Panama City is a tax-friendly crossroads where Kuna indigenous women sell hand-stitched molas a taxi ride from Latin America's largest mall. Shop artisan cooperatives in Casco Viejo, hunt wholesale bargains in the Colón Free Zone corridor, and browse Panamanian designers in Marbella.
Roughly 80 stalls beside the Panamá Viejo ruins, open daily 09:00–18:00. Kuna women stitch molas on-site — simple panels from $10, multi-layer collector pieces $60–150. Also cocobolo wood carvings, tagua nut figurines and Ngäbe chácara bags.
Panama's working seafood market on Avenida Balboa, best before 13:00. Buy whole corvina, jumbo shrimp and octopus by the pound at half restaurant prices, then eat $3–5 ceviche cups from the upstairs kiosks. Closed Mondays for cleaning.
The pedestrianized shopping spine from Plaza Cinco de Mayo to Santa Ana, packed with Indian and Chinese-owned discount stores, electronics, fabric shops and shoe outlets. Loudspeakers, hawkers and prices 40% below the malls. Open 09:00–19:00.
Panama's specialty coffee flagship roasts Geisha from Boquete's Finca Lérida. Whole-bean bags run $12–25; competition-lot Geisha reaches $80 per 100 g. Baristas will vacuum-seal and grind to your brew method while you taste a pour-over.
Panama's luxury mall with roughly 280 stores across two levels: Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier and Zara alongside Panamanian labels. No sales tax on clothing under $100 makes prices notably lower than in the US. Open 10:00–20:00 daily.
A small covered food hall of independent stalls in the Marbella banking district — arepas, poke bowls, Panamanian fondas and craft beer under one roof. Popular midday break for office workers; lunch runs $8–14 and seating is communal.
The sombrero pintado is Panama's real hat — woven in Coclé from junco fibre, its black rings hand-dyed with chisná plant. Everyday pintaos start near $40; fine 20-vuelta pieces from Ocú reach $300–600 and take months to weave.
Panama's heritage jeweller reproduces pre-Columbian gold huacas from museum originals using the lost-wax method. Sterling silver frog and eagle pendants from $45; gold-plated versions $90–200. Each piece ships with a certificate naming the original artefact.
The wholesale produce market north of the city where restaurants buy at dawn. Sacks of Panamanian coffee, raw cacao from Bocas del Toro, panela blocks and tropical fruit at a third of supermarket prices. Busiest 05:00–10:00, quiet after noon.
The former Canal Zone YMCA building in Balboa houses Emberá and Wounaan cooperatives selling chunga palm baskets and tagua carvings. Prices sit below the Panamá Viejo market and vendors explain which village wove each piece.
Latin America's largest mall by store count — over 700 shops in colour-coded wings named after animals. Mid-range Panamanian and Colombian brands, luggage, shoes and electronics at prices well under Multiplaza. Open 10:00–21:00, attached to the national bus terminal.
Independent Casco Viejo galleries selling contemporary Panamanian art, silkscreen prints, hand-bound notebooks and ceramics from local studios. Prints run $30–120 — the flat, packable alternative to a mola for the trip home.