Panama City Travel Tips 2026
Panama City Travel Tips 2026
A few of these will save you money before you land, and a couple could keep you out of the one part of the city that’s genuinely worth avoiding.
Money: don’t look for an exchange rate
The US dollar is Panama City’s everyday cash currency, full stop. The balboa exists and is pegged 1:1, but it only comes in coins, there are no balboa banknotes, so don’t hunt for a currency exchange counter that has nothing to actually exchange. Tipping runs around 10% at restaurants; check your bill first since a service charge is sometimes already added.
Entry: passport rules by nationality
Most nationalities get 90 days visa-free; US and Canadian passport holders get 180. Your passport should have at least 6 months of validity left, even though the legal minimum is shorter, since airlines enforce the longer window at check-in. Entry is through Tocumen International (PTY), and there’s no e-visa or ETA to apply for ahead of time, just a passport stamp on arrival.
Getting from the airport without overpaying
Official taxi desks in the arrivals hall charge a fixed $30-40 to the center, no meter, no haggling. Uber and other rideshares can’t pick up at the arrivals curb itself, so walk to the signposted rideshare zone across from the terminal instead, typically $15-25 for the same trip.
Getting around the city
Uber beats a street taxi on nearly every trip here: cheaper, transparent pricing, no fare negotiation. Metro Lines 1 and 2 cover downtown and the east side and are both fully operational; Line 3 is still under construction and won’t help you in 2026. Load a RapiPass at any Metro station to cover the Metro, Metrobús, and the Albrook terminal on one card.
Health: the good news and the one thing to pack
Tap water is safe to drink straight from the tap in Panama City, unusual for this part of the world, so skip the bottled water and save the plastic. Dengue is present nationwide, so pack repellent; malaria is only a risk in the Darién and the Guna Yala and Emberá comarcas, nowhere near the standard city sightseeing.
Safety: one neighborhood to actually avoid
Casco Viejo’s core is well policed and comfortable day and night, watch for pickpockets in the crowded parts same as anywhere. El Chorrillo, which borders Casco Viejo, and San Miguelito are the neighborhoods to avoid, especially after dark; it’s easy to wander from Casco Viejo into El Chorrillo without meaning to, so take an Uber rather than walking between neighborhoods at night. The Darién Gap, far south near the Colombia border, is a do-not-travel zone; it’s not near anything on a typical Panama City itinerary, so this is a mention, not a warning you’ll need to act on.
Read more: Panama City Travel Guide 2026 for the full itinerary this advice supports.