Panama is known
mostly for its famous canal, but the country's natural
attractions offer great birding opportunities, snorkelling
and deep-sea fishing. Panama is a proud nation that
offers astounding wildlife indigenous peoples and
colourful festivals. The country's indigenous name
means 'abundance of fish'. Rafters can ride 20 sets
of rapids in a single day, wildlife abounds in the
scarcely-visited national parks, and a person can
snorkel in the Caribbean Sea and swim in the Pacific
Ocean...on the same day! In fact Panama has more to
offer than nearby, touristic Costa Rica.
Electricity: 110 & 220V, 60Hz
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -5
Dialling Code: 5070
Climate
Panama's dry season is from around mid-December to
mid-April. The weather can be hot and steamy in the
lowlands during the rainy season and the humidity
makes the heat harder to endure. Rain in Panama tends
to come in sudden short downpours that freshen the
air and are followed by sunshine. The Darién
Gap can be crossed in the dry season.
Festival Calendar
Carnaval is celebrated over the four days preceding
Ash Wednesday and involves music, dancing and a big
parade on Shrove Tuesday. The celebrations in Panama
City and Las Tablas are the most festive. The Semana
Santa (Easter Week) celebrations at Villa de Los Santos,
on the Península de Azuero, are equally renowned.
The Festival of the Black Christ at Portobelo on October
21 includes a parade of the famous life-size statue
of the Black Christ and attracts pilgrims from all
over the country.
Currency
Balboa (B) = 100 centavos. There is no Panamanian
paper currency; coins exist in denominations of B10
and 1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 centavos. US currency
circulates freely: B1 = US$1.
Banks and cambios are available for changing currency.
There is no need to exchange US Dollars.
Visa and MasterCard are the most commonly used, but
American Express and Diners Club are also accepted.
Visas
Every visitor needs a valid passport and an onward
ticket to enter Panama, but further requirements vary
from country to country and occasionally change. UK,
Germany and Swiss citizens and many other nationalities
need only a passport, while people from Canada, Australia,
Japan, New Zealand, USA and more need a tourist visa
or tourist card (US$5) as well.
Please contact your local embassy or consulate for
the most up-to-date visa requirements for your particular
country.
Health
Take precautions against dengue fever, malaria, rabies
and yellow fever.
Best time to go
Panama's tourist season is during the dry season from
around mid-December to mid-April.
The weather can be hot and steamy in the lowlands
during the rainy season, when the humidity makes the
heat more oppressive than otherwise. Rain in Panama
tends to come in sudden short downpours that freshen
the air and are followed by sunshine. If you will
be doing any long, strenuous hiking, the dry season
is the most comfortable time to do it.
Upon arrival
Once you’ve reclaimed your baggage and cleared
customs, you will be warmly welcomed to Panama, assisted
with your luggage and taken you to your hotel by private
air-conditioned minivan/bus. Please do not leave the
airport terminal building unless you have made contact
with Amazing Peru staff. Also ignore the calls from
taxi drivers as your private transport has been provided
for you.
Food and drink
Drink only bottled water. Pasteurised milk is widely
available. Avoid dairy products that are likely to
have been made from unboiled milk. Avoid street food
vendors and the cheaper restaurants.
What to eat and drink
To try some typical foods, here is a selection of what we recommend.
French, Spanish and American food
is available in all restaurants and hotels in Panama
City and Colón. There is a huge selection of
excellent restaurants in Panama City, as well as other
main cities. There are also several Oriental restaurants.
Native cooking is reminiscent of creole cuisine, hot
and spicy. Dishes include ceviche (fish marinated
in lime juice, onions and peppers), patacones de plátano
(fried plantain), sancocho (Panamanian stew with chicken,
meat and vegetables), tamales (seasoned pie wrapped
in banana leaves), carimañolas and empanadas
(turnovers filled with meat, chicken or cheese). Waiter
service is the norm. The choice and availability of
wines, spirits and beers in hotels, restaurants and
bars is unlimited.
Highlights
Panama City: The capital is a curious
blend of old Spain, modern America and the bazaar
atmosphere of the East. In the old part of the city
with its narrow, cobble stoned streets and colonial
buildings, most of the interesting sights are to be
found. These include the Plaza de Francia, the Court
of Justice Building, the Paseo de las Bóvedas
along the massive stone wall, San José Church
with its magnificent golden Baroque altar and the
Santo Domingo Church, next to which is the Museum
of Colonial Religious Art. The old historic city with
the Salón Bolivar is listed by UNESCO as a
World Heritage Site. Overlooking the bay is the President’s
Palace, the most impressive building in the city;
further along the waterfront is the colourful public
market. The most interesting museum in town is the
Museum of the Panamanian Man north of the market and
near the shopping centres. A worthwhile excursion
from the city is a visit to Panamá Viejo and
its ruins including the square tower of the old cathedral,
6km (4 miles) away. This is the original Panama City
which like Fort San Lorenzo was, in 1671, sacked and
looted by Henry Morgan.
Boquete
Known for its cool, fresh climate and pristine natural
environment, the small alpine town of Boquete is nestled
into a craggy mountain valley 38km (23mi) north of
David. It's a fine place for walking, bird-watching,
horseriding and enjoying a respite from the heat of
the lowlands. Flowers, coffee and citrus fruits are
grown in the area and the town's Feria de las Flores
y del Café is a popular annual festival held
for ten days each January. Boquete is a good base
for climbing the 3475m (11,400ft) Volcán Barú
or visiting the volcano's vast national park.
Isla Taboga
This charming historical island, south of Panama City,
has an attractive beach, protected rainforest, and
bountiful flocks of brown pelicans. Known as the Island
of Flowers for the times of the year it is filled
with the aroma of sweet-smelling blooms, it's a popular
retreat from the city.
Panama Canal
Both an engineering marvel and one of the most significant
waterways on earth, the canal stretches 80km (50mi)
from Panama City on the Pacific to Colón on
the Atlantic. Seeing a huge ship nudge its way through
the narrow canal, with vast tracts of jungle on both
sides, is an unforgettable sight. The easiest and
best way to visit the Canal is to go to the Miraflores
Locks, which offers visitors a good view of the locks
in operation. There's also a museum with a model and
a film about the Canal. Five-hour boat tours leave
from Balboa in Panama City.
Archipiélago de Bocas
del Toro
Several of the pristine islands of the Bocas del Toro
Archipelago in the Caribbean Sea are protected by
the Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos. The park
offers great diving, snorkeling and swimming, and
its beaches are used as a nesting ground by several
species of sea turtle. The main town on the archipelago
is Bocas del Toro on the southeastern tip of Isla
Colón. The archipelago is off the northeast
coast of Panama and is accessible by plane from Panama
City, David and Changuinola, or by ferry from Almirante
and Chiriquí Grande.
Archipiélago de San
Blás
The islands of the San Blás Archipelago are
strung out along the Caribbean coast of Panama from
the Golfo de San Blás nearly all the way to
the Colombian border. The islands are home to the
Kuna, who run the 378 islands as an autonomous district
called Comarca de Kuna Yala. They maintain their own
economic system, language, customs and culture, with
distinctive dress, legends, music and dance. The economy
of the islands is based on coconut sales, fishing
and tourism, offering travellers good diving, snorkelling
and swimming.
Isla Grande
A giant pastiche of exotic Caribbean cliches is squeezed
into this 7 sq km (3 sq mi) island, inhabited by 300
people of African descent who make their living from
fishing and coconuts. There is plenty of accommodation
and boats for rent, but no dive operators or places
to rent snorkeling equipment. Visitors are often attracted
by local festivities, which include San Juan Bautista
in June, celebrated with canoe and swimming races;
the day of the Virgen del Carmen, on 16 July, is marked
by a land and sea procession; and Carnaval, before
Ash Wednesday, is a fiesta of Calypso dancing and
songs.
Hotels
All the hotels we recommend are clean, well located
and comfortable hotels varying in services as according
to their category. We rarely use hostels as the price
difference is negligible between a good hostel and
a hotel. In places like the national reserves areas
we do work with some very good lodges. Panama is a
relatively wealthy Central American country with a
choice of three star hotels to 5* Deluxe hotels, so
you are able to choose the best hotels in line with
your budget. We will always quote you with good hotels
on all our programmes but upgrades or downgrades will
be available as per your request. However, as the
price will decrease with downgrades, this will ultimately
reflect in the services and standards of the hotel.
Flights
Unless otherwise stated, we provide all internal flights
in your programme, excluding the airport taxes. We
also provide international flights around Central
and South America and can quote, upon request, your
international flight to Panama. We work directly with
the best airlines in Central and South America but
are not responsible for any changes in flight schedules
or cancellations made by the airlines. This is the
responsibility of the airline in question. We will
always endeavour to minimise any delays or changes
but cannot guarantee a successful outcome.
Insurance
It is a mandatory requirement that all our customers
take out adequate travel insurance cover. Once you
have obtained your insurance, it is company practice
to check the validity and cover of your insurance
policy and we hold the right to refuse travel to anyone
whose insurance does not satisfy Amazing Peru's stringent
criteria. These include cancellation and curtailment,
death or injury, medical insurance, emergency repatriation,
delayed baggage, loss and theft etc.
What make us different | Goals | Responsible Tourism
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