Destination:
Panama

Overview

Covering a land-bridge which links North and South America, the Republic of Panama is best known for its 40-mile (65km) shipping canal, which is cut along a gap between mountains, linking the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. The country is largely unexplored by tourists; only a few hardy adventurers, researchers and spirited travellers have had the joy of discovering its amazing diversity of flora and fauna, secluded beaches, tropical beauty and historic treasures. The name, Panama, means 'abundance of fish and butterflies', in an indigenous language, which gives a good indication of the wild wonders to be found here, beyond its rather daunting, but fascinating capital, Panama City.

Panama has a significant history stretching back thousands of years, from its eight indigenous peoples (including the colourful Kunas of the San Blas Islands) to its turbulent colonial occupation. Spanish forts stand along the coastline, overlooking the blue waters once patrolled by famous pirates like Henry Morgan, and where Sir Francis Drake was buried at sea.

It is the natural beauty of the isthmus that offers so much for visitors, however. Around 30 percent of Panama is made up of 15 national parks and forest reserves, and 10 wildlife sanctuaries, like the incredible Parque Nacional Darién, just a short drive from Panama City, which is the most magnificent wilderness area in Central America. Archipelagos of about 1,500 offshore islands, their white soft beaches lapped by crystal clear waters, sport virgin rainforest and are an untouched paradise for divers, snorkellers, deep-sea fishing, water sports and sunbathers.

Those 'in the know' can be forgiven for keeping the delights of Panama a secret from the flood of modern tourism, because this has preserved the integrity of this overlooked part of the world where the sun always shines and it is possible to swim in two oceans in a single morning.

Basics

Time
Local time is GMT -5.

Electricity
Electrical current is 120 volts AC, 60Hz. Round 2-pin plugs are the norm.

Language
The official language is Spanish. However, many Panamanians speak both Spanish and English.

Health
It is recommended that visitors be inoculated for typhoid. Malaria prophylaxis is advised for most parts of the country other than Panama City and the Canal, and dengue fever is on the increase; travellers should take precautions against mosquito bites, as there are a number of tropical diseases spread by mosquitoes. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for all travellers, except those visiting Panama City and the Canal, and is a requirement for all visitors arriving from an infected area. Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended. Leptospirosis is a risk throughout the country, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. Tap water is not safe to drink outside the capital without being boiled, filtered or chemically disinfected, and food should be eaten peeled, cooked and piping hot. Travellers are advised to carry an anti-diarrhoea drug. Medical facilities are good in Panama City, but less so elsewhere in the country. Critical medical problems require air evacuation to somewhere with better medical facilities, and travellers are therefore advised to have a fully comprehensive medical insurance policy. Quality control of pharmaceuticals in Panama is inadequate, so travellers are advised to bring a sufficient supply of their own medications from home.

Tipping
Although a 10% service charge is added to most hotel bills, individual staff appreciate a gratuity appropriate to services rendered. Restaurant waiters expect a tip of 10 to 15% if a service charge is not included. Taxi drivers do not expect tips.

Safety
Most visits to Panama are trouble-free. Visitors should, however, be aware that there is a risk of street crime in Panama City and it is unwise to carry large sums of cash or valuables in public. Visitors should be vigilant using ATM cash machines in public places and beware of pickpockets and muggers in the main city shopping and tourist areas. There have been incidents of assault involving taxi drivers and armed hold-ups in restaurants. Use only registered taxi companies and call a cab rather than hailing one in the street. Do not allow the taxi to pick up additional passengers and do not share a taxi with unknown passengers. Burglaries have recently been committed by organised gangs who use ruses to gain entry to properties, so be cautious. Travel to Darien province only by air with an organized group to recognized tourist destinations protected by the Panamanian police. Travellers are advised to avoid the border area with Colombia, as this is particularly dangerous. Avoid political demonstrations in Panama City, usually centred on Panama University and the main road known as the Transisthmica.

Customs
A midday siesta is practised in many South American countries due to the heat. Tourists in Panama will find that shops and businesses are often closed during these lunchtime hours and should conduct their daily business either before or after siesta.

Business
Business in Panama is formal. Handshakes are appropriate with men on meeting and departing, but not usually with women. Use of titles is very important to Panamanians, as is punctuality. Many Panamanians take an afternoon siesta, therefore business entertaining takes place over dinner instead of lunch. Many Panamanian business people prefer to host visitors to dinner at home, where they will be treated as VIPs and given a gift. The appropriate reciprocation is to invite the host to dinner in return. Dress for business is fairly formal despite the climate; men wear lightweight suits and ties and women wear lightweight dresses and suits. Office opening hours are from 8am to 12pm, then 2pm to 5pm or 6pm on weekdays, and 9am to 12pm on Saturdays.

Communications
The international access code for Panama is +507. The outgoing call code on Cable & Wireless is 00 (on Telecarrier dial 088+00 followed by the relevant country code. On Clarocom dial 055+00 followed by the relevant country code e.g. 0550027 for South Africa). Discount telephone rates apply between 10pm and 7am. Coin and card-operated public telephones are available, cards being sold at stores and vending machines. There are no domestic area codes in Panama. Cell phone providers offer digital TDMA 800 and GSM 850 networks therefore triband handsets are required for international visitors. There are several Internet service providers in Panama and Internet cafes are widely available in Panama City. Most hotels also offer the Internet.

Duty Free
The following items may be brought into Panama duty free: 500 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 500g of tobacco, three bottles of alcohol, opened bottles of perfume for personal use and gifts up to the value of B/.50. Fruit, vegetables and animal products are prohibited.

Currency

The official currency is the Panamanian Balboa (PAB), equal to 100 centesimos, but the US Dollar is accepted everywhere at a rate of B1 = US$1. Balboa are available only in coin denominations. The only paper currency used is US dollars. It is easy to exchange currency and travellers cheques in Panama at banks, exchange shops, hotels and the airport. Avoid the black market. The best rates are offered at the larger banks. Old, creased and dirty foreign notes may be refused for exchange. Most major credit cards, American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Diners club, are widely accepted. There are about 300 ATMs in Panama City. Banks are usually open from 8am to 1.30pm on weekdays.

PAB 1 =

US$ 0.98

£ 0.64

C$ 1.01

A$ 0.96

R 8.33

EUR 0.78

NZ$ 1.24

Note: These currency exchange rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.

Health

Health Overview
It is recommended that visitors be inoculated for typhoid. Malaria prophylaxis is advised for most parts of the country other than Panama City and the Canal, and dengue fever is on the increase; travellers should take precautions against mosquito bites, as there are a number of tropical diseases spread by mosquitoes. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for all travellers, except those visiting Panama City and the Canal, and is a requirement for all visitors arriving from an infected area. Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended. Leptospirosis is a risk throughout the country, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. Tap water is not safe to drink outside the capital without being boiled, filtered or chemically disinfected, and food should be eaten peeled, cooked and piping hot. Travellers are advised to carry an anti-diarrhoea drug. Medical facilities are good in Panama City, but less so elsewhere in the country. Critical medical problems require air evacuation to somewhere with better medical facilities, and travellers are therefore advised to have a fully comprehensive medical insurance policy. Quality control of pharmaceuticals in Panama is inadequate, so travellers are advised to bring a sufficient supply of their own medications from home.

Visa

Americans


UK nationals


Canadians


Australians


South Africans


Irish nationals


New Zealanders

Passport/Visa Note
Travellers to Panama require a passport valid for at least three months after arrival, return or onward tickets, all necessary documents for next destination and sufficient funds. Tourist Cards can be purchased on arrival for a fee of USD 5, they are valid for 30 days but extensions are possible. Be aware that it can take as long as 30 days to obtain a visa, if it is required. Panamanian entry requirements change constantly so it is wise to check with your nearest embassy or consulate before travelling to Panama. It is highly recommended that passports have at least six months validity remaining after your intended date of departure from your travel destination. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.

Contacts

Panama Tourism
Panama Tourism (IPAT), Panama City: +507 226 7000 or www.ipat.gob.pa

Foreign Embassies in Panama

Panama Embassies

Regions and Cities

Panama Canal

Way back in 1534 the enterprising King of Spain, Charles V, mooted the idea of building a shipping canal across the central American isthmus to connect the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, but it was not until 1880 that the French took up the challenge, under the auspices of Ferdinand de Lesseps, fresh from his triumph with the Suez Canal. The French attempt proved disastrous, daunted by disease and the inhospitable conditions, which ended up claiming an estimated 22,000 lives before construction was abandoned in 1889. In 1904 the United States Government decided to give it a go, first setting to work to improve conditions for labourers, and on 15 August 1914, the cargo ship 'Ancon' became the first of hundreds of thousands of vessels to traverse the canal, which has been hailed as one of the greatest engineering wonders of the world.

Today control of the canal has been handed over to the Republic of Panama, and it is not only trading ships that undertake the eight hour trip through the canal, obviating the long and treacherous route around Cape Horn at the tip of South America. Among the 14,000 ships a year that pass through the canal are hundreds of cruise liners, carrying excited tourists, and pleasure boats from motor launches to ocean-going yachts. On the shore the canal provides a spectacle for thousands more tourists who flock to watch the ships pass by, making it one of the most popular attractions for those who holiday in cosmopolitan Panama City, from where the waterway stretches to the city of Colon at the Caribbean end.

The canal essentially consists of a series of locks and lakes, including the massive Lake Gatun, which was created by flooding acres of forest during construction. Another of the most spectacular parts of the canal is the Gaillard Cut, where labourers hacked their way through nine miles of solid rock. Cruising through the canal is a spectacular experience, more like sailing along a wide, natural tropical river, overhung with lush jungle foliage, than travelling along a man-made waterway.

Chiriqui

The beautiful Chiriqui province of Panama is mostly agricultural land, with a range of climates and ecosystems from sea level to 13,100 feet (4,000m). There are a number of towns and cities, though most are small villages. Two of the most popular tourist destinations in Chiriqui are Boquete and Cerro Punta, towns near the Barú Volcano. The towns make good starting point for treks into the wilder parts of the province.

Chiriqui's increasing popularity for tourism is focused mainly on adventure travel however, with activities such as white-water rafting and kayaking, hiking, horseback riding and bird watching available year-round in the provinces warm climate. The highlands of Chiriqui are also a delight for botanists with more than 1,200 varieties of orchids growing wild.

The province also has a number of pretty beaches that are natural habitats for Hawksbill and Leatherback sea turtles. Boca Chica and Las Olas are popular resorts along the coast, and offer activities such as fishing trips, scuba diving among coral reefs, expeditions to the Chiriqui highlands and mangrove forests, and tours of the local rum factory.

Panama City

One of the most cosmopolitan cities in Central America, Panama's chic capital is a mosaic of colour and culture with a thriving commercial and financial sector. Long dismissed as a centre of drug trade, Panama City has slowly rebuilt its reputation as a fantastic holiday destination with a style drawn from five centuries of history.

The city's modern skyline is constantly expanding, adding new skyscrapers to tower over the centuries-old Baroque and Spanish Colonial buildings that populate its older quarter, known as Casco Viejo. The district was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, and its mix of architectural styles make a great introduction to the diverse cultural influences of Panama City.

There are many beautiful buildings in Panama City, including the cathedral on Plaza de la Catedral, the presidential palace (called Palacio de las Garzasin honour of the herons that nest there), and the Church of San Jose. Interesting museums like the Interoceanic Canal Museum, the Mi Pueblitoscultural museum, and the Museum of Religious Colonial Art, give visitors insight into the city's fascinating history, while scenic parks are great for enjoying the beautiful weather in Panama.

Panama City has a diverse population with a number of American and Asian expat residents, which contributes to a lively nightlife, especially around Calle Uruguay. There are also plenty of good restaurants in Panama City, ranging from Spanish tapas and Italian pastas to local specialties like ceviche(fresh fish marinated in lemon or lime juice) and sancocho(vegetable stew). There are a number of cafes along Via Argentina, and the fish market near the Casco Viejo is the best place to try fresh seafood.