Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tropical shadows are extremely strong and come out almost black on photographs.
Often a bright but hazy day makes for better photographs than a very sunny one. Photo-
graphy in open shade or using a flash will help. As a general rule, the best time for shoot-
ing is when the sun is low - the first and last two hours of the day. Remember, too, that
flash equipment is forbidden in Panama's churches and museums.
Post
Panama's mail is handled by
Correos de Panama
(
www.correos.gob.pa
) . Airmail to the
USA takes five to 10 days; to Europe and Australia it takes 10 days. Panama has neither
vending machines for stamps nor drop-off boxes for mail. You may be able to buy stamps
and send mail from an upscale hotel to avoid going to the post office and standing in line.
In Panama City packages can only be mailed from the Plaza las Americas post office.
Bring all packing materials yourself.
General delivery mail can be addressed to '(name), Entrega General, (town and
province), República de Panamá.' Be sure the sender calls the country 'República de
Panamá' rather than simply 'Panamá,' or the mail may be sent back.
Public Holidays
Días feriados
(national holidays) are taken seriously in Panama, and banks, public offices
and many stores close. Public transportation tends to be tight on all holidays and the days
immediately preceding or following them - book tickets ahead.
There is no bus service at all on the Thursday afternoon and Friday before Easter, and
many businesses are closed for the entire Semana Santa (Holy Week; the week before
Easter). From Thursday to Easter Sunday, all bars are closed and alcohol sales are pro-
hibited. Beach hotels are usually booked several weeks in advance for Semana Santa,
though a limited choice of rooms is often available.
The week between Christmas and New Year, along with the first week of the year, tend
to be unofficial holidays. In addition, various towns have celebrations for their own particu-
lar days throughout the year. These other holidays and special events are not official holi-
days, and businesses remain open.
Most official national holidays are celebrated on Monday to create long weekends.
When holidays fall on a Thursday or Friday, they are celebrated on the following Monday;
holidays that happen to fall on Tuesday or Wednesday are usually celebrated the prior
Monday.
New Year's Day
January 1
Martyrs' Day
January 9
Good Friday, Easter
March/April
