Where to Base Yourself in Panama as a Digital Nomad

The capital curves around the Bay of Panama, with a skyline of towers, the restored colonial streets of Casco Viejo, the Cinta Costera seafront and the Panama Canal on its western edge. Most nomads live in El Cangrejo (walkable and central), Obarrio and San Francisco (restaurants and offices), Punta Pacífica (high-rise towers by the sea) or Casco Viejo (character, but noisy and with rough edges nearby). It has almost all of Panama’s coworking spaces, the best private hospitals, big malls, Uber and inDrive, and the Copa hub at Tocumen. It is hot all year, built around cars and air-conditioning, and the most expensive base in the country. See the Panama City digital nomad guide.

A Caribbean archipelago near the Costa Rican border, where most long-stayers live in Bocas Town on Isla Colón or in houses on stilts on the nearby islands. It has surf breaks, reefs, mangroves and a lively bar and restaurant scene, and the community is younger and more social than anywhere else in Panama. Getting around means bikes and water taxis, internet and power are less reliable than on the mainland, it rains in any month, and serious medical care means a flight to the capital. Bocas is reached by a short flight from Panama City or by bus and boat via Almirante. See the Bocas del Toro digital nomad guide.

A mountain town at about 1,200 metres in Chiriquí province, in a valley below Volcán Barú, Panama’s highest peak. It is cooler and fresher than the lowlands, with coffee farms, hiking trails, cloud forest and one of Latin America’s best-known North American retiree communities, so English is widely spoken and housing is easy to find. The scene is older and quieter than in the capital, the winds can be strong from January to March, and the nearest city, hospitals and airport are in David, about 40 minutes away.

A small town in the crater of an extinct volcano, at about 600 metres and two hours by road from Panama City. It has waterfalls, hiking trails, a Sunday market and a mild climate, and it is popular with Panamanians and expats with weekend homes. It is quiet during the week, close enough to the capital for errands and flights, and rents are moderate. Internet is fine in most houses, but there is little to do in the evenings and healthcare is basic.

A tidy, quiet town on the Azuero Peninsula, about five hours by road from the capital, near the surf beaches of the Pacific coast, the wildlife refuge of Isla Iguana and humpback whales offshore from about July to October. The Azuero is the driest part of Panama, with a small community of expats and long-stay surfers. It is relaxed and cheaper than the capital, but services are limited, internet varies by house, and the nearest good hospitals are in Chitré or Panama City.

A small, remote village on the Pacific coast of Veraguas, known for one of Central America’s most consistent surf breaks and as the gateway to Coiba National Park, a UNESCO-listed marine reserve with some of the region’s best diving. It suits surfers and divers who want a few months of simple coastal life. The road in is long, there are no banks or big shops, internet and power are the least reliable of these bases, and healthcare is very basic.

• Start in Panama City to sort your visa paperwork, SIM, health insurance and banking, then decide.
• Think about heat. If the lowlands feel too much, Boquete and El Valle are cooler all year.
• Check the internet and power backup before you rent outside the capital, especially on the islands and on the coast.
• Plan for healthcare. Outside Panama City and David, know where your nearest good hospital is and make sure your insurance covers transfers.