Overview & Highlights
A relaxing holiday exploring by car the sunlit beaches of Panama’s undeveloped Pacific coast with inroads into the mountainous hinterland in search of wildlife and outdoor adventures.
With its laid-back, peaceful ambience, sunny weather and genial people, Panama is an increasingly popular destination for visitors who want to widen their horizons beyond the capital city and the Canal. It’s easy to see why - there’s a string of natural and cultural delights studding the mostly flawless Pacific coastline and its hinterland of cloud forest-clad mountains.
But what’s the best way to explore them? The charm of these highlights is enhanced by their feeling of remoteness, but they are in fact easily accessed by an expanding network of blissfully smooth highways and virtually vehicle-free paved rural roads. So we are excited by our new self-drive holiday, devised to guide you to discover our best-loved spots in Panama and rest up at a few of our favourite hotels and lodges.
Driving is utterly pleasurable and mostly easy-going as you cruise along an innovative route we’ve devised from first-hand experience. Armed with Wifi, your map and plenty of advice and tips exclusive to Journey Latin America, you will progress at a leisurely pace with plenty of opportunities to stop and discover hidden corners of this amiable country.
Outline itinerary
Day 1
Transfer to your hotel in the historic centre of Panama City, Casco Viejo.
Day 2
Guided tour of the Panama Canal and Casco Viejo
Day 3
Collect your hire car and drive to El Valle de Anton.
Day 4
Drive from El Valle to Chitre on the Azuero Peninsula.
Day 5
Drive from Chitre to Playa Venao via Pese and Pedasi
Day 6
At leisure in Playa Venao.
Day 7
Drive from Playa Venao to Boca Chica via Sona and Puerto Vidal.
Day 8
At leisure on Boca Brava Island.
Day 9
Further opportunities to explore Boca Brava.
Day 10
Drive from Boca Chica to Boquete via Cerro Punta.
Day 11
At leisure in the Boquete area.
Day 12
Drive from Boquete to David, drop off car. Fly back to Panama City.
Day 13
Guided boat tour on Gatún lake; transfer to the airport for your international flight.
Things to do
We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.
Accommodation
Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.
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What our clients say
97% of our clients rated their experience with us as Excellent or Good.
Though I've travelled a fair bit in Central and South America, this was a very different experience and so was memorable throughout for that difference. Other trips have focused on Mayan and Incan civilisations, on Spanish Colonial cities and towns and this trip was much more about the scenery and wildlife. The cities were vibrant and very European in feel without much evidence of colonialism. The skies were huge, the scenery spectacular, and the wildlife a joy.
CG, Hexham
Tailor made holiday
Our specialists have been expertly crafting award-winning tailor-made holidays to Latin America for 40 years. We would be delighted to create a truly personalised trip which perfectly matches your wishes and requirements.
Evie Oswald - Travel Expert
It's hard to believe that Evie has had time to cram so much in to her life so far. Having lived as a child in the Americas and Europe she found herself immediately attracted to Latin America.
Inspired by this trip
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
Papagaio
Your edit for Latin American inspiration
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
View Extraordinary Inspiration
Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert
After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.
Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert
Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.
Sophie Barber - Travel Expert
Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.
Evie Oswald - Travel Expert
It's hard to believe that Evie has had time to cram so much in to her life so far. Having lived as a child in the Americas and Europe she found herself immediately attracted to Latin America.
Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert
Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.
Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert
Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.
