Get around
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==Get in==
==Get in==
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* From [[David (Panama)|David]]: there are several refurbished school buses leaving roughly every 45 minutes until 9:
45PM
. Travel time is
around
1 hour and cost is $1.75 which you pay when getting off. Look for the school buses with the biggest line and a big "Boquete" sign painted across the top front.
+
* From [[David (Panama)|David]]: there are several refurbished school buses leaving roughly every 45 minutes until 9:
45 PM
. Travel time is
a little over
1 hour and cost is $1.75 which you pay when getting off. Look for the
old USA
school buses with the biggest line and a big "Boquete" sign painted across the top front.
−
* From [[San Jose (Costa Rica)|San Jose]] in Costa Rica: there is one morning bus leaving from the Tracopa terminal at 7:30AM ($
15–20
). It takes about
9
hours to get to David. From David see above.
+
* From [[San Jose (Costa Rica)|San Jose]] in Costa Rica: there is one morning bus leaving from the Tracopa terminal at 7:30AM ($
21
). It takes about
8
hours to get to David
, including the Costa Rica-Panama border crossing, and arrives at the David Bus Terminal. Panama immigration officers can be strict, and tourists must often provide proof of onward ticket out of Panama, at least $500 cash or bank statements, and credit cards
. From David see above.
−
* From [[Panama City]] : AirPanama [http://www.
airpanama
.com/] has daily flights to David. The flight takes about 50 minutes, prices range from $
118.00 each way.
(
A
discount
of
25%
will apply
after you have received your permanent pensionado visa)
.
+
* From [[Panama City]]
by airplane
: AirPanama [http://www.
flyairpanama
.com/] has daily flights
from the Albrook Domestic Airport in Panama City
to
the
David
Airport
. The flight takes about
40-
50 minutes, prices range from $
100
(
retired
discount
)
to
$150
each
way
.
−
* There are regular buses from the Albrook
bus
terminal
, run by at least three companies (Panafrom, Padafront, and Terminales David); between them, there is a bus leaving about every hour. Daytime fares (as of February 2011) are $15.00; there are also nighttime express buses for $18.50. It is an air conditioned bus and gets very very cold. The bus makes one
20-
30
minute meal stop in Santiago. It takes roughly
seven
hours to get there.
+
*
From [[Panama City]] by bus:
There are regular buses from the Albrook
Bus
Terminal
, run by at least three companies (Panafrom, Padafront, and Terminales David); between them, there is a bus leaving about every hour. Daytime fares (as of February 2011) are $15.00; there are also nighttime express buses for $18.50. It is an air conditioned bus and gets very very cold. The bus makes one 30
-
minute meal
and bathroom
stop in Santiago
, halfway in between Panama City and David
. It takes roughly
eight
hours to get there
, as there is construction on the Pan-American Highway between Santiago and David as they are widening it to 4 lanes
.
Construction can sometimes delay traffic.
−
* There is a
once
-daily, $35 shuttle between Bocas del Toro and Boquete
3:30–4
hours
(
as well as several daily buses between David and Bocas, which are cheaper but take quite a bit longer
5–6
hours
)
. Call or e-mail tour operators in Boquete for details.
+
*
From [[Bocas del Toro]]:
There is a
twice
-daily, $
30-
35
private
shuttle
(including water taxi to Almirante)
between Bocas del Toro and Boquete
4
hours
,
as well as several daily
public
buses between David and Bocas, which are cheaper but take quite a bit longer
5-6
hours. Call or e-mail tour operators in Boquete for details.
==Get around==
==Get around==
−
Boquete is a very cozy mountain village so you won't have problems exploring the city on foot. For the surroundings you can
either
use taxi (one dollar brings you quite far) or the local area buses which leave from the La Bruna Super Market 200 meters up the main road from the bus stop. There are also many tour companies that offer guided trips through the mountains to see waterfalls, coffee plantations, the cloud forest, and the National Park.
+
Boquete is a very cozy mountain village so you won't have problems exploring the city on foot.
The central plaza, in the middle of town on Main Street, is where the David-Boquete bus drops off incoming visitors and locals.
For
the smell and feel of the area there are scooter rentals at $25.0US for 4 hours as your means of transportation. In
the surroundings you can
also
use taxi (one dollar brings you quite far) or the local area
vans/
buses which leave from the La Bruna Super Market 200 meters up the main road from the bus stop
. Each local van/bus has written on the front window the areas that they cover, which are normally large loops up in the mountains in areas of Bajo Mono, Alto Quiel, Arco Iris, or Volcancito
. There are also many tour companies that offer guided trips through the mountains to see waterfalls, coffee plantations, the cloud forest
, white water rafting
, and the
Volcan Baru
National Park.
But if you want to rent a car and explore the area around Boquete, a four wheel drive may be safer, because the mountain roads do get washed out. Also be aware that there are no safe shoulders and no place for pedestrians to walk but the highway, so take caution traveling at night.
−
For
more extensive
information, there is the [http://
boquetevisitorcenter
.
com
Boquete
Visitor
Center]
located
in
downtown.
This
place
among
several
of
the
hostels
offers
free
,
up-
to
-date,
reliable
info
on
tours
,
restaurants,
accommodations
and
transportation
.
Their
phone
number
from
within
US
is
786-207-0727
,
from
Panama
507-720-2545
.
+
For
some
information, there is the [http://
www
.
atp.gob.pa/
Official
Authority
of
Tourism,
Panama
(ATP)]
located
a
few
minutes
drive up
the
road
back
towards David
,
next
to
the
Kotowa
Coffee
Shop
,
not
in
downtown
Boquete
.
They
have
a
small
museum
including
some
old photos of Boquete
,
as
well
as a beautiful view of the valley of Boquete
.
+
+
There are only a few Authority of Tourism Panama (ATP) licensed official tour operators in Boquete, and it is highly recommended to book with one of them as they are licensed, insured, properly trained, and government-certified, with the safest and most experienced guides. The companies that are ATP licensed include, but not limited to: [http://boqueteoutdooradventures.com Boquete Outdoor Adventures], [http://www.boquetetreetrek.com/home.php Boquete Tree Trek], and [http://exploraya.com/ Explora Ya].
==See==
==See==