Panama, its name may be synonymous with a canal and a hat, but this little-visited nation has some of the finest bird-watching, snorkelling and deep-sea fishing in the Americas. Proud Panama celebrates its Spanish heritage with frequent and colourful festivals, seasoned with the influences of the seven remaining indigenous groups and the West Indian culture of its black population. It's difficult to leave the country without feeling you're in on a secret the rest of the travelling world has yet to discover.

Best time to visit

December to mid-April.

Essential experiences

Bird-watching at Cana; watching a huge ship nudge its way through the Panama canal; sampling the coffee in the cool mountain town of Boquete; diving with the sea turtles on Archipelago de Bocas del Toro; photographing the Spanish colonial architecture of Peninsula de Azuero; hiking through Parque Nacional Volcan Baru in search of the elusive quetzal.

In a few words, Panama is

The umbilical cord between Central and South America, the world's most famous shortcut, Manuel Noriega, Swiss banks, corrupt politicians and Panama hats.

Did you know?

The Kuna Indians of the San Blas Archipelago run the 378 islands as an autonomous province, with minimal interference from the national government and the madness of Carnaval peaks on Shrove Tuesday with the biggest parade of all.