Panama is one of the warmer places I've been too however you can get fined for not wearing clothes... no bikini walking around here!
I visited only 3 places in Panama this go around, but again, it was GORGEOUS and I can't wait to go back! First place I visited was Bocas Del Toro.
Boca's is a cute little island surrounded by beautiful beaches. We stayed at Selina's Hostel and I can't recommend it enough, I was so happy with our decision. It's around $13-15 a night and comes with AC, breakfast and has a dock on the ocean with swings and boat taxi's that'll come and pick you up.
To get to other beaches you can take the boat taxis or for a cheaper option, take a bus from the main square in town! Takes a bit longer but will definitely save you some money. Red frog, starfish and Zapatillas are the top beaches to go too. Pack a lunch or get food/drinks there for around $10. Bus rides are roughly $5-7.
For eating, they have plenty of restaurants and cafe's however prices are slightly higher here, I'd recommend eating street food or just where the locals are! Cooking your own meals is always a safe/cheap bet.
If you so happen to be here on a Saturday, go to Aqua Lounge at night! It's basically a club on the water with a large dock (plus ladies drink free from 10:30-11:30). You have to take a boat there but it costs $1 per person! Another popular place for the nightlife is Iguana's.
Go paddle boarding! We rented paddle boards from Selina's for $5 for a few hours and it was gorgeous. The water is super clear so you can see everything!
(if you are a rum drinker, purchase Albelo, you can drink it straight no problem and tastes great)
Panama City
Such a diverse city and they have two sides to Panama "old & new."
We took an overnight bus from Boca's Del Toro but we arrived to Panama City at 3:30AM... we couldn't find anywhere open to go and wait for sunrise so we snuck into a hostel and slept in the common area (not always the smartest idea)
We changed hostels in the morning and stayed at Luna's Castle in Old Panama (Casco Viejo) which was in the perfect location, had free pancakes in the morning, AC, wifi and it was $14 per night.
Use UBER! You will need some sort of transportation to get around since getting from old Panama to new can be a trek. You can choose English or Spanish speaking but Spanish is cheaper.
Lots of clubs have dress codes here so if you plan on going out, be prepared with some formal outfits. Panama City is a more expensive place but you can get away with eating local food for cheap. They have so many cool restaurants and clubs here that you don't want to miss so have at least one splurge night.
The local fish market is a good place to spend your afternoon, meet some locals and eat tons of delicious food.
San Blas Islands (literal paradise)
Words can't explain how beautiful these islands are...
I went for 3 days and stayed 2 nights, it was the perfect amount of time considering theres really nothing to do on the island besides relax. We booked our trip through Mamallenas Hostel. To my research, it was the cheapest way to do San Blas. We paid $150 for roundtrip transportation, 2 nights in a beach hut and 3 meals daily.
We stayed at Franklin Island since it was cheapest but still so, so, so beautiful! I'd advise you to bring snacks and liquor. They provide you with 3 meals a day however they are quite timed apart (7AM, 12PM & 5PM) and if you miss a meal, you don't eat till the next meal time. (Fun fact: they blow into a shell to make a loud noise to let the island know it's time to eat).
They have day trips for $10-15 to other islands so be sure to carry cash on you if you want that option. You pay for your entire trip at the end and they call the driver the night before you want to leave so you can extend/shorten your trip however you please.
You can charge your phones, cameras, laptops, etc in the community room from 6PM-10PM since that's the only time they power up the island.
Overall Panama Tips
-They use US currency -Generally safe country but again I'd be cautious walking alone at night, anything can happen! -Panama has beautiful beaches! Boca's is a great place if you're looking to party and catch some sun! -It's a cheap-ish country, to save money use local buses and cook your own food! -You can get fined for NOT wearing clothes
- Need your yellow fever shot
