Panamainfo’s Blog

I have lived and traveled to most countries in Latin America and I always say that in my experience, Panama is one of the safest countries for tourists and that furthermore the Panamanian people are some of the most honest. One of Panama’s top two daily newspapers just did an interesting experiment that proves me right. Panamamerica placed leather wallets with a small amount of cash and ID cards in 15 random places around the city- from schools to churches to the race track. Of the 15 “lost” wallets, 11 were turned in right away to the local guards or respective offices. Almost all were turned in by people of modest means. Bravo Panama!

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Beating The Crowds To Panama

Panama is one of the key crossroads in the world, the land bridge between North America and South America and the waterway between the Atlantic and the Pacific, yet it seems to be perpetually a decade or two behind always-trendy Costa Rica in drawing crowds of tourists. This is true even though Panama has all the elements to qualify as a Central American hotspot: teeming wildlife, sandy beaches, scuba diving, world-class fishing, widespread English proficiency, reliable transportation and a cosmopolitan capital city.

Coasting Along the Pacific

The steamy glamour and air of infinite possibility that lure people to Panama in search of a new life is not exclusive to its capital, Panama City. High-end residential developments up the Pacific coast and on the islands scattered off it promise to deliver the requisite combination of oceanfront setting, high-tech communication systems, stylish architecture and cosmopolitan multiple home-owning neighbours.

Panama’s Hottest Secret

If you’re looking to get ahead of the game, Panama City’s Casco Viejo is as up-and-coming as it gets, says Vicky Baker. Go now before the word is well and truly out.

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In 1999, Newsweek magazine published a graph with the Pinkerton Intelligence Agencies assessment of tourism safety for all the countries in the world. Panama rated the top category for tourism safety- the same as the United States.( I have a copy of the article) Good news- Nothing has changed- Panama is still one of the safest countries in the region for tourists- The American Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee just met with the head of the National Tourism Police and Panama’s rate for tourism crime is .03- about as low as it gets. It is almost all petty theft. FYI, there are some current problems with robberies in hotel rooms when guests have left, which they are working to solve.

I have traveled extensely in Latin America and making comparisons, I did not need these stats to know that Panama is a safe place for tourists. In so many other places you have to be constantly on your guard and robberies of tourists are common place.

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