Apart from the official holidays which are largely based on the Christian festival calendar, there are numerous local fiestas celebrating various local Saints or traditional regional holidays. The black people and indigenous groups also celebrate various festivals peculiar to their cultures. For particular dates check with the local IPAT office. Being very close to the equator, seasons in Panama don't vary greatly, though they can be divided into two distinct periods. The Caribbean side of the highlands receives the heaviest rainfall.
Most people tend to live on the Pacific side of the country.
Citizens of the Spain, Finland, UK, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras can stay up to three months without a visa or tourist card if they have an onward ticket and sufficient funds. Dr Sandra Peacock will be teaching Tropical Ethnobotany in Panama through the Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation. The course will be held during the winter session at the Bocas del Toro Biological Station. The material covered is equivalent to an upper-level University course. The application deadline is Nov 15th.