Panama City Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (39/100)
Is Panama City safe to visit?
Moderate risk. Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in Panama City — read the breakdown below.
Political instability (score 20)
Government advisory (score 60)
September 1, 2026
65%
Panama City, Panama has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 39 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is government advisory at 60/100; the lowest-rated category is political instability at 20/100; last updated September 1, 2026. This page is a baseline travel safety overview for Panama City, Panama, covering crime, health, government travel advisory, political stability, natural disasters, transport, environmental quality, digital security, and money safety. Real-time conditions — including today's weather, official US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines — are shown in the Live conditions section below and refreshed multiple times per day.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Panama City to visit in 2026?
Panama City currently sits at 39/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Panama City is government advisory (60/100), and the lowest is political instability (20/100). This page was last updated on September 1, 2026; the baseline category scores are editorial estimates, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Aug 31, 2026
Panama City currently carries a moderate overall safety rating (39/100) with a U.S. State Department advisory at level 2, urging travelers to exercise increased caution. A regional drought affecting Panama is ongoing, and the CDC lists dengue at a Level 1 global health notice. The U.S. government has recently reset its travel warning for Panama concerning crime.
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
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Government advisory (score 60/100): Read your country's current official advisory within 7 days of travel. Register with your embassy on arrival if available.
- Transport safety (score 45/100): Use the safest available transit. For high-risk routes, prefer reputable carriers and avoid late-night driving.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Safety by traveler type in Panama City
Computed from the category scores on this page plus general best practice — not personalized advice. For guidance tuned to your exact dates, transport, and profile, run a personalized assessment.
Solo travelers
Crime risk is moderate. Solo travelers should keep valuables out of sight, prefer well-lit routes after dark, and use registered taxis or ride-share.
Women traveling solo
General crime risk is moderate. Favor reputable accommodation, pre-book airport transfers, and keep to busier streets at night. We don't hold gender-specific incident data for Panama City, so also check the live official advisory above and local women-traveler communities.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is moderate. Check required vaccinations, note the nearest hospital on arrival, and review any seasonal hazard for your dates.
Senior travelers
Health/transport risk is moderate. Confirm travel-medical cover, pace transfers, and keep medication and a medical summary in your carry-on.
Business travelers
Digital/money risk is elevated. Avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive work, use a VPN, watch for card-skimming at ATMs, and carry minimal cash.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are elevated. Read your government's LGBTQ+ travel guidance carefully and weigh trip purpose against current conditions.
Baseline scores
Source: AI-enriched 2026-07-28 (Ollama-grounded + Jina full text, cited; pending editorial verification) · Confidence: 65
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 1, 2026 |
Live conditions in Panama City
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Panama - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
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
-
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
-
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 news headlines were returned for Panama City. This is not evidence that conditions are quiet; check local and official sources.
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Panama City
The most weather-stable two-month window for Panama City 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 →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Panama City
Panama City has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Clínica Bella Vista
- Hospital: Complejo Hospitalario Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid
- Hospital: Hospital Integrado
- Hospital: Hospital Nacional
- Hospital: Hospital Paitilla
- Hospital: Hospital Paitilla
- Hospital: Hospital Santa Fe
- Hospital: Hospital Santo Tomás
- Hospital: Policlínica Pediátrica Manuel Ferrer Valdés
- Hospital: Policlinica Presidente Remon
- Police: Dirección de Investigación Judicial
- Police: Dirección Nacional de Investigación Judicial | División de Vehículos de Hurtados
- Police: Policia Nacional
- Police: Policía Nacional | Puesto Policial de Viejo Veranillo
- Police: Policia Nacional | Zona Metropolitana
- Police: Policía Nacional de Panamá - Sede Principal
- Police: Puesto Policial de Bella Vista
- Police: Sección de Homicidios/Femicidios Ministerio Público
- Police: Subestación de Policía de Calidonia
- Police: Unidad de Policía Comunitaria de Curundú
- Embassy: Consulate of Costa Rica
- Embassy: Delegation of the European Union
- Embassy: Embassy of Cuba
- Embassy: Embassy of India
- Embassy: Embassy of Spain
- Pharmacy: Arrocha
- Pharmacy: Chemsa
- Pharmacy: Farmacia & Novedades "La Castellana"
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Carbono
- Pharmacy: Farmacía Milani
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Moali
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Nva. Roxy
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Pasteur
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Prez Shop
- Pharmacy: FarmaNet
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos - Comandante Darío Vallarino
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos No. 1 - Ricardo Arango
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos No. 4 - David h. Brandon
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos No. 8 - Segismundo Navarro
- Fire station: Fire Station #2 - Juan A. Guizado
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Panama)
| Police | 911 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 911 |
| Fire | 911 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | low |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | low |
| Emergency response | low |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | low |
The provided sources do not contain specific details on hospital locations, emergency response times, pharmacy availability, or evacuation procedures for travelers in Panama City.
Common scam patterns
- taxi overcharging. Tourists near Casco Viejo often encounter taxi drivers who overcharge or refuse to use the meter, especially after dark. These unlicensed or dishonest drivers may demand cash payments at inflated rates. Tip: Insist on using the official meter or arrange a reputable ride‑hailing service.
- unlicensed money changers. Unregistered currency exchangers in popular tourist areas offer poor exchange rates and may give counterfeit bills. Travelers can lose money quickly if they accept these deals. Tip: Use banks or authorized exchange offices and verify bills before accepting them.
- overpriced boat tours. Some operators sell inflated prices for boat trips to the San Blas Islands or other attractions, often providing sub‑standard services. The tours may not match advertised itineraries or safety standards. Tip: Book tours through reputable agencies or your hotel and compare prices in advance.
Area notes
- Casco Viejo. Historic district popular with visitors, but pickpocketing is common, especially on crowded streets.
- Financial District. Modern business area that is well‑policed and generally secure for tourists and business travelers.
- Calidonia. Neighborhood where travelers should stay alert and avoid walking alone after dark.
Frequently asked questions
Is Panama City safe to visit right now?
Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in Panama City — read the breakdown below. Composite score: 39/100 (Moderate risk). Crime category sits at 45/100; pickpocketing in crowded tourist areas is the most common issue, but violent crime against tourists is uncommon. Last refreshed September 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for Panama City, Panama?
The current US State Department advisory level for Panama is shown in the Live conditions section above. Always cross-check your home country's foreign-ministry advisory — for many countries the tier differs from the US assessment. Real-time advisory text is fetched every 6 hours from the US State Department RSS feed.
How safe is Panama City for tourists?
Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in Panama City — read the breakdown below. The biggest risk factor right now is Government advisory (60/100). Travelers should specifically prepare for this area before arrival.
What is the biggest risk in Panama City?
The highest-scoring risk category is Government advisory (score 60/100). Travelers should specifically prepare for this area before arrival. Full 9-category breakdown is in the Scores section of this page.
Is it safe to visit Panama City in September 2026?
For September 2026, the composite risk for Panama City is 39/100 (Moderate risk). Live weather, disaster alerts, and news shown in the Live conditions section above are refreshed every 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the source. For an AI-synthesized briefing for your specific trip dates and traveler profile, use the Travel Risk Calculator linked at the top of this page.
How are these travel risk scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 based on government travel advisories (US State Dept), crime indices (Numbeo), Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (weather, advisories, news) is layered on top of every assessment.
How often is this page updated?
This page is updated daily: live weather, official advisories, disaster alerts, health notices and news refresh automatically multiple times per day, and an AI safety snapshot is regenerated on the first visit each day. The baseline category scores are editorial estimates reviewed periodically (see the Transparency & Sources section below).
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 City?
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 City 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 City?
heavy rain season: May–October; hurricane season: June–November.
Run a personalized assessment for Panama City
Get a tailored briefing in ~15 seconds, with live weather, advisories, and recent news.
Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 28, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Auto-enrichment from Ollama-grounded AI (https://kakapo.travel/blog/city/is-panama-city-panama-safe | https://www.thelostandfoundhostel.com/blog/2026/7/13/how-dangerous-is-panama-city-a-practical-guide-for-tourists | http) AI-enriched 2026-07-28 (Ollama-grounded + Jina full text, cited; pending editorial verification) |
50% |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 30 | moderate | initial snapshot Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
65% |
Every editorial change to Panama City's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
Transparency & Sources
We try to be honest about what we know, what we estimated, and what we don't have. Below is the audit trail for this page.
Review status
verified
Last reviewed
2026-07-28 02:36:03
Data confidence
65%
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Panama City
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
What is estimated
- Composite tier and category scores are an editorial baseline estimate, not a real-time measurement.
What is unavailable
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Data review process · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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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.