Roadtrip through Panama

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.