Best Time to Visit Panama

Panama is a beautiful, diverse country full of nature, color, and life. This is why many people want to travel to get to know this vibrant corner of the planet and also to enjoy a cruise on the Panama Canal.

But it is important to know the best time to visit Panama to get the most enjoyment out of the experience. Things such as weather and the number of tourists there at specific times of the year are what we will tell you about today so you can have an idea of what time is the best for you.

Panama is a tropical country; therefore, there are good temperatures 365 days a year. But it is also true that it is a very varied country: large cities, islands, rainforests, and two different coasts, each with its particular characteristics. We will tell you what time is the best depending on vacation plans, the weather, and other aspects of interests. Go for it!

The difference between the Caribbean coast and the Pacific coast

On many Internet pages, you can read and get the general idea that in Panama, there are two primary seasons: the humid, which goes from April to November, and the dry, which goes from December to the end of March. It is recommended, therefore, if one wants to travel in times without a lot of rain, that they do so during the months of December, January, and February when the weather is at its calmest.

There is also an important difference between the climate on the Caribbean coast and the Pacific coast. The latter, where Panama City is also located, goes through a steady dry season in which there is no rain, and there are pleasant temperatures of around 25 degrees. Then in the rainy season, if there are certain hours of the day when it rains without stopping.

But the reality is that on the Caribbean coast, it can rain during all months of the year. There is no strictly dry climate; a rainy day can happen at any point, with good temperatures but very high humidity.

The positive part is that the rain is usually during the night, and normally in the mornings and the afternoons, you can enjoy the sun, pleasant temperatures, and the beach.

Cost and tourism density throughout the year in Panama

We can confidently say that many people travel to Panama in the months of December, January, February, and March precisely because it is the dry season in the area on the Pacific coast. In addition, this coincides with the fact that it is the season with the worst climate in the United States, so many people dream of being able to enjoy a few days at a beach in Panama while winter develops in their cities.

This is how what is known as high season in Panama is formed. Everyone plans their vacations of January, for example, which makes the prices of everything go up exorbitantly: the most expensive hotels, the fullest activities and excursions, and even the most expensive plane tickets.

The dry season is also the ideal time to visit another one of the most incredible places in Panama: Taboga and the San Blas Islands, home of the Kuna indigenous community and an impressive landscape blooming with nature to enjoy while diving and hiking.

This means that to find out the best time to visit Panama; one has to question the following: do I prefer a cheaper and less stuffy trip, but with potential rain? Or do I prefer to pay some more money to enjoy dry warm days and go to the beach?

If you are in the group of those who want to travel with a small budget, there is no doubt that your best moment can be during the summer in Europe and the United States: the months of May, June, July, and August. You will find less tourism, experience a short period of rain on both coasts, and enjoy a little sun.

Some events throughout the year

People who prefer to make an economical trip are not the only ones who will enjoy the rainy season in Panama. And there are other reasons someone may want to go during these months, besides the high and dry season.

For example, for surf lovers, the rainy season is attractive because it is when there are better waves on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. The bad weather during the night stirs the water and makes the waves bigger and more fun.

On the other hand, there are specific areas where the rainy season is better than the dry: the Bocas del Toro area. And also the part of the Coiba National Park, where the season to be able to see sharks and whales is precisely the month of August, with quite constant rain. And finally, May, during the full rainy season, is the best time to see turtles in some areas of Panama.

It is evident that nature does not wait for its cycle to reach the sunniest and less rainy season, instead flowing and offering incredible sights at any time.

Conclusions about the best time to visit Panama

In short, the first thought of any person who knows about the two seasons in a tropical climate such as the one found in Panama is to travel in the dry season to enjoy a country full of beaches and places to sunbathe and relax. But nothing is what it seems, and there are many reasons why it is also a good option to travel in the wet season.

The huge price difference, the fact that on the Caribbean coast it also rains during the supposed dry season, the quality of the waves, and the visit to places where it's possible to enjoy the incredible flora and fauna of Panama are some of the reasons why we can tell you that perhaps the best time to travel to Panama is in the wet months of June, July, and August. Just think about what places you would like to know in the country, and what is your preferred way of enjoying the holidays.