Bridging North and South America and fringed by both the chilled-out vibes of the Caribbean and unbridled power of the Pacific, Panama is Central America’s most cosmopolitan country. Long on the world stage thanks to the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal, people from all over the place have gravitated here, bringing a vast range of influences that make this country such a pleasure to explore. With abundant rain- and cloud-forest, extraordinary wildlife viewing, beautiful beaches and some splendid colonial architecture, Panama rolls all the best of Central America into one.