[Chiriqui Expert – nanette witmer]

I really can’t comment or recommend whether it is safe to drive to Panama from the US.

That being said several things come into play when moving things to Panama.

If you are coming into Panama without first having residency you will need to pay duty on all things you are importing. That duty amount will depend on the items category and may be hefty. In addition your vehicle if you don’t have residency will have an import duty placed on it that you must pay.

If you are moving to Panama and already have residency then you can bring in items duty free but still need to pay the ITBM tax (VAT) of 7%.

I know very few people who choose to drive to Panama with their belongings as the process is not as simple as just crossing the border into Panama. You will need a customs broker. I would suggest that for more information you contact an attorney such as Rainelda Mata Kelly who can give you all the details especially as things are constantly changing here with laws and regulations.

[Chiriqui Expert – nanette witmer]

Tour companies are not limited to nationals.Three people come to my mind in Chiriqui who are doing tours. One is a Colombian, the other two are Americans. While I can’t tell you what the specifics are about restrictions (you will need to consult an attorney here) as things do change, but I can give you the name of the woman running Panama Relocation Tours, Jackie Lange. She is from Texas and has been running her tour company in Panama since 2010. You can find her contact info at panamarelocatontours.com, email:info@PanamaRelocationTours.com.

Jim Omar who runs Boquete Outdoor Adventures. You can find information at: https://www.boqueteoutdooradventures.com/homepage.html

Hope this helps. Best bet though is to contact an attorney who can give you all the facts. Here at IL we highly recommend Rainelda Mata Kelly. You can get ahold of here at: http://www.mata-kelly.com/LawOffice/index.php

[Chiriqui Expert – nanette witmer]

Hello Kevin

It is easy to get around the country by bus. In Panama City you will need to go to the Albrook Bus Terminal. This is the main terminal for busses running throughout the country. My suggestion is if you are intending to hop a bus directly after a flight to take an Uber from the Tocumen Airport to the bus terminal. Its fast, easy and the cheapest way to go.

Busses to David do make stops along the way but not many. All busses will stop for a break in Santiago where there are restrooms and food available. The bus will only take about 7 hours from Panama City to David.

Once in David if you are not going to Boquete by bus the options are to rent a car or take a taxi. Taking a taxi is going to be expensive. I have heard some people pay $50 or more. We don’t have the option of Ubers in David. Here is a recent video I did on transportation in Chiriqui. https://members.internationalliving.com/may-2019/. There’s also an article here with more information that might help (scroll down for the Chiriqui section): https://members.internationalliving.com/march-2019-2/

Hope this helps you out. Any other questions just ask. I am happy to help out.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by IL's Insider Expert.

[Chiriqui Expert – nanette witmer]

Sorry Carla, I am unfamiliar with Ace Rentals. I did see they have numerous locations worldwide. Whatever company you choose I would make sure that you get the proper insurance and take photos of the car before you drive away. We don’t have Ace in my part of Panama but Avis seems to be everywhere. Perhaps Jessica knows since she is in Panama City.

[Chiriqui Expert – nanette witmer]

Carol

Hello. I suppose there are mosquitoes in Panama City but I have never heard of anyone getting Dengue Fever in any other places than the jungle areas and mountain areas. They do an excellent job of spraying for mosquitoes here, especially this time of year. I have lived here almost 6 years and have rarely even seen one and have never been bitten. Not like I did when I lived in Colorado. If you want to take extra precaution use some mosquito repellent. Expats here rarely use repellent as we don’t see many mosquitoes at all.

[Chiriqui Expert – nanette witmer]

If you want to move to the Volcan/Boquete area you are in luck! There are many local farmers who are growing pesticide free vegetables. If you go to the Tuesday market in Boquete you will find people selling organic eggs also. Finca Santa Marta is an excellent source of most of what you are looking for you can find them here http://www.fincasantamarta.biz Finca Santa Marta sells free range chickens along with organic eggs and coconut oil and delivers to the Tuesday market each week.
As far as organic beef, you can find people who raise and sell beef. Back in 2014 a company called Panama Angus were cutting and delivering grass fed Angus beef with a minimum order of $200. As of the current time, there does not seem to be great interest in that at least in this area. Pricesmart carries the best beef in this area but it is not organic. Any imports you find in Pricesmart will be more expensive than in the US but if you find a source in either Volcan or Boquete you can get your needs taken care of easily with local products. Everyday we see new expats filling the needs in this area as more and more healthy people are moving to Chiriqui and are interested in maintaining organic eating. Hope this helps.

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