PANAMA PRACTICALITIES

What to do after landing in Panama

Upon arrival at the International Airport, you will need to clear immigration. Please make sure you have filled in your immigration entry form ($5 tourist card) and customs declarations form (available at check-in at the airport, OR on board the plane) and have your passport on hand and ready for inspection.  Then, proceed to the luggage claim area, retrieve your bags, and follow the customs officer instructions. Upon clearing customs you will exit the restricted area (our greeters and transportation personnel are not allowed here),  so please make sure you are on the lookout for your official greeter who will have a sign with your name on it.

Clothing & Packing

City Attire: Even though Panama is an informal and casual city, we recommend wearing shorts or trousers.  Formal attire is only used when conducting business. The highland areas can be cold, and a sweater is recommended.  For the lowland jungle areas light, loose-fitting shirts and long trousers are essential.  If you plan to hike in the national parks make sure you bring two pairs of boots or hiking shoes, since one pair can be worn while the other dries from the previous day use.  Sunglasses, and a hat or cap are essential. If you are planning to go river rafting make sure you bring rafting sandals or tennis shoes.

If your travel plans call for a short visit to the national parks and/or island retreats, it is highly recommended that you leave your bulky suitcases at your city hotel, and carry an overnight case for these excursions. Flying within Panama has a luggage weight limit of 25 lbs per person. If you are taking medication always carry it with you rather than putting it in your suitcase.

Location

Panama is located between Central and South America.  It covers 75,517 square km (29,208 square miles).  Panama is between 50 and 120 miles wide (89km and 192 km) and is bordered by 1,287.7 km (805 miles) of Caribbean coastline and 1,700.6 km (1,062.8 miles) of pacific coastline.

Climate

Panama has a tropical humid climate. Temperatures are around 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 25-30 degrees Celsius). Nights are always cooler. The average annual rainfall is 1,500 mm along the pacific coast and 2,500 mm on the Caribbean side. The highlands enjoy spring like climate with cool nights.

Seasons

Panama consists of mainly rainforest and there are only two seasons: Summer, from December to April  when rain is less frequent, and Winter from May to  November when showers are usually present in the evening with occasional mid-day cloud bursts.  Sunny days are the norm.

Highest Point

Baru Peak at 10,500 ft is an extinct volcano.  Located 2,100 ft below it’s summit is a cloud forest home to Quetzals, Hummingbirds and more than 100 other bird species. April and May are the best observation months.

Population

The population of the country as of the 1990 census is 2,329,329 of diverse origins: Spanish descendants, black Cimarrones, Indians, immigrants from North America, Europe, Asia, East India and other countries.  Known as the melting pot of races.  Nearly 49% of the people live in the urban areas.  Panama City has an estimated population of 825,300.  Density of 30.8 persons per square kilometer.    There are 5 indigenous groups in Panama: Kunas on the San Blas Islands-Caribbean coast, Chocoe (divided linguistically into 2 groups-Embera & Wounaan) in the province of Darien, Guaymies (Ngobe Bugle) in the provinces of Chiriqui, Bocas del Toro & Veraguas, Teribes & Bokotas (Buglere) in Bocas del Toro province. 

Time zone

Panama is in the Eastern Standard Time Zone (ESTZ), five hours behind GMT.

Language

Spanish is the official language.  English is widely spoken in the business, banking, retail and international communities, in tourist-oriented activities and in the cities of Panama and Colón.

Currency

The currency is the “Balboa” which has the same value as the dollar.  The dollar is legal tender in Panama, which doesn’t print bank notes but only mints its own coins.  Coinage is either Panamanian or US equivalent in 0.50, 0.25, 0.10, 0.5 and 0.1 cents.  In Panama City major credit cards are accepted.  More remote areas such as San Blas and Bocas del Toro only accept cash!  ATM machines are available in the city.  It is best to take $US dollars travellers cheques and cash as sterling is not widely recognised in Panama.

Electricity

120 volt, 60 cycles in all parts of the republic.

Water Quality

Water from the tap is okay in the city hotels.  We recommend bottle water.

Tipping

10% of the total amount in meals is appropriate.  It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers;  however, bellhops are usually tipped $1.50 per person, tour guides $3 to $5 per person per day, and tour van/bus drivers $1 to $2 per person per day.

Government

Panama is governed as a constitutional democracy.  A president, elected by popular vote to a five-year term leads the executive branch. 

He / she is assisted by two elected vice presidents and an appointed cabinet. President Ms. Mireya Moscoso was elected to a five-year term in May 1999.

Safety tips

Panama has no armed forces. A national police takes care of imposing the law.  For your safety and convenience, we recommend that you exercise caution (as you would in any part of the world): do not bring large amounts of cash (the city and main towns have ATMs)  or expensive jewelry. Panama is truly a safe country, violent crime is minimal, however be careful with pick pockets in the downtown and business areas of Panama City.

Postal Service

Generally post takes five to 10 days to arrive.  Most post office in Panama are open 7:00am to 6:00pm weekdays and 7:00am to 5:00pm Saturdays.  In Panamanian addresses, Apartado means P.O. Box.

National Holidays and Festivals

Mourning Day /January 9.

Mardi Gras Carnival is celebrated in  February.

Good Friday and Eastern Sunday (varies). 

Labor Day / May 1.

Panama City Founded / August 15.

Independence Day from Colombia/ November 3

Flag Day / November 4.

The Uprising of Los Santos / November 10

Independence Day from Spain / November 28

Health

How to Avoid Being Bitten

Malaria does not exist in the area around Panama City but you should consult your GP for the latest information on other areas. Diseases such as dengue fever are spread by mosquitoes so you do need to protect yourself.  Insect repellent containing ‘DEET’ is effective, and long trousers in the evening are recommended in the jungle areas

Diarrhoea

On the whole Panama has high health and hygiene standards, but you may prefer to stick to bottled water.  If you have a sensitive digestive system it may be best to avoid salads and other raw foods, but most travellers are fine.

Sunstroke

A frequent spoiler of the first few days of a trip. Reduce exposure to direct sunshine by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and good quality sunglasses, using high factor sun screens and put your feet up in a bar or cafe during the hottest parts of the day.  Drink plenty of bottled water to keep hydrated.