Panama

Stretching between Central and South America, Panama is most famous for the 80-kilometre-long Panama Canal, a feat of engineering through which approximately 14,500 ships pass every year. However, it’s a destination with so much more to offer, from the magical highland cloud forests of Chiriquí to the throbbing nightclubs and glittering skyscrapers of Panama City.

Panama City is the country’s capital, and offers great views of the canal from Miraflores Locks. The cobblestoned district of Casco Viejo is full of beautiful colonial buildings such as Palacio Presidencial, leafy squares, and vibrant cafes. Natural Metropolitan Park is home to lush rainforest, and the rest of the city is unabashedly modern, with a lively nightlife and great culture scene. Head to the highlands of Chiriquí Province for Volcán Barú National Park, home to Panama’s only (extinct) volcano, and the country’s highest peak at 3,474 metres. Wildlife here includes pumas and quetzals. The rolling hills of Península de Azuero are where you’ll find the country’s strongest Spanish colonial influences, as well as striking black sandy beach Playa Venao, nesting olive ridley sea turtles at Isla Cañas, and the sleepy but beautiful colonial town of Pedasí.