<b>Cheap Thrills of Pana<i>mania</i></b>

Cheap Thrills of Panamania

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Overview

Redefining Travel Opportunities Photo - Panama, Central America

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Mention to anyone that you're heading-off to Panama, or that you've just returned, and expect discussions to centralize towards what the country's best known for in all but mythical proportions. The Panama Canal is arguably the Western World's most fascinating, man-made novelty. Who can deny the wealth of strategic power and control coursing through its banks? Or, the grandeur of barging from one oceanic realm to another?Concepts of discovering Panama have largely evolved from the decks of luxury cruise ships, lined-up and waiting to maneuver through the channels and locks, which summarizes the universal travel experience. Unless rut of the ditch characterizes interest, it's time for going...Read More

Mention to anyone that you're heading-off to Panama, or that you've just returned, and expect discussions to centralize towards what the country's best known for in all but mythical proportions. The Panama Canal is arguably the Western World's most fascinating, man-made novelty. Who can deny the wealth of strategic power and control coursing through its banks? Or, the grandeur of barging from one oceanic realm to another?

Concepts of discovering Panama have largely evolved from the decks of luxury cruise ships, lined-up and waiting to maneuver through the channels and locks, which summarizes the universal travel experience. Unless rut of the ditch characterizes interest, it's time for going "Man Overboard!", and certainly not to exclude the likes of women and children.

These days, Panama is more than just a heart-bypass for the Continental Americas. This serpentine isthmus is one of the hottest new destinations gracing travel lists, and for all the right reasons. 18-days only confirmed that I wanted, and needed more in this country's whereabouts that prove very demanding! Panama's potency, stemming from some of earth's most exotic ecosystems, overwhelms the most knowledgeable of outdoor fiends, and readily subdues the best-conditioned hikers, bikers and rafters; little alone the Jungle Georges like myself.

"I can't move or feel my ?"-days are about as inevitable as pushing the envelope of physical limitations for insuring not a moment of opportunity is squandered; even if it calls for hobbling around, in search of the perfect parking place from where encompassing vistas emanate rejuvenation. Necessary recovery days only complicated the already hard choices of resolving what not to do based on time constraints and mortality.

For those still hellbent on upholding perceived travel standards, here's one you'll never find in guidebooks: Locate the Panama Yacht Club, along the capital's Avenida Balboa waterfront. Hang around because yachters must register the day before planning to sail through the Canal, and need additional 4-person, volunteer crew to help with passage requirements. Not only is it free, apparently mass-consumption is involved until stumbling ashore in Colón for the public transportation ride back to Panama City.

How ever tempting, that's the extent of details for now. When hinting that Panama offers more than any traveler ever bargains for, let's just say this joy-float will be lucky to make the next To Do-list, already savoring towards an expeditious repeat!

Quick Tips:

IGo Ghetto
a day in Panama was enough shoestring to lace-up a combat boot, thanks to minimal splurges which can move someone from no-class to first-class. Cut enough corners, per day is worthy if airfare is averaged-in.

Expect the Unexpected!
The Golden Rule for travelers in Latin American applied more than ever in Panama. Not only is general information limited, it habitually ranged from lacking to contemptibly wrong! This overview reads more like a Survival Guide of essentials for the unavoidables, regardless of budget or itineraries.

The Photo Tour gives a brief glimpse into places emerging as popular destinations. Entire vacations could be spent in any one of these areas, with still not enough time to exercise the unlimited opportunities. Specifics will eventually include:

Bocas del Toro
Boquete
Parque Nacional Volcán Barú
Parque Nacional Soberanía
Panama City

Each of these will have a Natural Twist, including pros/cons between setting-off on your own, taking organized excursions, or hiring private guides. Expect to meet a familiar face; someone that specializes in making sure you'll have the times of your life!

Suggestions

Familiarize yourself with pertinent locations pin-pointed on guidebook maps. Beyond general ideas, diagrams are understandably suspect when streets have yet to be named in most rural towns, and corner street-markers are scarce beyond Panama City's major thoroughfares. In most cases, there are no specific address listings for hotels and restaurants. Directions often involve correlation to landmarks.

For mementos, if something catches your eye, buy it! Options were scant, selections even more limited. I made the mistake of waiting until the end to prevent hauling things around. Panama City tourist-shops were nonexistent, local markets containing the same mass-quantities of indigenous pottery, carvings and decorative molas. They'll barter down to nothing in desperation to make any sale. Pay a fair price; it's their livelihood.

To best appreciate Panama City, begin itineraries there. Tranquil qualities throughout rest of the country only exacerbated the harrowing capital. Two days covers the "must see" attractions. If touring the nearby Canal or basin National Parks, anticipate a longer stay. Accommodation options are limited in these areas.

Best Way To Get Around:

From Tocumen International Airport, most travelers head for Albrook's National Transportation Complex.

Quick domestic flights depart from Aeropuerto Albrook on Aeroperlas. The San Blas and Pearl islands, and deep into the Darién Province are only reachable by limited flights; advanced reservations recommended.

Public transportation doesn't serve the domestic airport. For savings, take a bus to the Bus terminal, then a taxi. The airport is beyond the Albrook Shopping Center.

Albrook Terminal Nacional Transporte is Panama's modern bus terminal for routes throughout the country. Food courts anchor a hallway lined with shops and ticket windows. Destinations are grouped by regions. Several agencies operate side-by-side; variances only in companies and departure times, not prices.

Shorter routes are on school buses or 40-passenger vans. Long-hauls use luxury motorcoaches with restroom, entertainment systems and frigid air-conditioning; dress appropriately! Departures leave from lower level; arrivals unload on upper levels. Taxis and Panama City buses are outside along roadway separating the mall.

Also know that:

The bus terminal does not have luggage storage as Lonely Planet suggests. Plan departures accordingly.

There's a 5¢ departure tax on ticketed routes; exact change needed. Entering restrooms requires 25¢.

For motorcoaches, passengers are assigned seats, with freedom to relocate when there's room. Luggage is tagged, stowed and only reclaimable with matching stub.

Depending on route, one or two 30-minute stops are made at roadside plazas with cafeterias.

Long-hauls include a daily 10-hour trip to Almirante/Changuinola for Bocas del Toro boats. David has numerous departures, with transfer service to Boquete. 6-hour, express buses depart at 10:45pm/midnight. Regular daytime buses make additional stops; the 7-8-hour trip, .60.

Unpublished Discovery: Direct David buses depart between 2:00-3:00pm on various lines, making express runs for .60. If flights into Panama arrive around noon, this is a viable option with no place to store luggage while waiting for later buses. Have a David plan ready! Schedules were hit-and-miss on LP's last Boquete departure listed for 9:30pm.

Car Rental Agencies are everywhere though few travelers drive. Panama's roadways are modern with good conditions. Most vehicles require diesel, averaging .80 in 4/06; gasoline, .20. Fuel is sold by the gallon; about the only measurement not based on metrics.

A 5/15/06 nationwide public transportation strike was in direct protest to rising fuel costs. Expect fares to increase!

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Bang for Your Buck Beds

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Hotel

Suenos del Río, Boquete Photo - Panama, Central America

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With no shortages of places to stay within the country, the bulk of Panama's establishments lean towards "low-end" budget travelers. However, rarely do they have websites or advertisements. Lonely Planet's strong-point is listings of budget accommodations, but 2- or 3-sentence descriptions don't offer much insight. Based on what's actually found, sometimes you'll wonder if author ever visited; little alone stayed. April '06 high-season prices hadn't increased much, if any from low-season rates quoted in LPs 2004 Panama edition.Solo travelers definitely end-up paying more. A standard room with double bed, priced $15 a night for two, will likely cost $10 for one. Rooms, with an...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on May 18, 2006

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Bang for your Buck Bites & Sips

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Beyond Rice and Beans Photo - Panama, Central America

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Budget conscious travelers won't go hungry in Panama even if food expenses are at the bottom of priority lists. Feasting on three squares a day has real potential, and if ever paying more than $4 for any spread, you've gone to the wrong place! Options are minimal for those looking to have finer dining experiences, where additional costs have more to do with location, atmosphere and presentation than quality and portions of basically the same types of foods. Otherwise, never has my proven formula paid-off with such savings:Look for the Locals + Live like the Locals = Twice the Cultural Experience at Half the CostIn a country where minimum wage is still $1.25 an hour, it w...Read More

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Unraveling Tourism and Travel Info

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Spread the Word! Photo - Panama, Central America

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Think nothing of traipsing through secluded, jungle-ladened mountains, and stumbling into a family reunion at a picturesque clearing. Or, checking into a beachside hotel that's running full-tilt, and finding you're the only foreigner. Panamanians have long-known how to appreciate where they proudly call home, now they're eager to share it with rest of the world.Panama is justly being promoted as the last hidden gem of the America's; the land of natural wonders, and far beyond the Canal now often touted as 8th Wonder of the World. With such billings of enticements, it won't be undiscovered for long. Over the last decade, Panama tourism has experienced steady growth as travelers are find...Read More

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Pack and Prepare as you Know

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Tell-Tail Evidence Photo - Panama, Central America

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Geographically SpeakingPanama is best known as the isthmus connecting the Americas, but it befalls in such a way that even the earliest explorers documented directional confusions. While North and South America extend in the directions their names suggest, Panama abruptly snakes from west to east with Pacific Ocean to the south, and Caribbean Sea, (locally referred to as the Atlantic), to the north. Nothing in Panama seems to extend with any true objective course in favor of angling towards the country's irregular shape. Beginning from the arrival aerial tour on, my trusty inner-tracking device never reset causing frequent disorientations.Bring a compass; especia...Read More

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Local Smiles and Traveler Scowls

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Whites of their Eyes Photo - Panama, Central America

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Places are often remembered by the Faces encountered along the way, and impacts they've made on overall travel experiences. How these make-or-break attributes are characterized is often what separates the travelers from the tourists, whether diving head-first into local culture or preferring seclusion within a private resort, guaranteed to be staffed with nationals. Either way, idiosyncrasies are unavoidable anywhere beyond the confines of home."Simple to a fault" is one of the nicer ways to describe the general population of Latin America, and the people of Panama precisely corroborate every stereotype probably ever heard of, or faced if acquainted with ...Read More

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Spending and Communication Trends

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Cell(f)-Absorbed Photo - Panama, Central America

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For gringos, the widely-known Spanish-word for money is dinero, but actual term for cash is efectivo; a word worth remembering. Travelers will frequently come across signs with, "se acepta efectivo, solamente", which roughly translates, "cash only accepted". Panama's currency is the American dollar. Aside from large purchases or paying for multiple-night hotel stays, be sure to always carry plenty of small bills. Whipping out a $20 in most places is like trying to pay with a $100 back in the States. Merchants appear reluctant to make change if they even can.In addition to prices listed as $, you'll sometimes still find costs designated with B/. for The...Read More

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Holiday Travel Headaches

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Cut 'em some Slack! Photo - Panama, Central America

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The Holy season of Easter, locally known as La Semana Santa, was unavoidable as part of my travel dates. While I knew this would affect plans, nothing could've prepared for just how so. Lonely Planet has a list of Panama's observed holidays and festivals, with brief details on what travelers should or shouldn't expect. Not only was most of the information inaccurate to extremes, it's also rather glossed-over in stating the obvious. Simply put, travelers should seriously think twice about planning trips during any official holiday season, be it Panama or for any Latin American country.First, la Semana Santa is somewhat misleading to suggest a week's worth of potential i...Read More

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Shortcuts for Airfares and Airports

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Like Autumn Leaves in a Pond Photo - Panama, Central America

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Panama is Latin America's newest Hot Destination; sizzling with round-trip travel possibilities from the States for $47! How?It's All About the Miles...While most U.S. carriers offer some type of service to Panama's Tocumen International Airport (coded PTY), American Airlines leads the way with three daily flights to/from Miami (MIA), with gate-to-gate travel time of 2-hours heading down, and 2-and-a-half hours returning. Fares range in costs based on season and availability, but budget travelers can earn the biggest savings if they know how to make the frequent flier awards program work best f...Read More

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Larger than Life; a Photo Tour

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Mountain Homes Photo - Panama, Central America

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Good things come to those whom wait, and chance to finally move Panama from Dream Destinations to the Favorite Destinations lists on my IGO passport was rather monumental. Ongoing-intrigue had been further tempted by veterans Wanderluster and Jemery, but opting for Venezuela in '04 first shelved plans, and Puerto Rico's rainforest and wilderness coast became secondary substitutes when postponement scrapped another attempt for '05.Good things also come to those whose itineraries spread beyond the ...Read More