Panama FAQ
Tipping
In restaurants if the gratuity is not included in the check, 10-15% is customary. For taxis, drivers do not expect tips.
Electrical
The electrical system is 110v, which is the same electrical system in the United States.
Time Zone
Panama is on Eastern Standard Time (EST), but does not observe daylight savings time.
Cell Phones
Both Cable & Wireless Panama and Telefonica Moviles Panama, S.A. (Movistar) use GSM 850 cell phone frequencies. So as long as you have a GSM phone with GSM 850 you can either pay roaming charges on your current cell phone service provider or you can buy a prepaid SIM card in Panama assuming your cell phone is not locked to a specific network.
Another option is to rent a GSM phone from a local company while you are in Panama, such as Cell Rent Panama.
Telephone Area Code
The area code for Panama is 507. All calls withing Panama are considered local, so you should only dial the 7 digits (8 digits if calling a cell phone). Note that cell phone numbers start with a 6.
The emergency and directory assistance phone numbers are:
- Police 104
- Fire 103
- Ambulance 103
- Directory 102
