Being Green in Panama

Although all tourism affects the environment, it’s getting easier to travel around Panama [1] in reasonable comfort and with a moderately clear conscience. Here are some travel tips for those who want to stray from the beaten path without beating down a new one.

Visit the Azuero Peninsula

The Azuero Peninsula [2] sees relatively few foreign visitors and was deforested generations ago. It’s unlikely visiting will do much harm, and it’s a way to get to know what Panamanians consider the “real” Panama.

Volunteer in Panama

It’s increasingly easy for foreigners to volunteer with community and environmental projects in Panama. Hostels and language schools can often arrange volunteer work, sometimes offering discounts as incentives. Local non-profits and eco-lodges also sometimes accept volunteers.

Many of these volunteer opportunities are listed throughout this travel guide and some of the most popular can be found on the Volunteer Opportunities page [3].

Think Small

Every day seems to bring a new luxury hotel tower or beach mega-resort to the isthmus. But every time I tour the country, what impresses me most are the little places, many of which add more to their natural surroundings and local community than they take.

For the first time, it’s possible to go from one end of Panama to the other and stay only at these charming little places, with hosts that go out of their way to make you feel at home. Here are some of my favorites from various regions:

Azuero Peninsula:
Casa de Campo Pedasí [4]

Bocas del Toro:
Al Natural Resort [5]
Playa Bluff Lodge [6]
Eclypse de Mar [7]
La Coralina [6]
La Loma Jungle Lodge [7]
Soposo Rainforest Adventures [8]
Tesoro Escondido [6]

Boquete:
La Montaña y El Valle: The Coffee Estate Inn [9]
Tinamou Cottage [10]

Cerro Punta:
Hostal Cielito Sur Bed and Breakfast [11]

Former Canal Zone:
Dos Palmitos [12]

Fortuna Road:
Finca La Suiza [13]
Lost and Found Eco-Resort [13]

Playa Santa Catalina:
La Buena Vida [14]