Pay attention to your personal safety in busy areas and don't go out alone (see “Safety”). Be more careful in Panama due to crime. Panama is one of the safest countries in Central America, but some precautions are always worth taking. Pickpockets are common in busy areas of Panama City, including bus stations, markets, and shopping areas, so keep your valuables in a safe place.
Even though travel restrictions have been imposed in recent years due to COVID-19, things have returned to normal and it's relatively safe to fly and explore the world again. Remember to be careful about your surroundings, especially if you're traveling alone, to make sure you're not in any danger. Foreign visitors are asked to carry their passports with them at all times and are sometimes checked by the police, but it's safer to carry a photocopy or photo of the first pages and the entry stamp and leave the original document in a safe place. To report a crime, call 511 9260 (Panama City Tourism Police) or 104 (National Police) and have your embassy number ready.
Of course, it is totally focused on the Panama Canal, since it is the main attraction in Panama and probably in Central America. And, as usual, it's best to have a travel checklist to make sure you have everything covered, such as insurance, passports, and all travel documents. Overall, Panama is relatively safe for travelers, even though they have high crime rates in terms of minor crimes. English is spoken a lot, especially in Panama City and Boquete, but mastering a few basic phrases in Spanish will win the locals the love of the locals and will help you if you're traveling far from tourist places.
Taxis with a yellow license from Panama can be an affordable way to get around, but don't forget to negotiate a fare before you leave. It is located at the crossroads of the Americas, connecting two oceans, and beyond its cosmopolitan capital and legendary canal, Panama is a biodiversity hotspot. Although the amount of rain depends on the coast you are on, downpours usually come in short, sharp bursts in the afternoon before the sun forces you to put your Panama hat back on. The United States Department of State currently recommends that U.S.
citizens exercise greater caution in Panama because of delinquency. Panamanians love to party, and barely a week goes by without a party, from La Feria de las Flores y del Café in Boquete to the national Carnival, whose biggest and loudest celebrations take place in Las Tablas, on the Azuero Peninsula.
