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All Panama

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Panama

10 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Panama

Updated July 19, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Panama

(Flickr/Erik B)

Anton Valley, Panama

Valley of Square Trees

Right angles in the forests of Panama.

Panama City, Panama

Mercado De Abastos

A huge, bustling local market in Panama City.
Hatchlings scuttling to shore.

Limones, Panama

Tigre Salvaje

A no-frills, DIY nature preserve manned by a U.S. expat who has dedicated his life to turtle conservation.
The Wreck of the Sub Marine Explorer

Balboa District, Panama

Wreck of the Sub Marine Explorer

The rusting hulk of a hand-powered, nearly 160-year-old submarine abandoned in 1869 due to the ravages of decompression sickness.

Panama City, Panama

Ancon Hill, República de Panamá

A pocket of jungle amidst urban expansion in Panama.
Black Christ of Portobelo

Portobelo, Panama

Black Christ of Portobelo

A mysterious dark-skinned Christ statue has been this town's religious center for centuries.
Temple Baha'i.

Panama City, Panama

Baha'i Temple

From a distance, Latin America's first Baha'i Temple looks like an enormous egg perched atop a hill.
The Entrance to La Gruta Caves

Bocas del Toro, Panama

La Gruta Cave

This small cave in the center of Isla Colon doubles as a sanctuary.
See All 10 Things To Do in Panama

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Panama

Panama City, Panama

Mercado De Abastos

A huge, bustling local market in Panama City.
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Stories About Panama

The rugged and infamous terrain of the Darién Gap as seen from the Pacific, off the coast of Panama.

Podcast: Darién Gap

An infamous break in the Pan-American Highway has been in and out the news for more than 100 years.
by The Podcast Team
July 19, 2023
A new study finds that black-handed spider monkeys like their fruits, well, boozy.

Monkeys Love Their Alcohol

But proving the “drunken monkey” hypothesis has been an exhausting—and messy—endeavor.
by Sarah Durn
April 21, 2022
Azteca ants live within cecropia trees.

These Ants in Panama Are Masters of Damage Control

An incident with a slingshot led scientists to a greater understanding of the relationship between the insects and their host trees.
by Jonathan Moens
January 25, 2022
There are 49 Guna communities on the island archipelago of Guna Yala.

The Secret History of Panamá’s Most Colorful Clothes

In Guna Yala, indigenous women sew stories of legend, revolution, and even Minnie Mouse into the elaborate textiles known as molas.
by Sarah Durn
November 17, 2021
An aerial view of a few of the artificial islands that make up the development project known as The World, a short boat ride from the coast of Dubai.

How to Build an Island

All you need is a dream, investors with deep pockets, and concrete. A lot of concrete.
by Alastair Bonnett
August 17, 2021
A green sea turtle, tangled in a ghost net in 2014.

Ghost Nets Haunt the World's Oceans, Hunting Beyond the Grave

Who you gonna call?
by Sabrina Imbler
October 28, 2019
The San San River.

Biologists in Panama Eavesdrop on Manatees for Their Own Good

In the murky waters of Bocas del Toro, you can't see the manatees, but you can hear them.
by Sabrina Imbler
October 9, 2019
A lot goes into a túngara frog's ability to attract a mate.

Urban Frogs Make More Attractive Mating Calls

Yo! The old tale of city-frog, country-frog now has a decisive winner.
by Matthew Taub
December 10, 2018

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