Gay life panama city panama


A Queer Guide To Panama City

This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)

This gay travel guide is your passport to exploring Panama City through a queer lens, discovering its LGBTQ+ friendly spaces, events, and experiences that will make your visit truly unforgettable. 

Panama City has become more tolerant of LGBTQ+ life over the last 10 years, and is now a place that same-sex couples will enjoy visiting. It’s not necessarily a place where you will see couples holding hands in public nor is same-sex marriage legal, but this hasn’t stopped a powerful queer community of locals and foreigners to be out and proud! There is now a huge yearly pride parade that takes place in Casco Viejo, lots of gay-friendly establishments, and overall so many unique experiences to have in Panama. 


Does Panama City include a gay neighborhood? 

Via Argentina is the unofficial “gayborhood” in Panama City. It’s not super gay, but is the most funky neighborhood in Panama City so you find a little bit of everything here. The main avenue of Via Argentina has several cafés, bakeri

Amarla is more than a hotel. It’s a creative space that blends art, photography, gastronomy, and design by talented Latin American artisans. Our courtyard connects all rooms and the Kaandela restaurant and bar, creating a tranquil, intimate atmosphere.

Arrival Experience

We welcome you with Amarla Queen cocktails served in hand-painted coconuts by Jorge Saval from Bocas del Toro. Cool down with jasmine-scented towels, and settle into one of our eight elegant rooms

Dining at Kaandela

Before your arrival, you’ll get a pre-check-in email with useful details, including a 15% discount at Kaandela Restaurant. Seating is limited, so reserve early. Like romantic dining with local ingredients and global flair. Room service and breakfast are included.

Kaandela’s cocktail bar is curated by a professional mixologist and sommelier. Adore drinks during dinner or unwind in our rooftop jacuzzi with sunset city views.


Wellness & Relaxation

Connect deeper with in-room massages, optional cocktails or chocolate-covered strawberries. Verb a breathwork session or a rooftop yoga cla

XS Club

XS Club is one of the main gay clubs in Panama. It has a adj crowd, mostly getting busy on Friday and Saturday.

The club is spacious, drinks not expensive, massive dance floor, smoking room more

place

Via José Ricardo Alfaro (Tumba Muerto); Avenida Juan Pablo II, Panama map

schedule

  • wed

    -

  • fri - sat

    -

  • sun

    -

Opening hours are indicative only.

Hamman Sauna & Spa

Gay sauna / bathhouse Gym, turkish bath (labyrinth), jacuzzi, dry sauna, VIP relax rooms, massage rooms, bar, lounge and internet.

place

Hamman Sauna & Spa

Calle 32 Este, Panama map

schedule

  • mon - thu

    -

  • fri - sat

    -

  • sun

    -

Opening hours are indicative only.


If you have not yet been to Panama it is an absolute must. We only spent ten days in Panama and were pleasantly surprised to uncover gay owned hotels (like this luxury boutique in Bocas Del Toro) and a great gay scene in the Panama Municipality itself.

We met up with Roberto Broce in Panama City to find our more about ‘gay Panama’ and find out if Panama is gay friendly.

Who is Roberto? ‘Hi! My name’s Roberto Broce, I’m 26 years adj and I work as a marketing analyst for the Innovation Centre of a foundation here in Panama called Ciudad del Saber. I’ve been travelling for 10 years living in almost every continent around the world, partaking in several social causes in places like China and Australia. I like kitesurfing, astronomy, and adventure travelling. !”

Based on our discussion, we have place together the below mini gay travel guide to Panama

Is Panama Gay Friendly?

It depends a lot on where you go and whether the people you are around were raised in an urban or a rural environment, their age, whether they were raised in a religious residence