Panama City

Panama City is a diverse multicultural city of more than 1.4 million people. It offers a lot more than an up-close view of the Canal. It has a dense skyline of mostly high-rise buildings, and it is surrounded by a large belt of tropical rainforest. Shantytowns slink up alongside shiny high-rise condos. The Old City is an atmospheric labyrinth of churches, plazas and palaces. Fifteen miles from downtown Panama City, Soberania National Park is an excellent destination for hiking and birding.