Panama is a wonderful country to visit, but its offerings are overlooked by many tourists. What most people don’t realize is that, like its tourism-flooded neighbor to the north, Costa Rica, Panama boasts a diverse array of species and environments that can all be experienced in one vacation. Panama is a tourist-friendly country, where a significant portion of the country’s inhabitants speak English and are willing to help foreigners get their bearings. Panama is reasonably priced and quite inexpensive for food and drink, as compared to European and even some South American countries. During the day, the number of possible activities is expansive, but tourists can take advantage of as many as they want with a well-organized tour package of the region; at the end of the day, tourists who still have energy can go out and experience the exciting nightlife. Younger travelers, in particular, will enjoy the fact that Panama has a great party scene. Though its location in Central America may raise questions of safety, Panama is a secure country for people of all ages. With a good guide and a good tour company, visitors can easily maneuver the different and exciting possibilities that Panama has at its disposal.

Bordering the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, Panama has not only great beaches but also a variety of water sports. Panama packages to the coasts can be created to include any combination of aquatic attractions. For those who want to experience some of Panama’s great fishing sites, a Panama tour group or Panama package through a travel agency would be a great way to target all of the best spots. With a Panama all-inclusive travel package, visitors could try their hand at sports such as surfing, kayaking or rafting. Not only are Panama’s beaches great for being active, but they are the host to a wide variety of marine life. Scuba diving and snorkeling are excellent on either of the country’s coasts, and the Atlantic is great for seeing Caribbean coral. For some great whale watching, head to the Pacific Coast.

Both the sea life and the land’s flora and fauna are centers for ecotourism. Panama all-inclusive packages can offer these types of tours, the goal of which is to conserve the resources and diversity of the local ecosystems. With ecotourism, a guide brings smaller groups out into nature while teaching them about the importance of minimizing the negative impact on the environment. Apart from ecotourism, a Panama tour guide can lead groups on hikes through one of Panama’s national parks. Along with hiking, Panama packages can include activities such as zip lining, mountain biking or horseback riding, which can all easily be paired together. Panama’s national parks are also great for bird watching, as Panama has been named as having the largest number of bird species in the world.

Panama City provides more of a taste for urban life, where travelers will find more upscale restaurants and a flourishing bar scene. The city is also the location of the historic district Casco Antiguo, or Casco Viejo, which is designated as a protected site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Association. Casco Antiguo was built in 1673 after Panama’s first city, Panama Viejo, founded by the Spanish in 1519, was destroyed after a series of pirate attacks. Panama Viejo can still be visited, and all-inclusive packages can take travelers to both locations in a tour of the city.

Of course, anyone traveling to Panama with an interest in history should pay a visit to the Panama Canal. Completed in 1914, the Panama Canal changed the world of trade by opening a path for ships between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Today, travelers can experience the Canal by viewing it from a train ride, or by crossing it themselves; a halfway trip across the Canal takes four hours. If a trip to Canal does not make the travel list, then there is a Canal Museum worth visiting in Casco Antiguo.

Whether travelers want to visit the city, explore nature, traverse Panama’s coastlines or experience a combination of any of the above, a travel agency can help visitors create a tour package that is right for them.