Why Panama
Safety

Let’s start with the safety issue to get that out of way. Panama is as safe as Costa Rica, possibly safer. Like any big city environment, you have to use your common sense when it comes to safekeeping your valuables and doing things you wouldn’t do a home.

We don’t have statistics on Panama but, especially when you’ve been in Costa Rica, you remember that most people have fenced of their property – and their carport – with bars and fences. That’s not the case in Panama. Now, it may not mean it’s safer but at the very least it indicates people feel safer and/or have more trust in the police doing their work. From our own experience we know that the popular spots in town are totally safe – also at night – and, not because we say so but because the Panamians themselves tell us.

Areas like the Amador Causeway are very popular amongst Panamanians around the week to go jogging. The Casco Antiguo – Panama’s colonial city – a fascinating place to visit has excellent security and very friendly police. The beautiful Avenida Balboa, along the cities is safe to stroll

More telling is that according to a recent report by the American-Panamanian Chamber of Tourism, crime statistics were actually down. Way to go Panama!

If you are a woman traveling alone you will appreciate that probably due to the large expat community in Panama you will seldom be bothered by typical Latino macho behaviour common in some other countries in this part of the world.