Panama feels like a meeting of the Americas: from certain angles, it could be Houston or Dallas with its gleaming skyscrapers; from others it looks like Antigua or Cartagena with its old colonial architecture and lazy rum-soaked vibe. One can drive from coast to coast to take in the Pacific and Caribbean sides, and both make for very different ocean perspectives. So in its short breadth, it spans a world. Visit Boquete to try the coffee and explore the mountains and jungles, or stay down on the glittering surface of the blue sea around the islands of Bocas del Toro. There are some stunning private beach resorts on their own paradise islands.

Panama City itself offers an ever-evolving food scene and historical district that still feels real and lived in by locals, where you can eat fish literally fresh off the boat at the port market. Hang your hat and dream your dreams in luxury hotels, or barefoot boutique lodges, in treetops or at the ocean's edge. For years we've been planning trips in Panama, long enough to know that it's often considered an second choice when the tropical destination you really wanted no longer has availability. Big mistake. Put Panama top of your list.

• Panama City (PTY) is the main point of entry by air.
• The main domestic airline is Air Panama, though sea plane flight charters are also easily arranged to smooth out logistics when combining destinations that normally require longer transfers or passing through the capital.
• From a geographical standpoint in Latin America, Panama can logistically be paired well with Costa Rica to provide a more off-the-beaten path coastal contrast to a classic 'tico' destination.
• Panama's official language is Spanish, while several indigenous languages are still spoken.

Panama's dry season is also its high season, and stretches roughly from late November to the end of March. 'Green season', the rainy season, is spread through the rest of the year. This green season does not mean continuous rain. Usually mornings are sunny, with intermittent heavy rain in the afternoon, which often clears the air and reduces the humidity, in such a way that in many ways it makes just as good if not a better time to visit. Continuous overcast and drizzle is not the norm except sometimes in the rainiest months of October and early November. The rainiest areas are in the western mountains of the Caribbean.

Panama offers a wide range of accommodations, from rootsy old-school Caribbean lodges to a growing handful of world class hotels. You can find yourself sleeping in the canopy of the rainforest with monkeys swinging to and fro, or sailing on a private yacht to a remote beach, or chilling by a private plunge pool overlooking the Caribbean sea, or enjoying 5 star hotel service in the capital...

• Coiba National Park, one of the world's most intriguing protected marine areas for snorkelling, scuba, sailing and hiking
• Contrasting cultures between the Pacific and Caribbean regions
• Barefoot luxury lodges at their finest
• Sailing to remote beaches without another soul in sight
• Panama City's budding culinary scene with fresh fish and seafood to delight
• Rum tastings