Santiago de Veraguas
PanamaAw
© OpenStreetMap, CARTO
El corazón del campo panameño | The heart of the Panamanian countryside
Why visit
Santiago is rarely a destination in itself but a useful base for the surrounding countryside. The colonial pilgrimage town of San Francisco de la Montaña (with one of Latin America's finest baroque interior churches). The highland coffee region around Santa Fe. And the Pacific surf at Santa Catalina. Coiba National Park (UNESCO marine reserve). The Festival Nacional de la Mejorana in nearby Guararé (September) celebrates Panamanian folk music and dance. Local food specializes in carne asada, sancocho, and bollos de maíz. Most visitors pass through. A night allows reaching outlying highlights.
When to avoid
Hotel selection is functional rather than compact. Book ahead during the September Mejorana festival nearby. The wet season (May to November) brings serious rains that can flood roads to outlying attractions, check conditions before driving toward Santa Fe or Santa Catalina. Pickpocketing in the central market and bus terminal is common. Standard precautions apply. Mosquitoes are persistent year-round. Dengue circulates. The Pan-American Highway through town can be heavily trafficked. Avoid traveling rural roads at night.