Selfdrive Panama

Panama City

You are met on arrival and driven to your preferred hotel in Panama City for a 3 night stay.

Although Panama has much, much else to discover and explore, no first visit could miss seeing the Canal. Your guide picks you up from your hotel to visit the Canal's Miraflores Lock, where massive ships squeeze through with inches ot spare, and a small museum neatly sums up the history of the Canal's construction and its engineering feats. It will usually be possible to explore the ruins of Old Panama, founded in 1519 and sacked in 1671 by Welsh buccaneer Sir Henry Morgan. The city relocated to Casco Viejo, formerly with sturdy walls against pirates, where you'll stroll streets redolent of Old Havana. You'll visit the Canal's Pacific entrance at Amador: also the location of the brand new Gehry BioMuseo, bringing you bang up to date.

Panama Canal Railway, Portobelo & Embera Indians

You are driven to the station for the excellent train journey carrying commuters to the Caribbean, running mostly beside the Canal, and across Gatun Lake on a causeway. You visit the sleepy harbour of Portobelo, where Incan gold was loaded onto Spanish ships in the 16th century. Then continue to a village of the indigenous Embera community, arriving by dug-out boat for insights into their tribal way of life.

El Valle

Pick-up your hire car this morning. It's about a 2hr drive to your first stop at El Valle where you spend 2 nights at a charming family-run guest house in lush gardens.

A free day to explore El Valle, ringed by the lip of an extinct volcano. There are hiking, horse riding, biking and birdwatching options; flowering plants bloom in its 'eternal spring' microclimate. Small scale attractions include waterfalls, thermal waters, mud baths and petroglyphs. The excellent, totally chi-chi La Casa de Lourdes restaurant is a must.

Santiago

On the Panamerican Highway for 2-3 hours to Santiago, a bustling country town. A small side trip leads to the church of San Francisco de la Montana. Built in 1727 this pilgrimage site has elaborate carvings and vibrant frescos mixing Catholic images with indigenous folklore. Stay the night just outside Santiago.

Boquete

A mostly picturesque drive towards David. You pass grazing horses and cattle in the fields, sparkling rice paddies, coffee plantations and rivers tumbling down from the central Cordillera. You continue towards the cloud forests of Baru volcano and the mountain resort of Boquete for 2 nights.

A free day. There is plenty to do: hiking, bird-watching, whitewater rafting, zip-lines and hot springs and some extraordinary gardens. Coffee estates run good tours.

Volcán

Drive via David up the western flank of Barú, where the scenery above Volcán is most appealing. Pottering through rural villages, where neighbours vie with each other as if in a 'Panama in Bloom' competition, you might pause at Sitio Barriles to see petroglyphs and gardens planted by the family who live there. Higher up at Cerro Punta, Finca Dracula orchid farm is an excellent stop.

Chiriqui Coast & Islands

In the morning drive down to the Pacific Coast and the lovely Gulf of Chiriqui for 3 nights at Bocas del Mar - a stylish and welcoming boutique hotel. There's a choice of infinity pools, steps down to a narrow beach with a jetty for boat trips around the islands and coral reefs of the Gulf of Chiriqui marine national park, which has many secluded white sand beaches. Its forested islands are home to howler monkey, ocelot, margay, jagarundi, raccoon, ant-eater and coyote; in the bays and ocean there are leatherback and hawksbill turtles, dolphins and whales.

Relaxing at Bocas del Mar. Boat trips to explore the archipelago are a good option, at an extra charge.

Relaxing at Bocas del Mar. Boat trips to explore the archipelago are a good option, at an extra charge.

Azuero Peninsula

Returning eastwards you turn onto the Peninsula de Azuero, a cowboy ranching region fringed by Pacific beaches: the heart of traditional Panama. Stay 2 nights at an attractively furnished guest house by Playa Venado: a 1.5km crescent of soft dark sand.

Simply relax on the beach, a good surfing spot, or explore the area. Good options include Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge off the coast at Pedasi, and Isla Cañas Wildlife Preserve - a sand spit with mangroves and turtle nesting site.

An early start to drive back to Panama City, dropping your hire car downtown. A driver will take you from the rental office to the international airport for your flight home.