Trip to Panama

[Scott Wallace]

My wife and I will be coming to Panama April 6-14 and are trying to see as much of the Republic as possible in that time.
We are going to be checking on the progress or our condo construction in Punta Chame at some point of the trip but are looking for the best way to see as much of the country as possible. Any suggestions on the best mode of transportation such as renting a car or otherwise and what are the must see ares we need to include in our short time.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Sincerely
Scott & Melinda Wallace

[Country Expert- jessica ramesch]

Dear Scott and Melinda,

Thanks for posting on the Panama Insider Forum. This is a great opportunity for me to post my updated (2018) version of important travel/visa/other info for Panama Insider members. Please see the below info and links and feel free to post any unanswered questions in new posts.

Please read the below thoroughly, you may find the answer to your question instantly!

Thank you for your inquiry. International Living takes pride in being your best resource for information about life as an expat, both in Panama and other locations around the world. I’d like to take this opportunity to share some important information with you.

Customs & Immigration

For U.S./Canadian citizens: You must have a passport to visit Panama. Check your passport expiration date prior to booking travel-your passport must be valid for six months from your date of arrival. No visa application is required. Be prepared to show proof of solvency and of intended departure.

At present Panama law states that tourists are permitted up to 90 days, but officials may well grant you five to six months. However, there is no guarantee of this. You can only drive in Panama as a tourist, using your home license, for 90 days. Even if you are granted a six-month tourist stay, you can only drive for the first 90 days. If you stay for five months or more on a tourist visa, you may be required to leave the country for at least 30 days before re-entering.

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, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, 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 home country’s foreign affairs office (e.g. US State Dept/Government of Canada travel advisory webpages) prior to travel to ensure you have the latest information from your government.

Panama travel and resources:

Arriving/Departing: Most travelers fly into Tocumen International Airport (PTY), known as the Hub of the Americas. Located in east Panama City, Tocumen the nation’s only major international airport for commercial flights. Copa is Latin America’s largest airline and has helped transform Tocumen into the region’s busiest hub with a growing selection of international flights plus domestic flights between Panama City and David City. Many other airlines also serve Tocumen including big names like United, American, Delta, and more.

The Marcos A. Gelabert Airport in the Albrook sector of Panama City (aka “Albrook Airport”) is a hub for domestic airline Air Panama, which offers flights to popular sites such as David, Bocas del Toro, Pedasi, Contadora, and Guna Yala (formerly known as San Blas).

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

To visit the mountain region in and around Boquete you can drive, take a bus, or fly from Panama City to David. From David it’s an easy 30-minute drive/bus ride to Boquete.

* The new Scarlett Martinez airport at Rio Hato (Pacific Coast near Coronado) serves mostly charter flights.

If you need help planning your visit, contact a travel agent or make use of reduced travel websites such as Kayak.com and TripAdvisor.com

Promotional airfares are often available via Copa/United websites. Spirit offers budget flights to Panama.

Local tourism/travel contacts:

Road trips, tours (day tours, eco-tours, etc), ground transportation, airport pickups, etc:

o Panama Vacations, http://www.vacationtopanama.com
o Ancon Expeditions, http://www.anconexpeditions.com
o Roadrunner Panama, web: http://www.panamaroadrunner.com
o Inside Panama, email: transport@insidepma.com, tel: +507-6675-6601
o Panama Travel: http://www.panamatravelunlimited.com, info@panamatravelunlimited.com
o Sealandsky Journeys, email: ditase@yahoo.com, tel: +507-6630-0847
o Marco Colucci, tel: +507-6672-1201, email: macoluche@hotmail.com

New hotels are constantly opening in Panama. For help choosing a hotel and other information try review sites such as TripAdvisor. The Riande Airport Hotel and Crowne Plaza Panama Airport are close to Tocumen International Airport but far from city conveniences. If staying in Panama City you may want to choose hotels in central or downtown areas for ease of exploration. El Cangrejo is a popular neighborhood for hotels, Metro de Panama access, and walkability.

Rental Cars: There are many rental companies in Panama, including National Rent A Car (www.nationalpanama.com/english/index.htm), which in my experience tends to have the best rates and service. Find more companies listed at: http://www.panamatours.com/Services/serv_carentals.htm.

Taxis are available nearly everywhere and are 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 and number of passengers. Taxis are yellow and have ID numbers painted on their sides. Taxis charge extra for pickup at hotels, airports, and other tourist destinations. It is not customary to tip yellow 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. Ride share apps like Uber operate in Panama, as well. I have successfully used Uber many times and generally find service/cars to be superior to taxis. Other apps include Cabify and EasyTaxi (for regular yellow taxis, with the added security of requesting the ride from your phone).

Tocumen Airport to/from city center fare (yellow taxi) should be $30 total for up to two people or $15 each for parties of three or more. “Tourism taxis” are white, you will find them at Tocumen Airport as the only taxis authorized for airport pickup. These and private ground transport companies usually charge around $35 total for up to two people. I usually use Uber (you can even reserve a day in advance).

For more airport fares see: http://www.tocumenpanama.aero/index.php?cccpage=transporte_publico

Waze is an excellent app to have on your smart phone and help you navigate Panama City if driving and if you have local data. If not, you may want to download Panama City, Panama to your smartphone’s Google Maps app, to have access on your smartphone even when offline.

If you’d like local cell/data service, you can buy a cheap cell phone or Panama sim card for your cell phone at Tocumen airport, malls, and other places.

Many restaurants and businesses in Panama City offer free wifi to customers.

Country Information:

Currency: Panama uses the U.S. dollar ($), locally referred to as the Balboa (B/.). Paper currency is entirely U.S. (there are no Balboa bills). Coins in Panama are a mix of U.S. coins and Panamanian coins (same exact size). Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in Panama City. Amex is not widely accepted. Outside the city, you may need to use cash for many expenditures, including hotels/motels (as always in travel, a good rule of thumb is to assume nothing & ask before you go).

Foreign exchange: If you are coming to Panama with anything but U.S. Dollars, note that this is not a country where you’ll find exchange posts around every corner. Your options are generally to withdraw USD from ATMs in Panama City, use your credit card for purchases, take care of your exchange needs on arrival in Tocumen Airport, ask whether your hotel offers exchange services (many do not), or plan on getting to a bank during business hours (call ahead to ensure the branch you’ll visit does exchanges).

Climate: Panama is tropical, with average daytime temperatures of 88º F and two seasons: dry (summer) and wet (“winter”). The dry season (very little to no rain) is December through April in most parts of the country. The rainy season is mild, with most of the Pacific Coast experiencing only afternoon showers. The heaviest rains are usually in the August-November period. Boquete and Bocas del Toro get about double the rainfall of Panama City and other Pacific Coast destinations. In Boquete and other highland regions 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, hotels, etc., can be cold.) There are no hurricanes in Panama. For current weather information consult Google News, The Weather Channel, or any other trusted news or weather source.

Important Resources For Potential Expats:

As Panama editor I travel the country in order to write about it. It is my pleasure to answer your questions about Panama and/or direct you to the appropriate person or department for help with other queries. As I am a full-time writer, I do not offer any consulting, concierge, real estate, or travel-related services. Here are some providers that will be happy to hear from you and help with relevant matters:

Legal assistance: Whether you plan to live, invest, retire, or have a home 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

Real estate/rentals: International Living does not sell or broker real estate or rentals. But you can send your real estate/rental queries to Pathfinder International Real Estate, exclusive real estate advertiser to International Living:

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

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

Panama Holidays*

2018

January 1 New Year’s Day
January 9 Martyr’s Day (Dry: no alcohol sold for 24 hours).
February 9-13 Carnival
February 14 Ash Wednesday
March 29-April 1 Holy Week (Dry: no alcohol sold for 24 hours Good Friday)
May 1 Labor Day
August 15 Founding of Panama La Vieja (Original Site of Panama City)
November 2 Day of the Dead (Dry: no alcohol sold for 24 hours)
Nov 3-5, 10 (12?), 28 Fiestas Patrias (Independence/national holidays)
December 8 Mother’s Day
December 25 Christmas Day (Many businesses close at noon Dec 24 & 31)

* All of the above is subject to change. If a holiday falls on a weekend, then observance may be moved to the following Monday via executive decree. This is often announced a month or two ahead of time, hence TBC dates in parentheses/question marks.

Useful links/Where to go/How best to explore:

Panama’s most popular expat destinations are Panama City, the Coronado Region known as the Arco Seco or Dry Arc (including Chame!), Pedasi, Boquete, and Bocas del Toro. You can read about these destinations and more here on your Panama Insider website. There are locale descriptions at https://members.internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/where-to-live/ (click on the menu at the top to see links under “where to live” and under “travel itineraries”…the latter includes info on ways to get around…yes, most explorers do just rent a car and drive! If you need to hit Chame, this may well be your best option so you don’t have to backtrack to the city for flights. Note that there are not always flights available to Pedasi…sometimes you can fly direct to Pedasi and sometimes to Chitre and take a bus from there unless you have hired a driver/tour company ahead of time to meet you. Check Air Panama online for more info about flights.)

Recent Panama news/ updates may also be of interest, find them here: https://members.internationalliving.com/category/country-insider-websites/panama-insider/panama-news/

Best to you both. Again, please don’t hesitate to post unanswered questions here or, as always, you are welcome to email us.

Questions about Chiriqui can go to correspondent Nanette Witmer:
Chiriqui@internationalliving.com
My email is Panama@internationalliving.com

~Jessica

IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

[Country Expert Jim Santos]

Hello Scott and Melinda

As the International Living Correspondent for Chiriqui I have seen that people who come for a short period of time do one of two things. Either they rent a car or take public transportation.

Public transportation is easy in Panama and inexpensive. The buses take you to most every destination and are easy to access. Once you get to a particular city you can take taxi’s around the area usually for less than $3 a cab fare. This works great if you don’t want to explore outside of towns and cities. You can always find an English speaking driver who for under $100, will be your driver for the day to explore areas you want to see.

If however you want to just see the sights and travel some backroads on your own, a rental car would fit your needs better. Rental cars can be expensive though. More importantly you will have to get used to Panama drivers and the way they drive here. You will also need to be aware of the lack of street signs,lack of posted stop signs and know the rules of the road.

That said, I haven’t had any problems driving here over the last 4 years. I prefer owning a car to taking taxis because I like the flexibility having a car provides me.

It all depends on what you want to see and where while you are here and your budget. Hope this helps out.

[Country Expert- jessica ramesch]

*The above post is from Chiriqui correspondent Nanette Witmer, not Jim Santos. Apologies for the glitch!

[Scott Wallace]

Jessica
Thank you so much this is very helpful!!
Do you know if there are any expat groups in the Chame are
as we purchased a condo in Playa Caracol.
Thanks again

[Scott Wallace]

Thank you also Nanette!!

[Country Expert- jessica ramesch]

I’ll just add that modern, comfortable buses leave from the National Bus Terminal that’s connected to the vast Albrook Mall. You stand in line to get a “rapipass” or transport card (about $2) and a separate line to buy a ticket for your destination of choice. Chame buses should go about every 45 minutes until about 8pm. Departures to popular destinations like David are every half hour or even more often. Unfortunately there is no website with schedules and fares, etc. You can call local tel 303-3030 if your Spanish is good. For certain buses (longer distances like David) departures start around 5:00 a.m. and continue through the morning, then resume in the late afternoon. The bus to David takes around eight hours, including a stopover in Santiago, and last time I went the one-way fare was less than $25 per person. The bus to El Valle takes about two and a half hours and costs about $4. If you get off a bus at Chame you will likely need to then wait on the PanAmerican Highway for a smaller bus or taxi to take you in /to where you need to go on the Chame peninsula…a rental car or hiring a driver to meet you might be more convenient/comfortable.
More on getting around here: https://members.internationalliving.com/may-2017-2/

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