According to ask4beauty, Panama (Spanish: Panamá) is a country in North America bordering Costa Rica and Colombia. The capital of Panama is Panama City. Some major cities in Panama are: Santiago and David. There are several hundred islands off the coast of Panama that are part of the country. Some well-known island groups that are part of this are the San Blas Islands, Pearl Islands and the Bocas del Toro archipelago.
Panama is most famous for the Panama Canal. This is an 81 kilometer long canal that divides the country in two. This allows shipping traffic to take a short route from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean or vice versa. The country is also known for its flora and fauna. There are mountain areas, rainforests, national parks, mangrove forests and approximately 360 small islands (on some of which primitive tribes still live). In addition, it has a beautiful coastline with white sandy beaches and clear blue water where you can dive and snorkel for colorful fish and coral reefs. In terms of animals, there are jaguars, pumas, monkeys, crocodiles, whales, dolphins and approximately 1,000 bird species that live in Panama. See beautypically for Panama as a tourist country.
Where is Panama located?
Travel information of Panama
Official name: Republic of Panama
Continent: North America
Area: 75,517 km²
Capital: Panama City (Panama City)
Country code: PA, PAN
Population: 3,894,082 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 3,475 m (Volcán de Chiriqui)
Distance (Amsterdam – Panama City): 8,877 km
Flight time: approximately 11 hours
Travel advice
Current status: All non-essential travel to the border with Colombia is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow and orange.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place in Panama that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Panama, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Panama. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Panama?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Panama at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Panama has a tropical climate. Temperatures are around 20 to 35 degrees all year round. In the mountains the temperatures are around 10 to 20 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Panama can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Panama can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, February, March, April and December are the best months to travel to Panama. This avoids the prolonged rainy season.
Language
Spanish is the official language in Panama. In addition, local languages are spoken by the different communities.
Would you like to translate from or into Spanish for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid passport.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Panama for less than 90 days.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Panama: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate in Panama: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy and Consulate of Panama in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Panama it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria Malaria
occurs in Panama (with the exception of Panama City, Bayano Lake, Pearl Islands, Coiba, Contadora, Rey, Saboga, San José, Taboga Islands, Herrera, Los Santos and around the Panama Canal). Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Panama, payment is made with the Panamanian balboa (PAB).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Panama can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
The prices in Panama are a lot lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -22% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (41% cheaper), food (1% more expensive), imported beer in catering (21% cheaper), cigarettes (26% cheaper) and public transport (88% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Panama it is customary to give a tip of approximately 10%.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 7 hours earlier in Panama.
During our winter time it is 6 hours earlier in Panama.
Panama has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Panama can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Panama you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Panama.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Panama.
Electricity
In Panama you need a travel plug. In addition, in some cases you need an inverter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Panama can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 911
– Fire: 911
– Ambulance: 911
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap (especially outside the big cities).
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Panama can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Panama can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Panama end in.pa.
Panama’s official website: visitpanama.com.
Telephone
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Panama is 00507 or +507.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Panama? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Panama.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Panama.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Panama can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Panama, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Panama?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Panama. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Panama can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Panama can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Panama? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or do business with Panama, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Panama, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Panama.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…The Panama Canal is the only way to cross America?
…The Panama Canal is Panama’s largest source of income?
…The oldest working railways are in Panama?
…Panama City is the only capital in the world with a rainforest?
…Panama has more bird species than the United States and Canada combined?
… Nicaragua is working on a competitor for the Panama Canal?
