Great Mexico & Central American Journey

Places To See

Ingenio de Azúcar Santa Rosa

The Santa Rosa sugar refinery is a must-see if you're in the area during the grinding season (mid-January to mid-March). During these two months the refinery grinds a literal mountain of sugar cane per day, and it's an impressive sight.

Because the land here is hilly and rocky, the cane must be harvested by hand. Four thousand people are hired to help with harvesting and they bring the cane in as fast as they can, 24 hours a day, six days a week (the mill is closed on Sunday).

The original mill owner's house (there's now a replica, which contains a museum) was built in 1911, the year the refinery opened. The factory makes for interesting sightseeing even if you arrive out of season.

The refinery would like at least 24 hours' notice to receive visitors.

Isla Grande

It would take all the exotic Caribbean clichés ever coined to describe this remote and beautiful island off the Caribbean coast near Portobelo. Only 7 sq km (2.7 sq mi) in size, it's inhabited by 300 people of African descent who make their living from fishing and coconuts.

There are a handful of places to stay on the island and to hire boats, but there are no dive operators or places to rent snorkeling equipment. Visitors are often attracted by local festivities, which include San Juan Bautista on June 24, celebrated with canoe and swimming races; Virgen del Carmen (July 16) marked by a land and sea procession; and Carnaval, before Ash Wednesday, feted with Calypso dancing and songs.

Panama Canal

The Canal is both an engineering marvel and one of the most significant waterways on the planet. Seeing a huge ship nudge its way through the narrow canal with vast tracts of virgin jungle on both sides is truly an unforgettable sight. As impressive as it is now, an ambitious expansion plan is set to completely transform the the canal.

Stretching 80km (49mi) from Panama City on the Pacific coast to Colón on the Atlantic coast, the Canal provides passage for nearly 14,000 ocean-going vessels per year. The easiest and best way to visit the canal is to go to the Miraflores Locks, on the northeastern fringe of Panama City, where a platform offers visitors a good view of the locks in operation. Although it's difficult to thumb a ride on an ocean-going vessel, there is no shortage of pricey tours and cruises that allow you to transit the canal - the entire journey takes an average of nine hours.

Pre-Departure Information

When to go?

The best time to visit Panama really depends on what you plan to do. If you intend to spend most of your time on the Pacific side, try December or January, when there's generally little rain and the weather is pleasant. If you're doing any serious hiking, this is also the most comfortable time to do it; the Darién Gap can be crossed only at this time. Bear in mind, however, that hotel prices and airfares are generally higher in the dry season (mid-December to mid-April). For planning purposes, be aware that Panama's mountains can get very cold at night; be sure to bring warm clothing.

Some of Panama's colorful festivals draw large crowds. If you like to party, try to be in Panama City or Las Tablas for Carnaval, held each year on the weekend before Ash Wednesday. Hotel reservations during Carnaval are a must and should be made well in advance.

Travel Visa Overview

British, German and Swiss citizens, among others, need only a passport to enter Panama; people from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, USA, Venezuela and some other countries need a tourist visa or tourist card as well. Contact an embassy or consulate for current details.

Electricity

120V

60Hz

Electrical Plugs

American-style plug with two parallel flat blades above a circular grounding pin

Japanese-style plug with two parallel flat blades

Health Information

Malaria

If you are travelling in endemic areas it is extremely important to avoid mosquito bites and to take tablets to prevent this disease. Symptoms range from fever, chills and sweating, headache, diarrhoea and abdominal pains to a vague feeling of ill-health. Seek medical help immediately if malaria is suspected. Without treatment malaria can rapidly become more serious and can be fatal.

If medical care is not available, malaria tablets can be used for treatment. You should seek medical advice, before you travel, on the right medication and dosage for you. If you do contract malaria, be sure to be re-tested for malaria once you return home as you can harbor malaria parasites in your body even if you are symptom free.

Travelers are advised to prevent mosquito bites at all times. The main messages are: wear light-colored clothing; wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts; use mosquito repellents containing the compound DEET on exposed areas (prolonged overuse of DEET may be harmful, especially to children, but its use is considered preferable to being bitten by disease-transmitting mosquitoes); avoid perfumes and aftershave; use a mosquito net impregnated with mosquito repellent (permethrin) - it may be worth taking your own. Impregnating clothes with permethrin effectively deters mosquitoes and other insects.

Rabies

This is a fatal viral infection. Many animals can be infected (such as dogs, cats, bats and monkeys) and it's their saliva that is infectious. Any bite, scratch or even lick from a warm-blooded, furry animal should be cleaned immediately and thoroughly. Scrub with soap and running water, and then apply alcohol or iodine solution. Medical help should be sought promptly to receive a course of injections to prevent the onset of symptoms and death.

Yellow fever

Yellow fever is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. There is an effective vaccine against yellow fever, so if you have been immunised, you can basically rule this disease out. Symptoms of yellow fever range from a mild fever which resolves over a few days to more serious forms with fever, headache, muscle pains, abdominal pain and vomiting. This can progress to bleeding, shock and liver and kidney failure. The liver failure causes jaundice, or yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes - hence the name. There's no specific treatment but you should seek medical help urgently if you think you have yellow fever.

Hantavirus

A rapidly progressive viral infection, hantavirus typically leads to respiratory failure and is frequently fatal. The disease is acquired by exposure to the excretions of wild rodents. Most cases occur in those who live in rodent-infested dwellings in rural areas. An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome was recently reported from Los Santos province.

Dengue fever

Unlike the malaria mosquito, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the dengue virus, is most active during the day, and is found mainly in urban areas, in and around human dwellings.

Signs and symptoms of dengue fever include a sudden onset of high fever, headache, joint and muscle pains, nausea and vomiting. A rash of small red spots sometimes appears three to four days after the onset of fever. Severe complications do sometimes occur. You should seek medical attention as soon as possible if you think you may be infected. A blood test can indicate the possibility of the fever. There is no specific treatment. Aspirin should be avoided, as it increases the risk of haemorrhaging. There is no vaccine against dengue fever.

Weather Information

Panama has two distinct seasons. The dry season lasts from mid-December to mid-April while the rainy season goes from mid-April to December. North of the mountains, on the Caribbean side of Panama, it rains all year round. However, it tends to rain less in February, March, September and October than it does the rest of the year. Temperatures are typically hot in the lowlands throughout the year - days usually reach around 32°C (90°F) and only drop to an average of 22°C (72°F). During the rainy season the humidity makes the heat even harder to endure. Mountain temperatures are much cooler, ranging from 10-18°C (50-64°F) in a day, and they too vary little throughout the year.

History and Culture

Pre-20th Centure History

The earliest known inhabitants of Panama were the Cuevas and the Coclé, who were decimated by disease and the sword when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. After several forays along the country's Caribbean shore, the Spanish established a settlement, Nombre de Dios, at the mouth of the Río Chagres on the Caribbean coast in 1510. Panama's Pacific coast later became the springboard for invasions of Peru, and the wealth generated by these incursions was carried overland from the Pacific port of Panama (City) to Nombre de Dios. The transport of wealth attracted pirates, and by the 18th century the Caribbean was so dangerous that Spanish ships began bypassing Panama and sailing directly from Peru around Cape Horn to reach Europe.

In the years to follow, Panama went into decline, becoming a province of Colombia when the South American nation received its independence in 1821. In 1846, Colombia signed a treaty permitting the USA to construct a railway across the isthmus and to defend it with military force. The idea of a canal across the isthmus had been broached even in the 16th century, but a French attempt to build one in 1880 resulted in the deaths of 22,000 workers from malaria and yellow fever, and bankruptcy for everyone involved. However, a Frenchman who stood to gain handsomely from a US buyout of the French rights to build a canal was named 'envoy extraordinary' by Washington, and he negotiated and signed a canal treaty with the USA, despite the objections of the Colombian government. The financial and strategic interests of the US momentarily coincided with the sentiments of Panama's revolutionaries, and a revolutionary junta declared Panama independent on November 3, 1903, with the overt support of the USA.

Modern History

The canal treaty granted the USA rights in perpetuity over land on both sides of the canal and a broad right of intervention in Panamanian affairs. The treaty led to friction between the two countries for decades. The USA began to build the canal again in 1904, and 10 years later the first ship negotiated the engineering marvel. The US intervened in Panama's affairs repeatedly up until 1936, when it relinquished its right to use troops outside the Canal Zone. A new treaty was signed in 1977. Panama formally regained control of the canal in 1999.

In 1984, General Manuel Noriega took control of the country. A former head of Panama's secret police and a CIA operative, Noriega became a demagogic bogeyman, murdering political opponents, squashing democracy, trafficking drugs and laundering money. When the winning candidate of the 1989 presidential election was beaten to a pulp on national TV and the election declared null and void, Noriega's regime became an international embarrassment. Noriega appointed himself head of government and announced that Panama was at war with the USA. The following day an unarmed US soldier dressed in civilian clothes was killed by Panamanian soldiers; the Panamanians claimed that he was armed and had shot and injured three civilians before running a roadblock.

The US called in 26,000 troops for 'Operation Just Cause', which was intended to bring Noriega to justice and create a democracy better suited to US interests; it left more than 2000 civilians dead and thousands homeless. Noriega escaped capture by claiming asylum in the Vatican embassy; he was captured a few days later, sent to the US and convicted of money laundering.

The legitimate winner of the 1989 presidential election, Guillermo Endara, was sworn in as president. In 1994 Ernesto Pérez Balladares took office. Under his direction, the government implemented a program of privatisation and focused on infrastructure improvements, health care and education. In 1999 Mireya Moscoso, Panama's first female leader and head of the conservative Arnulfista Party (PA), took office.

Recent History

In 2000 Moscoso set up an investigation of state crimes committed between 1968 and 1989 and in 2002 set up another investigation, this time looking into government graft. She nevertheless lost the presidential election in May 2004, and was replaced by Martin Torrijos.

In October 2006, Panamanians voted in a referendum to expand the Panama Canal. The ambitious job-creating project started in September 2007, and will see the canal's system of channels and locks widened and improved to make it suitable for modern supertankers and to cut waiting times. The hefty multi-billion dollar construction bill is expected to be funded by an increase in canal tolls and foreign investment.