Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rental
Due to the low cost and ready availability of buses and taxis, it isn't necessary to rent a
vehicle in Panama unless you intend to go off the beaten track. There are car-rental agen-
cies in major cities such as Panama City and David. Several agencies also have offices at
Tocumen International Airport. To rent a vehicle in Panama, you must be 25 years of age
or older and present a passport and driver's license - if you are over 21 and can present
a valid credit card, some rental agencies will waive the age requirement.
Prices for rentals in Panama run from US$35 per day for an economy car to US$110
per day for a 4WD vehicle (or a '
cuatro por cuatro').
When you rent, carefully inspect the
car for minor dents and scratches, missing radio antennae, hubcaps and the spare tire.
These damages
must
be noted on your rental agreement; otherwise you may be charged
for them when you return the car.
There have been many reports of theft from rental cars. You should never leave valu-
ables in an unattended car, and you should remove all luggage from the trunk when
you're checking into a hotel overnight - most hotels provide parking areas for cars.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is not as widespread in Panama as elsewhere in Central America; most
people travel by bus, and visitors would do best to follow suit. The exception is holiday
weekends, when buses are full to overflowing and hitchhiking may be the only way out of
a place. If you get a ride, offer to reimburse your driver upon arrival; '
¿Cuánto le debo?'
(How much do I owe you?) is the standard way of doing this.
Hitchhiking is never entirely safe in any country, but it's not uncommon as you arrive in
rural areas.
Local Transportation
Local buses serve the urban and suburban areas, but services can be difficult to figure
out and there are few roadside signs indicating destinations. Panamanians are usually
friendly, and this includes bus drivers; they'll often be able to tell you where to wait for a
particular bus, if you ask in Spanish (few bus drivers speak English). But in general, un-
less you've come to Panama specifically for its urban-bus experience, leave that for an-
other lifetime and take taxis - they're cheap and will save you a lot of time and hassle.
Taxis
Taxis are cheap and, most of the time, plentiful. Panamanian taxis don't have meters, but
there are set fares between sectors of Panama City, though these are not posted. Ask the
staff at your accommodation what you should expect to pay to reach a given destination
before heading out. Also, taxis can be difficult to hail late at night and just before and dur-
