A backpacking travel guide to Panama !

<body onload="dynAnimation()"> <h1 align="center"> <font color="#000000"> A backpacking travel guide to Panama !</font></h1> <h2 align="center"><font color="#000000">Passplanet is a free practical travel guide that offers the latest backpacking information about Panama : budget accommodation, itineraries, visa, tips, surveys, photos, essay,… 5 places covered !</font></h2> <p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" height="152"> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><img border="0" src="images/web.gif" alt="Backpacking Panama" width="15" height="15"></td> <td height="26"><p align="center" dynamicanimation="fpAnimelasticBottomFP1" id="fpAnimelasticBottomFP1" style="position: relative !important; visibility: hidden" language="Javascript1.2"><b><font size="5">Panama</font><i><font size="3" face="Arial"><br> Crossroads of the World</font></i></b></td> <td width="34%" align="center" height="25"><img border="0" src="images/web.gif" alt="The backpacking travel guide to Panama" width="15" height="15"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><b><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial" size="3">About Backpacking</font></b></td> <td height="150" align="center" rowspan="6"></td> <td width="34%" align="center" height="25"><font color="#FF0000" face="Arial" size="3"><b>About <i>Panama</i></b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial">Central America</font></b><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial"> Presentation</font></b></td> <td align="center"><font size="2" face="Arial"><b><a href="frame_why_go.htm" target="_top" dynamicanimation="fpAnimformatRolloverFP1" fprolloverstyle="font-style: italic" onmouseover="rollIn(this)" onmouseout="rollOut(this)" language="Javascript1.2"><font color="#FF0000">Why go to Panama ?</font></a></b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><b><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial" size="2">Backpacking Forum</font></b></td> <td align="center"><font size="2" face="Arial"><b><a href="frame_how_to_go.htm" target="_top" dynamicanimation="fpAnimformatRolloverFP1" fprolloverstyle="font-style: italic" onmouseover="rollIn(this)" onmouseout="rollOut(this)" language="Javascript1.2"><font color="#FF0000">How to go to Panama ?</font></a></b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial">Participate !</font></b></td> <td align="center"><b><a href="frame_where_go.htm" target="_top" dynamicanimation="fpAnimformatRolloverFP1" fprolloverstyle="font-style: italic" onmouseover="rollIn(this)" onmouseout="rollOut(this)" language="Javascript1.2"><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#FF0000">Where to go in Panama ?</font></a></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" height="26"><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial">Buy Guidebook about Central America</font></b></td> <td align="center"><font size="2" face="Arial"><b><a href="frame_travel_tips.htm" target="_top" dynamicanimation="fpAnimformatRolloverFP1" fprolloverstyle="font-style: italic" onmouseover="rollIn(this)" onmouseout="rollOut(this)" language="Javascript1.2"><font color="#FF0000">Travel Tips for Panama</font></a></b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" height="26"><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial">Links to travel guide</font></b></td> <td align="center" height="26"><b><font color="#FF0000" size="2" face="Arial">Backpackers' Contributors</font></b></td> </tr> </table> <p align="center"><font size="2" face="Arial"><b><a href="border.htm" target="_top">GUABITO (BORDER)</a><a href="bocas_del_toro.htm" target="_top"><br> BOCAS DEL TORO</a><a href="boquete.htm" target="_top"><br> BOQUETE</a><a href="panama_city.htm" target="_top"><br> PANAMA CITY</a><a href="airport.htm" target="_top"><br> AIRPORT</a></b></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><b><i><font color="#FF0000" size="3">Free as a backpacker ! </font></i></b></p> <p align="left"><font face="Arial">You will find in this <b> free travel guide</b> lots of tips and <b> most of the budget info</b> you need to prepare your trip to Panama on a shoestring ("before"), live your backpacking adventure in the best conditions ("during") and share your experience with other backpackers ("after") plus a photos gallery, a backpacking forum, surveys on the localities in Panama (backpacker 's ratings), travelogues, an essay in French, <b> links to other travel guidebook</b> on Panama or related budget information etc. All in one convenient stop ! Go for it : <b> backpack Panama (Lao) with pass planet !</b><br> <br> If you know what you are looking for in Panama, use the Search Form to find backpacking info. Otherwise, have a look at the backpacker's Index or <b> let Passplanet be your free guidebook to Panama</b><br> <br> <b>The original features of this free backpacking travel guide to Panama include :<br> </b><br> - Budget & practical travel information about chinese localities only.<br> - Ratings of the localities by the backpackers themselves : more than 40 localities precisely covered in Panama<br> - What to do there & what you may not like while you backpack Panama<br> - The cheapest budget accommodations (guesthouse or hostel on a shoestring ) for backpackers<br> - The various transportations' options for easy backpacking<br> - Travel information on how to save money<br> - Lots of backpacker's photos in special sections<br> - A guidebook with frequent updates<br> <br> But Passplanet will, hopefully, be more than a free backpacking travel guide to Panama & Central America. My ambition is to make it a place where backpackers can freely exchange the latest info from "on the road" of the Central American countries and communicate with each others. In the world of backpacking, information indeed changes with the blowing of the winds. But while a guidebook is out of date by the time it reaches the shelves, a web site can be updated daily. <b> Pass planet will strive to keep the budget information about Panama warm !</b>  <br> <br> But to achieve the above, we need your help & support. Passplanet is not supposed to be a single backpacker's journey and travel guide. There are too many trips ahead. Panama, Central America and the world are too vast to be covered by one individual. Let's share ! <b> Everyone is welcome to join the backpacking adventure and submit travel information ! </b> Passplanet is looking for new backpackers, budget writers, partners and ideas on a shoestring. And Passplanet also counts on you for its promotion. If you find it useful, please give the direction to other backpackers. <b> The more traffic, the more updated info in the future to backpack Panama !</b> <br> <br> Passplanet is also a place of exchange related to Panama. Beside all the forms which allow you to share your budget info about Central American countries, experiences about a place, Passplanet also hosts a forum and a links section to other travel guide. You are welcome to submit your own travel web site in the latter and benefit from Passplanet's growing popularity in the world of backpacking on a shoestring. </font> </p> <p align="left"><font face="Arial"> <br> <b>Together, let's keep Passplanet as free & independent as a backpacker</b> so more and more people can use this free travel guide to backpack Panama !<br> <br> I wish you a good backpacking experience, on the site and around Panama !<br> <br> <b>Ben.<br> </b>Founder. </font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><b><font color="#0000FF">@ @ @ Panama </font></b><font color="#0000FF">@ @ @</font></font> <p align="center"><b><i><font size="3" face="Arial">Crossroads of the World</font></i></b></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2"><font color="#3366FF"><b>>> Description of Panama ?</b>  </font>Panama is a world of contrasts, a connection between the Americas, a synthesis between modernism & tradition, Indians & bankers in traditional costumes, natural retreats & shopping centers.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2"><font color="#3366FF"><b>>> Why go to Panama ?</b>  </font>Admire the triumph of men ingenuity at the Panama Canal / Shop to save or save to shop / Meet colorful Indians, either in or outside of their natural habitat / Get away from the tourist crowd / Discover sandy or underwater paradises /  Breathe fresh air and cool down in the mountains </font></p> <p><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">>> Drawbacks of </font></b> <font color="#3366FF"><b>Panama </b></font><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">?</font></b> <font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">  </font><font size="2" face="Arial">The slightly higher cost of accomodation / The ridiculous cost of some resorts near Panama City / The airport's related costs (taxi or departure tax) / The safety issues in the cities / The lack of safe land connection with South America / The obvious exploitation & misery of the Indians in some parts of Panama / </font></p> <p><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">>> Cultural Highlights of </font></b> <font color="#3366FF"><b>Panama </b></font><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">?</font></b> <font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">  </font><font size="2" face="Arial">Watching a huge vessel as it passes the locks from one ocean to the other / The charming colonial San Felipe district, a UNESCO world heritage site / The traditions & authenticity of the Kuna people in Eastern Panama</font></p> <p><font color="#3366FF" face="Arial" size="2"><b>>> Natural Highlights of Panama ?  </b></font><font face="Arial" size="2">The white sand, blue water & multi-colored coral reefs of Bocas Del Toro Archipelago / The fresh air, wild torrent, coffee plantations, amazing gardens and volcano of Boquete area / The wilderness of San Blas Archipelago of Panama / The many surf spots</font></p> <p><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">>> How long in </font></b> <font color="#3366FF"><b>Panama </b></font><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">?</font></b> <font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">  </font><font size="2" face="Arial">One week for the central parts (minimum requirement), one week for the San Blas adventure and one week for additional discoveries of Panama ?</font></p> <p><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">>> Budget for </font></b> <font color="#3366FF"><b>Panama </b></font><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">?</font></b> <font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">  </font><font size="2" face="Arial">$15 per day or less if eating in basic comida.</font></p> <p><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">>> Visa for </font></b> <font color="#3366FF"><b>Panama </b></font><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">?</font></b> <font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">  </font><font size="2" face="Arial">Necessary for a few Anglo-Saxon nationalities in theory but usually suppressed in practice </font></p> <p><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">>> When to go to </font></b><font color="#3366FF"><b>Panama </b></font><b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial">?</font></b><font color="#3366FF" size="2" face="Arial"> </font><font face="Arial" size="2"><font color="#3366FF"> </font>Outside of the busy season between December & April. Panama is not too affected yet by tourism (except maybe Bocas del Toro) but Costa Rica is...</font></p> <p align="left">  </p> <p align="center"> <b><font color="#000000" face="Arial" size="1"><a href="../welc/index.htm" target="_top">HOME</a> - Central America - Guatemala - Honduras - Nicaragua - Costa Rica - Panama </font></b> <h2 align="center"><font face="Arial"><b><font color="#993300">Passplanet : a backpacking travel guide to Panama ! </font></b></font> </h2> </body>