Is Panama Safe for Solo Female Travellers?
Are you heading to Panama and wondering, “is Panama safe for solo female travellers?” I had the pleasure of visiting Panama solo, spending 3 days in Panama City and 2 days in the San Blas Islands! Overall, I felt safe, but as with any destination you should remain alert.
I’ll review my experience and offer any insights so you can decide if Panama is a good destination for your next solo adventure!
Is Panama Safe for Solo Female Travellers?
Let’s get right to the point and answer the question, is Panama safe for solo female travellers? Overall, yes, I felt safe while in Panama! As with any location, there are better areas, general safety considerations regardless of the location and moments when you feel may feel uneasy a solo female traveller.
Panama’s Safety Overall
Panama is generally considered safe and it’s one of the more stable countries in Central America or even in this hemisphere overall! Similar to Costa Rica, Panama is rated as a “2 – Exercise Increased Caution” on the US Advisory Site (at the time of writing this), which means it’s generally safe. Currently, the US names two regions to avoid, but the rest of the country, including Panama City and the San Blas Islands are generally safe.
I usually check the US Travel Advisory Site for updated information when planning a trip. Panama is said to have some petty crime, but compared to other countries it seems to keep a stable presence. There are definitely two regions mentioned that should be avoided, but you’d have to go out of your way to get to those regions. However, when planning I recommend getting up to date information.
Generally, if you stick to the touristy areas you should be good! Touristy parts of Panama City, the San Blas Islands or Bocas del Toro should all be good for exploring.
General Safety Measures as a Solo Female Traveller
Basic Safety Considerations
When I travel solo I don’t go out at night. If I’m travelling with a friend, I won’t be as preoccupied about when the sun sets. However, when I’m travelling solo, I don’t like to be out at night.
I also naturally don’t drink, so staying sober isn’t an issue for me. While you can easily Uber around in Panama City and enjoy a nice late dinner out, I absolutely recommend staying sober!
It’s also good for a trusted family member or friend to have your location and check in with them regularly. Also, if you ever feel uneasy, listen to your gut. I know it can be difficult sometimes to determine fear versus legitimate concerns, but I recommend erring on the side of caution and sticking to your first instinct to be safe.
- I don’t go out at night when I’m traveling solo—being back before dark is a personal safety rule.
- I stay sober while traveling; it helps me stay alert and make clear decisions.
- Share your location with someone you trust and check in regularly.
- If something feels off, trust your gut—your first instinct is often right.
Consider Tours
When contemplating, is Panama safe for solo female travellers, you may want to consider booking a tour or two. While I only did the tour to the San Blas Islands, it’s worth considering tours if you don’t want to explore on your own or if you just want to get familiar with your surroundings.
The beauty of tours in Panama is they are very affordable and they can offer wonderful insights as well! So not only do you get to explore with others, tours can provide a lot of color to your trip! I felt safe exploring Panama City on my own, but I’d definitely consider some tours if I ever make it back to Panama.
Another good thing is most tours will only take up part of your day, so you still have the freedom to explore areas like the charming Casco Viejo on your own!
Some good tours to consider:
- Legends of Casco Viejo Tour: Uncover Hidden Gems
- Panama City Bike Tour
- Half day of Panama city and canal tour: shared and private
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour
- Visit an Embera tribe: Hike, Waterfall, Culture & Lunch
- All Inclusive Taboga Island Catamaran Tour from Panama City
Consider Travel Insurance
This isn’t meant to cause fear as I don’t always buy travel insurance, but I did for my solo trip to Fiji. Since I was going across the world solo and planning on doing things like a bull shark dive, I decided to buy some travel insurance for some extra peace of mind.
Insubuy and VisitorsCoverage Travel insurance are two good places to search for travel insurance. Just be sure activities you have planned are covered. As an example, one company may cover scuba diving or you may have to add it.
Overall, buying travel insurance can offer a little extra peace of mind for a small price. Also, it often includes trip protection, which is great if you have to cancel for any reason!
Panama City as a Solo Female Traveller
Casco Viejo
In Panama City, I generally felt safe walking around, but there were a couple times I felt somewhat uncomfortable. In Casco Viejo, which was my favorite area of Panama City, I felt safe except for the occasional moments of walking by construction workers.
It wasn’t often, but it’s hard not to stick out when you’re taller than the locals. Walking to the Fish Market also made me briefly uncomfortable, but it ended up being okay. It’s near Casco Viejo but not as charming of an area, so I think it was more the vibe than actual danger.
There was a moment in Casco Viejo when I perched my phone on a bench and took some photos. I felt safe enough to walk away from my phone, so that is something!
El Cangrejo
I stayed in Casco Viejo and El Cangrejo during my 3 days in Panama City, Panama. I felt safe El Cangrejo and can’t come up with any moment where that feeling was challenged. There were generally people around, and I never felt too exposed.
It didn’t feel as touristy, which is nice but when travelling solo that touristy vibe offers some comfort. Overall, I think both areas are generally safe for solo female travellers. However, I’d recommend Casco Viejo more as I really enjoyed that area and it has plenty of tourists around as well, which offers some feelings of safety.
Bike Ride Along the Amador Causeway
Riding a bike along the Amador Causeway felt very safe! It wasn’t busy when I was there, but enough people were around so I didn’t feel too exposed. It was a beautiful day and I love a bike ride with water views.
Panama Canal
I ubered to the Panama Canal and enjoyed my time there. It’s a commonly visited area and I felt safe as a solo female traveller. It’s made for tourism, so I didn’t expect issues and didn’t encounter any either.
Uber Rides Around Panama City
Uber is definitely the easiest way to get around and it’s very affordable! I had only good experiences using Uber to get around Panama City. The only hiccup I had was at the airport and that was only due to a language barrier. I couldn’t figure out where to find the Uber, but the driver was patient and we eventually found each other!
Is Panama City Safe for Solo Female Travel?
Yes! I felt safe while traveling in Panama City alone. As with any location, you need to keep your wits about you and exercise normal precautions. I also recommend checking for the latest travel advisories and if there’s any areas to avoid. Though Panama does tend to maintain a stable presence, you will still want to do your due diligence for extra peace of mind.
Visiting the San Blas Islands as a Solo Female
I felt very safe visiting the San Blas Islands of Panama as a solo female traveller! Visiting paradise solo can feel very lonely, but the San Blas Islands are not your typical tropical vacation. It’s more like camping than resort, but the adventure was absolutely worth it!
Booking the San Blas Islands Tour
Booking the tour to spend two days in the San Blas Islands was probably the part that made me the most nervous. I chose to book directly with San Blas Dreams, but there are tours available on Viator that could alleviate some of that anxiety with booking.
To book directly, I only had to pay a reservation fee and they did respond to my emails which put me at ease. I provided them both of my accommodations of where to pick me and drop me off and thankfully, there was no issue!
While I had no issues booking directly, using a site like Viator can offer some peace of mind. You can read reviews, and book using a middle man, which can make cancelling easier if needed (as long as you cancel in the correct timeframe).
Viator Tours:
San Blas Islands Trip as a Solo Female
While I felt safe as a solo female traveller in Panama, heading to the San Blas Islands was not an easy journey! The process of getting from Panama City to the San Blas Islands was long and memorable! The drive to the border of Guna Yala wasn’t bad, but after the border crossing the drive is wild!
Then there’s the boat portion and sitting on a hard seat. Nothing about the journey was comfortable, but I never felt unsafe. On Chichime, I stayed in the dorms which thankfully were not full and again, I felt fine.
Solo Female in Guna Yala
The Guna people were kind, though we didn’t speak the same language. I can’t recall any moments where I felt exposed or nervous among the locals. On Chichime a local family was our host and I had a great experience!
Your hosts will change depending on which island you end up at, so I can’t speak to every island, but I never had any issues.
Where to Stay as a Solo Female Traveller in Panama City
I stayed in Casco Viejo and El Cangrejo and I felt safe in both areas. Casco Viejo was a highlight and if you have it in the budget, this is where I’d suggest staying. However, you can stay in a nicer accommodation for less in El Cangrejo. Other good options are Marbella or along the Cinta Costera.
I booked private rooms in hostels for both areas I stayed, but the one in Casco Viejo was not nice at all. With Uber being super reasonable you can book a nicer accommodation in another popular area and just book rides to Casco Viejo. However, I really enjoyed Casco Viejo so my recommendation is to stay there.
Is Panama Safe for Solo Female Travellers?
I hope this post was helpful! There is always a risk when travelling, especially solo, and I know it can be difficult to weigh the risks these days. Generally, if I feel too uneasy about a destination I put it on the shelf and revisit the idea later.
I never felt uneasy about Panama and I enjoyed my time there! Panama City was fun to explore and the San Blas Islands were a memorable adventure in paradise! I’d love to return and explore more of Panama including Bocas del Toro!
If you decide to visit Panama, I hope you have an amazing trip! This small country bordering South America packs a punch and I look forward to returning one day!
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