Climate and clothing: The climate in Panama City and Colon is tropical, and humidity is high (average 78%, high 98%). Light-weight, summer clothing is necessary year round. Dress is generally informal. The rainy season lasts from May through early December, with the heaviest rains beginning in September. Umbrellas and raincoats are recommended. The dry season usually begins in late December and ends in April.

Entry requirements: U.S. citizens can enter with regular passports or other proof of U.S. citizenship (e.g., birth certificates, naturalization certificate, certificate of citizenship). Either a visa or a tourist card is required; the former may be obtained at the Panamanian Embassy or consulates, while the latter is easily obtainable at the Miami ticket counters of airlines servicing Panama.

Health: Sanitation conditions in Panama City are similar to those in the United States. Good health facilities are available in Panama City but are limited in the rest of the country. No inoculations are required for entry. For those planning to live in Panama or travel outside major cities, the following inoculations are recommended: gamma globulin, typhoid, tetanus, yellow fever, polio, and, for children, usual childhood immunizations.

Telecommunications: The telephone system in Panama City and Colon is good. Long-distance telephone service to the U.S. and other points abroad is good. Panama City is in the eastern standard time zone like Washington, D.C., but does not adopt daylight saving time.

Transportation: Panama is known as puente del mundo--"the crossroads of the world"--and is served by several international airlines and steamship companies. Flight time from Miami to Panama is about 2 1/2 hours. The Inter-American Highway extends from the U.S. to Panama City, but it has not been extended through the thick jungle of the Darien Gap to the Colombian border. Panama City and Colon are connected by both rail and road (Trans-Isthmian Highway); the trip takes 1 1/2 hours. In Panama City, taxis are plentiful and inexpensive. Bus service is fair, although generally crowded. Major car rental agencies have offices in Panama.

Tourist attractions: The canal tours at Miraflores and Gatun Locks; the ruins of Panama Viejo; French Plaza; the Cathedral; San Jose Church with its Golden Altar; the Flat Arch; the Presidential Palace; Santa Ana Church and Plaza; the Balboa Monument; the Archeological Museum; the Museums of Natural Sciences, Panamanian History, Colonial Religious Art, and Afro-Antilles; the resort islands of Contadora and Taboga; shopping for duty-free articles and handicrafts, horse racing, sport-fishing, and gambling.

Holidays: January 1 (New Year's Day), January 9 (Day of Mourning), Mardi Gras, Good Friday, May 1 (Labor Day), October 11 (Revolution Day), November 3 (Independence from Colombia), November 10 (Uprising of Los Santos), November 28 (Independence from Spain), December 8 (Mother's Day), December 25 (Christmas)

Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, June 1989.