Panama Tours & Holidays

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

PANAMA:

Australia: Yes - on arrival

Belgium: Not required

Canada: Yes - on arrival

Germany: Not required

Ireland: Not required

Netherlands: Not required

New Zealand: Yes - on arrival

South Africa: Yes - in advance

Switzerland: Not required

United Kingdom: Not required

USA: Yes - on arrival

The cost of a tourist card on arrival varies by nationality.

Tipping (although not mandatory) is considered polite in Panama. Tip 10-15% in restaurants and cafes, and leave a small amount of money for porters, guides and taxi drivers

Travellers will be able to access the internet at cyber cafes and hotels in Panama's large cities and tourist areas. Access to the internet is generally less common in rural and remote areas.

Mobile phone coverage is generally good in Panama's major cities, but may be less reliable in remote or rural areas. Ensure global roaming is activated before leaving home if you wish to use your mobile phone.

Panama has a combination of modern, flushable toilets (found in cities) and more modest squat toilets (found in rural areas), so prepare to encounter both while travelling in Panama.

Bottle of soft drink = 1 PAB

Bottle of local beer = 1.50-2 PAB

Snack at a market = 2-3 PAB

Lunch at a café = 5-7 PAB

Three-course dinner at a restaurant = 20 PAB

Tap water is considered safe to drink in Panama unless marked otherwise.

Major credit cards will be accepted by large hotels, shops and restaurants in the cities of Panama, but less so in rural and less developed areas. Be sure to carry other modes of payment just to be sure.

Panama's major cities and tourist-orientated towns have ATMs readily available. It's advisable, however, to withdraw cash before leaving the city as ATMs may not always be available in regional areas.

• 1 Jan New Year's Day
• 2 Jan New Year's Holiday
• 9 Jan Mourning Day
• 28 Feb Carnival Day
• 14 Mar Good Friday
• 1 May Labor Day 
• 3 Nov Independence Day from Colombia
• 5 Nov Colon's Day (Colon Only)
• 6 Nov Colon Day Holiday
• 10 Nov The Uprising of Los Santos
• 27 Nov Independence Day from Spain
• 8 Dec Mother's Day
• 25 Dec Christmas Day

Please note these dates are for 2017. For a current list of public holidays in Panama go to: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/panama/public-holidays

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Intrepid takes the health and safety of its travellers seriously and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure:

From Australia?

Go to: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

From Canada?

Go to: https://travel.gc.ca/

From the UK?

Go to: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

From New Zealand?

Go to: https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/

From the US?

Go to: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.