Best Time to Visit Panama

Panama is located in Central America and is a popular tourist destination. Panama is known for its natural beauty, plant and animal life, bird and tree species, and it’s music and culture. When vacationing in Panama you’ll discover world-cla-a thousand islands.

The best time to visit Panama is between January and Mid-April. During this time, Panama experiences it’s most driest time of the year and temperatures average around 80 F. However, during the rainy season, in June, you can find flights for as low as $230 round trip. If you're looking for festivals, they happen year-round.

When traveling to a destination such as Panama, you’ll want to weigh the factors that help you know when to plan your vacation. Let’s dive into the best time to visit Panama.

Worst Time to Travel to Panama

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When traveling to Panama, you’ll want to take into consideration the current season, climate conditions, and busiest time of year. The worst time to travel to Panama is from June through November because of Panama’s rainy season.

The coasts of Panama receive heavier rain from June through November because of the Caribbean and Pacific hurricanes that occur. The season starts off as mild and then becomes more active once it reaches its highest point in September and October.

If you’re on the Caribbean side of the Panama Canal, they will receive twice as much rain as Panama City.

When is the Cheapest Time to go to Panama?

If you’re planning a trip to Panama on a budget, you’ll want to know when the cheapest time to travel is. The cheapest time to go to Panama is during the rainy season. Panama has different seasons that attract different types of visitors, so depending on the activities, some seasons will be more expensive than others.

If you’re more interested in saving money than adding attractions to your list, you’ll want to travel during the rainy season. During this time, air travel is likely to be cheaper and you may be able to save extra money when purchasing tickets for any activities, especially outdoors. During early rainy season, you may find flights as low as $230.

The least expensive times for hotels in Panama depend on the area of where you’re going. In June, hotels are cheaper in the Panama area. You’ll be able to find cheaper lower rates during the week as opposed to the weekend.

What Time of Year is the Best Weather in Panama?

When planning your vacation to Panama, you’ll want to go when the weather is permitting and deals are at their lowest. Below, we discuss the weather by month so that you can choose the best time to visit for you and your family.

January: Flower and Coffee Festival

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Temperatures average between 65 and 92 degrees during January in Panama. Like December, January is another hot month. It sees around one inch of rain and has a sea temperature of 81 degrees.

If you’re planning to travel during January, you’ll want to bring your swim essentials, a light jacket for cooler evenings, and lighter clothing for those hot days. During this month, Panama has their Flower and Coffee Festival. The Flower and Coffee Festival is one of the largest celebrations of flowers in the world. For 10 days it attracts thousands of people to view flower displays, food stands, live music, and craft booths.

If you’re interested in another event, you can attend Panama’s Jazz Festival. This festival lasts for 3 days and has live performances by international musicians.

• Flower and Coffee Festival
• Jazz Festival

February: Carnaval Celebration

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Temperatures average between 65 and 94 degrees during February in Panama. February is a great month for swimming because it only rains for one day out of the month. You can expect sea temperatures to stay steady at around 79 degrees.

If you’re planning to travel during this month, you should pack your swim essentials, lightweight clothing, and a light sweater or jacket for evenings. During this month, Panama has their Carnaval Celebration. This celebration has parades, music, and dancing.

If you’re looking for a fun activity to do in February, you’ll want to check out golfing. Panama has some of the leading golf courses for locals and visitors. There are around 11 golf courses in the Panama area.

• Carnaval Celebration
• Marduk Gras Celebration
• Golfing

March: Féria de David

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Temperatures average between 65 and 95 degrees during March in Panama. March is still a hot month and is considered the first month of spring in Panama. You can expect sea temperatures to stay around 79 degrees.

If you’re planning to travel during this month, you’ll want to pack your swim essentials, lightweight clothing, and sun protection. During this month, Panama has Féria de David.

Féria de David is Chiriqui’s largest festival that draws more than five hundred exhibitors from around the world show off their industrial technology. This is a 10 day event that has many cultural events.

• Féria de David
• Blues Festival
• Easter

Related Read: 20 BEST Cities To Visit In Colombia

April: Orchid Festival

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Temperatures average between 67 and 96 degrees during April in Panama. April is a very hot spring month. It has the perfect sea temperature of 81 degrees and has rainfall for five days out of the month.

If you’re planning to travel during this month, you’ll want to pack swim essentials, sun protection, shorts, t-shirts, sandals, and sneakers. During this month, Panama has their Orchid Festival. The Orchid Festival showcases thousands of varieties of flowers for the public to view.

If you’re looking for another event, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival is rated one of the top ten jazz festivals in the United States. You’ll have a fun-filled weekend of sun, fun, great beaches, and a good time. This event attracts around twenty thousand people from all over the world.

• Orchid Festival
• Seabreeze Jazz Festival
• Kids Fishing Rodeo
• Jeep Beach Jam

May: Tacos & Tequila Fest

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Temperatures average between 70 and 95 degrees during May in Panama. May is the last month of Spring and has the same temperatures as April. As for rainfall, rain falls for around 15 days of the month and accumulated up to nine inches.

If you’re planning to travel during this month, you’ll want to pack your swim essentials and lightweight clothing. During this month, Panama has their Tacos and Tequila Fest. At the Tacos and Tequila Fest you can enjoy tacos and tequila that are made by the local bars.

• Tacos and Tequila Fest
• Memorial Day

Related Read: 20 BEST Restaurants in Colombia

June: Festival Corpus Christi

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Temperatures average between 70 and 92 degrees during June in Panama. June is the first month of summer and is a relatively hot month. The month sees 16 days of rainfall with accumulations around 9 inches.

If you’re planning to visit during this month, you’ll want to pack plenty of swim essentials and sun protection. During this month, Panama has Festival Corpus Christi. Festival Corpus Christi is a two week festival that is known for its elaborate dances led by men in Devil masks.

• Festival Corpus Christi
• Dolphin & Snorkeling Tours
• Starfish Beach

July: Festival de la Pollera

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Temperatures average between 65 and 93 degrees during July in Panama. Like June, July is another hot summer month. In Panama, it rains for 14 days out of the month with accumulations of around 7 inches.

If you’re planning on traveling during this month, you’ll want to pack your swim essentials, sun protection, and rain gear. During this month, Panama has Festival de la Pollera. Festival de la Pollera showcases the regions most beautiful dresses and elects the “Queen of the Pollera” for that year.

• Festival de la Pollera
• Fourth of July

August: Best For Dolphin Tours

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Temperatures average 63 to 95 degrees during August in Panama. August is the last month of summer in Panama. As for rainfall, it rains for 15 days out of the month with accumulations around 8 inches.

If you’re planning on traveling during this month, you’ll want to pack your swim essentials, lightweight clothing, and rain gear. During this month, Panama is great for their Dolphin Tours. You’ll be able to choose from half or full day options, group or private tours, and you can even snorkel!

• Dolphin Tours
• Panama Jazz Festival

September: International Festival of the Sea

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Temperatures average between 69 and 92 degrees during September in Panama. September is the first month of autumn and is still considered a tropical month in Panama. As for rainfall, September sees around 17 days of rain with around 10 inches of accumulation.

If you’re planning on traveling during this month, you’ll want to pack plenty of rainy day items and swim essentials. During this month, Panama has the International Festival of the Sea. The International Festival of the Sea is a five day event that serves local cuisine, has craft booths, and exhibits by the Smithsonian.

• International Festival of the Sea
• Festival de la Mejorana

Related Read: 15 Best Waterfalls in Costa Rica

October: Black Christ Festival

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Temperatures average between 70 and 90 degrees during October in Panama. October is another hot month autumn month. October is the month with the most rainfall as it rains for 20 days with accumulations of 13 inches.

If you’re planning on traveling during this time, pack lightweight clothing and rainy day gear as you can expect many rainy days. During this month, October has their Black Christ Festival. This festival is where thousands of pilgrims come together to perform acts of devotion to the black Christ.

• Black Christ Festival
• Oktoberfest
• Thunder Beach Autumn Rally

November: Independence Days

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Temperatures average 62 to 92 degrees during November in Panama. November is the last month of autumn and is another hot month in Panama. As for rainfall, it rains for 16 days out of the month and accumulates around 10 inches.

If you’re planning on traveling during this time, you’ll want to pack a light jacket or sweater, shorts, t-shirts, swim essentials, and your rainy day items. During this month, Panama has Independence Days. Panama celebrates 3 independence days that features parades, fireworks, and other entertainment.

November 10th is considered The First Call For Independence.

• Independence Days
• Flag Day
• Los Santos Uprising Day

December: Best For Beach Holidays

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Temperatures average between 67 and 92 degrees during December in Panama. December is the first month of winter in Panama. As for rainfall, it rains for around 8 days of the month with accumulations of around 4 inches.

If you plan on traveling during this month, you’ll want to pack a light jacket or sweater for evenings and your lightweight clothing during the day. During this month, Panama is great for a Beach Holiday Getaway. For your beach island getaway you will get to experience the Christmas lights, parades, and the Christmas villages.

• Christmas Day
• New Years Eve

What is the Best Time to Visit Panama With Family?

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Have you been thinking about wanting to travel to Panama, but are unsure if it’s a great place to bring the whole family? Not only is traveling to Panama with family possible but there are many activities and outdoor adventures you can take. The best time to visit Panama with family is January through March.

During this time, the sun is shining and there are very little rain showers to interfere with any planned activities. Minimal rainy days will give your family a chance to experience snorkeling and diving. As visitors love to plan their vacations during this time of year, you’ll want to plan your vacation well in advance.

Related Read: 15 Best Beaches in Costa Rica for Families

When is the Best Time to Avoid Crowds in Panama?

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If you’re traveling to Panama and want to avoid crowds, you’ll want to travel in the end of August, September, and October. This is the end of summer period when all of the summer crowds have left. You’ll still be able to experience all of the summer activities without overcrowding.

When is Hurricane Season in Panama?

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With Panama being in a tropical region, it receives floods, heavy rains, and earthquakes. While they do have a rainy season, it is very rare that you’ll see a hurricane or earthquake. If you’re in a remote area of Panama, they can get flooding and landslides, but it isn’t enough to cause a major disaster.

Panama is considered to be outside of the hurricane area. With Panama being in between two continents, this is why the chance is lower. Panama has only been affected by four hurricane since 1969.