Boat ride to Cañas Island on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula

Planning a vacation to an unknown country like Panama can be a challenge, especially when that destination is also new at tourism.  Here are some common travel planning mistakes and misconceptions about Panama that we commonly encounter at my travel agency, which offers customized vacations to this wonderful country.

1. Trying To Do It All On Your Own - No, this isn’t just a shameless pitch for my agency, it’s yet another rant on the lack of top notch customer service in Panama.  It’s difficult to get hotels and tour operators to answer the phone.  If they do, chances are quite good they won’t speak English.  There are a handful of reliable agencies in addition to mine that would be happy to assist you and no, you won’t pay any more than if you were to manage to do all the work yourself.  Don’t be too proud to ask for help!

2. Underestimating Panama City - It’s an attraction, not a hassle, as may be the case with some other capital cities in tropical countries.  There is no other city in Latin American quite like Panama City.  There’s just so much to see and do.  The City drips with rich history both old (Pirates, Spanish & French influence) and new (U.S. Military, Noriega) and the modern dining, nightlife and shopping is a flat out shock to most visitors.  Among the better known attractions:

• The Canal (of course) & Miraflores Locks Museum — A monument to human achievement. Worth the trip.
• Panama La Vieja –  The ruins of the original capital and now a historic site. Founded in 1519, it was the first capital city on the Pacific of the Americas. Pillaged by Henry Morgan.
• Casco Viejo — The old French Quarter is undergoing a rebirth and is reminiscent of Havana or New Orleans.
• The Causeway — Rubble extracted from the original Canal project was used to connect islands just off the City’s coast.  Now there are walking paths and restaurants that look back to the City and a yacht club where million dollar boats are harbored.
• National Parks — There are 4 National Parks within a short drive of Panama City.  No other Central American capital has such an abundance of rainforest and wildlife so near.

3. Believing TripAdvisor’s Every Word – It’s a great site, but don’t take it as gospel. A tiny percentage of customers that post these forums have actually been there. There’s always one guy who hates ice cream and chocolate.  In my office, his name is Chris…and I’m deeply suspicious of him.

4. Assuming All Will Go As Planned – Panama is still quite rough around the edges when it comes to tourism.  Domestic flights rarely ever depart on time, so don’t schedule one anywhere near the same time as your departing international flight.  Front desk workers at hotels tend to be sub-par and wait staff underwhelming.  I’m not trying to paint a terrible picture here, I’m just saying you’ll need to have some patience and build in some contingencies with your itinerary as things often do go wrong.  If you attempt to have an itinerary that depends on minute by minute precision, you’re doomed.

5. Avoiding A Rental Car – Do NOT be afraid to rent a car and drive around into Panama’s “interior” (West over the Bridge of the Americas).  This is NOT Costa Rica, so driving here is not a huge ordeal.  Driving around Panama City can be nerve racking to the uninitiated, but once you get outside Panama’s only population center, it’s a breeze.  Panama has an excellent highway system and reasonably respectful drivers.  True, you may see a police roadblock, but these are not Mexican police looking for bribes.  Instead, they’re usually checking for drunk drivers and illegal immigrants, so it’s kind of nice to see them out and about. The interior is beautiful and relatively unexplored; you’ll be a pioneer who can say you saw “the real Panama” before it was discovered by the masses.

6. Packing The Wrong Stuff – Check the weather ahead of time.  If you will spend any time in the Boquete area, you’ll probably need some long pants and a light jacket, fleece pullover or sweater. If coming during green season (April to November, a rain jacket or poncho is a must.  Be aware that weather is very unpredictable in Bocas del Toro, so check ahead. Pack tons of sunscreen, some bug repellant and a light day pack for excursions. Most importantly, if taking domestic flights, DO NOT OVER PACK. You will be brutalized for extra weight on the small flights otherwise.

7. Visiting For Too Short A Period – Hey, I know darn well that vacation time is hard to come by.  But if you can’t spend at least 6 nights, I’d suggest you postpone your trip until you can get the time off. In my opinion, the ideal vacation to Panama is around 8-9 nights and includes 3 distinct destinations. To do all that and not spend all your time on the road, you’ll need at least one solid week off from work. Call in sick if you have to!

8. Assuming All-Inclusive Is The Way 2 Go – Maybe in Jamaica, but not here.  Panama is unfortunate to have several large resorts that steal some of the tourism thunder, unlike Costa Rica which is blessed in that 80% of the hotels have 30 rooms or less.  There are some great resorts small hotels in Panama allow travelers a more authentic experience.  This country is far safer than the Dominican Republic or Jamaica, so staying behind the guarded walls of a disney-style resort just isn’t necessary.

I hope you’ll find these tips useful and that you’ll find your way to Panama soon!

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Filed under: Country Guide on March 25th, 2009