8 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Panama - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Panama

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.

Balboa District, Panama

Wreck of the Sub Marine Explorer

The rusting hulk of the first independent submarine was lost after causing a plague of decompression sickness.

Limones, Panama

Tigre Salvaje

A no-frills, DIY nature preserve manned by a U.S. expat who has dedicated his life to turtle conservation.

Panama City, Panama

Ancon Hill, República de Panamá

A pocket of jungle amidst urban expansion in Panama.

Portobelo, Panama

Black Christ of Portobelo

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

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.

Panama City, Panama

Parque Urraca

This softball diamond has a culture all its own.

Unique
Food & Drink
in Panama

Chocolate Pudding Fruit

This fruit can also count as dessert.

Blackberry Jam Fruit

Inside a hard, yellow shell lies a sweet, black spread.

Monstera Deliciosa

This fruit either burns your throat or tastes like a tropical medley.

Jagua

This fruit makes tattoos, antibiotics, and dessert.

See all 6 things to eat in Panama See all 6 things to eat in Panama

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mtufkova1 has been to Valley of Square Trees

addyinerie wants to go to Mercado De Abastos

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MissyJ wants to go to Wreck of the Sub Marine Explorer

Stories
About Panama

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

Meet the newly identified Waorani dog-faced bat.

Found: Two New Species of Dog-Faced Bats

No, they won't make good pets.

by Vittoria Traverso

January 18, 2018