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Visitor
Information and Tips
Getting Around
If your stay is confined to Panama City, don't bother
with buses or rental cars. Taxis are available for reasonable
fares. Choose a relatively new car that is in good condition.
The slightly higher fare is more than worth it for reliability
and cold air conditioning. For longer trips or journeys
to remote areas, plan to get a vehicle with four-wheel
drive capability, as you may be driving on rugged terrain.
These vehicles are popular and run out fast, so plan ahead.
Most major towns have car rental agencies, so renting
a car is a relatively easy process. It's important to
bring the rental reservation document that states the
agreed upon rate. Remember, you must be at least 25 years
old to rent a car (23 if paid by AMEX). All major rental
car agencies are represented in Panama.
The Pan American Highway, also known as Interamerican
Highway, joins Panamanian cities with Costa Rica. At this
time, the Darién jungle continues to be impenetrable,
preventing access by land to Colombia. A tour by car along
the Transisthmic Highway joins Panama City with Colón.
Even the most remote areas of Panama are accessible by
paved secondary roads. The bus service is good and covers
the entire country as well as the other countries in Central
America and Mexico.
Religion
Most Panamanians are Roman Catholic. However, due to the
great diversity in the country, there are numerous churches,
temples and synagogues all over the country. There is
freedom of religion in Panama.
Language
Although the official language in Panama is Spanish, English
is widely spoken and understood in the major cities.
Climate
The country enjoys an agreeable tropical climate and an
average daytime temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit,
with cooling in the evenings. The average humidity is
70%. The rainy season goes from May to December. Throughout
the dry season, trade winds keep the air continuously
cool. In the mountains, the average temperature is between
50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Clothing
Light clothes are recommended. Business clothing is formal.
A light jacket for men and a tailored suit or a two-piece
pants suit for women is recommended. A wide-brim hat and
sun glasses are necessary if you go to the shore or inland.
Time Zone
Panama's time is five hours behind Greenwich Mean time
(GMT). Thus, Panama is on Eastern Standard time (EST);
it does not have daylight saving time.
Electricity and Public Services
The current is 110w - 60hz and 220w. Telephone and international
cable services in Panama are excellent. There is a direct-dial
system to locations inland and all over the world. Our
country code is 507.
Local calls are 10 cents and the bright blue Cable and
Wireless phone booths are everywhere, although some take
calling cards only.
For international calls your best bet is to bring an international
calling card with you. International calls made through
hotels,like everywhere are very expensive. A more time
consuming option is to go to a Cable and Wireless office
to make an international call or send a fax. You can also
visit one of the numerous internet cafes that offer Net2Phone
international phone calls for 25 cents a minute.
Renting a cellular phone in Panama is easy, as several
companies offer convenient plans for those visiting the
country. Most companies require a valid passport and a
deposit, which can be paid in cash or with credit card;
for an additional fee insurance is available. Calls are
charged on a "per minute" basis, and are offered
on a daily, weekly and monthly plans, with international
access often available. Each company might differ in their
policies and pricing, thus we recommend that you act accordingly.
The two major cell phone operators are Bell South and
Cable & Wireless. There is an enormous amount of competition
between the two, so services are quite extensive reasonably
priced. If you wish to purchase a phone several options
are available to you. Both prepaid and one year contracts
are available.
Money
Since 1904, the United States dollar has been the legal
currency in Panama. The Balboa, the Panamanian monetary
unit, is par valued with the dollar. Prices can be expressed
in Balboas (B/.) or in Dollars ($). Traveler cheques and
credit cards are widely accepted. The International departure
duty is US$20.00, payable in the airport. The hotel tax
is 10%. The added tax value to products and services,
with the exception of food and medicines is 5%.
You can access your American bank account in Panama City
at the ATM machines that have "Cirrus" or "Plus"
sign on them, provided that you have a personal ID number.
Look on the back of your debit card to see if it has these
names. This a quick and hassle-free way to get cash in
increments of up to $500 a day, depending on the daily
limit your card imposes.
Business Services
More than 150 international banks and their branches operate
in Panama. The United States, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela,
Taiwan, Argentina, South Korea, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands,
Switzerland, Canada, China, Spain, France and others are
represented here. The banking hours vary, but most of
them are open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. Some banks offer services on Saturday.
Most private business offices are open from 8:00 a.m.
until 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. It is customary for all offices
and stores to close for the lunch period for at least
one and a half hours. Office hours for government offices
vary and it is advisable to check prior to visiting any
government office.
If a holiday falls on Sunday, it is observed on the following
day. The executive branch is authorized to designate days
of national mourning on which all offices and commercial
businesses are closed.
Medical
Health care is both excellent and reasonably priced in
Panama. Many of the country's physicians earn their degrees
in the U.S. and other industrialized countries, and the
state university offers a top quality medical program.
Bilingual doctors are common in all Panama City hospitals.
Water supply is safe to drink with few exceptions throughout
the country.
Health
No vaccines or pills are necessary prior to visiting our
country. Remember, the tropical sun can be strong; so
it’s wise to take protective sunglasses and sunscreen
with you. Although Panama is indeed a tropical country,
mosquito control is effective. Exceptions would include
hiking and over-nighting in the jungle, in which case
you should use protective insect repellant.
Water
Panama is the only country in Latin America where you
can drink water straight from the tap.
Tourist Board Contact Information
Panama-Instituto Panameño de Turismo (IPAT)
Apartado 4421, Centro de Convenciones ATLAPA, Vía
Israel
Panamá 5
+507-226 3167, +507-226 4614;; FAX +507-226-3483
Panama-Tourism Office(USA)
1110 Brickell Ave
Miami, FL 33131
800-382-7262, 800-344-3039; FAX +1-904-371-3710
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