11 Things to Know Before Going to Panama for the First Time

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If you are planning your first visit to Panama in central America, there are some things that may surprise. It is always best to know what’s in front of you with travel and to be more observant to things – even if they aren’t a bother to you. Panama is an incredible place to visit. But you will want to prepared just as with traveling to any new area. Read on for our top things to know before your first time to Panama!

cafe con leche in white mug beside turbinated sugar packet and azucar morena in Panama City for what to expect on first time to Panama

Tips for Your First Time to Panama

It is best to stay away from tap water just in case a situation of Montezuma’s revenge hits in full force with the goal of ruining your trip! Some areas promote that the tap water is safe, but I don’t believe in taking chances. Buy bottled water or pre-bottled soda on your first time to Panama – or on any time to Panama if you think you might have a weak stomach.
Speaking of soda, if you order sodas and juices at the restaurants, don’t expect a refill. Since most sodas are being poured from a can, the idea of refills does not exist in most Panamanian eateries.
It is typical to not see salt and pepper or condiments on the tables at restaurants. If you need something, just ask. Most servers seem used to Americans asking for salt and ketchup.
Coffee creamer can be hard to find in small grocery stores. I simply go back to my childhood roots with a simple cafe con leche with a bit of sugar (coffee and milk with sugar). Cafe con leche is a standard way of coffee life in Panama. The sugar you will often be given for your coffee is azucar morena (a turbinated style of brown sugar…but not the normal brown sugar you might bake with at home. This is a coarse golden brown sugar.) I also had trouble finding coffee filters to use in one of our apartment rentals. The place was furnished with a coffee pot, but there were no coffee filters available. I panicked! How could I make coffee without a coffee filter? (I’m one that has to have coffee the second my eyes fly open in the morning. I can’t wait for coffee shop ventures.) I decided to try using paper towels as coffee filters. I placed three small pieces of paper towels which I placed in overlapping layers into the filter bucket of the machine. Then I simply put the coffee grounds on top. It worked perfectly four days in a row!

using a paper towel for a coffee filter with coffee grounds on top in Panama kitchen

More Things to Know for Your First Visit to Panama

In restaurants, it is the server who typically runs the payment on a small hand-held machine. Once the server enters the overall dining bill into the machine, he/she will often ask you directly if you would like to add a tip and for how much if so. This can be a bit awkward for Americans who are used to privately entering this on their own merchant receipt near the end of the payment process – especially if the server was less than stellar. The server then enters the amount verbally given into the machine.
One of the first things my husband noted on one of his first trips is the fact that many types of cars exist in Panama that do not exist in the United States. There are many Toyota, Subaru, and Kia models that do not seem to exist at home in the U.S. Once you are outside of Panama City, you see a lot more SUV and trucks like Toyota Helix, the Toyota Fortuner, and the Suzuki Jimni. Never in a million years would I have noticed this, but the Hubs is a die-hard car guy!
Be aware of Panama time – the hour of the Latina. The husband has always referred to my time blindness – the fact that I run late. He now jokes that I come about it honestly. We went to a business that was supposed to have opened at 9 a.m., yet no employee showed up until 9:15. This is something I’ve seen before on previous trips.
I suspect that many locals rely on free wi-fi rather than data plans on their phones. Free wi-fi seems to be a very big deal in Panama.
If you plan to make an appearance in any government office for any reason, be sure to pack presentable clothes that don’t include shorts, tank tops, or mini skirts. My family and I made a visit to a munipal building in Sereno to handle some government business, and we were given very harsh looks upon entering. I just thought it was the typical “gringos are here” look that we receive often (which is funny because I AM Pananamian but no one realizes that until I tell them). However, a few minutes later, my husband noticed signs posted around the building which pictures of shorts, tank tops, crop tops, and mini skirts with large Xs over them. We are such rebels! Seriously, I’m grateful we didn’t get kicked out. (A friend of mine actually was asked to leave from a government office in Panama City until she could return with a cardigan.) I would have been super embarrassed!
There are people from all over the world in Panama. Some areas, such as Boquete, are especially concentrated with expats. Do not assume that everyone speaks Spanish or that anyone speaks English! Usually, you will encounter multiple English speakers throughout the day, but there are still many Spanish-only workers in the restaurants and stores. Likewise, many people you may encounter may be expats or visitors from Israel, India, or the Netherlands. They may not know a word of Spanish…yet!
My Panamanian cousin in Chiriqui pointed out to me that many Panamanian men don’t wear shorts. This means American men stand out as they often are wearing shorts.

See this tall gringo below? That would be my husband wearing his favorite lounge shorts on a stroll through Casco Viejo – one of the only men around in shorts! Ha!

man and girl stroll along in Casco Viejo

Well, I hope you enjoyed my top things to be aware of before your first time to Panama! Hopefully, this post gives you a little insight as to what you can expect. Panama is a wonderful country to visit, and I wish you much travel joy!