In this post, I wrote some information about Panama, that will help you to know some things about this country and make you have a nice trip.
Panama is a small country, located in Central America, it is also called the belt of America, since it is the smallest part of the continent on the mainland, it has just 75,420 km2.
It is between Costa Rica and Colombia, it has to the North, Sea Caribbean and to the South, the Pacific Ocean.
Exit Tocumen International Airport
This will depend on you, you can use the tourist taxi, use one of the applications of the selective transport companies, rent a car or take public transport, for this, you must buy the card at a machine inside the airport (only in Tocumen Airport).
Its cost is $10.00 and it already comes with a balance, this is cheap transportation, $0.25 versus, probably, $30.00.
You can take the Subway to go to the city, at the airport there is a bus that goes through both terminals and the Subway station, you can get to the city (Near Casco Viejo).
Take into account that in Panama there are 8 International AirportsThe one with the highest traffic is Tocumen International Airport (Panama).
International Airports in Panama
- Marcos A. Gelabert (Panama),
- Panama Pacifico (Panama Oeste),
- Enrique Jimenez (Colón),
- Capitan Scarlett Martinez (Coclé),
- Enrique Malec (Chiriquí),
- Bocas del Toro (Bocas del Toro)
- and Capitán Manuel Niño (Bocas del Toro).
Transport
Public transport
In the capital there are the buses and the subway, to use them you must buy a card with a value of $2.00 and recharge it.
The Metrobus system, has a cost of $0.25 and you can use another bus at no additional cost.
You just have to swipe the card when leaving the bus, and it should not have been more than 2 hours between when you got on the first bus and the No.2.
In addition to the fact that both must go in the same direction, towards the city or back, there are also the corridor routes that connect long distances at a cost of $0.75.
However, the subway, a transport that promises a lot, at the moment there are only 2 routes, in which route 1 ($0.35) passes through the Transístmica, the Via España and ends at Albrook Mall.
And route 2, passes through the December 24, Tocumen, Metromall, and connects to route 1 ($0.50), it is extremely fast, the cost is independent of each other, even if it is connected. Also, this line has an extension to the Tocumen Airport that connects at the Corredor Sur Station.
You can pay the subway with the Metrobus card or with a credit card (Visa and Mastercard).
There are also the buses (there are almost no more in the capital), popularly called “red devil”, the cost is $0.25, it is only cash payment to the driver.
These buses were previously used as school buses in the United States. United, there are few, because they will be replaced by the new system.
Those that still exist have routes in the interior of the country.
The countryside, has its own public transport, they are buses, they can be small or large and the cost varies according to the distance.
Taxis
It is a transport system not very liked in Panama, because they say “I’m not going” (No voy) or simply leave people talking alone.
They like to make short travels, or where they consider that they will earn more money.
Despite having a fare Depending on the area, they may charge more than they should and even more if they hear a foreign accent and think the passengers are not Panamanians.
There are also tourist taxis, these follow the rules and usually work directly with hotels or can be located at the airport. More information.
Selective transport companies such as Uber, Cabify, Easy Taxi, Tu Chofer, Te Llevo
These have become very popular, due to the deficiency of the other transport systems, security, difficulty in parking in some places or as an alternative to get home after a party.
Car rental
This is a convenient option for people who like to manage their time.
In Panama, the streets are not well signposted and it is very easy to be wrong, also the address is given by references to nearby places, such as signs, color of some place, local, which is confusing for non-residents.
I recommend the applications Google Maps and Waze, which will help you reach your destination.
Travel to other provinces
You can take a bus to your destination at the Albrook Transport Terminal, from this place the buses leave for the different communities in the country.
They have as the last stop, the Transport Terminal of the final destination or piquera, also these other terminals have small buses that travel to some nearby communities.
For example, take a bus from the Albrook Transport Terminal to the City of David (Chiriquí) once at David’s terminal, take a bus to Boquete.
Buses to Costa Rica are also taken from the Albrook Terminal, and this Terminal is right next to the Albrook Mall, one of the largest Shopping Centers in Latin America.
Language
The official language is Spanish, however, many Panamanians also speak English.
Currency
In Panama, the balboa (B /) and the US dollar ($) are used, however, the balboa is only found in denominations of: B/0.01, B/0.05, B/0.10, B/0.50 and B / 1.00.
A balboa has the same value as a dollar, but the balboa is only accepted in Panama.
Therefore, if you return with some balboas to your country and you want to change them, most likely you will not be able to do so.
You can change currency inside the airport (before leaving the dunes), in shopping malls and in some shopping malls.
A balboa is silver with gold and the coins of B/1.00, B/0.50, B/0.25, B/0.10 and B/0.05 have the Panama coat of arms on the reverse (see coin on the top line, in the center ).
The bronze colored coin corresponds to the penny, with the image of the Urracá Cacique.
Credit card
Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted in Panama, the former being the most widely used.
They are accepted in many places in Panama City, mainly the touristic places.
However, in many places in the countryside they are not accepted, it is better to have cash.
Water
In Panama it is totally drinkable, it can be consumed anywhere, now if you want you can buy bottled water.
The Panamanian consumes tap water, buys bottled water if they are on the street and are very thirsty.
Seasons in Panama
In Panama, there are only two seasons: dry (panamenians called summer) and rainy.
However, the temperature is almost the same throughout the year.
Weather in Panama
The climate is tropical in the lowlands and temperate in the highlands, also quite humid.
Depending on the place you visit, there are areas that tend to be drier, mainly the southern areas, lightly forested and close to the beach.
However, it tends to rain a lot in forested areas, in high areas it can do a little cold and very windy.
In general, it is a hot climate, with an average temperature of 30ºC all year round, reaching up to 34Cº during the day.
And in the high areas, the average temperature is 25Cº, also in the Barú Volcano it can drop to -2Cº.
Panama is not hit by Hurricanes, however, whenever there are one nearby and it usually rains a lot.
Mobile Telephony
In Panama there are 4 companies, Digicel, Tigo, Claro and + Movil, I feel the latter has more coverage.
At the airport there is a machine where you can buy a SIM card with Data, the first 3 offer unlimited data and packages range from $30.00 to $50.00.
