Panama in December
What Panama is like in December: weather, crowds, prices and the trips that work best that month.
4 min read · Updated 2026-08-01
Yes — December is one of Panama's strongest months. Tropical, warm all year, with a Pacific-side dry season roughly December–April, a wetter May–November, and permanently cooler, springlike highlands
Weather and crowds
Dry season (Pacific side): The main travel window: driest weather for the city, canal, Pacific beaches and highland hiking. Green season: Afternoon rain rather than all-day rain in most areas, greener landscapes and lower prices. Wettest: Heaviest rain on the Pacific side. Panama sits south of the main Atlantic hurricane track, but rainfall is significant. Caribbean side: Bocas del Toro does not follow the Pacific dry season closely and can see rain in any month, often with drier spells around Sep–Oct. Highlands: Boquete and Cerro Punta stay cool and springlike; bring layers in every season.
What to do in December
Best suited to beach, nature, adventure trips. Good bases this month: Panama City, Bocas del Toro, Guna Yala (San Blas).
Budget in this month
Plan on roughly $125 a day per person at mid-range (estimate, excluding flights).
Recommended destinations
Where to go in Panama
Panama City
Glass skyline, the canal locks and the restored colonial quarter of Casco Viejo.
Explore Panama City
Bocas del Toro
Caribbean archipelago of stilt guesthouses, boat trips, surf and easy island hopping.
Explore Bocas del Toro
Guna Yala (San Blas)
Autonomous Guna territory of hundreds of tiny palm islands on the Caribbean side.
Explore Guna Yala (San Blas)
Boquete
Cool coffee highlands under Volcán Barú, with cloud-forest trails and hot springs.
Explore BoqueteRelated guides
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