[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi Bob,

1- Driving in Panama City can be very frustrating and even scary if you’re new. While a rental car is great for driving from Panama City to/in other parts of the country, I think for most people it’s less stressful to explore Panama City via taxis or walking, etc.

Rental Cars: There are many rental companies in Panama, including National Rent A Car: http://www.nationalpanama.com/english/index.htm. Find more companies listed at: 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 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.

Tocumen Airport fare (yellow taxi) should be $25 total for up to two people or $10 each for groups. “Tourism taxis” are white, you will find them at Tocumen Airport. These and private ground transport companies usually charge around $35 total for up to two people. For more airport fares see: http://www.tocumenpanama.aero/index.php?cccpage=transporte_publico. Services like Uber do operate in Panama but are not regulated by the government, insurance authority, etc., so caveat emptor. I have successfully used one of these services called TuChofer.com (which has a phone app you can download and which uses GPS to tell the driver where you are, track your ride, etc) several times.

Waze is an excellent app to have on your smart phone and help you navigate Panama City.

2- There are a great many new hotels in Panama, which recently had a hotel construction boom with more rooms in the pipeline than any other country in the region save Brazil. I usually just check review sites like Trip Advisor to see which hotels are getting the best ratings at the time. You’ll find listings online for everything from hostels and B&Bs to big hotels and resorts, so depends on what you’re looking for, and what area you want to stay in. If it is your first visit to Panama City then you might want to stay at a downtown hotel to be in a central location like Bella Vista or El Cangrejo where it is easy to get taxis. (See the Panama City section of your Panama Insider website for a neighborhood breakdown including major arteries). Not as central: Casco Viejo and the Ancon district, in what used to be the US military panama Canal zone. Both have their own charm but can feel “far” as they’re 10 to 20 minutes from downtown so you might want to visit them but stay elsewhere, especially since Casco is the area of choice for nightlife in Panama City and can get a little congested and loud, especially weekends. Panama City is small in terms of area, so everything is quite close…but traffic can be heavy during the day, especially 7-8am and 530-630pm rush hours.

3-Send your real estate/rental queries to Pathfinder International Real Estate, exclusive marketer to International Living:

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

Let us know if you have any other questions and enjoy Panama.

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Thanks so much for your reply Cathy! Let us know how the process goes if you get a chance…and once it is over if you’re happy with the service.

Best,

Jessica

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi Bob,

Here is a list of local tourism/travel and transport contacts that can help with hotel pick-up or sight-seeing in Panama City, whether collective or individual:

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

• Panama Vacations, http://www.vacationtopanama.com

• Ancon Expeditions, http://www.anconexpeditions.com

• Roadrunner Panama, web: http://www.panamaroadrunner.com

• Inside Panama, email: transport@insidepma.com, tel: +507-6675-6601

• Panama Travel: http://www.panamatravelunlimited.com, info@panamatravelunlimited.com

• Sealandsky Journeys, email: ditase@yahoo.com, tel: +507-6630-0847

• Marco Colucci, tel: +507-6672-1201, email: macoluche@hotmail.com

There are more mentioned here along with user reviews:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294480-d2615043-Reviews-City_Sightseeing_Panama-Panama_City_Panama_Province.html

and

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294480-c129835/Panama-City:Panama:Tour.Companies.html

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Great, if you get a chance let us know how it all went. Enjoy!

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hello Bob,

Thanks for posting. I tweeted the organization in charge (ENA) to ask about rental cars, and was told that rental companies are getting the stickers for their fleets. So if you rent a car, you shouldn’t have to worry. The sticker will be on the windshield and you should be able to zip by toll booths at will. Presumably the rental co. will charge you for tolls registered when you return the vehicle. Please verify all this when renting.

The Panapass/tolls are only for the South and North Corridor roads in the capital city. Most visitors only use the South Corridor (and that only twice, to come and go from Tocumen International Airport). You won’t need or use the Panapass outside of Panama City.

And yes, I always rent sedans for my scouting jobs for International Living and have never had any trouble.

Hope this helps; don’t hesitate to post any follow-up questions.

Regards,

IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Christopher and Lee,

Good question.

First some helpful clarification: We endeavor to ensure that these two products, the Escape to Panama e-book and this, your Panama Insider website, contain the most detailed information on Panama that International Living offers. That is, information on lifestyles and the feel of a place and nuts and bolt information on things like the real estate purchasing process, setting up a business, networking, and more. In this they are similar to each other and different from other publications such as our free articles, which are much shorter and thus less detailed, and which are focused on giving a feel for a place (as an introduction, for readers who are new to the idea of international living) rather than the dry details on taxes and immigration that become important to seasoned readers who are further along or, shall we say, closer to making a firm decision.

So, to answer your question, the difference between our two most detailed publications is that the Panama Insider website is interactive and easier to update often (for example, via posts on the Forum and monthly missives sent to members via email). Escape to Panama, on the other hand, appeals more to those who wish to have a compilation of our best Panama information for that year (it is updated every year without fail) and who find a more interactive format confusing or otherwise less desirable. If you are already a Panama Insider member and if the format and updates suit you, there is no reason to “double up” by purchasing Escape to Panama.

I hope this helps. Please don’t hesitate to post additional questions.

Best,

Jessica Ramesch
Panama Editor
International Living

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Richard,

Thanks for posting. I’m sure there must be some sort of solution if the fingerprinting methods used thus far have not worked for your wife, so check with state police, your local attorney, or even your congressperson to see if help is available.

The discounts on air fare and many other expenses ranging from travel and entertainment to medical care are the same for all (of-age retirees and/or members of the Pensionado program) provided you are legally resident in Panama (you must show the appropriate Panama-issued ID to get the discount).

There are, I believe, two exceptions: 1- the tax exemption on the purchase or importation of a car and 2- on the importation of household goods up to $10,000, which are available only to those who obtain their Panama residence via the Pensionado program.

Copa airline tickets are discounted when originating in Panama and with a Panama ID showing that you are a Pensionado or of-age retiree.

Per Panama law the FBI report is required to become legally resident in Panama.

As mentioned on your Panama Insider website, official retirement age in Panama is 60 for men and 55 for women.

A Panama attorney can help explain the ins and outs of importing cars/household goods and of obtaining legal residence (there is an attorney listed in the rolodex of this website).

Hope this information helps!

Regards,

IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Thanks Phil and please keep us abreast of the mango project, I’m sure we’d all be interested to hear little updates as appropriate! If you don’t get any useable recommendations from our fellow forum users, you may want to check with the American Chamber of Commerce in Panama or the US Embassy in Panama, sometimes they post recommendations on their websites and/or are willing to send via email.

Best,

Jessica

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

My pleasure, thanks Adam!

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi there Phil!
Thanks for posting. Have you indicated to the Mata Kelly firm that this is what you want? I would imagine they would be accommodating. And they do specialize in immigration so would have a handle on the Friends of Panama visa and others. They also do corporations etc. That’s the only firm I have any experience with so I’m unable to make a recommendation, but I hope our other readers will chime in. Good luck with what sounds like it might be a very interesting project! It pains me to see supermarkets selling mangos from other countries when Panama is full of mangos (my last house had three mango trees…we couldn’t eat them fast enough). I would love to see local mangos on my supermarket shelves.
Regards,
Jessica Ramesch
IL Panama Editor

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hello Marion,

Thanks for posting. Had there been a change I would have been happy to mention it in my post above, but the law regarding number of days one can drive here on a tourist visa remains the same. (Artículo 110 de Reglamento de Tránsito vehicular de la República de Panamá / Decreto Ejecutivo de 27 de Diciembre de 2006.)

If your attorney insists otherwise please ask her for the relevant decree # in the national gazette or Gaceta (no law can enter into effect without being posted here) and kindly let me know. I checked local sources and consulted with a reputable, dialed-in attorney specializing in immigration (contact info in the rolodex section of this website) and found there were no relevant amendments.

There were a few amendments to transit law in June of this year but they mostly beefed up sanctions for driving under the influence and other crimes.

If you hear anything else please don’t hesitate to post here so I can try to verify. Sometimes the best leads can come from a reader! Many of you travel to and fro often, so thanks for posting about your experiences in addition to posting questions and suggestions.

I’m keeping an eye out on this end, and will post any definitive updates here on your Panama Insider website. As your Panama editor a big part of my job is to monitor a variety of official and Spanish-language sources. I do this every day, and if need be I consult with an attorney (to check the validity of rumors, clarify legal matters, etc.). Then I make sure we post relevant news here in the forum or in the missives we send to your mailboxes every month (which are then posted on this website). In addition, I do major revisions of all the information on your Panama Insider website periodically. In this way we (your Panama Insider team) make every effort to keep our knowledge base up-to-date and help ensure you’re getting the best information.

Hope this helps. Don’t hesitate to post additional questions or comments.

Best,

Jessica

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hello Marion,

Thanks for your post.

Regarding the list you’re trying to find, in my version of the “reglamento” or rulebook, it is on the tenth page, after these titles and subtitles:
TÍTULO II -NORMAS DE LOS VEHÍCULOS
CAPÍTULO I- DE LOS VEHÍCULOS EN GENERAL
Articulo or Article 7

Spanish being the official language, the only official versions of the Reglamento de Transito are in Spanish and yes, there should be a copy in every car.

All cars must have their yearly check, evidenced by government issued sticker on windshield and by license plates (if renting a car, the rental company will make sure its cars are in compliance).

I have never heard of a fire extinguisher being required, do not carry one in my car, and have never had one in my rental car. This is, of course, required for public transportation (e.g. metro buses). You’ve inspired me to get one, though, even if not required. It is a good idea.

You must have basic equipment (e.g., a jack, tools required to change a tire) and a spare tire.

A reflective warning triangle is listed as required, as well as items to block tires (wheel chocks or similar) but to be honest I’ve never known police to check for these particular items…though we should all have them and you’ve inspired me to correct this in my car.

Certain documents are of course required, including vehicle registration, accident report form, and proof of insurance. Again, for any readers who plan to rent a car, all this is provided by the agency.

Government websites, legal documents, etc are all in the official language, Spanish. If you’re unable to read the booklet or the website (http://www.transito.gob.pa/) where this info is clearly laid out, and/or if you want to go through the entire “reglamento” or rule book, which is certainly a worthwhile goal, then perhaps you can have a friend or your Panama attorney help you or even commission a translator to create an English version (for your understanding; cars are still required to bear the official Spanish version). An attorney is listed in the rolodex section of your Panama Insider website.

I’ll finish with a few more things that may be helpful to others reading this post:

The Panamanian government allows tourists to drive in Panama for up to 90 days from date of arrival. The assumption is that tourists drive rental cars. Legal residents who plan on having their own cars here are expected by law enforcement to obtain Panamanian drivers licenses. If you’re going to own a car here, take some Spanish lessons so you can communicate with people when you require help, read vital road signs, etc. This is particularly important if you’re going to be driving outside of busy metropolitan areas.

As stated on your Panama Insider website, tourists driving in Panama for up to 90 days should be prepared, if asked by a traffic police officer, to show a valid home country driver’s license and passport–both the photo ID page and the page bearing your entry stamp–so officials can calculate how many days you have been in the country.

There are no exceptions to the 90-day rule. Even if you apply for a change in status–for example, if you begin the residence application process and are allowed to stay in Panama past the 90-day mark–you cannot continue to drive on your home license. You can leave the country and upon your return drive for another 90 days.

There are a few steps you’ll need to follow if you wish to apply for a Panamanian license. You must have already obtained an ID (residence card) and not be here as a tourist. The steps include authenticating your home license via your home embassy here in Panama and visits to the Ministry of Foreign Relations, a lab for a blood type test, and finally the Autoridad de Transito y Transporte Terrestre (Transit Authority, or ATTT). An attorney can help you understand the process and even facilitate if you like.

If you have questions about importing a car and/or driving said car in Panama, please contact an attorney for help.

Finally, websites like Lifehacker give good recommendations for items that may not be legally required but are still good to keep in your car, I like: http://lifehacker.com/30-essential-things-you-should-keep-in-your-car-1263514115 and http://www.thesimpledollar.com/25-things-you-should-always-have-in-your-car/.

Hope this helps answer all your immediate questions. Don’t hesitate to post additional questions.

Regards,

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Five of the world’s major fiber optic cables intersect in Panama, which usually ranks number one in Latin America for internet coverage and infrastructure.

1- RE: 50 to 60 megabits per second (mbps) download speed and 5 to 6 mbps upload, I believe you could get the same speeds in Panama City

2- RE “Internet costs $45 per month, triple play package (HD TV and VOIP telephone)”: I pay about $25 a month for my home wifi which is probably about half the above speeds, enough for two of us to work on our laptops, download or watch streaming movies on our ipads, etc. I don’t know the costs for commercial use but you can easily get that from the providers. The main ones offer combined tv (including now HD and 3D)/internet/telephony packages and are:

Cable & Wireless (I believe they are currently ranked as the best in the city), details on their services http://www.cwc.com/past-present/our-regions/panama/panama-details.html Rates and packages are laid out here (seems the max they offer is a 25 MB Fiber plan with no download limit, probably gives you an idea RE what the upload would be, but if not, you can contact them): http://www.cwpanama.com/internet/planes/

Cable Onda Panama: http://www.cableonda.com/ (I use them because my building does, so yes, certain buildings use a specific provider).

There are other smaller companies like Claro Panama: http://www.claro.com.pa/portal/pa/pc/personas/ and for slow speeds in remote areas Wipet Internet – http://www.wipet.com and Mobilphone – http://www.mobilphone.com. There’s also a company called Panetma, seems pricey to me but you might want to ask around on forums or just when you get here RE are they so good that they’re worth paying a lot for?

Concerning residential service in Panama City:

– Are fiber or coax connections to the Internet available? (A satellite connection would not be suitable.) Fiber, yes. I don’t know what coax is but I’m sure tech-savvy reps at the providers can answer this for you.

– How dependable are they? Among the best in Latin America. I work online from home every day without difficulty. If a squirrel chews through the lines outside (happens every two years or so), the company comes and fixes it.

– What download and upload speeds may I expect (not what is advertised)? I think what they advertise is what you get, but again I’m not terribly tech savvy. If I can watch movies and do my work, I’m happy. See anecdotes and maybe post a question here, click ahead to page 2, better replies : http://bestplacesintheworldtoretire.com/questions-and-answers/1539-how-s-the-internet-in-panama#

– How many companies offer Internet access? See above

– Are they competitive, or do different companies service specific areas of the city? There are one or two sectors like Casco Viejo where one provider reigns.

Bit more info here: http://www.encuentra24.com/content/panama-en/general/view/choosing-an-internet-service-provider-in-panama

Hope this helps.

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Here are the answers to your questions, along with some additional context for a big picture overview.

There are hundreds of buildings that depend on elevators and 24/7 power in Panama City. Construction around the world of some 73 new buildings over 200 meters in height in 2013 made it a banner year for skyscrapers. Asia was responsible for about 75% of them, 3 of the 73 were built in North America, and Panama was the only country in the Latin America/Caribbean region to make the “tallest buildings in the world” ranking with 2 buildings–the new Bicsa Financial Center and the new Yoo and Arts Center, both in Panama City. So builders continue to have confidence in Panama’s infrastructure and investment environment.

Because of its reliable power and overall excellent infrastructure, Panama ranks very high on most every regional index published by reputable sources like the World Bank, including indexes that measure: red tape to start a business, internet coverage, telecommunications, civil liberties, and of course, infrastructure (power, water, roads, transit system overhaul)…and more. You’ll find some of this detailed in sections of your Panama Insider website.

Most power in Panama is hydro-power, followed by oil-fired power stations. However, Panama is in the midst of installing Central America’s largest wind farm and steps are being taken to incorporate more solar power into the grid (a major project just had over 30 bids submitted and will soon move on to more concrete phases).

Panama has one of the world’s fastest growing economies, the power demand is growing rapidly and it is not easy to keep up, but the significant steps that have been and are being taken have kept the city running with no power outages due to lack of electricity.

In dry El Niño years, when hydro-reservoirs start to get low, businesses and government offices limit a/c use etc. This has been the case twice, I think, in the 9 years I’ve been living in Panama City full-time.

Panama has no hurricanes but on occasion storms or heavy rain can cause minor outages in cities, though in those cases we have seen that power is promptly restored. For example, we are coming to the end of this year’s wet season now. All season long, my apartment has seen one short outage (about an hour) due to heavy rain. When I called the power company, a recording told me that they were already aware and working on it, so I didn’t even have to sit on the phone and file a report.

Some buildings have back-up generators but before buying an apartment, ask what the generator situation is and just what services the generator powers. You might also write to Pathfinder Real Estate to get an opinion; the company’s contact information is in your Panama Insider website’s rolodex.

Panama is not a producer of crude oil, natural gas, or coal; it serves as a transit point for these via the Panama Canal and Trans-Panama Pipeline (both controlled by Panama).

Panama is one of six Central American countries to join SIEPAC or the Sistema de Interconexión Eléctrica de los Paí­ses de América Central. The project seeks to connect power grids in Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, creating one multinational grid (1,118-miles of transmission) with an independent system operator.

Hope this helps give you a clear picture.

Regards,

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Sir or Ma’am,

Panama is very small and has good medical facilities in strategic locations, so, no matter where you live in Panama, it’s unlikely that you will be more than one hour away from a hospital. That said the most advanced hospitals in Latin America are located in Panama City, the nation’s capital. You can read more about these here on your Panama Insider website, starting with this page: https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/health-care. Each town/region discussed on the website also mentions hospitals in the region (start with Where to Live: https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/where-to-live/).

Unfortunately Panama is still lagging a bit behind the developed world when it comes to special needs. Panama isn’t as modern as Canada or Scandinavian countries when it comes to transport/facilities for wheelchair users, beeping traffic lights for the visually impaired, and other modern amenities.

Buildings in the city tend to be up to code with the required ramps and parking spaces.

However, sidewalks, driveways, and streets can be uneven, missing grates or manhole covers, have parked cars blocking ramps, etc.

Store entrances have ramps and reserved parking is always nearby. Sometimes though cars cannot pull up as close as they should in order to stop and drop off someone who may be slow-moving due to a loss of mobility. This was a constant concern when my Dad was still with us and using a walker. People went out of their way to help us no matter where we went, though.

As far as transportation we do have new buses in Panama City and I would imagine that unlike the old school buses that used to make up the city fleet, they have wheelchair lifts (the metro, it seems to me, would be usable in a wheelchair), but you’d be much better off having your own car. Outside of Panama City the buses are still old and don’t have any amenities.

There is an active wheelchair user community here, perhaps you could connect with them, not sure if you speak some Spanish or if they might have an English speaking member but might be worth reaching out: Panamanian Association of Wheelchair Sports http://es-es.facebook.com/ASPADESDER

I hope if we have any wheelchair users on this forum they will chime in.

If we don’t have any wheelchair users here, you may also try connecting with some at an outside forum like this one Or: http://www.expatexchange.com/expat/index.cfm?frmid=270&tpcid=3377185 or the “Viviendo en Panama” aka “Living in Panama” forum on Yahoo Groups. You have to sign into Yahoo email or Yahoo Groups (it is free) and then look up the group…keep in mind these are just people, not necessarily experts…but they may offer some good info that you can then do your own due diligence on.

There are signs of progress every year. For example, Riba Smith supermarket, Panama’s most upscale chain, has shopping cart scooters to facilitate shopping, something a few other stores are beginning to copy.

This blogger traveled in Panama with her wheelchair (she had a specialized/high mobility set of wheels, it seems, the post is in Spanish but view photos here: http://batec-mobility.com/es/batectravels/33-viajar-en-silla-de-ruedas-y-batec-costa-rica-y-panama)

You might also try asking this online poster how her trip to Panama went last year: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i12336-k6906917-Need_Help_for_Traveling_with_a_Rollator-Traveling_With_Disabilities.html Or this blogger: http://www.yourpanama.com/flight-to-panama.html.

Hope some of this helps you get an idea and don’t hesitate to post any additional questions.

Regards,

IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

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