According to philosophynearby, the Republic of Panama occupies the narrow, intricately curved Isthmus of Panama, which connects Central and South America, and at the same time separates the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In the southeast it borders with Colombia, in the northwest with Costa Rica, in the south it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, and in the north by the Caribbean Sea (the total length of the coastline is 2490 km). Panama also owns the islands of Coiba and Taboga, the archipelagos of Las Perlas and Islas Secas in the Pacific Ocean, as well as the island of Isla Grande, the archipelagos of Bocas del Toro and San Blas in the Caribbean, plus many small islands along both coasts.
Customs regulations
Declarations are subject to amounts from $10,000. The import of any products made of gold is also subject to declaration. Tourists over 18 years of age can carry without duty no more than 500 grams of tobacco, no more than 3 liters of alcoholic beverages. It is forbidden to import vegetables, fruits, perishable foodstuffs, weapons and ammunition, any drug-containing substances. It is prohibited to export animals and rare representatives of flora.
Important: It is necessary to keep all immigration documents – they will be needed when leaving the country!
The total area of the country is about 78.2 thousand square meters. km (with islands).
The capital is Panama (Panama City).
Climate: tropical maritime. Most of the year Panama has hot, humid, cloudy weather. The rainy season lasts from May to January, the dry season from January to May. The average annual air temperature is +25º+28º C, water + 24º C. On the Caribbean coast and the islands of the Bocas del Toro archipelago, precipitation is more intense than on the Pacific coast. In the capital of Panama, heavy rain showers are likely in May – November, while fresh sea breezes help to endure the heat.
Electricity: 110-120 Volts. We recommend bringing adapters for flat sockets with you. Currency: Balboa and US dollars. Credit cards of international banks are accepted for payment in restaurants, hotels and shops in major cities.
Visa: Russian citizens require a visa. The term of registration, the necessary documents and the cost of a visa should be specified when booking the tour.
Vaccinations: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for flights to/from Peru.
What to Pack: Light summer clothing, sunglasses, sunscreen, comfortable shoes, a sweater or jacket (when visiting the mountainous areas), business suit or smart dress for visiting some of Panama City’s establishments.
Shopping: electronics, clothes and cosmetics in the duty-free zone in Colon; molas – colorful textiles with handmade appliqués, typical of the Kuna culture; handicrafts from tagua nut (fruit of an elephant palm tree) with a carving, figurines of animals from coconuts, wicker baskets from palm leaves.
Time is behind Moscow by 9 hours (in summer), by 8 hours (in winter).
Language: The official language is Spanish, but English, French and German are widely spoken in the resort areas.
Population: The total population of Panama is about 3.1 million people. Of these, 67% are mestizos and mulattos, up to 14% are descendants of immigrants from the African continent and “antillanos” – immigrants from the islands of the Caribbean and Latin America, up to 10% of the population are Spaniards, and the remaining 9% belong to various Indian peoples ( kuna, choco, and guaimi, etc.), living mainly in hard-to-reach areas.
Dominant religion: Catholicism.
Political status: Democratic republic. The head of state and government is the president, who is elected in a general election for a five-year term. The Cabinet of Ministers is appointed by the President.
Money: Balboa (international designation -PAB), equal to 100 centissimo (centavos). The exchange rate is pegged to the US dollar at a ratio of 1 balboa to $1. Balboa paper bills do not exist, their role is played by US dollars (the American currency was adopted as the official currency in 1904 and has ubiquitous free circulation). In circulation are coins of 10 and 1 balboa, as well as 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 centissimo.
Tipping: Tips are usually 10-15% in hotels (here they are included in the bill automatically) and in large restaurants (also usually included in the bill). In small restaurants, tips are 5-10% of the amount, and they are accepted both in dollars and in balboa. In small cafes and private bars, tips are usually not expected. Taxi drivers also do not expect additional payments, here it is simply customary to negotiate the amount before getting into the car.
Cellular communication: TDMA 800 standard mobile communication provided by Cable & Wireless Panama operators Roaming is available to subscribers of major Russian operators.
Telephony: Panama’s telephone system is one of the most modern in Central America. Street pay phones work with plastic cards (sold in newsstands, shops and special machines and have a face value of $10, $20 and $50), in most cases you can call abroad from them. In some places, old-style pay phones have been preserved, operating on coins of 5, 10 and 25 centissimos. You can also call abroad from any hotel, store or bank where devices with automatic access to the international network are installed, or through an operator (a “0” is dialed in front of the number, a call through an operator is billed in double digits). The international dialing code of the country is 507. The outgoing international dialing code is 00.
Attractions: The Panama Canal, one of the longest and busiest artificial waterways in the world, brought the greatest fame to the country. The canal zone is the most convenient place for buying goods from all over the world – prices are low, and taxes are practically absent.
Panama City – in the capital of the country, it is worth taking a look at the Metropolitan Church, the Presidential Palace, the Museum of History, the San Felipe district and Bolivar Square.
Panama City area – in the vicinity of the capital there are the Panama Canal, the Sobrerania Nature Reserve, the ruins of Panama Viejo, the Summit Botanical Garden and the Zoo.
Taboga, a picturesque island twenty kilometers south of Panama City, will be of interest to lovers of exotic flowers and birds.
San Blas is an archipelago in the east of the country. There are Kuna Indian villages and great diving spots.
Bocas del Toro is a famous archipelago in the west of Panama, most of which is occupied by the picturesque Bastimentos National Park.
Colon is the second largest city in Panama and the center of the Free Trade Zone of the Panama Canal, the main port of the country, the largest transport and economic center of the northern coast.
What to bring: Light summer clothes, sunglasses, sunscreen, comfortable shoes, a sweater or jacket (if visiting the mountainous areas), business suit or smart dress for visiting some of Panama City’s establishments.
Shopping: electronics, clothes and cosmetics in the duty-free zone in Colon; molas – colorful textiles with handmade appliqués, typical of the Kuna culture; handicrafts from tagua nut (fruit of an elephant palm tree) with a carving, figurines of animals from coconuts, wicker baskets from palm leaves.
Electricity: 110\220 V, 60 Hz. Plugs are usually flat or round, American style, with two or three flat pins.
Useful phone numbers: Panama Tourist Office (Instituto Panameco de Turismo, IPAT) – 226-7000, 226-4614, 226-3164 or 226-3544.
Reference – 102.
Emergency services: Police – 104. Tourist police – 226-7000 or 269-8011. Fire department – 103. Ambulance – 269-9778.
Embassy of the Russian Federation in Panama: Av. Samuel Lewis, Obarrio Bella Vista, Edificio Omega,7 piso, Panama City, Panama
Phone: (8-10-507) 264-1408, 264-1635 Fax: (8-10-507) 264-1558
Attention!!!
When departing from the country, an airport tax is charged at the airport – 20 USD per person.
