Dive Services/Accommodations
Coral Lodge APDO 0843-02518 Balboa Panama City Panama Tel. 507-317 6754 Fax. 507- 317 6754 info@corallodge.com http://www.corallodge.com Panama's best reef diving. An exclusive eco-lodge with over-the-water bungalows and private sundecks near the SanBlas Islands. Kayaking, rainforest trekking, beautiful beaches, sportfishing, island cruises. La Buga Dive Center Main St Isla Colon Bocas del Toro Panama Tel. +507 7579534 Proffesional Dive Center in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Beautifull dives for all level. Shallow reefs with no currents and good vis for beginners to Cave and Deep diving. Great place to learn Scuba Number of Dive Boats: 3 Maximum Number of Divers: 18 Number of Tanks per Day: 36 Gear Provided: Yes Rental Gear Available: Yes Type of Diving: Reefs, Caves, Wreck and Night Nitrox Available: No Total Dive Sites: 16 Minimum time to divesites/mins: 3 min Maximum time to dive site/mins: 80 min Training Agency: PADI Courses Offered: Up to Assistant Instructor info@labugapanama.com http://www.labugapanama.com Panama Divers (Pacific & Caribbean Diving) Panama City, Republic of Panama Ph. USA: (850) 443-7776 Fax. (850) 539-0298 info@panamadivers.com http://www.panamadivers.com PADI Dive Charters & Tours! We dive the "best" locations in Panama -- Pacific & Caribbean! All our dive packages are cutomed tailored for you! Come dive Panama!
Travel & Tips
Getting There International Airlines serving Panama with regularly scheduled flights: American Airlines Avianca Copa Airlines Cubana Delta Airlines Iberia Lloyd Aero Boliviano Grupo Taca Mexicana West Caribbean Local Air Services A variety of national airlines operate from the International Airport Marcos A. Gelabert, in Albrook. They offer routine and charter flights to more than 150 airfields in the Republic. Aeroperlas www.aeroperlas.com Bahía Piña, Contadora, David, Free Zone of Colón, Bocas del Toro, Changuinola, Chitré, La Palma, El Real, Jaqué, Garachiné, Sambú, Special Flights. Aeromapiex www.aero.com.pa David, Bocas del Toro (Island), Changuinola and Panamá City. Aerotaxi iflyap@aeroperlas.com San Blas ANSA iflyap@aeroperlas.com San Blas Aviatur aviatur@sinfo.net San Blas, Darién, Sambú, Garachiné, La Palma, Jaqué, Piña, Contadora, San Miguel. Special Flights. Helipan www.helipan.com Helicopter Rental & Tours. Helix www.aero.com.pa Helicopter Charters Flights. VISA Requirements Depending on your nationality, you may be required to have a valid passport and a visa or a $5.00 tourist card. Tourist cards may be bought at the airline counter at the time of departure. Customs United States and Canadian citizens need only a valid passport and tourist card to visit Panama. Tourist cards cost about five dollars and are available both on your arrival in Panama from the immigration authorities and through most airlines. A tourist card gives you an automatic 30-day stay, and is extendable for another 60 days. Travelers from other countries should consult with the Panamanian consulate or embassy in that country to obtain the latest information on entry requirements. When entering the country, you may only bring up to one carton of cigarettes and 3 bottles of liquor. Like other countries, you may be fined and charged for leaving Panama with products made from endangered species. Tourist Offices/Embassies The national tourist agency Instituto Panameño de Turismo (IPAT) has its headquarters in the Centro Atlapa on Via Israel in Panama City. IPAT also has an information counter located at the airport. In addition, there are many tourist centers dispersed throughout the country. The IPAT offices found throughout Panama are there to answer questions and help visitors explore the country. More than 50 foreign embassies and consulates are located in Panama City. Getting Around If your stay is confined to Panama City, don't bother with buses or rental cars. Taxis are available for reasonable fares. Choose a relatively new car that is in good condition. The slightly higher fare is more than worth it for reliability and cold air conditioning. For longer trips or journeys to remote areas, plan to get a vehicle with four-wheel drive capability, as you may be driving on rugged terrain. These vehicles are popular and run out fast, so plan ahead. Most major towns have car rental agencies, so renting a car is a relatively easy process. It's important to bring the rental reservation document that states the agreed upon rate. Remember, you must be at least 23 years old to rent a car. All major rental car agencies are represented in Panama. The Pan American Highway, also known as Interamerican Highway, joins Panamanian cities with Costa Rica. At this time, the Darién jungle continues to be impenetrable, preventing access by land to Colombia. A tour by car along the Transisthmic Highway joins Panama City with Colón. Even the most remote areas of Panama are accessible by paved secondary roads. The bus service is good and covers the entire country as well as the other countries in Central America and Mexico. Religion Most Panamanians are Roman Catholic. However, due to the great diversity in the country, there are numerous churches, temples and synagogues all over the country. There is freedom of religion in Panama. Language Although the official language in Panama is Spanish, English is widely spoken and understood in the major cities. Climate The country enjoys an agreeable tropical climate and an average daytime temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with cooling in the evenings. The average humidity is 70%. The rainy season goes from May to December. Throughout the dry season, trade winds keep the air continuously cool. In the mountains, the average temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Clothing Light clothes are recommended. Business clothing is formal. A light jacket for men and a tailored suit or a two-piece pants suit for women is recommended. A wide-brim hat and sun glasses are necessary if you go to the shore or inland. Time Zone Panama time is the same as the United States Eastern Standard Time (GMT -5). Electricity and Public Services The current is 110w - 60hz and 220w. Telephone and international cable services in Panama are excellent. There is a direct-dial system to locations inland and all over the world. Our country code is 507. Money Since 1904, the United States dollar has been the legal currency in Panama. The Balboa, the Panamanian monetary unit, is par valued with the dollar. Prices can be expressed in Balboas (B/.) or in Dollars ($). Traveler cheques and credit cards are widely accepted. The International departure duty is US$20.00, payable in the airport. The hotel tax is 10%. The added tax value to products and services, with the exception of food and medicines is 5%. Business Services More than 150 international banks and their branches operate in Panama. The United States, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Taiwan, Argentina, South Korea, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, China, Spain, France and others are represented here. The banking hours vary, but most of them are open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Some banks offer services on Saturday. Health/Water No vaccines or pills are necessary prior to visiting our country. Remember, the tropical sun can be strong; so it’s wise to take protective sunglasses and sunscreen with you. Although Panama is indeed a tropical country, mosquito control is effective. Exceptions would include hiking and over-nighting in the jungle, in which case you should use protective insect repellant. Panama is the only country in Latin America where you can drink water straight from the tap. Dangers Panama was given the highest ranking (along with the United States) for tourist safety from the Pinkerton Intelligence Agency. But as with any foreign destination, it is not advisable to walk around the streets flashing your money or valuable belongings. Reports of people being pickpocketed in Panama are rare, but it’s best to assume that pickpockets are around. Just use common sense and your intuition to protect yourself. Remember that the less attention you draw to yourself, the less likely you are to have an unpleasant experience.