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, a domestic flight, 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.
Are you thinking about relocating to Panama? Then this tour is also for you!
As our Panama Self-Drive Tour is completely tailor-made, we can create it around your relocation interests and needs. Whether you are considering relocating close to a beach or the mountains, just let us know and we can adjust the Panama Self-Drive Tour or create one from scratch just for you at no additional cost!
As with all of our tours, our local partner agency is available for any emergency needs 24/7 so you are never more than a phone call away.
What makes this Panama Self-Drive tour so special?
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 more days of relaxation in the end, skip or change 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 about two weeks later back in Panama City, after a stay in beautiful Bocas del Toro, partly an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Hence the name “Between Two Oceans”.
Tour start/end: Panama City international airport Tocumen (PTY)
HOTELS on your Panama Self-Drive
- Gran Hotel Evenia Panama ***(*), Deluxe – modern Panama City, 2 nights
- Caracoral Boutique Hotel ***(*), Deluxe Room – El Valle de Anton, 1 night
- Casa Lajagua ***, Queen Room – Pedasi, 3 nights
- Hotel Sol y Mar **(*) – Standard Room – Santa Catalina, 2 nights – OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL STOP (not included)
- Las Lajas Beach Resort ***, Beach Front Junior Suite – Las Lajas, 2 nights
- Boquete Garden Inn ***, King + Single – Boquete, 2 nights
- Divers Paradise Boutique Hotel ***(*), Suite with Ocean View – Bocas del Toro, 3 nights – or another hotel of your choice! Ask me!
- Central Hotel Panama ****, Premium – in the historic old town of Panama City (Casco Antiguo), 1 night
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 modern city center. Rest of day at leisure. Enjoy the many restaurants within walking distance.
DAY 2
PANAMA CITY (B)
Or how about 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 de Anton (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.
DAY 6
PEDASI (B)
Day at leisure to relax around Pedasi 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 7
PEDASI – LAS LAJAS (B)
The next destination on your self-drive through Panama is Las Lajas. Las Lajas Beach Resort is located on Playa Las Lajas, the most famous but still unspoiled beach in all of Panama, where you can walk along the sandy Pacific beach stretching for miles in either direction.
Driving time today: about 4 hrs
DAY 8
LAS LAJAS (B)
Day at leisure.
Play in the warm inviting waters, relax below palm trees or in the shade of the traditional ´palapas´, and discover the many activities: horseback riding, visiting an indigenous community, massages, and more.
DAY 9
LAS LAJAS – BOQUETE (B)
Your Panama Self-Drive tour continues today. You leave the beach and drive uphill to Boquete. The evergreen area and idyllic landscape are the perfect spots 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.
Driving time today: about 2 hrs
DAY 10
BOQUETE (B)
Day at leisure. Discover the beautiful surroundings of Boquete.
Optional activities include canopying (ziplining), hiking, waterfalls, suspension bridges tour, bird watching, horseback riding, visiting a coffee plantation plus coffee tour, mountain biking, river rafting, and more
DAY 11
BOQUETE – BOCAS DEL TORO (B)
Drive through the mountains of the Cordillera de Talamanca, along the Caribbean coast, and through ever-changing vegetation to Chiriqui Grande. Drop your rental car off. Take a boat to the island of Colon (Bocas del Toro).
Driving time today: about 2 1/2 hrs
DAY 12
BOCAS DEL TORO (B)
Bocas del Toro is a collection of several idyllic islands surrounded by the clear Caribbean Sea. Enjoy a very relaxed typical Caribbean atmosphere.
Day at leisure to relax or explore the surrounding islands. Or we can also include a guided boat tour!
DAY 13
BOCAS DEL TORO (B)
Day at leisure.
Optional activities include cycling, visiting beach bars, kayaking, SUP, water taxis to surrounding islands, hiking, surfing, indigenous communities, and so much more.
DAY 14
BOCAS DEL TORO – PANAMA CITY (B)
Transfer to the airport and flight back to Panama City’s domestic airport. From here, transfer to historic Casco Antiguo. Also known as Casco Viejo, San Felipe is the old city’s heart, popular for its lively dining and nightlife scene. Rooftop bars and restaurants line streets decorated with elaborate murals. Colonial-era landmarks include the twin-towered Metropolitan Cathedral.
DAY 15
PANAMA CITY/ DEPARTURE (B)
Private transfer to the international airport Tocumen. End of your Panama self-drive tour and time to start planning your next adventure with us!
Customize your Panama Self-Drive Tour:
Other stops we can easily add to this itinerary:
- Santa Catalina for great surfing and even better snorkeling/diving at Coiba Island where you can spot dolphins, whale sharks, barracuda, hammerhead and tiger sharks, humpback whales (seasonal), and much more!
- Santa Fe for an authentic mountain village experience
- Boca Chica – gateway to the Gulf of Chiriqui Marine Park with its virgin islands and great ocean fishing
EXTENSION OPTIONS
Beach Extension in Bocas del Toro
Individual beach extension. There is so much more to explore or to rest & relax. We’ll be happy to give you a quote for an extended beach stay in one of the many beautiful eco lodges on the various Bocas del Toro islands. Ask us!
Visit Costa Rica
Bocas del Toro is very close to the border with Costa Rica. If you have a few more days, we’ll happily work on an extension program in Costa Rica.
Price: from US$ 2,045.00 per person in double occupancy
Included services
- All mentioned transfers
- 14 nights of accommodation at the mentioned hotels
- Daily breakfast
- 10 days of rental car Hyundai Creta (SUV Economic, or similar), incl. CDW coverage, local taxes, unlimited free miles, a free second driver, a local sim card, and the one-way drop-off fee
- Domestic flight Bocas del Toro-Panama City including 50 lbs of luggage per person
- 24/7 assistance by our local partner agency during the entire stay
Not included
- International airfare (to/from PTY)
- Optional tours
- Fuel
- Extension Options
Looking for a shorter tour or different stops? Are you looking to relocate to Panama and want to focus only on beach or mountain destinations?
Contact us and we’ll customize this tour for you at no extra charge!
MAKE YOUR TRAVEL DREAMS COME TRUE
Let’s discuss your vacation ideas.
You can request a quote, chat with us, email us, or schedule a free call right here.
We can’t wait to work with you.
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