Perhaps the most curious thing about Panama is that, given the country's natural beauty and accessibility, as well as its stable and friendly environment, it has existed off the radar of international travelers and investors for so long. Panama is poised to be the next big thing in travel, yet it is still largely undeveloped for tourism and blissfully empty of people, unlike its neighbor Costa Rica. Also unlike that country, Panama claims a history rich with Spanish conquistadores and colonists, pirates, gold-miners and adventurers, canal engineering, international trade, and mass immigration from countries as close as Jamaica and as far away as China. The pastiche of European and African cultures blended with the country's seven indigenous groups has had a tangible effect on Panama's architecture, cuisine, language, and folklore.
Given Panama's compact size and diversity, visitors here can take part in wildly different experiences without having to travel very far. And now that the dust has long settled after the infamous Noriega era, political stability has taken hold and offered hope for the country's future. This section will help you understand a little more about Panama's history, people, and culture.
