Panama was another shock to the system for us, after spending so long in Central America spending so little, we just could not justify spending too long here unfortunately! But similar to Costa Rica, if you have the money or you're just on a short trip, this country has a lot up its sleeve. From the most picturesque tropical islands, to rain forest hikes, to crystal white beaches and the Miami of Latin America! You have to pay this country a visit to truly understand its beauty!
Our first stop and more than likely yours if you are crossing the Costa Rican border into Panama, will be the islands of Bocas Del Toro. This is an extraordinary place, made up of numerous tropical islands, and is the perfect place to start your Panamanian journey. Explore the beautiful beaches and soak up the sun, jet around the islands on speed boats, get the drinks in while the sun sets on another day in paradise and get yourself prepared for the islands lively nightlife.. Its just hard not to love this place!
Unfortunately because of how expensive we found Panama and how excited we were to get to Colombia, we decided to only spend a week here, so with our flight to Colombia being from Panama City, that was our next stop. WOW, was that a culture shock! Known as the Miami of Latin America, Panama City is filled with skyscrapers, huge shopping malls and trendy bars. It really is a huge contrast to the rest of Central America! The city itself is a very interesting place to explore, with plenty to see and do.. Visit the main attraction, The Panama Canal and you will be shocked at the shear size of the ships that pass through this man-made wonder! Walk along the Cinta Costera, gazing at the big city as the skyscrapers get closer and closer, admire the cobbled streets and the beautiful architecture of the majestic Casco Viejo, cycle along the palm tree lined Amador Causeway, shop till your heart is content in the big city malls, and get your heart-rate going as you hike up Cerro Ancon for incredible views over the city and the ocean that is dotted with voyaging ships.. ​
If you have more time & money and want to see more of Panama, then take a look at these!
- San Blas Islands - Tropical Islands, mostly seen on route to Colombia via sailboat.
- Boquete - Lost waterfalls and great hikes!
- Chiriqui - Lost & Found Hostel
- Portobelo - Historic port town.
A lot of our time in Panama was spent on Bocas Del Toro, so most of our transport was on the water with water taxis to different islands. However, we were able to get our first night bus of the trip! Due to safety reasons, there aren't many, if any, night buses within Central America. Apart from Panama, and I can more than recommend this! Its not only good for saving on accommodation, but also you get a whole day to spend exploring a new city or in some cases a whole day to catch up on sleep! The only downfall is.. the night buses are ABSOLUTELY FREEZING! The driver blasts the air conditioning all night and refuses to change it even when locals ask. We have come to a conclusion that they do this to make sure that the driver stays awake, can you imagine driving for 8-16 hours when its hot? Not at all! But if you have an inside knowledge of this or have another idea, please let us know!
- Capital City: Panama City
- Time Difference: GMT minus six hours.
- Language Spoken: The official language here is Spanish, however, English is well spoken in some of the more touristy areas around Panama City.
- Local Cuisine: The main staple here is rice, beans and meat, and more commonly also accompanied with patacones (fried plantain). Panama is also rife with fresh seafood from the many fish markets and in-turn, was also our first experience of Cerviche (marinated raw fish), this is delicacy throughout the whole of Latin America, with each country having their own little spin on it.
- Local Beers & Drink: The most common beers here are Balboa & Panama Lager. Make sure you try the Chicha (Fermented Yucca).
- Visa: Not required for most nationalities for stays up to 90 days.
- Entrance & Exit Fee: It will cost you $3 USD to enter the country, and we are still unsure whether this is legitimate or not, but everyone pays it! If you are flying out of Panama, your exit fee should be included in your ticket price. However, if you are exiting the country overland,
the exit fee is $3 USD.
- Proof of Onward Travel: Yes, this is necessary to enter the country and yes, they do check! There are ways to get around this, and I will explain more in our crossing borders blog post!
- Currency & Exchange rate (Aug 2018): Panamanian Balboa (B/) is the official currency but the USD is the currency that is used throughout the country -- £1 = $1.20 USD
- Useful prices to note;
- 1 night in a hostel (Dorm Bed) = $8.90 - $16.50 USD / £7 - £13
- (Private Double Room) = $20.40 - $102 USD / £16 - £80
- 1 local beer = $0.70 USD / £0.55
- A typical meal for one = $3.50 - $5 USD / £2.75 - £3.90
- Average cost of an overnight bus journey (Bocas del Toro to Panama City including water taxi):
$30 - $40 USD / £23.50 - £31.30
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US Dollar (USD) / British Pound (£)
One place that we do regret not visiting in Panama was the San Blas Islands as we know this would have been the highlight, but we couldn't justify paying the $550 sail trip to Colombia. However, we did fall in love with Casco Viejo in Panama City. This little gem is not only effortlessly beautiful, filled with quaint little buildings, desirable restaurants and roof top bars overlooking the cities skyline. With all this in mind, it is hard to believe that poverty can be found just metres away from the presidents palace.. This is a very eye-opening and interesting place to visit!
