Panama City

Eco-friendly travel guide to Panama City advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Panama City, Panama.

Skyline of Panama

Air quality: 3.5 / 5

Exploring by foot: 3.5 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 4 / 5

Public transportation: 4.5 / 5

Parks: 4.5 / 5

Outdoor activities: 4.5 / 5

Locals' English level: 4 / 5

Safety: 4 / 5

Accommodation: US$15 - $190

Budget per day: US$50 - $320

Responsible Travel

Ciudad de Panamá or Panama City is a western coast Panamanian city that serves as Panama's capital. Its towering skyscrapers, urban buildings, hills, blue lagoons, tropical forests, and Spanish/French styled architecture are known for its lofty towers. Panama is part of the Central American countries and is home to various ethnic groups such as Latinos, Afro-Caribbean, Chinese, Native Americans, and even French. Panama City is the country's political, commercial, economic, and administrative hub and was founded on 15th August 1519 by Pedro Arias Dávila. It covers a land area of 275 square kilometers, with a population of about 1.5 million people. Panama City is undoubtedly a significant part of Central America that can be your perfect tourist destination if you travel responsibly and keeping in mind to respect the local communities.

The pollution rates of Panama City are moderate. Such controlled levels are because the government keeps the city clean and limits non-degradable products with municipalities' help. You will find various dustbins, dumpsters, garbage trucks, and many more disposal places available all around the street, where you can throw your used items. While exploring the city, you must follow proper disposal methods to avoid creating pollution on the roads. Also, you should prefer using recycled and reusable items to avoid making more trash.

As Panama's capital city, all the facilities available are some of the best in the country. The hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts will provide you with quality and luxurious service. Most of these accommodation options create a lot of pollution just to provide their guests with world-class amenities. It would be best to avoid such accommodation options; instead, you should opt for eco-friendly options such as green hotels, apartments, camping, hostel dorms, and even Couchsurfing. These options are better than the previous ones because they cause little to no pollution. Many of them follow various sustainable measures such as solar power, wind energy, rainwater harvesting, etc. These eco-friendly options will help you keep your carbon footprint minimal and get proper exposure to the local culture and traditions.

While exploring the city, it would be best to prefer public transports, electronic vehicles, walking, or bicycles to move around. Rental car services, taxis, and other private cars cause a lot of pollution by emitting greenhouse gases from fossil fuel burning. These vehicles are not at all good for your budget or the local environment. Therefore, you must opt for eco-friendly options such as public buses, trains, electronic cars, walking, etc.

Apart from these necessary measures, you should try your best to support the local communities. The best way to support the local communities is by using their products and services. You can find many locally-owned shops such as cafés, handicraft shops, street food vendors, etc. If you buy even a few things from these places, they will provide food for their families. Many local communities are unable to run their businesses properly, even if they sell some excellent products. By buying even a single item, you can help them in getting a proper meal.

Air Quality and Pollution

Panama City is a modern and fast-paced city in Central America. Due to its trendy and vibrant surroundings, Panama City has the right air pollution level with an Air Quality Index of 17 US AQI – 'good' as per air quality in Panama. Its main pollutant concentration is somewhat PM2.5 – 4.1 g/m3. If you visit Panama City in Central America, you need not worry about such things; feel free to spend your quality time with no air pollution risks.

PM10 – 31

PM2.5 – 14

PM10 Pollution Level – Moderate

Pollution Index – 64.61

*Pollution Exp Scale – 114.70

Respect the Culture

Panama City is a city of various cultures – North American, African, Spanish influences, American Indian, that expresses its traditional crafts and arts, religion, music, cuisine, sports, etc. The culture over here is globally respected and inherited, especially in Indian peoples. While exploring Panama, you'll see the uniqueness in its architectures and handcrafts, and folks as well. You will love it over here, so grab your things and spend your time in this beautiful city of North America and indulge in its variant cultures and tradition. Make sure to follow and respect the beliefs and customs they follow to maintain peace and brotherhood among Panama citizens.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Panama Canal: It’s a human-made 82-meter kilometer long waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. It's like a bridge cut across the testament of Panama and is the Conduff of maritime trade. It was one of the largest and the most challenging engineering projects undertaken to slack off the distance between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and two weeks journey into 10 hours journey around the treacherous end of South America's extremity. It was completed in 1914 and can handle the mightiest ships of the day. Each year thousands of boats are lifted using water elevator and human-made lakes.

Casco Viejo: Casco Antiguo or San Felipe is the district Of Panama City with historical significance. In its past, Pirates attacked Henry Morgan in 1671 and Antonio Fernandez de Cordoba later in 1672, who played an essential role in initiating the new city's rebuilding, which was completed on 21st January 1673. It is the first institution and the building in the town of Panama, which is being preserved.

Monkey Island: It serves as a home to several monkeys species native to this region of Central America and several other parts of the country. There are several tours the company provides to visit the monkey island that operates all around the Panama Canal and Gatun Lake. The monkey species generally we will find over here are the mantled howler, the white-faced capuchin, Geoffroy's tamarin, and the Lemurian owl monkey.

Soberania National Park: This park is also known as Parque Nacional Soberanía. This park is 25 kilometers away from Panama and is situated near the banks of Panama Canals. It was inaugurated in 1980 as a national park. This place is spread over an area of 55,000 acres that is 220 kilometers square. It is the best site for bird watching in the whole of Panama City. It has approximately 525 species of birds. The park also contains 105 species of mammals. Also, visitors who come here can examine the Las Cruces Trail, also known as Camino de Cruce, which is as old as the 6th century. According to history, that trail was used to transport the gold by the Spanish. Old stones are lined up there to show the visitors the original path of the track.

Museo del Canal Interoceánico de Panamá: It is also known as the Panama Canal Museum, a non-profit museum established in 1997. The museum focuses on the history of the construction of the Panama canal by various countries. It tells us that the Panama Canal was first attempted to be built by the French, later it was constructed by the United States, and eventually, it was transferred to the Panamian control. The current building is as old as 1874. Moreover, the building was the headquarters of both French and the U.S. headquarters while working on the canal's construction. The building is located in the older quarter of the city.

Miraflores Visiting Center: It is a name given to three locks, which makes a part of the Panama Canal. Here, the vessels are lowered or lifted to up to 54 feet that are 16.5 meters. There is a visitor center known as Miraflores visitor center. It permits visitors to have an illustrated view of the operation of Miraflores. It would be best to use binoculars for viewing Pedro Miguel locks, which are at a distance. The visitor's fee for adults is as low as 15 U.S. Dollars, where they will take you to an observation terrace. The entry fee for children and kids of lower age is lesser than this. It is one of the best places to visit for people who are filled with curiosity.

Avenida Balboa: The place got its name after Vasco Nunez de Balboa. It is undoubtedly one of the greatest tourist attraction showing the real estate development of Panama City. It is situated along the Pacific Ocean. It is as long as 3.5 km, which is 2.2 miles. It can also be called one of the leading financial center of Panama. It is also the costliest road in the city. The cost of laying the road was 2000 dollars per square meter. If we count the average traffic, it comes to 75000 vehicles per day. The road was entirely reconstructed in 2009 to make it one of the city's most significant meeting points and one of the largest tourist attractions. This place is also known for its sky scrappers. The tallest building here is 267 meters long, and its name is Busca Financial Centre.

Biomuseo: It is a museum located in Panama City. The main aim of this museum is to represent Panama's Natural history. Frank Gehry designed it. The museum was inaugurated six years ago on 2nd October 2004. It emphasizes the part played by humans in the 11th century. The gallery here tells us about how the isthmus of Panama brought a change in the world. For permanent exhibitions, it has eight galleries, and it is as large as 4000 square meters. When Panama was opened in 2004, only 5 of its galleries were opened to the public. Gallery of Biodiversity- It tells us about Panama's natural heritage. Panamarana - It shows us Panama's natural wonders. Building the bridge - It tells us about how Panama emerged from the sea. Likewise, there are a total of 8 galleries that show us different aspects of Panama and its development so far. The main aim behind selecting the architecture was to increase the city's revenue from tourists.

Cinta Costera: The literal meaning of the word is Coastal Beltway. It is a Panama City project that aims to bring wasteland to use or make wasteland fit to be used by people. As evident from the name, it is along the coastline and is as long as 64 acres that are 24 hectares. This project was completed in 2009. The total cost incurred on Cinta Costera was 189 million dollars. Currently, additions are being made to the land. The recent addition was created in 2014, where they added Maracana Stadium also. Therefore, this land reclamation project expands from Paitilla to El Chorro. The most significant thing here is the Cinta Costera Viaduct, which consists of a pedestrian and a roadway bridge. The viaduct is as long as 2.5 km, and it circles Casco Viejo. Certainly one of the best places for long drives.

Metropolitan Natural Park: It is also known as Parque Natural Metropolitano. It is a Natural Park in Panama city where wildlife can live freely. Probably it is the only park in the city where animals are kept. The fauna found over here consists of many species of birds and Geoffroy's tamarin. The construction of the park was started in 1974. The structure of the park was completed and opened to the public in 1988 on 5th June. The park is as old as 32 years.

Atlantic bridge at Panama Canal

Explore

From skyscrapers to historical landmarks, Panama will not disappoint you at any cost. The city is a perfect destination for you to indulge in the activities they provide, along with lots of fun and adventures. You will find large complexes of shopping malls where you can do plenty of shopping along with exploring the city in context to city parks, national parks, beaches, and traditional cuisines to best-served street food dishes. You will feel that Panama City is different from any United States city and is one hundred percent worth visiting, so make sure to visit the following places to have a good and peaceful holiday in Panama.

City Parks

City parks are great options to get away from the busy streets and indulge in some peacefulness by yourself or with your partner. There are several parks in Panama City that are ideal for a quick refreshment of mind and body. These parks are trendy amongst couples and kids. You can also find several street food vendors inside or outside the park, selling various street food delicacies.

McKenzie Park

Oaks by the Bay Park

Bay County Parks & Recreation

Al Helms Dog Park

Moates Park

Joe Moody Harris Park

National Parks

City Parks are for a quick refreshment, but if you like getting close to nature and wildlife, national parks are the ones you should visit. There are some national parks in Panama City that home various hiking trails, waterfalls, animal species, and a densely forested area. It is indeed the best way to detox your body from the city’s pollution.

Camino de Cruces National Park

Altos de Campana National Park

Coiba National Park

Volcan Baru National Park

Las Cruces Trail National Park

Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park

Camino de Cruces National Park

Beaches

The beaches in Panama City are the best way to get some peaceful and refreshing time by yourself. The beaches are usually packed with tourists and locals in the peak season, but other than that, they are pretty isolated and a great way to get some vitamin D from the sun and indulge in water sports.

Panama City Beach

St. Andrews State Park

M.B Miller Pier

Rosemary Beach

Carillon Beach

St. Andrews State Park

Landmarks

Panama Viejo

Causeway Islands

Bridge of the Americas

Ancon Hill

Amador Causeway

Las Bovedas

Panama Viejo

Museums

Apart from the various touristic places in Panama City, the museums and galleries are the places that offer deep insights into the country and city's history, traditions, and culture. These museums also showcase the various works from local artists, as well as some prominent artists.

Afro-Antillean Museum

Panama Museum of Contemporary Art

Nature Science Museum

Museo de la Mola (MUMO)

Museo de los Derechos Humanos (Museo de la Libertad)

Punta Culebra Nature Center

Afro-Antillean Museum

Eat

A bit of Afro-Caribbean, a bit of Latin American, and a bit of European culture – every variety with distinct flavor and taste can be found here in Panama. The traditional cuisine of Panama City will leave you spellbound without a doubt. It includes seafood and meat-based dishes and vegetables such as yucca, coconuts, corn, and plantains. The Panamanian cuisine is something you will never forget your entire life; the following places are the best to experience traditional local and vegetarian foods along with some highly loved street foods:

Traditional Local Restaurants

El Trapiche: Best known for typical Panamanian cuisine, El Trapiche restaurant is a must-go restaurant in the city. The restaurant uses fresh and homemade appliances to prepare dishes and, hence, lives up to its name using the best local produce. This restaurant's specialty is the 'Panamanian Fiesta' – an eight-dish concoction making it the best local Panamanian dishes. Apart from the décor and best seating arrangements, this restaurant is trendy for its homemade dishes with flavorful ingredients.

Restaurant El Caribe: Apart from traditional Panamanian cuisine, Restaurant El Caribe serves you the best Afro-Caribbean cuisine with a home-like feel. It is a must-go restaurant for every tourist and locals to enjoy its high-quality and traditional comfort food. It uses fresh and seasonal ingredients with homemade sauces and oils used in preparing dishes. The must-try food item includes the oxtail with dumplings, jerk chicken, and octopus in coconut sauce. You can come here any day between 11 am to 7 pm.

Tantalo Kitchen: Tantalo Kitchen is an absolute culinary gem, serving the internationally-inspired tapas-style menu with a local touch. You will see that each one is a creative combination of local fish, vegetables, and meats, along with Indian, Latin American, Mediterranean as well as Spanish influences. Customers are in awe of this place's beauty, plus it also offers a selection of exotic cocktails and mojitos. You can come here any day between 7 am to 10:30 pm.

Mercado de Mariscos: Mercado de Maricos is a perfect place for seafood lovers to enjoy the best seafood dishes in the whole of Panama. It allows you to indulge in the country's freshest produce with some amazingly ready-to-eat Panamanian cuisine. Especially the Panamanian ceviche is said to be the heavenly-made dish you must try on your way to this place. Ceviche is a Latin American delicacy prepared with raw fish and citrus juices, chili peppers, and other seasonings.

Maito: Famous for Panama City's evolving cultural blend, Maito offers a perfect combination of traditional and international cuisine. Not only the dishes are perfectly blended with local Panamanian ingredients, but it also provides you with healthy and protein-based dishes on the menu. From African to American, every variety, every cuisine is served here to make your day a special one. It is open from 12 pm to 10:30 pm on all days throughout the year. Must-try dishes of Maito includes Tostada de Tartar de Pescado, Cochinitapibil, ColiflorRostizado con Demi Vegetal, Asian Pepper Beef, and many more.

Vegetarian and Vegan

El JardinVegetariano: You can find this restaurant in the mall in Via Veneto. It is a must-go restaurant in the whole of Panama City when it comes to vegetarian cuisine. Locals prefer this restaurant the most for vegan lovers because their dishes have a fusion of vegetables, soups, soy meats, plantains, rice, and salads. It offers excellent quality food with affordable prices starting from 70 cents only. It is open from 10 am to 8 pm on all days of the year except Sundays. Must-try dishes include combo de taco marroqui, Comida complete, seitan, chicharronvegano, and many more.

La Casa Vegetariana: La Casa Vegetariana restaurant lies in the Chinese neighborhood of El Dorado, offering vegetarian dishes that blend Panamanian and Chinese flavors. This low-cost vegan-friendly restaurant not only provides you the best of vegetarian cuisine but also gives you the pleasure to avail of several discounts for every customer of their restaurant. The uniqueness, in their simplicity, lures plenty of vegan-food lovers towards this part of the city. Must-try dishes include apple and papaya empanadas, breaded aubergine, bruschetta, garlic knots, and many more.

Loving Hut: Suppose you want to have delicious vegan food at reasonable prices. In that case, Loving Hut restaurant in the Avenida Manuel Espinosa Batista is a perfect spot to stop by and enjoy the delicious delicacies they serve. New dishes are prepared every day and can be noticed due to the notice board placed outside the restaurant. For every vegan-lover, this restaurant is a must-go place as not only the dishes are plant-based, its entire décor and ambiance is very comfortable and eye-pleasing. It is open from 10 am to 9 pm on all days.

Hip Cuisine: Hip Cuisine serves you the best vegan food you ever had. They offer a healthy vegetarian alternative for all, including non-vegetarians, too, with good quality food. The restaurant serves you the best of Latin American vegan-friendly dishes featuring nutritious, healthy food with fresh fruit juices and smoothies. You can see your meal cooking as it has an open grill and salad bar near this restaurant's seating arrangements. Must-try dishes include hip tacos with lettuce and veggies, stuffed plantains with veggies, risotto cuscus, and many more.

Veggie Moon: Veggie Moon is a perfect choice for every citizen of Panama or tourists worldwide to stop by in this colorful house for having an ideal intimate dinner. Its interior, floors, mosaic, wooden art pieces, and many such creative things make this place a top-notch picturesque restaurant in the city. You have a wide selection of vegetable dishes with elegant wines and a perfect view of the beautiful Panama City. It is open from 10 am to 9 pm on all days throughout the year.

Street Food

Sancocho de gallina Panameno: Popularly known as Central America's national dish, Sancocho is a delicious, light chicken soup with potatoes, yuca, plantains, and cilantro herb. Other than that, it is served with mazorca, nampi, hot sauce, garlic, oregano, and chopped onions.

Ropavieja: It is a beef stew fused with black pepper, oregano, and cumin, making it a perfect blend of natural ingredients. This popular dish is a dish to look out for if you are in Panama. Not only will the spiciness draw you crazy, but the taste of each flavor will probably take your breath away.

Panamanian tortillas: Unlike other tortillas, Panamanian tortillas are circular, thicker, and made from homemade corn dough. It is the best street food you can find at any corner of the local streets in Panama. Known as a popular breakfast dish, if taken one day, it's a guarantee you would start your day with Panamanian tortillas till you are here in the city.

Carimanolas: It is a stuffed yuca fritter and another popular breakfast street food in the city. It is loaded with cheese, seasoning done with ground beef, and then put to fry. This whole street dish is rich with nutrients and carbohydrates making it a famous street food people like to have in their mornings.

Ron Ponche: Ron Ponche is a must-try food you have to have if you are in Panama. It's probably the signature cocktail mixed with egg yolks, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and evaporated milk. It is mostly taken on occasions or festivals, but you must still try Ron Ponche to taste this street food or cocktail's uniqueness.

Drink

The sweet-clear liquid of an unripe coconut – pipa is a local traditional drink you'll find in every corner of Panama City. Fresh-off-the-tree beverages are mostly found in this part of the country. Apart from these, Panama is also famous for freshly-squeezed fruit juices. You can find fluids from fresh fruits in any local street or beach-side area. Not forgetting alcohol in Panama, it is a trendy place for beer lovers in the whole of North America, with plenty of micro and craft breweries this place offers.

Coconut Waters

Fruit Juices

Craft Beers

Whiskeys

Homemade Wines

Tap-water

The water in most parts of the country is not as safe as in Panama City. You can still prefer boiling tap water for quiet some minutes and then have it for your safety for the rest of the day. According to the reports, the water purity level is somewhat moderate, although Panama's water purification system is way better than any other city in America. Therefore, you need not worry much about your health as Panama offers you the good-quality and pure water from your taps.

Water Pollution – 65.83

Water Pollution Level – High

As you can see, the city's water pollution rate, yet you are blessed with good-quality waters to drink.

Organic Cafés

Panama City is best known for many things in which coffees are the top-most in the list. Its fantastic coffee and light meal snacks are a real treasure of Panama. Panamanian coffee originates from the volcanic soil on the Province of Chiriqui – a famous mountain in Panama – develops a unique aroma making it a must-have thing after waking up and for the rest of the day too. Here are some best cafeterias you might find in Panama City:

Casa Sucre Coffee House

Nina Café

Athanasiou

Kotowa Coffee

Gran Deli Gourmet

Miranda Bakery and Café

Mika Bazar & Cafe

Breweries

As mentioned earlier, Panama City is a perfect place for beer lovers; you are blessed with high-quality beer and alcohol-serving breweries.

Istmo Brew Pub

BierGarten

Bros & Beers

Eleven

La Rana Dorada

Nomada

El Pavo Real

Activities

There are a lot of fun-filled activities available with a lot of variety. Exercises help us gain experiences in different categories, including discovering new plants and animals, and creating moments. It will also enhance your experience. Here are some of the best activities you must try. You can learn many things from these activities like water sports, ancient culture and artistic monuments and various beaches.

Explore Beach

Waterpark

Catamaran Sail

Visit Wine Yard

ZooWorld

Yoga and Retreats

There are many yoga retreat studios available here because people are very much consideration about their health. Many studios offer membership monthly, quarterly, or annually. Yoga not only provides mental peace but also provides flexibility and strength to muscles. It also helps in lowering stress and anxiety; therefore, people experience sound sleep. There are many different methods of yoga, and here you can find many of them.

212 Studio

Akila Yoga Institute

El Arte de Vivir

Bhakti Yoga Center

Casco Yoga

Istmo Yoga and Adventure Retreat

Mandala Panama

Velez Yoga

Accommodation

There are various accommodation options available. Many of the hotels are opened recently because of the increase in visitors. There are four main types of housing, which entirely depends on the facilities and luxury you need. Those are – Green hotels, hostels, apartments, and camping.

Green Hotels

Green Hotels are different from hotels; accommodation in them converts you into a responsible tourist. They adopt various eco-friendly methods in their premises. The eco-friendly measures include dustbins, non-smoking areas, using renewable resources like solar and wind, organic soaps, and organic towels.

Aloft Panama

The Westin Panama

Hilton Panama

Le Meriden Panama

Hotel El Panama

Hostels and Guest Houses

They are best for solo travelers. They will easily fit in your budget; if you are okay with only the necessary facilities with free complimentary breakfast, this is the best of choice.

Fonsi Hostel

Casa Areka

Blu Hostel

Bodhi Panama City

Hostel Mama

Nomada Guesthouse

Residencial Davila

Residencial La Cantora

Nomada Guesthouse

Natural Home in Panama City

Apartments

If you plan for a long trip to Panama, you should rent apartments to help you be independent. Apartments are provided with necessary facilities like water and electricity. Apartments will save a lot for you as compared to hotel rooms.

Marriot Exclusive Apartments

Apartamento amueblado en Costa del Este

United Apartments

Comodo y Centrico Apartmento

Small Loft at Casa Neuman

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is not as trendy in Panama as it is in other American and European cities. The accommodation options are very cheap, and because of high crime rates, the tourists usually avoid involving a stranger. You can still look up Couchsurfing hosts, but you need to keep caution while doing so.

Camping

If you want to feel some adventure and want to enjoy the clear night sky, there are many available campsites. You can feel fresh air among the trees and nature, reducing stress and better sleep. You have to keep in mind to take the essential daily use items with you, including a tent.

Jungle Eco Reserve

Discover Guna Yala

Hostal Camping La Y Griega

Pedasí Natu'rio camp

How to Get There

There is only one direct way to reach this city, and the rest are all indirect ways, which means to use them you have to present in this country.

Air

Tocumen International Airport is the international airport in Panama connected with the Caribbean, South & North America, and some Asian cities. It is the central hub of Copa Airlines, Copa Airlines Columbia, and DHL Aero Expresso. The elevation of this airport is 135 feet. There are two runways with a length of 3050 meters and 2682 meters. In 2019 this airport handled around 16,582,601 passengers. During the world war, this airport was given to the U.S. military. This airport was operated in 1947 by the president. However, it took seven long years to inaugurate the administrative building. The expansion of this airport is divided into three phases. First Phase involved the addition of a passenger terminal for $21 million in 2006. The second phase involved the building of a new part with an average cost of 60 million USD. This terminal was planned to have 12 gates. The third phase involved selling of south terminal to a Brazilian country. It is connected to major cities in Asia; therefore, you can directly get here by airways.

Tocumen International Airport

Bus

There are intercity buses which are available here. The buses here are well maintained. They are accompanied by a washroom, snack bar to eat, and GPS navigation. The buses are usually punctual and are available on time. It takes around 16 hours to reach Costa Rica, which is the nearest city for $55. The buses typically offer luxurious facilities so that everyone feels comfortable in their journey.

Train

The Panama Canal Railway is the primary railway station in Panama City. This railway system was opened in 1855 and linked the Pacific, Indian oceans, and Central America. As it is on the sea, therefore, it wasn't simple to built railway tracks. It is the main reason why these railway tracks were titled as an International engineering achievement. The total amount spent to construct these railway tracks was $8 million. The full length of this railway track is 46.7 miles. You have to be present in nearby cities to reach here because there no international routes, as these tracks were made with incredible difficulty.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is very much possible in this city. You must be present on the road which is connected to this city. All you need to do is keep in mind to show a good sign to attract a car or motorcycle which passes by. The highway is the best place to hitchhike because from there, you will find many passers going towards Panama.

Others

Other ways are a cruise tour or taxi. Taking a taxi will cause much air pollution and thus increase your carbon footprint; therefore, you must avoid them as much as possible. The harmful emissions will pollute the air. Taxis not only create air pollution but also increases noise pollution and already this city is dealing with a lot of traffic. The ferry ride is very cool and calm. The only drawback is that you need to have a lot of patience because it takes hours to reach from one place to another.

Moving Around

Walking can be beneficial for health as it provides activeness. If you want to explore the entire city just by walking, you will find that it is nearly impossible and full of challenges. However, walking can be used as a means to remain healthy.

Walk

Walking can be beneficial for health as it provides activeness. If you want to explore the entire city just by walking, you will find that it is nearly impossible and full of challenges. However, walking can be used as a means to remain healthy.

Bicycle

There are many bicycle rental shops available who charge as per duration. If you want to use it regularly, you can choose to buy a membership every month, which will be very useful as various discounts are available.

Electronic Vehicles

Electric vehicles are present in Panama City, a good government initiative to reduce air and pollution. And using it as a means of public transport will also lead to less traffic and an efficient way of moving around.

Public Bus

Buses are well connected across the city, covering many tourist destinations at different routes and times. The buses are punctual with a facility to book tickets online to reduce the use of paper. You can even track the bus you want to use, which will help you schedule your journey accordingly.

Tram, Train and Subway

Trams were started at an early age, which was electrified. Later due to some interruption and increase of buses as a means of public transport, trams were closed. Trains are available at the station in this city to move around various parts. There is only one metro which covers an area of 15 kilometers approx with 14 stations. It travels from north to south from 6 am to 10 pm.

Sustainable Shopping

Sustainable shopping includes buying those products that are produced without harming nature and are beneficial for health. There are food markets that sell products that do not harm wildlife and are grown organically. Those food items do not involve using pesticides or chemical fertilizers, which damages the body; therefore, they are clean to eat. Some of the street vendors produce food in front of customers to give them quality and hygiene satisfaction. The various grocery stores include polished fruits to attract customers; therefore, you must try to buy vegetables from the food or flea markets where vegetables directly come from a farm. You should contact an organic farm that provides home delivery to get fresh and organic products by giving a little extra charge. Second-hand stores are best for those who want to buy products at a minimal cost. Second-hand stores support nature because it saves the energy which would be required to produce a new product. Also, it protects the area in landfills along with the energy needed in disposing of it. Eco Fashion clothes involve clothes made with natural fibers usually made by hands and less use of machines.

Food Markets

Foods Market

Grupo Proquimsa

Street Market

Balboa Market

Supermercado Deli K

Mamita's Market

City Market

Maxi Market

S/M Food Market

Mini Market Sol

Flea Markets

Sunshine's Flea Market of NW Florida

Fort Walton Beach Flea Market

The Flea Market

Sadies Flea Market

De'france Indoor Flea Market Antiques

Second Hand Stores

Trader J's Furniture & Thrift

Dans Pawn - St. Andrews

Habitat For Humanity of Bay County

Children and family services

Habitat for Humanity of Bay County

Goodwill

Eco-Fashion

Buckle

Dillard's

Cariloha

Tillys

Lizard Thicket Boutique

Recycling

Reusing something is known as recycling. Many things can be reused using various processes, including tin, glasses, plastic, paper, and many more. Recycling has numerous positive effects on nature. It saves many resources because if we recycle something, the resources required to produce new products get reduced when we recycle. The energy needed to create new works while converting raw material to the finished product also gets reduced. Recycling also facilitates the diminished use of raw material and the space required to dump the waste that could have been recycled. The stats show that recycling is done at a low rate because the people here believe in new products. The government should come with new policies for recycling.

Waste

The waste management regulations are not well organized in this city. Focusing on the statistics, around 71% of the town's total residents are dissatisfied with the garbage disposal system. Wastes are the products which cannot be used further; therefore, it needs to be dumped. The treatment of waste includes reuse, recycle, and reduction. If not appropriately treated, trash can cause air pollution at a high rate by releasing toxic odor. It requires a vast landfill where all garbage from the city is collectively dumped. The government should develop new policies like introducing various dustbins worldwide; every street must be assigned garbage collecting vans daily.

Work and Study Abroad

Working in this city is very much easy because of the tourism industry. If you know English, you can apply for tourist guides, boat peddlers, and many more. Many multinational companies are established in this city; therefore, many job vacancies require various excellence in education qualification. Studying here will make you socialistic and independent.

Exchange Student

The exchange student program is a program where students who are excellent in education are sent to foreign countries to the colleges they have a partnership. The student exchange program helps to learn or gain knowledge from outside. It also helps generate interest globally, because wherever you go will find specific problems that help a lot gain experience. It makes a student self-confident and independent as he has to live alone in a foreign country. It also improves a student's social skills, which are required there to make new friends. The quality of education in this city is relatively good. A university in this city offers the student exchange program with an average cut off of a minimum percentage is 90; therefore, it is challenging to get admission here.

Au Pair

Au Pair is a person who is from a foreign country and helps a family by taking care of their child, and in exchange, he or she asks to stay along in your house. In this city, people are looking for Au Pair as most parents have jobs; therefore, they need an Au Pair. It would be best if you had essential qualities for becoming an Au Pair, including humble and sweet personality traits.

Volunteering

For volunteering, many NGOs are available in Panama City that focuses on various topics, including girls' education, by teaching girls. Some of the NGOs spread awareness regarding waste management. They conduct seminars and multiple workshops and plays to show everyone the benefits of recycling and adequately dumping waste. Some NGOs occasionally perform charity on various national holidays to gather a huge crowd to teach them.

Voluntarios de Panamá

Green Footprints Panama ONG

Club ROTARACT de PANAMÁ

CELAV - Centro Latinoamericano de Voluntariado

Madres Maestras