Largely unknown and unexplored by past travelers, the country of Panama has now become an outstanding destination for adventurers and nature lovers alike. Panama is one of the world’s most visitor-friendly countries. It received the highest rating for tourist safety from the prestigious Pinkerton Intelligence Agency. Its people are warm, friendly and unspoiled. Panama has long been an international crossroad; Panamanians are accustomed to meeting people from other lands and many speak English as a second language. Another great visitor convenience is that the US dollar is the Panamanian currency.

Panama has a great variety of world-class attractions all in close proximity

Panama is only the size of South Carolina, yet it has a great variety of attractions including exotic tropical rainforests, beautiful mountain refuges, Caribbean-style beaches, 1000 surrounding islands, seven living Indian cultures, a Miami-style sophisticated capital city, Spanish colonial historical sites, and of course the 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 are so close and easy to get to.

Panama is one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth

The many varied ecosystems of Panama support an incredible variety of life, and the interaction between the geology, climate and animal species in Panama have resulted in wildly dense plant and bird populations. More than 10,000 species of tropical plants can be found in the region (many of them not found anywhere else in the world). Rainforests dominate much of the northwestern portion of the country as well as much of the eastern half. Wildlife abounds in the scarcely-visited national parks. Panama has 950 bird species, more than USA and Canada combined. A large number of mammals, amphibians and reptiles can also be found.

Panama is safe

In a Newsweek magazine article on tourism safety worldwide, Panama received the same tourism safety rating as the USA. Panama is one of the safest countries in Latin American for tourists and also for living. The Panama Canal along with Panama’s stable democratic government and Panama’s first-world infrastructure make it a desirable holiday destination. The Pan American Highway which spans the length of the country is well maintained and supports an excellent public transportation system. Panamanians generally embrace foreigners and are happy to share their local knowledge.