Visa/Entry

Required documents

​Travelers, including minors, need a passport valid for at least 3 months at the time of entry.
Travelers must be able to prove their re-entry (return flight or onward travel ticket) and sufficient funds (500 USD or dollars or credit cards) for the stay.

 

Entry without visa

No visa is required for entry.  In principle, it is possible to get a residence permit of up to 90 days. However, the duration is tied to the duration of the Temporary Import Permit, which was 30 days in our case. The import of the vehicle has to be done before the personal entry.

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Vehicle Documents

Driver's License

Austrian driving licenses are recognized, for renting a vehicle an International Driving License (available at ÖAMTC) is additionally recommended.

 

Vehicle Importation

With the valid insurance you get a Temporary Import Permit which is registered in the system under presentation of the passport and the vehicle registration document. For the presentation at the authorities you get a printout of it.

 

Car insurance

Before the issuance of a Temporary Import Permit, you must purchase insurance for your vehicle. This can be purchased at various insurance agencies, which have offices at the border crossings. We paid 25$ per motorcycle for 30 days.

 

Camping

• Wild camping is basically possible in Guatemala, if you have no safety concerns.
  There are no pure campgrounds here, but many Finkas/Loges offer besides rooms and cabins also the possibility to camp.

 

Road network

The road network of Panama has a length of about 11,600 km, of which about 4,000 km are asphalted.
The main connecting roads in the north-south direction are the Transístmica, which leads from Panama City to Colón. In the west-east direction, the Panamericana runs from the Costa Rican border across Panama and ends about 100 km before the Colombian border. There are no road connections to Colombia.

Gas stations: Sufficient gas stations are available along the main connecting roads. In rural areas, travelers should always take advantage of fueling opportunities as they arise.
Panama's roads are well developed for the conditions in the region. The main roads are paved and easily passable. The rest of the road network, however, consists mainly of sand and gravel roads, which are often flooded during heavy rain and can then at best only be used by four-wheel drive vehicles.

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Sim cards

Cell phone network is well developed. Sim cards are already available at the border for tourists.

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Security

Security level varies by area. Increased crime directed against individuals is to be expected. 
Basically, we felt safe everywhere. 
However, general precautions are to be strictly observed.

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WLan

WiFi is available throughout the country. However, depending on the region, it is often extremely slow. 
Besides hotels, there is acceptable internet in many cafes and restaurants.

 

Spare parts

Spare parts and workshops can be found in Panama City for virtually all European brands. Smaller repairs can also be carried out in other cities. Prices for spare parts are sometimes significantly higher than in Europe.

 

Cost of living

Cost of living in Panama is cheaper than in Europe in terms of services and accommodation. Branded goods or even spare parts are often more expensive than in Europe.

 

Miscellaneous

Payment by credit card is not possible everywhere. Cash is still king, especially in smaller stores.