Panama is the one golf trip where the round is almost a footnote to everything else going on around it. This is a country the size of South Carolina that connects two continents and separates two oceans, and its handful of courses sit right in the middle of that — a Jack Nicklaus design running through mangroves on the Pacific, a century-old club just outside the capital where Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead once played a PGA Tour stop. Add in cloud forest, coral islands, and one of the great engineering feats on earth, and Panama becomes less a golf destination and more a launch point for a trip that happens to include some excellent golf.

Where to Play

• Buenaventura Golf Club — an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Design course woven through mangroves and coastline on the Riviera Pacifica, widely regarded as the finest layout in the country

• Club de Golf de Panamá — the nation's original course, founded in 1922 and once a stop on the PGA Caribbean Tour with Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead in the field, now a quick drive from Panama City

Where to Stay

• The Santa Maria, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Golf Resort — a Nicklaus-designed course steps from your room, positioned between Panama City and Tocumen International Airport, with fine dining and a full spa on-site

• Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo — set inside Panama City's UNESCO-listed old quarter, with a rooftop infinity pool and Panama Bay views, putting you at the center of the city's history and nightlife before or after the round

What to Do

• Panama Canal VIP Tour — a private guided visit to the locks connecting the Atlantic and Pacific, tracing the history and engineering behind one of the world's great waterways

• San Blas Islands — roughly 365 protected coral islands managed by the indigenous Guna Yala people, an unplugged escape of white sand and turquoise water reachable as a day trip from the mainland

Mantarraya Golf Club offers a dynamic and contrasting 18-hole experience that winds through lush tropical vegetation, water hazards, and rolling landscapes. While it functions as a resort course with generous fairways, it serves up a deceptive level of difficulty from the championship tees.

Experience the beauty of Coronado Golf, where a stunningly designed course awaits you with picturesque views and challenging holes for all skill levels. Enjoy the welcoming clubhouse and take advantage of nearby amenities like a spa and dining options.

Enjoy a seamless journey accompanied by a knowledgeable private guide who brings the canal’s fascinating history, engineering, and global significance to life. Take in spectacular views of the locks and passing vessels while learning how this remarkable waterway connects two oceans and continues to shape global trade.

With personalized attention, premium transportation, and a carefully curated itinerary, every detail is designed around you. Whether you're watching ships make their way through the locks, exploring the canal’s surrounding landscape, or simply enjoying the experience at your own pace, this is the Panama Canal as it was meant to be experienced, privately, comfortably, and exclusively.

Stepping into Casco Viejo (also known as Casco Antiguo) feels like stepping back into the Spanish colonial era. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a gorgeous tapestry of past and present, characterized by narrow cobblestone streets, vibrant pastel buildings, and ornate wrought-iron balconies dripping with bougainvillea. As you walk through its lively plazas, like you will encounter historic landmarks like the twin-towered Metropolitan Cathedral and remnants of ancient convent walls. By day, it is a cultural hot spot where you can browse authentic artisan markets for indigenous crafts; by night, the neighborhood transforms into the country's premier culinary and nightlife destination, boasting upscale boutique hotels, world-class fusion restaurants, and trendy rooftop bars that look out over the modern Panama City skyline.

For those looking to escape the modern world entirely, the San Blas Islands offer an unblemished tropical paradise unlike anywhere else north of the equator. This archipelago of roughly 365 tiny coral islands is strictly managed and protected by the indigenous Guna Yala people, ensuring that commercial mega-resorts are entirely banned. Most of these islands are so small they host nothing more than a cluster of coconut palms and a single stretch of blindingly white sand surrounded by a swirling pool of turquoise water. Accommodations here consist of rustic eco-cabins, and days are spent completely unplugged from internet connection—sailing from island to island, snorkeling over untouched coral reefs, and learning about the rich traditions and handcrafted textile arts of the resident Guna communities.

Positioned near the Costa Rican border on Panama’s Caribbean coast, Bocas del Toro serves as the country's ultimate eco-adventure playground. The archipelago consists of several main islands covered in dense rainforest that tumbles down right to the edge of the sea. Bocas Town on Isla Colón acts as the central hub, bustling with colorful wooden houses built on stilts directly over the water, bohemian surf cafes, and lively overwater bars. A short water-taxi ride can transport you to legendary spots like Starfish Beach, where dozens of large sea stars rest in calm shallows, or Red Frog Beach, hidden behind a lush jungle trail teeming with tiny, brightly colored amphibians. The islands are highly celebrated for their consistent surf breaks, vibrant coral reefs perfect for snorkeling, and relaxed Afro-Caribbean culture.

Tucked away in the green highlands of the Chiriquí Province, Boquete offers a cool, crisp mountain refuge from Panama’s coastal heat. This charming mountain valley is famous for its dramatic cloud forests, cascading waterfalls, and volcanic soil that produces some of the most expensive and highly prized coffee varieties in the world, including the rare Geisha bean. Coffee enthusiasts can take specialized plantation tours to walk the steep picking fields and experience professional tastings. Adventure seekers use the town as a basecamp to conquer Volcán Barú, an active volcano and the highest peak in the country. Hiking or taking a 4x4 tour to the summit in the dead of night rewards travelers with a breathtaking sunrise where, on a clear day, you can view both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans simultaneously.