February 2023

7 Fun things to do at panamenian carnivals, number 5 you wouldn't even think of

Learn about 7 reasons why you should know and enjoy the Panama's carnival

Thumbnail

The celebration of carnival is the festival prior to Lent held every year in many countries around the world. In Panama, carnivals are one of the main festivities, and because it is held during the hot summer, it is very much enjoyed with water activities; but this is not always the case, there are other options other than the festival. Here we list seven of the options that you can do during these 4 days of carnivals. Let's start!

1. Carnival Festival

The carnivals are the main attraction, occupying four days of partying almost 24 hours a day, and begin with the coronation of the queens on Friday of carnival giving formal start to the festival that will be held until Tuesday. In Panama, apart from the parade of queens and the typical revelry of the tradition, there is something unique in the world, the "culecos", also known as "mojadera", and yes, that is what it is all about, being doused or sprayed with water from tanker trucks that soak the crowd while the festivities and celebrations are taking place. The "culecos" usually take place during the day, but there are certain areas of the country where they even take place at night. Amazing!

In simple terms, carnivals usually consist of culecos, and after the culecos, the parade of queens takes place. The largest and most famous carnival is the Carnival of Las Tablas and is held in the Belisario Porras Park in the City of Las Tablas in Los Santos. The Carnival of Panama City is a good option for those who do not want to go too far, they are held in the Cinta Costera and because it is in Panama City you have access to many hotels, activities, and restaurants.

A Carnival that stands out for having a different option is the Penonome Water Carnival and this carnival has a parade on rafts, the carnival queens and princesses are transported using a water vehicle decorated for the occasion while the public enjoys the parade from the shores of Las Mendosas Spa on the Zaratí River in the province of Cocle.

There are many options to enjoy the carnival, we can still highlight other options such as the Chitre Carnival that is held in the Union Park with multiple stages and guest artists. The Carnival of Pedasi is held in the Plaza Mayor of Pedasi in the province of Los Santos; if you get to visit the province of Los Santos you can not miss these summer activities.

There are options to highlight within the province of Panama Oeste such as the Arraiján Carnival held at the Monumento a las Madres in Arraiján Cabecera, this carnival has a great night walk dedicated to the pollera on Carnival Sunday. And finally the Carnival of Capira is one of the most popular in the province of West Panama and is a good option as it is not as far from Panama City as the options of Azuero.

If you decide to participate in any Carnival festivities, it is wise to remember that the country's health authorities recommend visitors to use sun protection and constant hydration.

It is possible that carnival festivities are not your thing, below we have other alternatives for these 4 days of carnival.

2. Beach day

If you like a quieter environment than the culecos, going to the beach is a better option, and in Panama there are many beach options, so many that they had to be grouped by provinces to make a list.

Beaches such as La playa de las Estrellas in the province of Bocas del Toro, whose main attraction are the starfish on the seashore, and of course, its crystalline waters. If you like surfing, Santa Catalina Beach is the option to choose, and Santa Catalina is famous for being a beach whose waves can reach over 8 meters high. These are some of the options, here I can leave you a couple of lists by province so you can choose the beach you like the most:

3. River, lake, and/or waterfall day.

Many people might choose to go to a river, lake, waterfall, or some kind of similar body of water. It's fun, they are very beautiful places, where any picture you take will be magazine worthy. In the province of Chiriqui, there are the Cangilones de Gualaca are a kind of opening between the rock and inside is water, like a river, very good. A similar place is Los Cajones de Chame , since they have some similarity related to the combination of the river and the rocks.

Another option is the San Carlos Lagoon , a place where you can have a picnic, fish, and even go cycling.

4.Hiking

Many people lately like to go hiking, it is a way to get in touch with nature, walk along natural trails, breathe fresh air and disconnect from the noisy city. In some trails it is possible to climb, rappelling, and even find a river or waterfall.Many people lately like to go hiking, it is a way to get in touch with nature, walk along natural trails, breathe fresh air and disconnect from the noisy city. In some trails it is possible to climb, rappelling, and even find a river or waterfall.

Among the options are the Metropolitan Park, Cerro Ancon, Altos de Campana National Park, the trail to the top of the Baru Volcano in the province of Chiriqui, among others..

Below are some links to hiking activities for some provinces:

5. Museum tour

If your plan is to stay in Panama City, and you are looking for an educational activity, then this could be your option. Undoubtedly, the Province of Panama is the province of the country with the largest number of museums and educational activities.

If you are interested in visiting the Panama Canal, you should know that the Miraflores Visitors Center is your best option, it is located very close to downtown Panama City, literally in front of the Ciudad del Saber, along the Omar Torrijos road; in this center you can view a lockage of a ship that is transiting through the Miraflores Locks, then you can access the IMAX movie theaters to watch an exclusive documentary on the history of the Panama Canal.

But if you still want to know something about the Panama Canal, there is the Interoceanic Museum of the Panama Canal in Casco Viejo, inside you can see original pieces of the construction of the canal, and even an original copy of the Torrijos-Carter Treaty signed in the United States in 1977.

Right next to the previous museum, is the Museum of the History of Panama which is another municipal museum available to the national population and tourists.

Here are the multiple museum options and educational activities available in the Capital.

6. Go to a resort

If what you want is to have fun, have a good time with a group of people, in a place with swimming pools, natural attractions, maybe access to the beach or sports activities, a resort is most probably the option you are looking for, within the country there are many resorts, but they are usually associated to hotels, and the availability will depend on the hotel and its management.

Along the Pacific coast of the country there are many resort hotels that offer a stay and access to activities (usually outdoors) such as, beach day, boat rides, spa, swimming pools, beach volleyball, tours of the area, or a tourist or natural attraction.

7. Practice a sport

Not only during the carnival period, but they are activities that are usually done on weekends, among the sports that are commonly practiced in Panama on these dates are:

Below are some links to lists of water sports that might interest you:

If you liked this information, follow us on our social networks. If you think there is any inaccuracy or you think something is missing, leave us a comment.