest and enjoyment in an experience to exceed your expectations.

Please book early. Many of the hotels, lodges and cruise vessels we recommend are relatively small. This exclusivity combined with high demand means they can be booked out up to 6-8 months in advance.

If you’re thinking of travelling during any major holidays like Christmas, New Year and Easter, or during any festivals, our advice is simply to book as early as you can, even 12 months or more, and we can add flights as soon as they become available.

Visa and Health Information

Australian citizens do not require a visa to enter Costa Rica. You will need to hold a valid passport and have a return ticket when you arrival.

Vaccinations are advised for common diseases like Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid as well as Influenza. There are no compulsory vaccinations.

We advise you to consult a Travel Doctor specialist prior to departure to assess any health risks in relation to your medical history and travel plans.

Flight Information

We have access to a wide range of airfares and have excellent relationships with our key airline partners. Our two main airline partners in Latin America are LATAM Airlines, QANTAS Airlines and Air New Zealand. We can also arrange internal flights for you within Latin America.

Irrespective of whether you book directly with us or with your preferred travel agent, we’ll request the details of all of your fights to ensure if there are any changes your transfers and other arrangements are adjusted accordingly.

The Best Time to Go

Being a tropical climate, you can expect to experience a lot of humidity throughout the whole year in Panama. Areas in the Caribbean receive notably more rainfall than that in Panama city. Average yearly temperatures vary between 24°C-29°C.

mid-December- mid-April is the dry season.
April-July you can expect to experience sudden, heavy thunderstorms in the afternoon, short in duration.

Client Reviews

Now back in Sydney after a wonderful holiday. The EcoCamp was also fantastic! The whole holiday was co-ordinated beautifully – everything just flowed from one adventure to the next without a single problem. We now have 100’s and 100’s of absolutely spectacular photos to sort through. Interestedly we had 8 different flights whilst we were away and each one of them was either full or nearly full – people are obviously travelling again. Thank you so much for all your assistance in co-ordinating our Patagonia experience. With Kindest regards Joe & Judy
Joe & Judy
Now back in Sydney after a wonderful holiday. The EcoCamp was also fantastic! The whole holiday was co-ordinated beautifully – everything just flowed from one adventure to the next without a single problem. We now have 100’s and 100’s of absolutely spectacular photos to sort through. Interestedly we had 8 different flights whilst we were away and each one of them was either full or nearly full – people are obviously travelling again. Thank you so much for all your assistance in co-ordinating our Patagonia experience. With Kindest regards, Joe & Judy
Joe & Judy Chile February 2023
We cannot recommend Hayley from South America Travel Centre (SATC) more highly. Our entire trip was planned perfectly from the second we left Sydney. Not only did she incorporate all of our preferred destinations, Hayley also made suggestions on additional places based on our preferences and some of these turned out to be the highlights of our trip! We tend to be more independent travellers and Hayley was able to create the perfect mix of seamless travel with the flexibility for us throughout the journey to take advantage of any unexpected opportunities that arose. The guides at every location were extremely knowledgeable and offered excellent suggestions on everything from safety through to restaurants and laundry locations. I absolutely cannot fault the services provided both locally and in Australia from the SATC team.
Aimee Hudspeth and Shane R (Peru, Argentina and Chile)