Costa Rica vs Panama: which of these Central American gems is right for you?

05.06.2024 - 08:33 / lonelyplanet.com / Santa Teresa

As two Central American titans of tourism, how do you choose between Costa Rica and Panama? Both have incredible landscapes teeming with wildlife, beautiful beaches dotted along both the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines and a vibrant local culture. 

They're even tricky to separate when it comes to costs given they're two of the priciest countries in Central America – but then, they have the infrastructure to match.

The similar characteristics of these neighboring gems have led to a good-natured rivalry, from the soccer field to a coffee cup. So, in that friendly spirit of competition, let's see how these two countries stack up.

Whether you want to snorkel with rainbow-colored fish, ride the waves or just lounge on powder-soft sand, you'll find breathtaking beaches stretching along two coastlines in both Panama and Costa Rica.

The country is blessed with some spectacular strips of sand, a staggering 136 of which have Blue Flag status (an internationally recognized sustainability certification).

The picture-perfect beaches of the Península de Nicoya include the hip surfing hangout of Santa Teresa, famed for its powerful beach break; Sámara, popular with locals and visitors for its calm, safe waters; and the blissfully secluded (and just a few minutes from Samara) Playa Barrigona.

In Guanacaste, Playa Hermosa was named Central America’s first World Surfing Reserve in 2022 for its biodiversity and conservation ethos – it also offers some world-class waves.

Panama has a beach to suit every mood. To catch a wave, head to laid-back Santa Catalina on the Pacific Coast or check out the volcanic-sand beach of Playa Venao on the bucolic Península de Azuero. For a taste of tropical island life, head to the Pacific’s paradisical Pearl Islands or the Caribbean’s Bocas del Toro, to snorkel in the gin-clear waters around Isla Bastimentos before chilling over a piña colada or two. 

But for a real castaway feel, you can’t beat the San Blas (Comarca de Guna Yala) archipelago, home to the indigenous Guna people, where there’s a palm-fringed, pocket-sized island for every day of the year.

The winner: Panama, thanks to its idyllic islands, but those in search of a beach break will be spoilt for choice in either country.

Both countries teem with endemic species and protected spaces, from mist-wreathed cloud forests to steamy rainforests and fish-filled marine parks.

Costa Rica is a wildlife wonderland with 30 national parks (and counting), not to mention dozens of wildlife refuges and reserves, with protected areas covering more than 30% of its landmass.

The lofty cloud forest reserves of Monteverde are a hotbed of biodiversity, buzzing with birds, amphibians and reptiles, and the “mini-Amazon” of Parque Nacional Tortuguero on the