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I was there for 2 weeks and my #1 recommendation is move to David rather than Panama City. A lot cheaper, less noisier, less construction, no highrises near the city area at least.
Here's some tips and pros and cons:
- Tap water drinkable but it has to be cooled first and it tastes weird.
- Address system is crappy but the taxi system is still decent and definitely cheap.
- Practically no-one there speaks English. Especially not outside Panama City and even there you have to speak Spanish to be able to talk to anyone.
- An absolute shit load of ads on tv, not very useful and all they seem to listen to there is rap.
+ In David, $4 - $5 will get you a Filet Mignon at a decent restaurant, more expensive in Panama City though.
- Government officials, including the police, can be bribed for $20 - $30. In most cases.
- The banks there are bureucratic and not very trustworthy.
+ People seem friendly and it seemed safe everywhere I went, even in the slums (there during daytime only though).
+ Very cheap to hire someone to do something here.
+ Very low taxes
- short distance buses are absolutely terrible quality but long distance ones are good.
- Hard to find anything to rent there except with gringo prices, everything is for sale.
- Most people there are idiots.
- Most girls are fat but they have better looking faces generally.
- Lots of stray cats/dogs and beggars.
+ The police are actually nice to tourists generally.
- The streets will flood and be unpassable while raining and practically the only thing you can do while raining is watch the rain, the noise is so loud.
+ 200 km by bus costs about $5
+ $30 per 30 minutes in whorehouses.
+ HQ hospitals
- trash everywhere.
- post system is a piece of shit. No mail delivered to normal homes for example.
I also may be moving there so if anyone else can tell me if that border hopping in and out of Costa Rica works reliably, let me know.
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