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Panama Self-Drive: Between Two Oceans

12 DAYS / 11 NIGHTS

from US $ 1,730.00

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PANAMA SELF-DRIVE TOUR: Between Two Oceans

DISCOVER BEAUTIFUL PANAMA – PERFECT FOR FAMILIES, COUPLES, OR SINGLE TRAVELERS

(TOUR IS FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE)

With great roads and much to see along the way, a self-drive tour in Panama makes good sense for the independent-minded traveler. Travel at your own pace while enjoying a self-guided driving tour of beautiful Panama. Transfers, hotels, and a rental car are pre-booked and waiting for you.

You will discover that Panama, this tiny country, is one of the most biodiverse countries on earth. On this Panama Self-Drive Tour, you will get the chance to see many different types of animals, plants, and insects in their natural habitat. Some of Panama’s most unique regions are waiting to be explored – each with its own characteristics, weather, wildlife, and people.

This Panama Self-Drive Tour is perfect for families, couples, or single travelers. And the best feature is that it is fully customizable. Want to stay longer at the beach, add a few days of relaxation in the end, skip a hotel? Whatever your heart desires, we can customize this trip until it fits your likes, needs, and budget perfectly.

Old Town Casco Antiguo, Panama City, Panama

But now, let’s dive into your Panama Self-Drive Tour!

You will start your tour in busy and historic but at the same time modern Panama City, located at the Pacific Ocean. And you will finish your Panama Self-Drive a good week later in beautiful Bocas del Toro, partly an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Hence the name “Between Two Oceans”.

From/To

Tour start: Panama City international airport Tocumen (PTY)

Tour end: Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro

HOTELS on your Panama Self-Drive

Central Hotel Panama ****, Premium – Panama City, 2 nights
Caracoral Boutique Hotel ***(*), Deluxe Room – El Valle de Anton, 1 night
Casa Lajagua ***, Queen Room – Pedasi, 2 nights
Hotel Sol y Mar ***, Standard Room – Santa Catalina, 2 nights
Bocas del Mar Hotel ***(*), Standard Bungalow – Boca Chica, 2 nights
Panamonte Inn & Spa ***, Terrace Room – Boquete, 2 nights

TOUR MAP

OF YOUR PANAMA SELF-DRIVE

TOUR ITINERARY

OF YOUR PANAMA SELF-DRIVE

DAY 1

PANAMA CITY – TRANSFER IN (-)

Individual arrival at the international airport of Tocumen (PTY). Transfer to your hotel in the historic city center Casco Antiguo. Also known as Casco Viejo, San Felipe is the old city’s heart, popular for its lively dining and nightlife scene. Cocktail lounges, rooftop bars, and restaurants line streets decorated with elaborate murals. Colonial-era landmarks include the twin-towered Metropolitan Cathedral.

DAY 2

PANAMA CITY (B)

Day at leisure.

We can include a Panama City Tour that takes you around Panama’s amazing capital which was founded in 1519. You would visit the ruins of Panama Viejo, walk the old town Casco Antiguo and of course, visit the Panama Canal.
Or how about a train ride along the Panama Canal or a visit to the indigenous Embera tribe (pictured)?

DAY 3

PANAMA CITY – EL VALLE (B)

Your Panama self-drive starts today. You will take over your rental car and head to El Valle (about 2 hrs). At Altos de Campana NP, stop at a viewpoint. Or try out the hiking trails. El Valle is a great spot for nature tours.
Optional Activities: Sunday market, birdwatching, butterfly garden “Haven”, El Valle museum, Mozas waterfalls, horseback riding, climb La India Dormida, or hike in the enchanting landscapes of El Valle.

DAY 4

EL VALLE – PEDASI (B)

Today you will drive to the Azuero Peninsula, the cradle of Panamanian culture. Possible stops on your drive: park El Caño visit (once a sacred place, pre-Columbian), Nata de Los Caballeros (oldest church on mainland America, constructed in 1522), various typical villages such as Parita or La Villa de Los Santos.

Driving time today: about 4 hrs

DAY 5

PEDASI (B)

Day at leisure. You could visit Isla Iguana. Boats depart from nearby Playa El Arenal. Isla Iguana is the top natural attraction of the Azuero Peninsula offering the only white-sand beach of that region and beautiful crystal clear waters. It is a secluded paradise, inhabited only by rare birds, giant lizards (“iguanas”), and purple and red crabs. Or drive to nearby Playa Venao with its beautiful beach and shoreline for surfing and more!

Other optional activities: snorkeling, fishing, horseback riding, kite surfing, scuba diving, and seasonal whale watching (July to October)

DAY 6

PEDASI – SANTA CATALINA (B)

Today you’ll drive to Santa Catalina (about 4 1/2 hrs).

Once a small fishing village with relatively few visitors, Santa Catalina has become a world-renowned surfing destination and is also famous for being the gateway to Coiba Island. The village is still minimally developed, with just a handful of restaurants and accommodations, as well as a small grocery store and surfing schools.

DAY 7

SANTA CATALINA: ISLA COIBA (B)

Day at leisure. We highly recommend a visit to Coiba Island (boat tour not incl.). Coiba Island is sometimes described as the “New Galapagos” and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving in Panama. With a bit of luck, you can spot dolphins, humpback whales (seasonal), manta rays, barracudas, whale sharks, hammerhead and tiger sharks, and much more. Take a boat tour and discover the island with its marine life and beautiful virgin beaches.

DAY 8

SANTA CATALINA – BOCA CHICA (B)

The next destination on your self-drive through Panama is Boca Chica, a small fishing village along Panama’s central Pacific coast. It acts primarily as the gateway to the Gulf of Chiriquí National Park. The natural beauty of this place is impressive, but it is still off-the-radar for most tourists.

Driving time today: about 3 3/4 hrs

DAY 9

BOCA CHICA (B)

Book a boat tour and explore the virgin islands and beaches in the Gulf of Chiriquí Marine Park. It is made up of two dozen islands and their surrounding waters. The park provides a wealth of activities, including deep sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and sea kayaking.

DAY 10

BOCA CHICA – BOQUETE (B)

Your Panama Self-Drive tour continues today. You leave the beach and drive uphill to Boquete. The evergreen area and idyllic landscape is the perfect spot for nature and outdoor lovers. Boquete lies on the Caldera River, in Panama’s green mountain highlands. Because of its elevation, about 3,900 ft above sea level, its climate is cooler than that of the lowlands.

Driving time today: about 1 3/4 hrs

DAY 11

BOQUETE (B)

Day at leisure. Discover the beautiful surroundings of Boquete.

Optional activities include canopying (ziplining), river-rafting, hiking, mountain biking, suspension bridges tour, bird watching, horseback riding, visiting a coffee plantation plus coffee tour, a 4×4 jeep tour up Baru volcano, and massages.

DAY 12

BOQUETE – BOCAS DEL TORO (B)

Drive through the mountains of the Cordillera de Talamanca and then along the Caribbean coast and through ever-changing vegetation to Almirante. Drop your rental car off. In this little port town, home of the Chiquita Banana company, take a boat to the island of Colon (Bocas del Toro). Bocas del Toro is a collection of several idyllic islands surrounded by the clear Caribbean Sea. Enjoy a very relaxed typical Caribbean atmosphere. End of tour.
Driving time today: about 3 hrs

EXTENSION OPTIONS

OPTION 1

Beach Extension in Bocas del Toro

Individual beach extension. There is so much more to explore or just rest & relax. We’ll be happy to give you a quote for a beach stay in one of the many beautiful boutique hotels on the various islands.

OPTION 2

Visit Costa Rica

Bocas del Toro is very close to the border to Costa Rica. If you have a few more days, we’ll happily work on an extension program in Costa Rica.

OPTION 3

Return to Panama City

Fly back to Panama City. Spend another night here, add an extension to the beautiful San Blas Islands (Guna Yala), or fly back home in the evening.

Price: from US$ 1,730.00 per person in double occupancy

Included services

Transfer airport – hotel in Panama City and transfer to rental car company on day 3
11 nights of accommodation at the mentioned hotels
Meals as per description (breakfast)
10 days of rental car Hyundai Creta (SUV Economic, or similar), incl. full coverage and theft insurance, general liability insurance, local taxes, unlimited free miles, and a one-way drop-off fee