Panama
Information
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In addition to this general
information section, see more detailed articles on specific Panama
topics in our getting to know Panama
Information guide
Overview
Panama has a cosmopolitan capital city
(see more about Panama City
Panama),
incredible rainforest and some of the finest snorkeling, birding
and deep-sea fishing in the world, so it's hard to figure out why
travelers tend to steer clear of this country or just whiz
through. It may have something to do with the fact that Panama is
known internationally for its canal, the 1989 US invasion and the
name it donated to a style of headgear, but this does it no
justice.
The reality is a proud prosperous
nation that honors its seven Indian tribes and its rich Spanish
legacy and embraces visitors so enthusiastically that it's
difficult to leave without feeling that you're in on a secret that
the rest of the traveling world will one day uncover.
Full country name:
Republic of Panama
Area: 75,500 sq km (29,157 sq mi)
Population: 2.8 million (growth rate 1.3%)
Capital city: Panama City (pop 700,000)
People: 65% mestizo, 14% African descent, 10% Spanish
descent, 10% Indian
Language: Spanish, English and Indian languages
Religion: 85% Roman Catholic, 10% Protestant, 5% Islamic
Government: Constitutional republic
President: Martin
Torrijos
GDP:
US$8.8 billion
GDP per head: US$3200
Annual growth: 4.1%
Inflation: 1.1%
Major industries: Banking, construction, petroleum
refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar
milling, shipping and agriculture
Major trading partners: USA, EU, Central America &
Caribbean, Japan
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 Switzerland citizens and many
other nationalities need only a passport, while people from Japan,
New Zealand, USA, Venezuela and more need a tourist visa or
tourist card (US$5) as well. Contact an embassy or consulate for
current details.
Health risks: Dengue fever, hantavirus (Los Santos
province), malaria, rabies and yellow fever
Time: GMT/UTC minus 5 hours
Electricity: Variable - either 110V or 220V
Weights & measures: Metric
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Panama's tourist season is during
the dry season from around mid-December to late March. 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'll be doing
any long, strenuous hiking, the dry season is the most comfortable
time to do it; the Darien Gap can be crossed only at this time.
If you like to party, try to be
in Panama City or on the Peninsula de Azuero for Carnaval, held
each year on the weekend before Ash Wednesday. Panama City's
Carnaval celebration is one of the world's largest.
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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 Peninsula 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.
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Currency:
US dollar (known as 'balboa')
Meals
-
Budget: US $3-7
-
Mid-range: US $9-15
-
Top-end: US $20+
Lodging
-
Budget: US $19-29
-
Mid-range: US $39-59
-
Top-end: US $90+
Accommodation tends to be more
expensive in Panama than in other parts of Central America; a
hotel room that might cost US$6 in Nicaragua or Guatemala might
cost US$10 here. If you're traveling on a budget, you'll pay at
least US$25 per day for a room and three meals. A moderate budget
will be in the range of US$30-50 a day.
Panama uses the US dollar as its
currency. The official name for it is the balboa, but it's exactly
the same bill. Panamanian coins are of the same value, size and
metal as US coins; both are used. In most of Central America, US
dollars are the only currency exchanged. In
Panama City, however, you can exchange currencies from almost
anywhere in the world at a casa de cambio, due to the city's large
international offshore banking industry.
You can tip some small change, or
around 10% of the bill if you're feeling affluent, in fancier
restaurants; in small cafes and more casual places, tipping is not
necessary. Haggling over prices is not the general custom in
Panama.
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Panama City
The capital of Panama is a modern,
thriving commercial center stretching 10km (6mi) along the Pacific
coast from the ruins of Panama Viejo in the east to the edge of
the Panama Canal in the west. The old district of San Felipe
(also known as Casco Antiguo or Casco Viejo) juts into the sea on
the southwestern side of town. It's an area of decaying colonial
grandeur, striking architecture, peeling paint and decrepit
balconies. Attractions include the 17th-century Metropolitan
Church, the Interoceanic Canal Museum of Panama, the
Plaza de Bolivar, the Presidential Palace, the
History Museum of Panama and the sea wall built by the
Spaniards four centuries ago. Via Espana's banking district is the
complete opposite to this yesteryear charm, with aggressively
modern buildings and sophisticated entertainments.
Attractions on the fringes of the
city include the Panama Canal, the 16th-century ruins of Panama
Viejo, the Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo, the
tropical rain forest of the Parque Nacional Sobrerania and
the 265-hectare (655-acre) Parque Natural Metropolitano.
Panama Canal
The
Panama Canal (click for more info) is both an engineering
marvel and one of the most significant waterways on earth.
Stretching 80km (50mi) from Panama City on the Pacific coast to Colon on the Atlantic side, it provides passage for over 12,000
oceangoing vessels per year. Seeing a huge ship nudge its way
through the narrow canal, with vast tracts of virgin jungle on
both sides, is an unforgettable sight. The easiest and best way to
visit the Canal is to go to the Miraflores Locks, on the
northeastern fringe of Panama City, where a platform offers
visitors a good view of the locks in operation. There's also a
museum with a model and a film about the Canal. Boats leave
Balboa, a western suburb of Panama City, for a five-hour tour
through the locks to Miraflores Lake.
Isla Taboga
This charming and historical
island, 20km (12mi) south of Panama City, has an attractive beach,
some lovely protected rain forest, and is home to one of the
largest colonies of brown pelicans in Latin America. Known as the
Island of Flowers, because at certain times of the year it is
filled with the aroma of sweet-smelling blooms, the island is a
favorite retreat from the city. Taboga has a long history and was
settled even before Panama City. There is a small church here,
claimed to be second oldest in the Western Hemisphere, and Pizarro
set sail from here for Peru in 1524. The island's annual festival
is July 16, and involves nautical processions and celebrations.
Taboga is a one-hour boat trip from Balboa.
Boquete
Known for its cool, fresh climate
and pristine natural environment, the small alpine town of Boquete
is nestled into a craggy mountain valley 35km (22mi) north of
David. It's a fine place for walking, bird watching, horse riding
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 Cafe is a popular annual festival held
in January. Boquete is a good base for climbing 3475m (11,400ft)
Volcan Baru, 15km (9mi) west, or visiting the volcano's
14,300-hectare (35,320-acre) national park.
Archipielago de San Blas
The islands of the San Blas
Archipelago are strung out along the Caribbean coast of Panama
from the Golfo de San Blas nearly all the way to the Colombian
border. The islands are home to the Kuna Indians, who run the 378
islands as an autonomous province, with minimal interference from
the national government. 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, and they offer travelers good diving,
snorkeling and swimming; the best diving conditions are between
April and June. The most interesting islands are Achutupu,
Kagantupu and Coco Blanco. There are flights to several of the
islands from Panama City or you can catch a ride with Kuna
merchant ships from Colon.
Archipielago de Bocas del Toro
Several of the pristine islands of
the Bocas del Toro Archipelago in the Caribbean Sea are protected
by the marine Parque Nacional 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
Colon. 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 Chiriqui Grande.
Isla Grande
It would take all the exotic
Caribbean cliches to describe this remote and beautiful island off
the Caribbean coast near Portobelo. Only 7 sq km (3 sq mi) in
size, it's inhabited by 300 people of African descent who make
their living from fishing and coconuts. There are a handful of
places to stay on the island 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 on June 24, celebrated with canoe and swimming races; the
day of the Virgen del Carmen, on July 16, is marked by a land and
sea procession; and Carnaval, before Ash Wednesday, is fêted with
Calypso dancing and songs.
There are hundreds of islands off
both coasts of Panama, and because the coasts are just an hour's
drive apart, you could easily spend the morning snorkeling
in the Caribbean Sea and the afternoon swimming in the
Pacific Ocean. Some of the best snorkeling and diving to be
found in Central America can be found in the protected waters
beside Panama's Coiba Island. Divers looking for something
different might want to consider diving in the Panama Canal; not
only are there wrecks to explore but also all kinds of submerged
equipment left by the French when they worked on the railroad many
decades ago. Surfers should check out Santa Catalina Beach,
on the Azuero Peninsula, which periodically sees waves with 6m
(20ft) faces, though they're usually hovering around 3m (10ft).
Fishing enthusiasts will be pleased
to know that more deep-sea fishing records have been set at
Pinas Bay, on the Pacific coast, than anywhere else in the world.
You can see sea turtles in large numbers along both Panamanian
coasts, although the Kunas' habit of lopping their heads off with
machetes and eating them is taking a heavy toll. Cana, deep in the
heart of Parque Nactional Darien, is birding nirvana, and
what's more, you're likely to find yourself alone as you take in
the great green, blue-and-yellow, red-and-green and
chestnut-fronted macaws.
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Panama's arts reflect its ethnic
mix. Indian tribes, West Indian groups, Mestizos, Chinese, Middle
Eastern, Swiss, Yugoslav and North American immigrants have all
contributed ingredients to the cultural stew. Traditional arts
include wood carving, weaving, ceramics and mask making.
Spanish is the official language,
though US influence and the international nature of the canal zone
reinforce the use of English as a second language. West Indian
immigrants also speak Caribbean-accented English. Indian tribes
have retained their own languages. Panama is predominantly Roman
Catholic, but there are sizable Muslim and Protestant minorities
and small numbers of Hindus and Jews.
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The Isthmus of Panama is the
umbilical cord joining South and Central America. It borders Costa
Rica to the west and Colombia to the east. Panama's arched shape
reflects both its role as a bridge between continents and as a
passageway between oceans. At its narrowest point, it is only 50km
(30mi) wide, but it has a 1160km (720mi) Caribbean coastline on
its northern shore and a 1690km (1048mi) Pacific coast to the
south. The famous canal is 80km (50mi) long and effectively
divides the country into eastern and western regions.
There are hundreds of islands near
the Panamanian coasts. The two major archipelagos are the San Blas
and Bocas del Toro chains in the Caribbean Sea, though the best
snorkeling, diving and deep-sea fishing are to be found in the
Pacific near Coiba Island and the Pearl Islands. Panama has flat
coastal lowlands and two mountain chains running along its spine.
The highest peak is Volcan Baru at 3475m (11,400ft).
Rainforests dominate the canal
zone, the northwestern portion of the country and much of the
eastern half. Although Costa Rica is widely known for its
fantastic wildlife, Panama has, in fact, a greater number of flora
and fauna species, more land set aside for preservation and far
fewer people wandering through the jungle looking for wildlife and
inadvertently scaring it away. There's much truth in the
Panamanian saying that in Costa Rica 20 tourists try to see one
resplendent quetzal, but in Panama one person tries to see 20 of
these exquisite birds.
Panama has two seasons. The dry
season lasts from January to mid-April and the rainy season from
mid-April to December. Rainfall is heavier on the Caribbean side
of the highlands, though most people live on or near the Pacific
coast. Temperatures are typically hot in the lowlands (between
21°C and 32°C/70°F and 90°F) and cool in the mountains (between
10-18°C/50-64°F). These vary little throughout the year.
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Panama has flights to all Central
American countries and both North and South America; Miami is the
principal hub for flights to Panama. Copa is the national airline.
There's a US $20 departure tax on international flights, payable
only in cash.
There are three land border
crossings between Panama and Costa Rica; Paso Canoas, on the
Interamerican Highway, is the most popular, followed by
Guabito-Sixaola near the Caribbean coast. There are buses to the
border that connect with local services on the Costa Rican side.
Despite the huge amount of shipping passing through the Panama
Canal, it's hard to catch a ride on a boat.
The two-week hike through the
jungle that comprises the Darien Gap - the road less terrain
between Yaviza and the Colombian border - is an unwise endeavor.
But if you absolutely must cross the Panama-Colombia border on
foot, do so at Puerto Obaldia, a sleepy little town just a couple
of kilometers from some fine beaches.
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Panama has a number of domestic
airlines and a good domestic flight network. There's an
inexpensive bus system servicing all accessible parts of the
country.
Boats are the principal mode of
transportation in several parts of Panama, particularly between
the San Blas and Bocas del Toro archipelagos. Kuna Indian merchant
vessels carry cargo and passengers along the San Blas coast,
between Colon and Puerto Obaldia. Cars can be rented in Panama
City and David.
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In addition to this
general information section, see more detailed articles on
specific Panama topics in our getting to know Panama
Information guide
|
