Panama Travel Risk Overview
Is Panama safe to visit right now?
Moderate risk. Mostly safe with normal precautions. Panama has a few categories that warrant planning — read the breakdown below and check the live US State Department advisory.
Panama has a Travel Risk Calculator baseline composite score of 38 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); city-level files are available for 1 cities. This page covers the country-level baseline across nine weighted safety categories (crime, disease & health, government advisory, political & civil unrest, natural disaster & weather, transport & route, environmental, digital security, money safety), the current US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices for Panama, recent news headlines, plus links to every city we have an editorial file for.
Run a personalized Panama assessmentAI safety snapshot · refreshed Aug 24, 2026
Panama currently holds a moderate baseline composite risk score of 38 out of 100 and a US State Department travel advisory level of 2. Travelers should also be aware of an ongoing regional drought affecting the country, as well as a Level 1 global health notice for dengue.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Sep 1, 2026 00:49 UTC
How safe is Panama to visit in 2026?
Panama currently sits at 38/100 on Travel Risk Calculator's nine-category baseline composite, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine in Panama with normal preparation, but a few risk categories warrant attention. The full live US State Department advisory text for Panama, current GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines are shown in the Live conditions section below. For city-specific files (Panama City), see the City Risk Files section below — they include neighborhood-level scam patterns, transport notes, and medical-access details where available.
Country baseline composite
Data file
| Confidence | 50 |
|---|---|
| Source note | Editorial regional baseline 2026-05-15 (GPI + State Dept advisory + WHO health/transport + INFORM disaster) |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-18 02:25:55 |
| City files | 1 |
Assessment memory
Anonymous assessments help Travel Risk Calculator identify which country and city files deserve deeper review.
| Saved assessments | 0 |
|---|---|
| Average composite | No saved signal yet |
Threat Vector Baseline
City Risk Files in Panama
Showing 1 of 1 reviewed cities in Panama, ranked by population.
Live conditions in Panama
Country-scoped real-time data — official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For city-specific weather and air quality, open any city page below.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Panama - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Track Panama’s advisory
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Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
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Drought is on going in Colombia, Costa Rica, , Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela GREEN · country-wide · 2026-07-03
The Drought notification level is Green.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-09-01 00:49:38 UTC
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
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Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-07-30
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Samoa, Vietnam, New Caledonia (France), Maldives, Bolivia, Tonga, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia,
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-03-09
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
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Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-08-31 15:03:16 UTC
Recent headlines
No recent national headlines were returned for Panama. This is not evidence that conditions are quiet; check local and official sources.
Automated safety monitor
Recent safety-relevant news for Panama
Headlines are an early-warning monitor, not risk assessments. Verify material developments with official authorities and the linked publisher.
- Safety Panama and Costa Rica Deepen Security Cooperation Along Shared Border - Diálogo Americas dialogo-americas.com · Jul 16, 2026 14:52 UTC · via Googlenews
- Safety China cites safety record in defence of Panama-flagged vessel inspections - safety4sea safety4sea.com · Jul 14, 2026 11:07 UTC · via Googlenews
- General China rejects US, Panamanian claims of ‘weaponising’ ship inspections - South China Morning Post www.scmp.com · Jul 13, 2026 11:50 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Panama to examine BESS moratorium - observertoday.com www.observertoday.com · Jul 13, 2026 06:27 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Panama Arrests 26 Port Workers Aiding International Cocaine Trafficking - The Maritime Executive maritime-executive.com · Jul 10, 2026 22:01 UTC · via Googlenews
- Crime Panama Profile - InSight Crime insightcrime.org · Jul 10, 2026 20:48 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Inside Panama City Police's 18-month effort to unravel a drug network - Panama City News Herald www.newsherald.com · Jul 8, 2026 17:40 UTC · via Googlenews
- Safety NSWC Panama City Division’s MEASUR: Revolutionizing underwater safety through subsea recognition - DVIDS www.dvidshub.net · Jul 8, 2026 13:12 UTC · via Googlenews
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Panama
The most weather-stable two-month window for Panama is January–February, when typical daily temperatures run from about 24°C to 30°C and monthly rain averages 38 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include heavy rain season in May–October; hurricane season in June–November. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Aug 20, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Diplomatic assistance
Embassies in Panama City
Consulate of Costa Rica and Delegation of the European Union and 3 other embassies are mapped in Panama City.
OpenStreetMap coverage is a location aid, not an official diplomatic directory. Before travel, save the address and emergency contact details published by your own foreign ministry.
Emergency Numbers
| Police | 911 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 911 |
| Fire | 911 |
| General emergency | 911 |
Backfilled from the public international emergency-number registry. The GSM standard 112 (and 911 in the Americas) is redirected to local emergency services on mobile networks in most countries. Verify locally on arrival.
Latest AI-assisted briefing for Panama
Panama City registers moderate risk scores overall, with advisory and money safety representing the primary areas for attention. Visitors face moderate risks regarding theft and financial scams, while baseline health and political stability metrics remain favorable.
Top risk drivers
-
Financial fraud and money safety concerns
· money
The money safety score of 50 indicates moderate vulnerability to financial scams and credit card skimming.
-
Advisory framework and official guidance
· advisory
The advisory score of 60 reflects heightened procedural cautions from official bodies regarding regional travel conditions.
-
Urban crime vulnerability
· crime
A crime score of 45 indicates moderate exposure to opportunistic theft and property crime in urban zones.
Frequently asked questions
Is Panama safe to visit right now?
Mostly safe with normal precautions. Panama has a few categories that warrant planning — read the breakdown below and check the live US State Department advisory. Composite baseline: 38/100 (Moderate risk). Always cross-check with your home country's foreign-ministry advisory within 7 days of departure; the live US State Department advisory is shown above. Last refreshed September 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for Panama?
The current US State Department advisory level for Panama is shown in the Live conditions section above and is re-fetched every 6 hours from the official RSS feed. UK FCDO, Canada GAC, and Australia DFAT also publish advisories — for high-stakes trips, cross-check at least one foreign-ministry advisory in addition to your home country's. See our travel advisory guide for how to read each tier system.
Is it safe to visit Panama in September 2026?
For September 2026, the baseline composite for Panama is 38/100 (Moderate risk). Live data — advisories every 6 hours, disaster alerts every 30 minutes, health notices every 12 hours, news every hour — is shown in the Live conditions section above. For a personalized risk briefing for your specific trip and traveler profile, use the Travel Risk Calculator linked above.
How are these country-level travel risk scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 from government advisories (US State Dept), crime indices, Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional editorial knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum across nine categories — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (advisories, news, disaster alerts, health notices) is layered on top of the baseline at request time.
Where can I find city-specific safety information for Panama?
City-specific files for Panama are listed in the City Risk Files section above. Each city page covers the same nine categories at city scope, plus city-specific scam patterns, transport-hub safety notes, medical-access detail, and (where available) neighborhood-level guidance. Use the header search to find a specific city directly.
When was this page last reviewed?
The baseline scores for Panama were last reviewed on May 18, 2026. Live intelligence (advisory, disaster alerts, health notices, news) refreshes automatically on the cadences described above.
Is this a substitute for an official travel advisory?
No. Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated risk information for planning purposes only. Always check your home country's official travel advisory and any health notices from your national health authority before traveling.
When is the best time to visit Panama?
January–February is the most weather-stable two-month window in the stored 1991-2020 normals. The most weather-stable two-month window for Panama is January–February, when typical daily temperatures run from about 24°C to 30°C and monthly rain averages 38 mm.
What is the rainy, hurricane, or severe-weather season in Panama?
heavy rain season: May–October; hurricane season: June–November.
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.