Although all tourism affects the environment, it’s getting easier to travel around Panama in reasonable comfort and with a moderately clear conscience. Here are some travel tips for those who want to stray from the beaten path without beating down a new one.

Visit the Azuero Peninsula

The Azuero Peninsula sees relatively few foreign visitors and was deforested generations ago. It’s unlikely visiting will do much harm, and it’s a way to get to know what Panamanians consider the “real” Panama.

Volunteer in Panama

It’s increasingly easy for foreigners to volunteer with community and environmental projects in Panama. Hostels and language schools can often arrange volunteer work, sometimes offering discounts as incentives. Local non-profits and eco-lodges also sometimes accept volunteers.

Many of these volunteer opportunities are listed throughout this travel guide and some of the most popular can be found on the Volunteer Opportunities page.

Think Small

Every day seems to bring a new luxury hotel tower or beach mega-resort to the isthmus. But every time I tour the country, what impresses me most are the little places, many of which add more to their natural surroundings and local community than they take.

For the first time, it’s possible to go from one end of Panama to the other and stay only at these charming little places, with hosts that go out of their way to make you feel at home. Here are some of my favorites from various regions:

Azuero Peninsula:
Casa de Campo Pedasí

Bocas del Toro:
Al Natural Resort
Playa Bluff Lodge
Eclypse de Mar
La Coralina
La Loma Jungle Lodge
Soposo Rainforest Adventures
Tesoro Escondido

Boquete:
La Montaña y El Valle: The Coffee Estate Inn
Tinamou Cottage

Cerro Punta:
Hostal Cielito Sur Bed and Breakfast

Former Canal Zone:
Dos Palmitos

Fortuna Road:
Finca La Suiza
Lost and Found Eco-Resort

Playa Santa Catalina:
La Buena Vida