
The 2021 National Holidays are coming and this year many will have a long weekend.
Here, I have my recommendations for these days. There are for Panama City, close to the city and in the country side, and of course, for all budgets.
1. Bayano Caves
Without a doubt it is one of my favorite places in Panama, if you have not gone, you can take advantage of these days off, for National Holidays, and get to know them.
It is a place full of charm, every corner makes you want to photograph them. The kind of rocks you probably won’t see anywhere else, its formation dates back many years.
On my last visit I saw a part that reminded me a lot of the petrified waterfalls of Turkey, yes, there are petrified waterfalls, maybe those rocks are not, but they look a lot alike. Read more.

2. Filipinas Waterfalls
The Philippines Waterfalls are a series of more than 25 waterfalls, and you can get to the first 3 very well, and with a little effort to the next 3, however, between each waterfall you only walk 1 minute.
They are beautiful and perfect for people who don’t like to walk a lot. Read more.

3. La Mola Museum
If you are going to be in Panama City, take a tour of the Casco Antiguo and learn about the history, evolution and meaning of La Mola, it is a contemporary museum, very visual, where they will explain everything about this sewing.
Entrance free. Read more.

4. Arenilla Waterfall
Recommended for the intrepid in these National Holidays 2021. It has a trail with medium-high difficulty, it is quite steep.
At the end of the trail, there is the beautiful waterfall, in which you can jump off a rock. Read more.

5. Paradisiacal beaches of Colón
If you want to go to the beach, in Colón there are some of the most beautiful beaches in the Panamanian Caribbean.
They are within the Portobelo National Park, no reservation is required and upon departure, you can go through Portobelo Town and taste some of the rich Caribbean dishes.
On these beaches, you can swim, snorkel, kayak, paddle. Its waters are transparent and very calm. Read more.

6. Emberá Druá Community
Maybe you want to know an indigenous community, in that case I recommend the Emberá Druá Community, located on the Chagres River, you will take a quiet piragua ride to the community.
There you will learn about their customs and traditions, ancient and current.
Of all the indigenous communities that I have visited so far, this is the one that I like the most, because they are very hospitable, and they still transmit everything they know about their ancestors. Read more.

7. San Lorenzo Castle and Tortuguilla Beach
It is a place that few know, located in Colón and for my perception it is the best preserved fort.
You will be amazed how many times it has been used.
As you go there, you can pass Tortuguilla Beach, it is just before reaching the fort, within the Protected Area. It has a beautiful trail and it is short.

8. Plantación Trail
Located in Panama City, after Summit Park, it makes it an ideal place for hiking, close to the city and in a tropical forest.
It is of a low difficulty, however, they are 7km long, of course you do not have to hike them all, you can only hike a couple. Read more.

9. El Peñón Hill
Also in Panama Province, but this in Panama Norte, in fact, it is the highest point in that region.
It offers a 360º view with several viewpoints, which allow you to have a complete view of the surroundings and even the capital. Read more.

10. Sarigua
For the Azuero region, my recommendation is the Sarigua National Park, which is a salt lake with a big land and not a desert, as many believe.
Sarigua was an old indigenous settlement.
It is a quite photographic place, full of history and with a vegetation typical of the place. It itself is recovering, so if you want to see it before it is full of vegetation again, I recommend that you go see it. Read more.

Recommendations to save money
Here are some recommendations to save money on these National Holidays 2021 and on any trip you take.
- Bring your own food and drinks,
- If you do not want to bring food, you can choose to eat in a small restaurant (like a street/restaurant) or a house/restaurant, they are usually very cheap and the food, very delicious,
- Share the car, (and then share the cost of fuel),
- Avoid carrying a cooler, in some places they are prohibited and in others, they will charge you a high cost. If you need to bring ice or have something very cold and it is not much that you carry, I recommend buying a cooler that looks like a lunch box (at Arrocha I have bought some), it will be cheaper than paying the entrance to the cooler.
- Check if there is any offer of tours or tickets and verify that it is really an offer, read well the dates, times and restrictions of the tour.
Other posts you may like
- 7 Places You Can Visit As a Family in El Valle de Antón
- Knowing the Little Beach of Chagres River
- Fascinating Agro Tourism in Colón
- El Cacao Cave, the Cave Where Victoriano Lorenzo Hided
- 5 Family Trips in Panama City, For Less Than $20
- Las Fuentes de Altamira Waterfall in Capira
- 30 Tips to Reduce the Ecological Footprint on Traveling