When you think about Panama, do you instantly think of the Panama Canal? Most people do. This engineering marvel is impressive and has shaped Panama in many ways. Panama is much more than its canal though. There is cultural diversity with its 7 indigenous tribes and latino mix. Additionally, the beaches, jungles, mountains, and the bustling city of Panama City provides a diverse selection of destinations and activities. There is much to be desired as a tourist destination. Below I will describe some of the essentials you need to know before traveling to Panama.
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Our Panama Background
Before diving into what you need to know before traveling to Panama, I want to give you a little background into our Panama journey. Back in 2009, we arrived in Panama as Peace Corps volunteers. I honestly didn’t know too much about the country at the time besides the canal and that Panamanians spoke Spanish. I was amazed at how modern Panama City was with its many skyscrapers, I was intrigued by the diverse landscape and people that lived there, and I was saddened by the disparity between people.
After serving two years in the Peace Corps, we intimately got to know the country’s ins and outs. We traveled to so many different areas and truly enjoyed our experience. In 2023, we were able to return and visit with our host family and friends we made during our 2 years of service. It was a great reunion. We also were able to see all the changes that had occurred since being there last. Panama has progressed in many ways and that is fantastic!
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Travel Requirements to Panama
Before traveling to any country, it is good to know what the visa and travel requirements are. For Americans and Canadians, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months past the entry date If you are from the UK, it should be 6 months.
The U.S. State Department says you need $500 dollars in cash or its equivalent, or credit card, bank statement, letter of employment or travelers checks. We’ve, however, never been asked to prove this.
Stays can be up to 180 days for U.S and Canadian citizens and 3 months for UK citizens.
No visas are required.
Panama’s Official Language
Panamanians speak Spanish. There are other indigenous languages that can be heard and spoken around the country. If you visit the San Blas Islands, for example, the Kuna people have a separate language. If you travel to the Bocas del Toro region, you will hear Ngäbere spoken by the indigenous people there. In both cases, they will also speak Spanish.
The use of English is common in touristy areas such as Casco Viejo in Panama City, Boquete and the islands of Bocas del Toro. If you stray from these areas, the ability to speak a little Spanish is helpful. You still might be able to find some people that speak English but it is just not as common.
Here’s a couple of phrases you should know before traveling to Panama. Greet people in Panama with “buenos”, if it is in the morning, and “buenas” in the afternoon or evening. Buenos dias, buenas tardes and buenas noches are used only in formal settings. When you meet someone for the first time, say “mucho gusto” which means “nice to meet you.” Thank you is “gracias”.
Panama Currency
The official currency of Panama is the Balboa but you will only see Balboas in their coins. The American dollar is used throughout the country. Just notice that you might find that some of your quarters will look a little funny and won’t work in the US.
Cash or Card
If you are visiting the touristy parts of Panama, the use of credit cards is becoming more common, especially if you are located in Panama City. The further out you travel from the City, the more cash you will need. I would advise carrying some cash with you wherever you go just in case. If you take out a large amount of cash, don’t carry it all in one place. It is always better to split your cash up when traveling anywhere.
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Tipping in Panama
Tipping looks a little different in Panama than some other places in the world. Below are all the details for tipping that you need to know before traveling to Panama.
- Restaurants – Tipping is not expected in Panamanian restaurants but is done for exceptional service. A tip of 10% is customary for good service.
- Tour Guides – A small tip of around 10% is also good practice for tour guides.
- Taxis and Ubers- Tipping is unnecessary for your taxi or Uber driver. If you are traveling for a longer distance and the driver is exceptionally friendly or helpful, a small tip is appreciated.
- Hotels- Tipping 5-10 dollars for the housekeeping staff and 1-2 dollars per bag for porters is common practice in Panama.
Is Panama Safe?
As a whole, Panama is a very safe country. Like all countries, being vigilant and aware of your surroundings is always advised. Protect yourself from pickpockets when you are in busy areas by wearing a crossover purse and making sure all bags are zipped and close to your body. Never keep your phone or your wallet in your back pocket either. This is an easy spot for pickpockets to grab it.
Panama City – Areas to Avoid
There are certain areas of Panama City that are safer than others. I always find it helpful to know which neighborhoods to avoid in cities as I tend to like to wander. I wouldn’t want to wander into an unsafe one. Below is a list of neighborhoods to avoid, especially after dark.
- Calidonia
- Curundú
- El Chorrillo
- Panama Viejo – it is okay to visit the Panama Viejo historic site during the day time hours. Just don’t stay after dark.
- Rio Abajo
- San Miguelito, especially the following areas:
- Amelia Denis de Icaza
- Belisario Porras
- Belisario Frias
- Arnulfo Arias
- Santa Ana – if you are on the outskirts of Santa Ana, near Casco Viejo you are okay. We stayed near Plaza Santa Ana on our last trip and we felt perfectly safe walking back to our Airbnb during the day and in the evening.
- Veracruz
- 24 de Diciembre
All advisories from Travel.gc.ca
Safest Neighborhoods in Panama City for Tourists
These are the safest neighborhoods to visit and to stay during your stay in Panama City. These are also where most of the hotels are located!
- Casco Viejo (please note that even though this area is close to El Chorillo and Santa Ana, this is one of the safest and best areas to stay and visit in the city!)
- El Cangrejo
- Avenida Balboa
- San Francisco
- Marbella
- Costa del Este
Other Areas of Panama to Avoid
If you are looking into visiting other parts of Panama besides the city (and you should) there are only a couple of areas that should be avoided, listed below. These are unsafe areas and should be avoided due to high crime.
- Colon
- Darien province
- Mosquito Gulf which includes Boca del Río Chiriquí to Coclé del Norte
Recommended Safe Areas to Explore in Panama
There are so many beautiful and safe places to visit in Panama. Some of the listed areas below are popular safe locations for tourists to visit, but I threw in a few not as common areas you should also consider at the bottom of the list!
- San Blas Islands
- Bocas del Toro
- Boquete
- Pearl Islands
- Taboga Island
- Chame
- El Valle de Anton
- Pedasi
- Playa Venao
- Cerro Punta
- Coiba Island
- Boca Chica
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Water Safety
The water in Panama City and much of the country is now clean and you can drink it right from the tap which is different from when we were there in 2009-2011. There are a couple of locations where you should still buy bottled water and those areas are in Bocas del Toro and the San Blas islands. If you find yourself in a very rural village, bottled water is also recommended.
Emergency numbers in Panama
This may be surprising to some, but emergency numbers vary from country to country. For Panama, you can use 911. You can also call specific numbers for different emergencies such as 103 for fire and 104 for police.
Common Scams to Avoid in Panama
Being aware of common scams in Panama is not to scare you out of going but to make you aware of what they are. If you know what to look for, you are less likely to become a victim.
Below are a few common scams you need to know before traveling to Panama and how to avoid them.
- Taxis – Taxis unfortunately like to take advantage of tourists in Panama. There are two ways to avoid getting ripped off. The first way is to negotiate the price before getting into the taxi. The second is to not take taxis at all. Use Uber!
- Person in crisis – A common scam that we heard during our Peace Corps years and I read recently is still happening is what I will call the “Person in Crisis” situation. Someone got all their belongings stolen and is asking for you to give them some money so they can get some place. These people are very convincing and really pull at your heart strings. Unfortunately, these are scam artists that do this for a living. You may want to help, but just walk away.
- Tours at an unbelievable price for tomorrow – Take in this scenario. Someone approaches you with an offer for an amazing tour. It is an unbelievably good price and you think, why not. They ask for payment and tell you all the details on where to meet and when. Sadly, when you arrive the next day super excited for your tour, no one arrives. How to avoid this one? Don’t pay for tours on the street in advance and research reliable, trusted tour guides online before arriving to Panama.
- Helpful Stranger – This one to me is not really as much of a scam as an annoyance. There are folks that will help you with directions or with your bags or whatever and expect you to give them money after the fact. It’s annoying because even when you don’t need the help they will “help” you anyway and expect a tip. But what we have noticed is that these folks are just trying to make a little money to help their families. Tipping them is not the end of the world and will help the local economy!
The Weird and Interesting Panamanian Facts
And before we say chao, I will leave you with a couple of interesting facts to know about Panama before visiting.
Many Panamanians don’t point with their fingers, but point with their lips. I love this about Panama and still catch myself doing it to this day!
At Panama City’s Tocumen airport you will need to go through security a second time at the gate. This is very odd to me and this is the only airport that I’ve been to that does this. My advice – only buy liquids that you can consume before boarding the plane or otherwise they will be heading for the trash.
The Panamanian hat is not from Panama but actually Ecuador!
I hope you enjoy your time in Panama! Let me know how your trip goes in the comments.
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