On a recent
trip to Panama, we decided to do something completely new to us and
rent a car. In the past we have always stuck to public transportation
whenever we travel internationally. But this time, since there were
four of us, we thought we would roadtrip it from Panama City to Bocas
Del Toro. While driving cross country was an adventure, it was
definitely more stressful than taking the buses. It was a different
kind of adventure for us; winding, mountainous passages, potholes
galore, police checkpoints, and unforeseen sinkholes in the road not
to mention the lack of signs anywhere. And the roads in Panama are
supposedly the best in Central America! Also, be warned that some car
rental companies (Alamo, I'm looking at you) charge mandatory car
insurance that do not tell you until you return the car. We asked
repeatedly if there were any other charges and we were told no over
and over. So while we thought the rental car would cost $68 plus gas,
it actually cost $131 plus gas.
