Helpful "Know Before You Go" Travel Tips and Info

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hello there!

If you’re planning to visit Panama, make sure you peruse our handy list of “know before you go” travel tips and info:

I. Planning a visit? Here is some important information about Panama travel and resources:

Arriving/Departing: Most travelers fly into Tocumen International Airport, aka, the Hub of the Americas. Located in Panama City, Panama (call letters PTY), Tocumen is Panama’s only major international airport for commercial flights. Panama’s international airline, Copa, is Latin America’s largest airline and has helped transform Tocumen into the region’s busiest hub, with a great deal of direct and connecting flights.

The Marcos A. Gelabert Airport in Panama City (also referred to as Albrook, after the neighborhood in which it’s located) is a hub for domestic airline Air Panama.

The Enrique Malek airport in David, Chiriqui offers flights to and from Costa Rica; all other flights to and from David are domestic.

There are also small domestic airports or airstrips elsewhere in Panama, including the San Blas/Kunayala region, Chitre/Pedasi, Contadora Island, and Bocas del Toro.

Regarding the newly completed Scarlett Martinez airport at Rio Hato (Pacific Coast near Coronado), at time of writing, the government says this will serve international and domestic charter flights. The recently expanded Colon airport also serves charter flights.

Customs and Immigration: To visit Panama, U.S. and Canadian citizens must have a passport, valid for six months from your arrival here. No visa application required.

Citizens from visa waiver countries, including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, El Salvador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, and Uruguay, may also visit Panama for up to 90 days without a visa*.

*This list and other information in this message is subject to change. Always check with your nearest Panamanian consulate or your home country’s foreign affairs office prior to travel to ensure you have the latest information.

For help planning your visit contact your travel agent or make use of reduced travel websites such as Kayak.com. Low airfares are often available on Copa/United, visit: http://www.copaair.com for more information. Spirit offers budget flights to Panama. Panama is served by many of the worlds major airlines.

New hotels open in Panama every year. For help choosing a hotel and other information try review sites such as TripAdvisor.com, which can help you find a match for your needs and wants. The Riande Airport Hotel (tel: +507-290 3333; website: http://www.hotelesriande.com) is close to Panama’s Tocumen International Airport, but far from city conveniences.

Local tourism/travel contacts:

• Local Travel Agent: Casey Halloran, Co-Owner, Costa Rican Vacations & Panama Luxury Vacations, In Costa Rica: 1-800-606-1860 ext 401, In Panama: 1-866-393-4192, Web: http://www.vacationtopanama.com.

• Eco-tours and custom tours: http://www.anconexpeditions.com

• Road trips, tours, and ground transportation in Panama (including airport pickups): Inside Panama, email: transport@insidepma.com, tel: +507-6675-6601; Sealandsky Journeys, email: ditase@yahoo.com, tel: +507-6630-0847; Marco Colucci, tel: +507-6672-1201, email: macoluche@hotmail.com.

• Rental Cars

There are many rental companies in Panama, including:

o National: http://www.nationalpanama.com/english/index.htm
o Hertz http://www.rentacarpanama.com/general/default.aspx
o Budget Rent A Car http://www.budgetpanama.com
o And more: http://www.panamatours.com/Services/serv_carentals.htm

* Taxis are available nearly everywhere and are very inexpensive. Fares within the greater metropolitan area are usually $3 to $5. Visits to outlying areas like the Panama Canal Miraflores visitor center can cost $6 to $10.

Taxis do not use meters; they carry charts showing the price increase by district. Add $0.35 per additional person to the fare. Taxis charge extra for pickup at hotels, airports, and other tourist destinations. Any taxi can take you to the airport. Only special white “tourism taxis” are allowed to pick up passengers from the airport. Tocumen Airport fare should be $25 total for up to two people or $10 each for groups. Private ground transport companies usually charge $35. For more airport fares see: http://www.tocumenpanama.aero/index.php?cccpage=transporte_publico.

It is not customary to tip taxi drivers (unless the driver has gone above and beyond or helped load luggage).

Always ask the taxi driver what the fare will be before getting in.

II. Important Country Information:

• Currency: Panama uses the U.S. dollar or $ (referred to as the Balboa or B/.). All bills are U.S. bills; you’ll find a mix of coins from different U.S. states as well as Panamanian coins. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in Panama City, Amex is accepted in some but not all locations. Outside the city, you may need to use cash for some expenditures, including hotels/motels. A good rule of thumb: Assume nothing & Ask before you go.

• Foreign exchange: this is not a country where you’ll find exchange posts around every corner. Withdraw U.S. Dollars from ATMs in Panama City, ask whether your hotel offers exchange services, or plan on getting to a bank during local operating hours.

• Climate: Panama is tropical with average temperatures of 88º F and two seasons: dry (summer) and wet (“winter”). The dry season, usually December through April, is characterized by mostly sunny days. The rainy season is mild, with most of the Pacific Coast experiencing only afternoon showers. The heaviest rains usually happen from August to November, but even then entire days of rain or gloomy weather are rare. In highland regions such as Boquete, temperatures can drop to 60º F at night. No matter where you go in Panama, consider bringing a light cardigan or jacket. (If you’re coming back from the beach and are wet from swimming, the breeze can feel cold. Also air conditioning in restaurants etc can be cold.) Panama does not experience hurricanes. For current weather information consult Google News, The Weather Channel, or any other trusted news or weather source.

III. Mini Resource Rolodex

As Panama editor I travel the country in order to write about it. As I am a full-time writer, I do not offer any consulting, concierge, real estate, or travel-related services. However, our exclusive rolodex of providers (below and in the Rolodex section of this website) will be happy to hear from you and help with these and other matters:

Real estate: For real estate or rental queries, contact Pathfinder International Real Estate, exclusive marketer to International Living (International Living does not sell or broker real estate or rentals):

Pathfinder International Real Estate
Tura Murdock
tmurdock@pathfinderinternational.net
info@pathfinderinternational.net
Website: http://www.pathfinderinternational.net

Legal assistance: Whether you plan to live, invest or retire in Panama, you’ll need a Panamanian lawyer to assist you with legal matters. If you don’t already have one, send your legal questions to:

The Law Offices of Rainelda Mata-Kelly
Suite 406-407, Tower B, Torres de las Americas
Punta Pacifica, Panama City, Panama
Local tel: +(507) 216-9299
From the U.S. or Canada tel: (011 507) 216-9299
Email: rmk@mata-kelly.com
Website: http://www.mata-kelly.com

International Living is the ultimate information source

Subscriptions and Memberships: For questions on your login and other subscription information, please contact International Living Customer Service via the website: https://internationalliving.com/about-il/customer-service/.

And remember to post any unanswered questions or comments here, on your Panama Insider forum…or send to me privately, at Panama@internationalliving.com.

Best of luck with all your Panama plans!

Regards,

Jessica Ramesch
Panama Editor
International Living Publications

************************************************************

IMPORTANT PANAMA HOLIDAYS 2014*

January 1 New Year’s Day
January 9 Martyr’s Day (no alcoholic beverages sold for 24 hours)
March 1-4, March 5 Carnival & Ash Wednesday
April 17-20 Holy Week (no alcoholic beverages sold for 24 hours Good Friday)
May 1 Labor Day
August 15 Founding of Panama La Vieja (original city)
November 3-5, 10, 28 (Dec 1) Fiestas Patrias (Independence/national holidays)
December 8 Mother’s Day
December 25 Christmas Day (Many businesses close at noon Dec 24/31)
* subject to change

[Author]

Posts