Traveling with Pets to Panama

Traveling with Pets with Air Panama

• All animals must travel inside a cage or suitable container to size, test it to escape and spills. Make it tough. It can be handled safely by airline personnel.
• When traveling the animal will be accepted only if the person who transports, present all documents required as proof of immunizations and health certificate.
• No animal will be accepted for travel in the passenger cabin unless a guide or rescue dog accompanying its owner, carrying his harness or belt.

Cost to transport animals in the Plane

• You will be charged for the transportation of animals at the fare of $ 5.00 per container. As long as it is within the weight of the passenger baggage allowance. The difference is paid as overweight.
• According to Ministry of Health Circular No. 003-DGZ-DCZ of 06/03/2014 each pet (dog, cat, other susceptible species) that is transferred via air in commercial and private flights must have the vaccine anti-rabies.
• Their owners have to provide proof (card or certificate copy) signed by a veterinarian, stating being immunized the animal against the disease. This document must be filed the health officer at the airport, otherwise the animal may not shipment.

Some Additional Tips

1. If your pet is in the cabin, they must fit comfortably under the seat in a pre-approved carrier.

2. If your pet is flying in the cargo area make sure they are kept in strong carriers that are well ventilated.

3. Carriers should also be just big enough that your pet can stand up, lie down, and turn around comfortably. (*Dr Becker recommends the Expand-A-Space pet carrier, $42.49 on petco.com)

4. Whether your pet is flying with you in the cabin or is banished to cargo, be sure to include dog blankets and toys, as they will be alone in a strange place, and these things will offer comfort.

5. Update your pet ID tags before you travel anywhere. If you get separated from your pet, it will be easier to locate and reunite with them with updated tags.

6. For safety in a car or plane and confinement in a hotel room, bring the pet’s crate so they have familiar surroundings.

Traveling with Pets on International Flights with Air Panama

• Transporting pets on international flights is not allowed.

Going where the wind blows

By:  Carina Forster – Intern from Austria

Punta Chame is one of Panama`s best kitesurfing spots and has made its name to the world for its excellent conditions from November to April.

The spot is a strap of land with constant N-NE and side-onshore wind, perfectly suitable for all levels, as you will always end up back on the beach and not out in the sea.

My session on this wide sandy beach spot started with the mixture of excitement and respect I always feel when the powerful strength of wind is lifting up my kite. After walking a few steps in the crystal blue water, shuffling my feet to avoid stepping on the only danger of the spot – the sting ray – I got on my board and started moving over the ocean. Going faster and faster over the large and uncrowded bay, I felt the salt and heat of the sun on my face while the coastline was getting smaller and smaller. It is pure happiness you feel when every single part of your body and mind is becoming one with the kite in the sky and the board on your feet, using the power of the wind to move forward. It always astonishes me, how I control this phenomenon without having a single thought on my mind, except this foolish song that keeps coming up when I`m happy.

In Punta Chame you can have several sessions a day, starting in the morning and finishing with a sundowner surrounded by the golden lights of dawn. It is a dream spot with constant wind for smooth freestyle or speed rides.

The Spot

• November- April constant wind
• N-NE and side-onshore
• All levels, great for beginners
• Soft sandy beach, no currents, small waves
• No crowds, large space for launch
• Hot weather, warm water (sunscreen!)
• Dangers: sting rays, small jellyfish

Facilities

There are four kite schools with equipment rentals and repairs, different kinds of places to stay (hotels, hostels, apartments, guest houses), a restaurant and a supermarket.

Getting there and away

• By car: (1.5 hours) take the Panamericana from Panama City south and exit at the Punta Chame “sign”. Rough road for half an hour till Punta Chame.
• Public transport: take a bus from the bus terminal on direction of “el Valle de Anton” or “Penonome”. Step out in Coronado when you see the big sign ‘REY’ (a supermarket on the main road). From there take taxi to Punta Chame.

Panama and the Music of the Heart

 

Music unites all Panamanians as an integral part of our culture of happiness.   Our country is a bridge where our local Indigenous groups along with Spaniards, French, Afro-descendants, Zonians among others play an import role in building our cultural identity.

 

 

Panama has its own distinct sounds and the musical influence of our local indigenous population can still be felt today throughout the country.   La Saloma (local campesino yodeling), Mejorana (a five-stringeg guitar), tambores (wooden drums) and accordion are popular in the traditional folk music and are getting more popular amongst the new generation of local musicians that want go back to the roots by mixing folk and traditional with modern sounds.

Panama also boasts a vibrant history of calypso and mento music sung by nationally well-known musicians such as Lord Panama, Delicious, Two-Gun Smokey, Lady Trixie, Lord Kitty, and Lord Cobra.  Also Reggaeton is well known in Panama with the famous artists:  Nando Boom, Kafu Banton and El General.

Festivals such as the Annual Jazz Festival, Macro Fest and others are inspirations for local talents to create new and innovative music by mixing the sounds of Panama.  Come and discover the amazing sounds of Panama that reflect the country’s unique diversity.

Sandra and Samy Sandoval and Ulpiano Vergara for típico interiorano (Local typical music).

A generation of Panamanian rockers are: Los Rabanes, Señor Loop, Carlos Mendez, Los Miserables and Llevarte a Marte among others.

And the most international Panamanian musicians:  Ruben Blades a salsa solo musician and Danilo Perez a pianist and jazz star.

 

Best Diving and Snorkeling Spots in Panama

From: Dive Advisor

Panama was named after an indigenous word meaning, “abundance of fish.” This beautiful Central America paradise is one of the few places in the world where you can dive two oceans in one day. With the warm, tropical waters of the Caribbean on its east and the cooler waters of the Pacific on the west, it’s just a two-hour car ride between them in some places. Panama boasts 1,207km of Caribbean coast and 1,700km of Pacific coast.

Guna Yala Islands

Snorkling spots

islands and keys

On the Caribbean side, divers come for the abundance of colorful reef fish and corals. When rating the best diving in Central American, Bocas del Toro always comes up with its white sand beaches and many calm and the Bastimentos Marine National park. It’s a great place to learn how to dive and the marine life make it a great place to keep diving. Another popular spot on the Caribbean coast is Colon, only two hours from Panama City. Just offshore, the Portobelo National Marine Park has beautiful corals and the area is filled with a history of pirate battles and sunken ships.  Sir Francis Drake died at sea in 1596 and his body, clad in a full suit of armour and in a lead coffin, is thought to be off the coast of Portobello.

On the Pacific side, cooler waters and currents make encounters with pelagic common. Lucky divers can see several species of shark, whale sharks, humpback whales, dolphins, and more. Coiba National Marine Park is often referred to as the Galapagos of Central America and has the second largest coral reef in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the Pearl Archipelago also offers great options close to Panama City.

Just nine degrees north of the equator, Panama is hot and humid year round. The rainy season is May- November and the dry season is December-April (with less humidity and almost no rain.) Panama is not in the hurricane belt, but it can get strong winds from nearby storms. Air temperatures throughout the year range form 20-32C, being a bit cooler in the winter/dry season. Water temperatures vary between coasts. The Caribbean side the water can be as cool as 25C in the winter and as warm as 28C in the summer. Coiba can get as cold as 20C during winter and reaches a high of around 24C in the summer.

Best Spots to Dive in Panama

Coiba National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes 38 islands. Lonely Planet says it’s “The best diving to be found along the Pacific Coast from Columbia to Mexico.” Coiba gets the big stuff. Sharks can be seen on almost every dive including white-tip reef sharks, black-tip reef sharks, and occasional hammerheads, bull, and tiger sharks. Whale sharks are common visitors from December to April. Humpback whales are seen July through October and orcas and pilot whales frequent the area. Large schools of mantas and mobula rays sometimes swim by, and most dives have turtles, schools of large fish, angelfish, butterflyfish, and dolphins.

On the Caribbean side of Panama, close to the Costa Rica boarder, is Bocas del Toro. This archipelago of nine large islands includes the protected area of Isla Bastimentos National Marine. Bocas is known for its well-preserved hard and soft corals. Being outside of the official hurricane zone, away from large cities and river mouths, the coral is very healthy. It is estimated that 95% of the coral species found in the Caribbean Sea can be found within the archipelago.

Tiger Rock is rated one of the best dive sites around Bocas del Toro, and is three rock pinnacles that rise up from the sea floor at 40m. It’s an advanced dive and can have strong currents, but is a good place to see sharks, rays, large fish schools, whale sharks and dolphins. Its location requires perfect sea conditions for boats to be able to get there. Dolphin Rock is another offshore rock formation where sharks can be seen and has lots of colorful fish life. The diving is also very good around Zapatillas Cays, another more distant boat ride.

Closer to town, Bouy Line is a poplar shallow site (near a deep water channel buoy) that has sea horses, lionfish, crabs, and lots of morays. Hospital Point is near the north end of Isla Solarte and has healthy cauliflower and brain corals on a sloping wall. The dive usually has a slow current and is 15m deep max. Sashek is another drift dive between Bastimentos and Carenero that has rare long lure frogfish. Airport is a protected site good for training dives, and has lots of coral.

Also on the Caribbean side, but further southeast is Portobelo National Park. This is also a popular diving area with great marine life. Being closer to Panama City, people come directly from the city to dive this area that has great reef dives and several wrecks.

Water temperatures on the Caribbean side are warm year round (23-27C) and a 3mm is usually plenty. On the Pacific side, colder currents bring waters (15-23C), so a 5mm will be comfortable. For those doing deep dives in the winter, thermoclines can be present, so a 7mm might be useful.

If you are looking for good snorkelling one of the best spots is the San Blas Archipelago.  In this Guna land is forbidden to dive with a tank but here you will find one of the most untouched coral reefs by mankind. The reef holds its beauty for decades now since people do not pollute the waters around it.  The Kuna Indians or Guna indians live from the sea and hunt on it. They hunt the reefs and sandbanks by using simple snorkeling gear and do not over fish their own waters because they only take what is needed to stay alive. They are scared that scuba dives will kill the great schools of fish and leave the Kuna without food to survive. They will preserve the coral reef for future generations this way.

The rich sea life and the crystal clear water will give you plenty enough time to drift away from the world above water. One of the easy places to get in touch with this sea life is the shipwreck near Isla Perro. This place is perfect for people not used to snorkeling or scuba diving but also gives people that have done it before a nice challenge to spot all the sea life around the ship. Don’t forget to bring your underwater camera because spotting a wild turtle, shark or octopus isn’t a rare sight in the waters around the San Blas Islands.   The best way to snorkel in San Blas is charter a sailing boat.  EcoCircuitos Panama organize this adventure for you.

Pride in Panama: Gay guide to Panama

LGBT and Queer welcome to Panama! It is our pleasure to be your tour operator in Panama. Our goal is to make every minute of your stay enjoyable and help you to get to know our country’s charms and natural beauty.

Located at the heart of the Americas, Panama City is the most cosmopolitan of the Central American capitals; overflowing with trendy new clubs, cool boutique hotels and gay friendly neighborhoods and attractions.  As a long established hub for international business, trade and transportation the City has developed into a modern, busy metropolis attracting visitors from around the world.

LGBT travelers may find Panama City more gay friendly than other Central American countries;  many of the main destinations throughout the country are friendly to all visitors and will make LGBT families and travelers feel at home.

Panama is a safe, stable and friendly country of almost three million inhabitants and 75.517 square kilometers. It is among the most biologically diverse countries on the planet and features a variety of unique ecosystems. With a total of over 2,500 km of coastline on two oceans, 15 national Parks and seven distinct indigenous cultures there is much to explore. Five UNESCO World Heritage sites wait to be discovered.

This short guide will direct you to the best spots in town but keep in mind that nightlife in Panama does not really start after midnight. Have Fun!!

Carlos Vives

Music

 WHAT TO DO IN PANAMA CITY

Panama City is a cosmopolitan city, a delightful combination of the historic and modern. It is also one of the safest cities in Latin America. There are three Cities: the historical ruins of the 16^th Century city named Panama Viejo, the 17^th Century Spanish Colonial Casco Antiguo area of the city and the modern skyscraper city with the business district.

Day tour of Panama City – Visit the three cities in one day: the ruins of the 16th century original city, walk the Casco Antiguo colonial city and admire the modern city.  Walk the Casco Viejo – Old Quarters at night for bar hoping.  There are several roof top bars that will offer an amazing view of the City.  Our suggestion:  Tantalo, Barlovento and Casa Jaguar.

The Panama Canal – City tour includes a trip to the Panama Canal. A must-do is a visit to the Visitors Center at Miraflores Locks.   Admision is $12.00 per person and if you want an unforgetable experience, go dining to Atlantic and Pacific Co. Overlooking the Miraflores locks.

The Panama Canal Transits – Only on special schedule, this is a great option for those that interested in the complete history of the Panama Canal and experience crossing the locks.

Amador Causeway and Biodiversity Museum – A visit to the Amador Causeway is also a good option to admire the spectacular views of the Panama City’s skyline and the Panama Canal.   You can bike or walk the area or just enjoy a Panama bear at the restaurants in the Marina.  A must to see is the Biodiversity Museum, an architectonic jewel design by Frank Gerhy.

Panama Canal Railway trans-isthmus – Ride the historic Panama Canal Railway, the original transcontinental railway inaugurated in 1855. In special observation cars, the trip takes you across the scenic Isthmus from Panama City on the Pacific, to Colon on the Atlantic Side.

Metropolitan Park, Soberania National Park – ecological tours – Panama City’s Metropolitan Park is the only rainforest within the city limits of a modern metropolis. Ask for a guided nature tour of the Park and hiking and birding tour at Soberania National Park.

The Rainforst Discovery Center in Soberania National Park – The Discovery Center in the Panama Canal Rainforest is open every day from 6.00AM to 4.00PM Climb this 100 foot Observation Tower for a breathtaking views above the forest canopy and hike the trails around the center. You will learn about sustainable practices in this fantasctic place. Ideal for families.

Portobello: A picturesque bayside town of with the ruins of Spanish forts and a restored Spanish Colonial treasure house. In Spanish colonial times the Portobello Treasure House was the center for trans-shipment of all the Peruvian gold and treasure taken from Latin America to Spain. Spanish galleons came and went constantly and many fairs were held. That easy heyday ended with the arrival of English pirates like Sir Francis Drake who repeatedly looted Portobellos treasures and brought about its eventual demise. The Portobelo Ruins are a pillar of Spanish colonial times, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fort San Lorenzo: A well preserved fort ruin perched high on a stunning promontory above the Chagres River as it meets the sea. Sir Henry Morgan attacked the fort and made away with booty in 1666. It is essential to go with a tour operator since to date this unusual site has no signs or tourist info of any kind.

Embera Cultural Encounters, Chagres National Park – An unforgettable encounter with a living Indian culture in Panama’s rain forest. Panama is the only place in the world where you can have this experience in a day trip from a major metropolitan city. The tour begins 1.5 hours from Panama City, where you’ll take a motorized canoe up a scenic rainforest river, the only means of transport in the jungle, to an authentic Embera Indian village on river bank deep inside the rainforest. The village consists mostly of the rough wood and palm homes on stilts typical of the jungle Indians. Embera indians will perform a tribal dance offer authentic body paintings, exquisite handicrafts, share a typical meal and explain their way of life, traditions and beliefs.

Handicrafts and shopping – Try el Valle Sunday Market, the Balboa Artisan’s Market and don´t miss the city’s shopping malls, ideals for those looking for brands.  Check Multiplaza a high end shopping mall.

Optional day tours from Panama city: Historical Tours, Cultural exchange at the Embera Indian Village at the Chagres National Park, Panama Mini Cruises, Barro Colorado Island, Canopy Adventure, surfing, boat tour the gatun lake, hiking the National Parks, birding Soberania National Park, white water rafting, kayaking, biking tours, arts tours, camping and extension tours to Bocas del Toro, San Blas, Azuero and the highlands.

For more information click on our website:  EcoCircuitos.Com