Panama City best: Excellent
Modern skyline, a colourful old quarter and the canal.
The capital with 3 districts of interest: the new city, the old city, and the colonial city.
Vitamin D in Panama: best months for sun and a travel guide
The best months for vitamin D in Panama are January to March. In February, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 7.4 usable sun hours a day. For a beach stay it is rainy or stormy from April to December.
Panama month by month
Panama is rated at its median coastal place, for skin type III at age 30. Click a month for the details.
| Month | Rating | Sun window | Peak UV | Full dose, age 30 | Full dose, age 65 | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Excellent | 7.2 h | 7.3 | 7 min | 14 min | 32°C | 8/30 |
| February | Excellent | 7.4 h | 7.8 | 7 min | 13 min | 32°C | 8/30 |
| March | Excellent | 7.1 h | 8.0 | 7 min | 13 min | 33°C | 15/30 |
| April | Bad weather | 8.3 h | 9.0 | 6 min | 11 min | 29°C | 21/30 |
| May | Bad weather | 7.6 h | 7.8 | 7 min | 13 min | 30°C | 26/30 |
| June | Bad weather | 7.5 h | 7.5 | 7 min | 13 min | 30°C | 29/30 |
| July | Bad weather | 6.9 h | 7.3 | 7 min | 14 min | 28°C | 29/30 |
| August | Bad weather | 7.7 h | 8.1 | 7 min | 12 min | 29°C | 30/30 |
| September | Bad weather | 7.2 h | 7.9 | 7 min | 13 min | 30°C | 28/30 |
| October | Bad weather | 6.6 h | 7.4 | 7 min | 14 min | 30°C | 28/30 |
| November | Bad weather | 6.7 h | 7.1 | 8 min | 14 min | 29°C | 27/30 |
| December | Bad weather | 6.6 h | 7.0 | 8 min | 14 min | 28°C | 25/30 |
Sun window is the number of hours a day with UV Index 2.5 or higher. Full dose is the minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm out of 30.
Travel guide: why go to Panama
Why go
Panama has the famous canal, a modern capital, two oceans, rainforest and the island archipelagos of Bocas del Toro and Guna Yala.
Best for
Couples, divers, families and culture travellers.
What to expect
A dry season from December to April and a hot, wet season from May to November, with little hurricane risk. The Caribbean and Pacific coasts have different weather. The US dollar is used.
Places in Panama
Each place has its own climate, so its best months can differ from the country as a whole.
Bocas del Toro
Caribbean archipelago of stilt houses and sloth islands.
Guna Yala
Indigenous-run islands of palm and white sand.
Boquete best: Excellent (inland)
Cool highland coffee town with hot springs.
Coffee growing capital of Panama in the Chiriquí Highlands.
Pedasí best: Excellent
Quiet Pacific village for surf and whale watching.
Isla Contadora best: Excellent
Pearl islands weekend getaway.
Portobelo
Caribbean fort ruins and cheap diving.
Historic town with colonial fortresses, recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Santa Catalina best: Excellent
Surf village next to the Coiba marine park.
Some short descriptions come from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Questions about vitamin D in Panama
When is the best time to visit Panama for vitamin D?
The best months for vitamin D in Panama are January to March. In February, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 7.4 usable sun hours a day.
Can you get vitamin D from the sun in Panama in October?
Yes, but slowly. In October a full dose takes about 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 6.6 usable hours a day.
How long do I need in the sun in Panama?
In February, the best month, about 7 minutes at midday with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III at age 30; about 13 minutes at age 65. Darker skin needs longer and fair skin burns sooner, so keep sessions short. This is an estimate for planning, not medical advice.
Which months should I avoid in Panama?
For a beach stay, avoid the months when it is rainy or stormy from April to December.
What is the best place in Panama for vitamin D?
In February the strongest sun of the places we rate is around Isla Contadora. Each place has its own rating, so open the place list to compare them.
Plan by month
- Jan Excellent
- Feb Excellent
- Mar Excellent
- Apr Bad weather
- May Bad weather
- Jun Bad weather
- Jul Bad weather
- Aug Bad weather
- Sep Bad weather
- Oct Bad weather
- Nov Bad weather
- Dec Bad weather