Travel Information

Flight Scheduling
All guests should book flights in Panama City, Tocumen Airport, Republic of Panama.
Within Panama, Coiba Adventure will provide flights, transfers & hotel.

Delays En Route
If you are forced to change your travel plans while en route to Panama City, you can contact a Coiba Adventure representative at the telephone numbers listed under Emergency Telephone Numbers. In general, you do not have to report flight delays when on the Panama City leg, our representatives will be in contact with the airlines and will be aware of flight time changes. If you are forced to change flights, please call one of he numbers listed below to report your new itinerary.

Required Documents
A valid passport is required for entry into Panama. In the event your passport is lost immediately prior to your trip, Panama's policies will normally allow US citizens entry with an original birth certificate accompanied with a current driver's license.

Customs & Immigration
You will arrive in Panama's international airport. As soon as you disembark the plane, you will be met by our staff and escorted to a VIP lounge, the "Royal Saloon". You may relax in this comfortably appointed lounge and sip complimentary cocktail while our staff processes your passport and luggage through immigration and customs. Your luggage will then be loaded into our airplane by our staff. If you are required to stay overnight in Panama City, our staff will drive you to your hotel.

Itinerary
All trips begin and end on Saturdays.

Plan to arrive into Panama City Saturday afternoon on the American Airlines flight arriving from Miami at around 1:50 PM.

Our airplane will be waiting for you when you arrive in Panama City Airport. Our English-speaking pilot will meet you in the Royal Saloon and will walk you to the plane. You will then fly directly to Isla Coiba. The flight takes about 50 minutes. When you land at Isla Coiba Tom will greet you on the airstrip and take you to the boat, which will be waiting nearby.

The following six days you will be spent fishing and adventuring around the islands. Departure from Coiba will be on the following Saturday at 3:30 PM. Our pilot will return you to the Panama City Tocumen Airport, and back to the Royal Saloon, where you will be met by a hotel van driver from the "Riande Airport Resort Hotel". Your hotel is only a few minutes away.

On Sunday morning the hotel van will bring you back to the Tocumen Royal Saloon lounge, where you may relax while our staff handles your baggage & flight departure requirements.

Panama City

If your still looking for more adventure after a week on Coiba. Saturday night in Panama City awaits you!

Panama City is an international crossroads and business center where you will find people from all over the world. It is Latin America's largest international banking center. It is home to the Panama Canal, former US military bases, and the Colon free zone. Foreigners do not attract much attention.

English is widely spoken by the staffs of hotels & restaurants and among the professional community.

Panama City at night is generally a safe place to enjoy yourself. Police and private security guards are evident most everywhere you are likely to go as a tourist. Panama is very pro tourism and American citizens are especially appreciated. It is highly unlikely you will ever experience an unfriendly encounter, however as in any large city there are some areas you have no business being at after hours. Common sense and discretion should be exercised.

What to wear in Panama City

Panama City, being cosmopolitan as it is, you will want to wear something nice, yet jackets are not required anywhere and ties are usually only worn for business. Men should not wear shorts, especially at night. You can still go anywhere and be comfortable in blue jeans, sneakers & button down shirt.

Restaurants & Night Life in Panama City

If you decide to leave the Riande Airport Resort Hotel and venture out into Saturday night. Start by asking the hotel desk for a taxi. The new toll road into the big city will have you in the thick of things in fewer than 15 minutes.

The bars & nightclubs don't really get going until 11:00 PM and stay open till 4:00 AM. The following are my recommendations:

Restaurants
Siete Mares Seafood Tinajas Panamanian Cuisine Gaucho's Argentine Steak House TGI Fridays American Food El Pavo Real British Pub Food

Pubs & Bars
El Pavo Real Live music, English speaking clientele TGI Fridays Franchise, You know what to expect Showgirls (if you're inclined) Josephine's Elite Large area, best service, friendly atmosphere Josephine's Gold Similar, three stages Le Palace Smaller, one stage, nice ladies, lousy show.

The amount of fun you can have in these sort of places is directly related to the amount of money your willing to part with!

When heading back to the Riande Airport Resort Hotel ask the management or doorman of whatever establishment you are leaving to get you a taxi and have him explain to the driver where you want to go. Don't worry your safe.

All of the establishments noted above are located in nice areas. It may help to have your destinations written down on a piece of paper by the hotel desk to show you taxi drivers. You may want to keep the same driver all night, waiting for you outside where ever you go. In this case, the normal rate is $8 per hour.

Currency
The currency in Panama is the US Dollar. VISA is accepted in all the establishments listed above.

Emergency Telephone Numbers

For flight delays call Tocuman Royal Saloon From US 011-238-4213 ext. 451 In Panama 238-4213 ext. 451

Charter Pilot
Rodolfo Restrepo cell phone 613-3058

Hotel
Riande Airport Resort & Hotel From US 011-507-290-3333 In Panama 290-3333

Capt. Tom on Coiba
From US 011-507-628-0810 In Panama 628-0810

American Embassy
207-7000

Travel Agent
Turista International. Call Vianka
From US 011-507-224-9053
In Panama 224-9053 or 224-9056