Panamá City!
- Liliana Alcobia
- 25 de abr. de 2017
- 2 min de leitura
Backpacks ready to start one of the trips I always wanted to do: Panamá and Costa Rica.
Already at Medellin's airport, we had more than enough time to get a coffee in front of the boarding gate until our flight hour arrives. We still witnessed the tears and torments of two backpackers who decided to have a coffee while waiting the reduced of the boarding queue. When there was no queue, they decided to embark but the flight attendants didn't let them, even though the plane was still there.
When we arrived at Tocumen airport, in Panama City, it was already night. The easiest way to get to the city center is by taxi, as there are no buses stopping at the same terminal. However, we preferred to go find the bus that I knew from my previous research it would take us to the city center for only $1.25 each one, than spend $30 in a taxi.
All the public transportation system in Panama uses a prepaid travel card (costs $2). An important detail is that this card is not sold at the airport. So we knew that we would probably have to ask a Panamanian to pay us the trip with his card and give him the its respective amount of money.
At night, this road doesn't convey much security and it seems to take us to the middle of nowhere. Finally we found the bus stop, which it's not the first one you find but the one you see crossing the road. The first bus stop you find is where you should get out of the bus on the way back to the airport. On the below map you can see the way to walk to the bus stop:
Several buses have passed, among them a non "legal" public transport type of vans that also transport passengers, according to the explanation of a Panamanian woman.
We ended up not needing any prepaid travel card because after all the bus we entered in accepted money.
After reaching the center on the bus heading to "Albrook corredor sur" (bus terminal), we walked to our hostel, located in the old town (Luna's Castle).
This hostel is well located and it has a good value for money, with breakfast included (pancakes, bananas and coffee).
We had three funny nights scouting "baby" cockroaches (I would already call them preteens) who happily strolled up the wall where our bunk was.
Tips about Panamá City:
Currency: US Dollar Language: Spanish Best time to go: Despite being hot all year round, Panama has two seasons: dry and rainy. Dry season is from December to March and the rainy season is from April to November / December. We went at the end of November and got some rain.
What to visit around?
- Albrook
- Bella Vista
- Casco Antiguo
- La Calzada de Amador
- O Barrio
- Punta Pacifica
- Canal do Panamá
I recommend you these two websites for extra information:
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