Frequently Asked Questions
Here we answer the more frequent questions we received. Click on the question of your interest to see the respective answer.
1] WHAT DOCUMENTATION
IS REQUIRED FOR TRAVEL TO PANAMA?
A passport is about all you need. Citizens
of most countries are not required to have travel visa's. It might
be a good idea to check with your consulate if your are in doubt.
Your airline will sell you a tourist card when you check in.
2] WHAT CREDIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED?
Visa, American Express and Mastercard are
accepted in most tourist areas. You will need one to rent a car.
You should carry some cash when visiting outlying areas.
3] CAN TRAVELERS CHECKS BE
USED?
Yes, but be careful. While most banks will
cash them, many merchants will not accept them. If you carry travelers
checks, those issued by American Express, Visa or Master Card seem
to be the most accepted. Most banks and hotels charge a fee for
cashing Travelers Checks.
4] IS THERE A DEPARTURE TAX?
Yes! The departure tax is $20 per person,
regardless of age.
5] WHAT IS THE OFFICAL CURRENCY
AND EXCHANGE RATE?
The official currency is the Balboa at an
exchange rate of 1-1 with the US dollar. Panama does not print paper
money and the US dollar is used regularly. Panamanian coins are
exactly the size of the U.S. coins of the same value and are used
interchangably in vending machines, toll booths etc.
6] WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE?
Temperatures vary between 80 and 90 degrees
Fahrenheit.
7] HOW MUCH SHOULD I TIP?
Check your bill to see if the tip is included.
A normal tip is 10 -15%
8] WHAT TIME ZONE IS PANAMA
IN?
Panama is in the same time zone as the Eastern
United States and does not observe daylight savings time.
9] WHAT IS THE EHNIC MAKEUP
OF PANAMA?
According to IPAT the country's population
is 63% Mestizo, 14% African Decent, 10% Spanish Decent, 5% Mulatto
and 5% Indian.
10] WHAT LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN
IN PANAMA?
Spanish, Of Course! Though it is usually
not difficult to find someone who speaks English, especially in
tourist areas.
11] WHAT KIND OF HEALTH CARE
IS AVAILABLE IN PANAMA?
Panama offers great medical care and modern
hospitals in the metro areas. Please be advised that Panama is a
big country and in the more isolated parts you can be a long way
from medical care.