Types of Visas to Travel into Panama
By plane
International flights arrive at Tocumen International Airport (PTY), which lies about 20 miles east of Panama City (from all countries) or David Airport (from Costa Rica in AirPanama. Local travelers and tourists can also fly in and out of Bocas del Toro via Costa Rica.
From Tocumen Airport, you will have to taxi, bus, or rent a car to get to the city. Airport taxis use set rates, and can be shared the transportation. There are a couple of hotels near the airport where you can spend the night (i.e. Riande Aeropuerto Hotel & Resort)
You can catch a bus to the downtown of the city for 0.25 cents. Just walk towards the highway and cross the street towards the bus shelter.
Many of the remote interior regions of the country are best accessed by private plane, although a combination of hiking and canoeing can get you to most places, too.
By car
From Costa Rica: You can drive across at Paso Canoas (Pacific side) which closes at 11PM (Panama side) or 10PM (Costa Rica side), but be aware that it is one of the busiest border crossings in Central America. It is very easy to accidentally drive across the border without realizing it.
There are also road crossings at Rio Sereno (Pacific side) and Sixaola/Guabito (Atlantic side). The Rio Sereno crossing sees very little traffic, so make sure all your papers are in order, as police can be very strict.
From Colombia: Be aware: there are no roads at all connecting the 2 countries.
You will not be allowed to leave the country without your car (i.e. change your mind, abandon the car, and fly home) without getting a stamp on your passport proving that you have paid the proper taxes on your vehicle.
If you have car trouble in Panama, you will find dealers with service departments for almost all of the major car manufacturers from the USA, Europe and Japan. Most of them require appointments to service your car. Most of the service personnel in all of the car dealers are manufacturer certify. If you need car repairs and do not want to go to a dealer to save some money or you have an emergency repair, you can find good independent mechanic services/shops in all of the major cities by looking in the yellow pages, in addition to towing services.
If you need parts for your vehicle, you can find a great number of stores for all major car manufacturers in the yellow pages too.
By bus
You can't cross from Panama to Colombia by bus. The Darien Gap begins at Yaviza, where the Interamericana runs out.
If you're coming in from Costa Rica, however, things will be a bit easier. There are three possible entry points, the main one being Paso Canoas closing at 11PM (Panama time) or 10PM (Costa Rica time). Panaline and Ticabus can get you straight from San Jose, Costa Rica to David or Panama City. The trip from San Jose is quite cheap, but takes about 18 hours. If you want to see things in between, you can also go by local buses, although the trip will take much longer.
Keep in mind that Panamanian law requires you to have a return ticket to get into Panama. The border guard may not check, but you never know. The return ticket has to originate from within Panama. If you run into this problem, you can always buy a return ticket from the bus driver.
By boat
Many cruise lines have the Panama Canal on their itineraries. You can make tours on Panama City or Colon City and take part in many packages. Recommendation is to take the Panama Canal Railway from Panama to Colon or vice versa. This train goes back since 1855 and it was the first interoceanic train in the American Continent. It has been rebuilt recently and it has very nice carts.
It is possible to arrange for passage on banana boats traveling from Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela, but such passage is recommended only for the truly adventurous, as the boats are often structurally unsound, terribly over-burdened, and are very likely to be smuggling drugs as well.
Private sailboats also provide service between Panama and Cartagena in Colombia. Fare can vary from US$400-500, and the trip takes usually four nights/five days including a 2 days stopover in San Blas Islands (Carti Islands). The best way to find a boat is to ask around in hostels in Panama City or Portobelo popular with backpackers.
The cheapest way to reach Panama by boat from Colombia is by ferry from Turbo to Capurganá (COP$ 55,000, daily around 8AM) and by small boat from Capurganá to Puerto Obaldia (COP$ 25,000, daily around 7AM). From there by plane to Panama City (USD 95) or by boat to Colon and Carti Islands (USD neg).
On foot
It is possible to hike across the Darien Gap from Colombia with the help of trained guides, but this route is generally considered one of the most dangerous in the world. A large percentage of attempts have ended with the trekkers dead as victims of the Colombian guerrillas and paramilitaries or the oppressive jungle environment, which is considered the densest and most difficult to breach in the world. Despite the bravado-filled tales of backpackers who will try to convince you that real travelers aren't afraid to cross the Gap, it really is a very dangerous trip.
The guidebook "Getting to Know Panama," by Michele Labrut, gives the following advice for surviving in the Darien.
Do not go naked into thewater, some very undesirable protozoans can get into you. Do not drink untreated water. Never stray from the group, you can easily lose your bearings and get lost. If this happens, stay right where you are, do not panic. Shout or scream at intervals.
It must be noted, however, that the rest of Panama has delicious, drinkable water.
Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Panama
