Can You Afford A Trip To Panama?
(bobbyrica.com) How much do you need to shell out to get you that trip to Panama? Not much, I can tell you that. The lowest budget I had when I came to Panama, I only had $150 in my pocket. But mind you, I was a guest and that I had been driven around the best places with my gracious host. I asked him if it’s ok to mention his name here but he’s too chicken.Back to the topic at hand, Panama can be a haven for budget travelers. A penny-pincher can find a room for a rock bottom $5 to $10 a night. Forget ambience. Forget mini-bar. You’re just there to spend the night. And if you’re wise enough to eat where the locals eat, you can stuff your face with delicious food not less than $3 per meal.But since I don’t expect you to eat below the poverty line (because why bother), you’d want to go to places a notch higher. Hotel rooms may not be as cheap here as you may expect in a Third World Country like Panama. The prices are usually for those with mid- to high- end wallets. Expect to pay $75 to $100/day for a decent double room.Amazingly enough, I have discovered that there are better accommodations in Panama City for couples for under $100/day. And should you want to splurge, a $250/day hotel budget for a couple in Panama generally has more mileage than you can expect to afford in the US. Believe me, I looked it up!The nice thing here is even though things are not super cheap, prices don’t skyrocket. That’s the same story in the countryside. The good hotels usually charge more than $80 to $140/day per couple. This is partly due to the shortage of good accommodations. But that doesn’t mean that you can find a place with a great view and still pay cheaper than you’re used to. You’ll surprise yourself how even the luxurious-looking spots doesn’t necessarily command a hefty price tag.When it comes to eating, dining in Panama City would set you off the same way you’d eat in the States. A meal allowance of $20/day/person would be enough. And you’re already eating like royalty. But when eating outside the city, I will be amazed if you pay more than $10 for a full dinner. And there are plenty more quite decent places that offer foor for less. Hell, I lived like a king going from Panama, Bocas, and to other places living on $80/day!When it comes to reigning in your commute expenses, traveling within Panama is generally inexpensive. The more expensive round-trip airfare from Panama City to the distant regions usually $300. Another option would be to travel by air-conditioned bus. You can wander off anywhere from Panama City. I have to make special mention though that traveling to the Darien is not cheap. Package deals including all meals and transportation to the most remote parts of the Darien sets you back $600 tomore than $1300 per person to your travel budget for a multi-day trip. But if you can possibly afford it, Darien would be the highlight of your itinerary. As I will show you in the following days, Darien is another piece of tropical paradise.Advance purchase round-trip airfare between Miami, the most popular US gateway city, and Panama City is usually go around $350. See if you can bring down the price.
