Panama travel guide

Best time to visit Panama from the UK

Best value: May, Nov. Dec–Apr: dry season. Busiest and priciest: Dec–Apr.

Each bar is the average temperature in Panama City for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

• Our pick: May and NovemberThe warmest of the best-value months (27–28°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
• Peak season: Dec–AprUsually 27–28°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
• Quiet season: Jun–OctAround 27°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, though often because of rain or heat.
• Warmest: April (28°C) · coolest: January (27°C)Temperatures barely change through the year, so the season matters more than the weather.

Festivals and events

• Panama Carnival Feb–Mar · Panama City and Las Tablas
• Festival de Diablos y Congos Feb · Portobelo

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time

About 10h 45m

Distance

8,473 km

Main airport

PTY

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add Panama to your bucket list Search flights to PTY

Practical info and travel guidance

• VisaNo visa neededUp to 3 months
• HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
• LGBT+ travellersLegal, but attitudes can be conservativePublic affection may draw attention.
• Women travellersFCDO warns of sexual assault or harassmentTake extra care at night and with drinks.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Panama, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 9 October 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Panama before you book and again before you go.