Rwanda, Mexico or Panamá? 

Rwanda - Land of a thousand hills 

In the past 30 years there has been a complete makeover with new roads, new offices, a convention centre, a brand new basketball arena, an upgraded national stadium, the free economic zone, car free zones, and many more. Kigali is a totally different city in which luxury hotels have made its entrance.

Viva México

Mexico has so much to offer: beaches, desserts, jungle, volcanos, mountains, pueblos magicos, ruins, cenotes,  and of course the Mexican kitchen. Some local guidance can be helpful to make a nice selection, based on your interests.

Panamá - Hub of the Americás

Panamá got its fame, because of the canal that connects the Pacific ocean with the Caribbean sea. However, Panama has more to offer: jungle, highlands, a volcano and hundreds of islands on the Pacific and Caribbean coast.

Lakes, volcanos & gorillas

Rwanda is becoming the hotspot in Africa for Meetings, International Congresses and Events (MICE). Due to its central location, good infrastructure and safety, it has all the facilities to successfully roll-out its strategy.

For many years Rwanda welcomes wealthy foreigners that visit the mountain gorillas in the Volcano National Park. However, Rwanda has much more to offer nowadays, like Akagera National park which is the home of the BIG 5 and known as one of the best places for bird watching. 

Rwanda is also known for its ban on imported plastics and its monthly clean up day, called Umuganda. On the 4th Saturday of each month the whole community helps to clean up their neighborhood. It makes Rwanda one of the cleanest countries in the world.

For advanced cyclists, on road or MTB, Rwanda has a lot to offer with many hills that feel like mountains. Rwandans have a passion for cycling and the Tour du Rwanda is the most popular sports event of the year. In 2025 Rwanda will be the proud host of the UCI Road World Championship.

Rwanda has so much to offer and it is still so pure.This is the right moment to visit.

Culture, food & beaches  

For white beaches Yucatán is the place to go. There are some very nice all inclusive hotels at Playa Mujeres in Cancun. Tulum is nice if you are with a group of friends. And Holbox would be the right choice, if you prefer to spend time with your family on a bounty island. The mix of Mayan ruins, denotes and beaches, makes this peninsula so unique.

The pacific coast offers many options: like Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco or Puerto Escondido. Most beaches are brown colored and have great waves to surf. If you visit in the right season you might even spot some whales.

Most journeys start and end in Mexico City. One of the largest cities in the world, enjoy the vibrant neighborhoods, with lots of squares, parks and many good restaurants. Go to Zócalo (Plaza Mayor) in the city center and combine it with a visit to Teotihuacan to experience the city as it was during the Aztec times.

Other nice places to visit are San Miguel de Allende, Hidalgo and Guanajuato. These 3 beautiful cities carry a lot of national history and are easy to visit via a domestic flight to Queretaro.

Experience the Mexican food with its tacos el Pastor, tostadas, guacamole, carne asada, chilaquiles, tamales and quesadillas topped with salsas picantes . And don't forget to taste one of the famous Mexican drinks, like Margaritas, Micheladas, tequila and mezcal. 

Are there good wines in Mexico? Yes for sure! In Valle de Guadeloupe, Bajas California, there are many wine estates that produce high quality wines. It is the perfect place for wine tastings with many luxury hotels and excellent restaurants. 

Bounty islands, wild life & rooftops 

Panamá is located in the center of the Americas, below Costa Rica and above Colombia. It is the narrowest part between North and South America. And thus, the most obvious location to build a canal to between two oceans.

Characteristic of Panama City is the skyline of skyscrapers and the Bridge of the Americas that spans the canal. Casco Viejo is the 'new' old centre with many hotels, restaurant and rooftop bars. Other areas to vist are the Amador and barrio San Fransico, popular for all its restaurants.

Panamá has many islands in the Pacific: like the Pearl islands (Contadora), Coiba and Taboga. The area is ideal for whale spotting in September.
On the Caribbean side, there are the famous San Blas islands, more than 300 idyllic islands with white beaches surrounded by turquoise waters. And more north you will find Bocas del Toro, the perfect place for scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, surfing and hiking.

If you like to go to the jungle, we  recommend Gamboa rainforest, a nice place in the middle of the country. And for hikers, we suggest to go to the highlands of Valle de Anton. 

Up north, close to the border of Costa Rica, you will find the Baru volcano and  Boquete. A small city with many restaurants full with hikers, backpackers and pensionados. With an altitude of 1.131 meters (3.710 feet) it feels a bit like spring. In this area you can do many hikes, explore one of the coffee farms or play golf on the beautiful golf course of Lucero.
 
Some fun facts:

  • There is no road between Panama and Colombia,. You can only go to Colombia by plane or boat. 
  • The summit of ' El Baru Volcano' (3.474m) is the only place where you can see the Pacific ocean and the Caribbean sea at the same time. 
  • The famous Panamá hats are not made in Panamá. They originate in Ecuador. 
  • It takes less than 10 hours to cross the canal by ship from one to the other ocean.


 

Combine multiple countries 

Panamá is the perfect country to visit and combine with:

  • Costa Rica, if you can't get enough of flora & fauna
  • Colombia, cities like Medellín, Cartagena & Bogotá are hot and happening and within 1 hour flying.
  • Equador, explore the unknown at The Galápagos Islands 
  • Aruba or Curacao, these Dutch Islands have  beautiful bays and snow-white beaches
  • Guatemala, to explore more vulcanos, lakes and Maya ruins
  • Peru, to experience Peruvian cuisine in Lima, capital of the best restaurants of the world


Copa Airlines has direct flights to all above mentioned places, except The Galápagos Islands.

Rwanda can also be easily combined with surrounding countries:

  • Arusha (Tanzania), to see more wildlife in Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro crater. Or add some more adventure and climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
  • Uganda, to visit the gorillas in Bwindi National Park, or tree climbing lions in Queen Elisabeth National Park. Further up north you will find the spectacular Murchison Falls National Park. Also a visit to Kampala is definitely worth it.  
  • As Rwanda is landlocked, you can visit the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar or Mombasa after you experienced the vibrant nightlife of Nairobi (Kenia). 


Rwandair and Kenya Airways bring you directly to Entebbe, Arusha and Nairobi.