Preparing for your trip
| Package: | Panama City Express, 2026 |
Print this page and refer to it as you prepare for your trip!
Printed Nov 18, 2025. Please visit https://staging.friendlyplanet.com/before-you-go/?tourId=2124 for the latest updates.
Checklist
| Item | Due | |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Ensure you have a current passport valid for at least six months after your return date. | ASAP |
| ☐ | Passport Pages. Ensure you have enough empty pages in your passport as per the entry requirements at your destination | ASAP |
| ☐ | Complete your registration. You'll receive a link to the registration form after you complete your booking. | Within 14 days of booking |
| ☐ | Request any additions or changes you may still want to make to your trip. (Fees and/or additional charges may apply.) | 75 days prior to travel |
| ☐ | Make your final payment, if any balance is due. | See your invoice |
| ☐ | Obtain any necessary travel visas and review any requirements for entry. | See below |
| ☐ | Print your itinerary and other final documents, which we will send you via email by 14 days prior to travel. | Prior to travel |
| ☐ | Print your policy documents, if you purchased travel insurance, and carry them with you. | Prior to travel |
| ☐ | Enroll in The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), if you're a U.S. citizen or national, so the State Dept. can locate and assist you in case of an emergency. | Prior to travel |
In addition, if you booked flights with your package:
| Item | Due | |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Book connecting flights to your departure city, if necessary. (Please confirm your international flight schedule first!) | After receiving your e‑tickets |
| ☐ | Make advance seat reservations for your international flight, if you have a preference. | After receiving your e‑tickets |
| ☐ | Confirm your flight times and any special meal requests with the airline, and print and carry a copy of your e-ticket. | 72 hours prior to travel |
| ☐ | Check in for your flights online and download/print your boarding passes (if available). | 24 hours prior to travel |
| ☐ | Arrive at the airport, ready for the trip of a lifetime! | 3½ hours prior to departure |
Documents & Entry Requirements
Entry requirements are provided for your convenience. However, unless otherwise stated, it is your responsibility to determine the requirements that apply to you and your trip and to comply with them, including obtaining any necessary visas or other travel documents by the required deadlines and carrying them with you.
Panama Entry Requirements
General Requirements & Guidelines
- In general, you must have a passport to travel abroad, which should be valid for at least six months after your return date. Passports expiring before then should be renewed as soon as possible. Passports contain at least 2 blank pages for each country visited. If your passport does not have this many pages, obtain a new passport as soon as possible.
- if your passport and visa are not in order, airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding, countries may deny entry, and your trip may be disrupted. Travel insurance may not cover such losses.
- Any changes in names or passport information should be reported to us immediately. Airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding if the name on your passport does not match your tickets.
- Minors (age 17 or younger) departing and/or returning to the U.S. without parents or with only one parent may be required by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to present a notarized parental consent letter and/or unabridged birth certificate (more information). Many other countries have similar entry requirements, especially for minors traveling with a parent/guardian with a different surname; check with the consulates of all countries you'll be visiting to learn more.
Final Documents
Your final travel documents will be sent to you via email by 14 days prior to departure. These will include your daily itinerary, hotel and emergency contact information, and other relevant information. Please print your documents and take them with you. If you're departing in less than a week and haven't received your documents, let us know immediately!
Travel Insurance Documents
If you purchased travel insurance, please print and carry your policy documents, including contact information for emergency travel assistance and instructions on how to make a claim. If you purchased the travel protection plan we offer, we recommend you print the full policy.
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
We encourage all U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This free service allows you to receive important updates about safety and security issues in your destination, and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy, as well as family & friends, to contact you in case of an emergency. To enroll or get more information, please visit the STEP website or any U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Flights, Transfers & Arrival
Questions about your flights before you depart? Read the information below first. If you still have questions, contact our air specialists at
Tour Only Option
If selecting Tour Only, arrival & departure transfers are not included. You may select private airport transfers for an additional fee, or make your own arrangements to join the tour at the hotel in Panama City on Day 1 and to depart from hotel in Panama City on Day 5. If adding Santa Clara Post-tour Extension depart from hotel in Santa Clara on Day 7.
Find out what to do in case of arrival complications.
Flights & Tickets
If you selected flights with your package, we generally book your flights and issue tickets after your final payment due date.
If you requested flights from another city, our air specialists will research the best options and send you a tentative flight schedule and quote for your approval within 5 business days of your booking (or approximately 330 days prior to travel, if you booked further out than that).
Once we have issued your tickets, we'll send you an "e-ticket receipt" which contains all of your flight information, including times, carriers, an airline booking reference number, and an e-ticket number. If you have not received this, or have questions about the flights we booked for you, please contact our air department. You will not receive paper tickets. We recommend you print and carry a copy of your flight details, including the airline booking reference number and e-ticket number, as some airports require this to enter the terminal. You do not need to reconfirm your flights with the airline prior to your departure, as we will handle this for you.
Airlines may change schedules at any time, even after flights have been confirmed, and we are not responsible for such changes. Please check for updates to your flight schedule before booking connecting flights and again 72 hours before departure.
Important: Most international flights have a minimum check-in of 3 hours before departure time. Most international flight check-in counters close one hour before departure. Passengers arriving less than 1 hour before departure will not be permitted to board the plane. Please don't risk losing your departure flight by arriving late at your international gateway.
Flight Schedule
If you selected flights with your package, you may review the sample flight schedule(s) below. This information is for general planning purposes. You will receive your actual flight schedule by email once we issue your tickets.
If you requested flights from another city, our air specialists will research the best options and send you a tentative flight schedule for your approval, and a confirmed schedule once we issue your tickets.
Airlines may change schedules at any time, even after flights have been confirmed, and we are not responsible for such changes. Please check for updates to your flight schedule prior to booking any connecting flights and again 72 hours prior to departure.
- 800-433-7300, American Airlines (AA)
Connecting Flights
If you need to fly from (and/or return to) a different U.S. or Canadian city, we suggest you request those flights from us. If feasible, we will try to book all your flights together with a single carrier or a partner network on a single ticket. This ensures that your luggage will be transferred between flights for you, and more importantly, that if there are any schedule changes, flight cancellations, or delays that affect your trip, the airline(s) will adjust your flights to ensure you have sufficient time to make your connections and/or make alternate arrangements to get you to your destination. Besides offering the most peace of mind, this often yields lower fares than purchasing separate connecting flights.
If you plan to purchase connecting flights to your departure city, we strongly suggest waiting until after your final payment due date and after you receive the e-tickets for your international flights, to reduce the chances that that your departure might be cancelled or rescheduled or that your international flight times might change. Before purchasing connecting flights, verify the times for your international flights. Leave at least 3½ hours connecting time between flights, and if you're traveling within a few weeks of Daylight Savings Time changes (in March and November, when flight schedules may change even more dramatically), allow 5–5½ hours between flights. Nobody likes waiting around the airport, but missing your flight is far worse!
Airport Transfers
Arrival Complications
We make every effort to ensure our tours run smoothly and trouble-free. We don't expect any problems, and nor should you. But when things don't go as planned, here's what to do:
- You miss your flights, or your flights are cancelled: Please call us immediately. If it's outside our normal business hours, leave a message in our emergency mailbox, with a phone number at which to reach you, and we'll get right back to you.
- Your flights are delayed and you're worried about missing your included transfers: Please contact us to let us know about the delay, and we will notify our partners in destination. If you are arriving on one of our group flights, or booked your own flights and supplied us with the details, our partners will be tracking your arrival and will plan accordingly.
- Your package includes transfers, but you can't find our representative at your destination: Don't panic—they may have been unexpectedly delayed. Wait up to 30 minutes. Then contact our local partners in destination, listed on the emergency contact page of your final documents. If you can't reach them, call us. If it's outside our normal business hours, leave a message in our emergency mailbox. If all else fails, make your own way to the starting hotel (or cruise port), and we'll refund you the cost of your transfer.
Packing & Luggage
Baggage allowance: In general, our tours & packages allow per person: one checked bag, not to exceed 44 pounds; one personal item such as a purse or camera bag; and one carry-on bag, which should fit under your seat or in the overhead compartment. If your trip includes domestic flights within your destination and/or travel by motor coach, your carry-on should also fit should also fit under your seat or in the overhead bins on those flights or coaches.
Learn more about Baggage Allowances on your international flights. Note that our baggage allowances may be less than those for your international flights. If you exceed the baggage limits, you may be subject to excess baggage charges levied by the airlines and/or by Friendly Planet.
Regardless of the limits—we recommend a smaller size and weight for both your checked and carry-on bags. It's so much easier and faster for you to get around when you have fewer, lighter bags! For your carry-on, consider a soft-sided bag such as a duffel rather than a hard clamshell-type case, which may not fit as easily into overhead compartments or under your seat, especially on buses. For your protection, we suggest your checked luggage have a TSA-approved lock.
Luggage tags: For your safety, we are no longer mailing Friendly Planet luggage tags to you. We encourage you to use your own. Fill in the luggage tags with your name and contact information and attach to each bag, including carry-ons and camera cases, so that your luggage can be identified should it get misplaced during your trip.
What to pack: Check out our list of top 10 must-haves for international travel, as well as what not to pack. Pack smart: put your travel documents, medications, one change of clothing, and other essentials in your carry-on, in case your checked baggage is misplaced. And pack light, for your own comfort and convenience. For clothing, we suggest packing a variety of separates with climate and comfort in mind.
What not to pack: U.S. law forbids you to carry hazardous materials aboard aircraft in your checked or carry-on baggage or on your person, including explosives, compressed gases, flammable liquids & solids, loaded firearms, poisons, corrosives and radioactive materials. Common examples include paints, lighter fluid, fireworks, mace/tear gas and oxygen bottles. Restricted materials may vary by airline and destination. Some items, in quantities of no more than 70 ounces total, may be carried within baggage, including medicinal or toilet articles such as hairspray, perfume and certain medicines that are necessary during your journey. Please check with the airline and/or visit the FAA website prior to travel if you have any questions.
While on Tour
What to Expect
Remember that you're a guest in someone else's homeland, and that you're traveling to experience their country and culture. Be sensitive to local customs and manners, as many things may be done differently than what you're used to. And while we have made every effort to secure modern and comfortable accommodations and transportation, please note that the standards in other countries may be different from those you are accustomed to at home. Overall, you will find a polite, positive, patient, and open-minded approach generally yields the best travel experience!
Accommodations
Rest easy knowing we’ve done the homework for you. Our hotels are carefully selected by our experts for their location, comfort, and style, so you can simply unpack and enjoy. Each stay meets Friendly Planet’s high standards for quality, convenience, and value.
The Panama City hotel chosen for this tour is clean and comfortable and offers modern amenities. The property is well-located and within walking distance to restaurants and the city center.
Eating & Drinking
The meals included with your package are listed in the itinerary.
Panamanian cuisine is a flavorful mix of Indigenous, Spanish, and Afro-Caribbean influences. Staples such as corn, rice, beans, and fresh seafood are commonly used, often accompanied by tropical fruits and local herbs. Traditional dishes include sancocho (chicken soup with root vegetables), ceviche, and arroz con pollo. Travelers can enjoy a variety of meals that reflect Panama’s diverse heritage and use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Non-Included Meals: For all other meals, you're at liberty to dine where you like. You'll find various restaurants near your hotel. The average cost (excluding drinks) for lunch is approximately $15-$20 per person per meal, and the average cost for dinner is around $25-$45 per person per meal.
Please see above for special meal requests.
Tipping
You will be traveling through in the company of professionals who are very committed to making your tour the dream vacation you are counting on. These people feel great pride in having a chance to show foreign visitors their country. If your guide, driver and others with whom you are traveling are doing a good job, please take our suggestions for tipping seriously. As always, gratuities are an individual expression of thanks and should be based on the level of service provided. The recommended amounts are as follows:
- Local guide: $4-5 per person per day
- Transfer personnel: $4 per person per transfer
- Excursion driver: $2-3 per person per day
- Housekeeping & Porters: $1-2 per person
- Restaurant and beverage staff per meal (for not-included meals): 10% of the total bill
Optional Excursions
We recommend purchasing optional tours prior to departure to ensure availability.
Independent Activities
You can leave the group and explore on your own at any time; however, there is NO refund for unused group arrangements or tours. Be sure to take with you the name, address and phone number - written in the local language and in English - so that you can communicate with taxi drivers. Your hotel staff will gladly assist you with these translations.
Special Needs & Requests
Please see above for special meal requests and seat requests. If you have any other special requests, including wheelchair or electric cart assistance, please mention your request when you book with an agent, or in the special requests section when you book online. We will do our best to accommodate them!
Country FAQs
Panama Fast Facts
| Overview | Capital: Panama City |
| Health Precautions & Vaccinations | The risk of mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue or Zika exists in some regions, so using insect repellent and wearing light, long-sleeved clothing is advised, particularly in lowland and jungle environments. Tap water is safe to drink in Panama City and most major tourist centers, but bottled or filtered water is recommended elsewhere. Panama’s tropical climate can be humid and hot, so staying hydrated and protecting yourself from the sun are important. Quality medical care is available in cities and larger towns, and pharmacies are common. |
| Weather | Panama enjoys a tropical climate year-round, with warm temperatures averaging in the mid-80s Fahrenheit. The dry season runs from mid-December through April, bringing sunny skies and lower humidity—ideal for travel. The rainy season lasts from May through November, with brief but intense afternoon showers common across the country. The Caribbean coast tends to see more rainfall than the Pacific side. Because Panama lies outside the main hurricane belt, it rarely experiences major storms, though humidity can be high throughout the year. Evenings are typically warm, with cooler temperatures in the highlands around Boquete and El Valle de Antón. |
| What to wear | Lightweight, breathable fabrics are ideal for Panama’s warm and humid climate. Casual, comfortable clothing is suitable for most activities, though modest attire is recommended when visiting local villages, churches, or government buildings. A light rain jacket or compact umbrella can come in handy during the rainy season, while a sweater or light layer is useful in cooler highland areas. Comfortable walking shoes are essential for exploring cities, rainforest trails, and the Panama Canal. Beachwear is appropriate at resorts and coastal destinations, but it should be reserved for those settings. Sun protection, including hats, sunglasses, and reef-safe sunscreen, is strongly encouraged. |
| Dining | Panamanian cuisine blends tropical flavors with influences from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Rice and beans are staples, often served with fresh seafood, plantains, and local vegetables. Traditional dishes include sancocho, a hearty chicken stew with yucca and corn, and ropa vieja, shredded beef simmered in tomato sauce. Along the coasts, ceviche made with locally caught fish is a popular favorite. In Panama City, dining options range from casual fondas (local eateries) to sophisticated restaurants offering international fare. Bottled water is widely available, and visitors should ensure seafood and meats are fully cooked when dining in smaller establishments. |
| Money & Credit Cards | Always notify your bank prior to departure to avoid any problems using your credit or debit card abroad. |
| Shopping | Shopping in Panama offers everything from colorful handicrafts to high-end international brands. The country’s famous indigenous crafts include the intricate molas—vibrant, hand-stitched textile panels made by the Guna women of the San Blas Islands—and tagua nut carvings, woven baskets, and handmade jewelry from various regions. In Panama City, the Casco Antiguo district is filled with artisan boutiques and galleries, while modern malls such as Albrook and Multiplaza feature global retailers. Bargaining is customary in markets but not in stores. Thanks to Panama’s status as a trading hub, imported goods like electronics and luxury items can be excellent values. Visitors will find plenty of opportunities to bring home both cultural keepsakes and modern finds. |
| Electricity & Power Adapters | Learn more about electrical standards around the world. |
| Cell Phones & Internet | Want to take your cell phone, tablet or laptop, but not sure how to get cell service or wifi? Read up on using your cell phone abroad and the 5 ways to get Internet abroad. |
| Did you know? |
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Fine Print
Terms & Conditions: Please review our terms & conditions for this package.
Cancellations: If something comes up and you need to cancel your trip, please let us know as soon as possible. All cancellations must be made in writing. Cancellation fees vary by package; please see the cancellation fees for this package.