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Panama City

Panama City is the capital of Panama. Sitting on the Pacific end of the Panama canal it has long been a point of transit for travelers and freight and these days Tocumen Airport has become the busiest in Central America and one of Latin America's most important transfer hubs.

Understand
Panama City is a very multicultural place, with large populations from many different parts of the world. Spanish is spoken by most, and many speak some form of English. Customer service is slowly improving, and surprisingly dismal in hotels. However, on the streets, Panamanians are for the most part extremely friendly and helpful and would love to give you some advice.

There's great shopping, from high-end stores in the malls around Paitilla and in the banking district around Via España, to veritable bargains around La Central (Central Avenue, now turned into a pedestrian walkway) and the Los Pueblos outdoor mall. You can also find many ethnic stores (mostly Chinese and Indian), in certain parts of the city.

Visitor information

 * Panama City Tourism

By plane
Panama City used to be the de facto headquarters of the US control over the Panama Canal and as the canal was and is of vital strategic and military importance, there were a bunch of military airfields built to defend the canal. The Americans have greatly reduced their presence, and Panama turned its former military airports over to civilian use, giving Panama City three airports:

By train
The only train service is between Panama City and Colón on the Panama Canal Railroad. It's mostly a freight train, but it has a very nice passenger car. The train ride offers excellent views of the Panama Canal and the tropical rain forest. In a way it is the only "transcontinental commuter rail line" in the world as some people live in Colon and work in Panama City or vice versa and commute using this train. Trains arrive at As of February 2024 the train has been reopened for service, but only for passengers on excursions from cruise ships.

By bus
Panama City has one of the most modern bus terminals in Latin America, the. It's the main hub and well organized. The bus terminal is next to the Albrook airport (the domestic airport), part of a shopping mall of the same name, and it is very easy to find a bus here.

The long(er)-distance buses leave from the eastern side of the terminal on the ground level and you have to go through turnstiles by paying $0.10. Arrivals are usually on the first floor above the terminal building. All of the international buses ("tica buses" too) start and end in this terminal which are:

The metrobuses serving the bus terminal arrive and leave from the western side of the bus terminal (between the bus terminal and the Albrook Mall).

Within the terminal, you can buy a "RapiPass 3en1" card which can be used in the metrobus, metro and terminal ($0.10 terminal fee at turnstiles and toilet use). The card costs $2 and needs to be topped up. Turnstiles can only be accessed with this card (no cash payment possible), however people are generally very helpful and you can ask someone to swipe you through and giving the $0.10 to that person instead.

There are two food courts in the terminal, one at the southern end and one at the northern end. There are many drinking water fountains throughout the terminal. Toilets cost $0.25, are clean and can be paid with a $0.25 coin or with the RapiPass. Access to the metro station is via a bridge in the center of the terminal.

By metro
A Metro opened in 2014, and is by far the preferred method to get to the places it serves. However, there are still many places of interest not served by it. Line is roughly equal parts elevated and underground with the part from Albrook to El Ingenio being the underground section. Line, serving the northern suburbs, opened in 2019. There is a grand plan for many further lines which are hopefully going to enter service as the 2020s and 2030s progress.

A single ride is 35 cents regular price with discounts for the elderly and students. The last train leaves at 10PM all week, with the first train leaving M-Sa at 5AM and Su at 7AM.

By taxi
One of the easiest ways to get around town is by taxi. Taxis do not have a meter. Fares are set by the authorities and are determined based on what section of the city you are starting at and what section of the city you are going to, with a surcharge for every additional person. The cab driver should have a table (which may include a map) that will show the costs for the fare, and they are required to show it to you if you ask or you can check Autoridad del Tránsito y Transporte Terrestre.

Fares are around $1.25 for travel within one zone, and the longest fares within the city at about $5. The former Canal Zone is in a different section, and it will be at least a $5 fare. The surcharge for additional passengers should be $0.50/additional passenger, and there's also a $0.40 surcharge if you call a cab (at least these were the prices a few years ago). A taxi to or from the international airport typically costs $30 including tolls if you take the Corredor Sur highway. A taxi to the Amador Causeway costs $5-10. Cab drivers do not expect tips, and they may pick up additional passengers along the way. The rule is that unless there's little to no deviation from the first person's route, the first person picked up is the first person dropped off, otherwise, they will ask if it's ok to pick up the other fare. Cabs can also be rented for the day, and the fares again are set (probably around $20-25). In this case, they will expect a little extra (tip and/or lunch).

Beware, taxi drivers will frequently try to overcharge visitors, sometimes up to many times the actual price, and will not have or know about any table as mentioned. If you are clearly a visitor and asking for the price, chances are the driver will say whatever they think they can get away with and you can try haggling down. It can help to ask locals what the price should be and then negotiate based on that.

Uber is also available in Panama City.

Diablo rojo
Getting around by bus is also cheap and convenient. Fares are $0.25 and the destination of the bus is written across the front windshield in large letters. Buses are privately owned and drivers usually compete with each other for passengers. For this reason, buses have colorful decorations to attract customers. During rush hour some buses can get crowded, and it is not unusual to see 3 people seated on a 2-person bench and lots of people standing along the aisle. It is not advised to use buses during these hours.

In 2013, the "red devils" were phased out from the main city routes, but they still connect the city with outlying suburbs.

Metrobus
The city has begun replacing the flamboyant "red devils" with modern, air-conditioned city buses ("MetroBus," look for the orange sign to find stops), but the red devils are still around. The MetroBus buses do not accept cash, so make sure to buy a fare card at one of the city's many malls before using them.

Bus fare is $0.25 for regular route and $1.25 for corredor route (Corredor Norte and Corredor Sur) and the same prices for transfer. You can buy and recharge MetroBus cards at many places around the city (Puntos de venta).

There are no maps or schedules at the stations so using the bus system can be frustrating without knowing the common name of the destination and/or adequate Spanish for inquiring.

By car
Car travel in Panama City is notoriously difficult. During weekday work hours, traffic jams are continuous. Many street intersections lack traffic signals creating right-of-way confusion. Short distances may be quicker on foot or other means of transportation. During holidays like Carnival, the traffic can be expected to be worse.

Car rentals are available from major corporations like Hertz at Panama's Tocumen International Airport.

All taxis in Panama must be painted yellow by law. Hitchhiking is not uncommon.

Checkpoints run by the national police occur at strategic locations to prevent the movement of illegal persons and goods.

Buy

 * Calidonia area has plenty of street markets.

Crafts
Panamanian crafts High end crafts can also be purchased from shops in the Centro de Artesanias in Balboa neighborhood or in the shops of Mi Pueblitos. Indian stores on every major shopping district (El Dorado mall and surroundings, Los Pueblos, and along Via España) also sell many Panamanian souvenirs. Gran Morrison is also a place to find many handicrafts.

Eat
Check out Panama Restaurant Week, which doesn't happen every year, but when it does it is a fantastic option to try great restaurants at good prices. Despite its name, it lasts 15 days, with dozens of participating restaurants offering special participating menus at fixed, lower than normal prices.

Budget
There's several cafes along Via Argentina. The Spanish sandwich shops offer excellent sandwiches, coffee, and churros. Try Manolo's Churreria (don't miss the churros rellenos, pastries filled with dulce de leche and rolled in sugar) or Del Prado. Sandwiches should cost from $3-5. Also on Via Argentina is El Trapiche, serving traditional Panamanian food for under $12/person. They serve excellent breakfast food.

There's an abundance of Chinese restaurants, and some can be very affordable. Try some around El Dorado, they should be pretty authentic.

 * Niko's Cafe has several locations around the city. Owned by Greeks, they are all open 24 hr and they have a good selection of sandwiches and hot food served all day long.
 * Don Lee is a Panamanian chain serving Chinese fast food, and definitely worth a try.
 * Doraditos Rosticería Y Pizzería in Chanis. An extremely popular Panamanian restaurant that's always full and can take an infuriating amount of time to order.  That said it's likely always filled by locals because the prices are cheap and the food is extremely good.  In particular the rotisserie chicken (a full one costs about $5) is a local favorite with two types of chimichurri to choose from.
 * Fish market outside of Casco Viejo. Entering Casco Viejo is the main fish market for the city.  There are some restaurants upstairs where the fish is obviously very fresh and the prices are cheap.

Drink
Buy and try some Panamanian and Cuban coffee while you're here. It will be some of the best you've ever had.

Calle Uruguay is a neighborhood filled with bars and discos for wealthy Panamanians and foreigners.

 * Taberna 21 is a local hangout serving great cheap beer and Spanish tapas.

Connect
You can buy SIM cards for Panama's 4 carriers at the Terminal (Albrook) and probably many other places.

April 2021 you can find a SIM card (called a "chip") at almost any convenience store for $1. Pay $5-$10 for a top-up card. One week of unlimited data for $5.

Stay safe
'''ALERT: 2023-Nov Be aware there are National Demonstrations occurring across the country, which may cause travel disruptions. They have led to roadblocks and the suspension of public transport. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time.'''

Areas
Be careful in Casco Viejo and the Panama la Vieja ruins area. There are tourist police aplenty in these neighborhoods but do not wander too far in these areas alone (even in the day) and certainly not in the evening (as of 2010 these areas are very safe, lots of activity and tourist traffic)

Stay out of El Chorrillo, Santa Ana, Curundu and San Miguel. It is very dangerous right now due to infighting between drug gangs. Tourists have been kidnapped right off the street. El Chorrillo borders San Felipe so it is very easy to accidentally walk into it. When driving, car doors should be locked.

The central neighborhoods of Marbella, El Cangrejo, Obarrio, San Francisco, and the Banking Area are generally the most safe. In any case, be careful of your belongings, even if sitting in a restaurant, as people have had things snatched without noticing it, especially when enjoying a glass too many of Panama's great wine selection. It is never a good idea to drink heavily and walk back to your hotel.

Taxis
It's always a good idea (in any country really) to spend a few minutes to find out exact taxi fares before taking a taxi and always have exact change for the correct fare. This avoids over-charging and problems with some drivers. Having to ask a taxi driver how much the fare is the equivalent to wearing a "kick-me" sticker on your shorts, as you're telling him you don't know. Some have paid $20 to get from El Dorado to Via Argentina, but the real fare for one person is $1.75.

Outside of Multiplaza, Albrook and Multicentro are some very good looking Taxis. The drivers wear nice shirts and the Taxis have proper signs on the roof. The drivers will most likely ask you if you are interested. never take these taxis. All they do is wait for foreigners and then charge 4x the price.

Some taxis at the main bus station prey on visitors. Never put your belongings in the trunk. Sit in the back seat along with your belongings and have your luggage firmly grasped while entering and exiting the vehicle; otherwise, they can drive away with your things while you are still trying to get in. Lock the doors once inside. Avoid and ignore anyone who approaches you to "get a taxi for you"; go to the curb to get one yourself. At best they will want money for this "service" amounting to half the taxi fare; at worst, they are setting you up to be robbed with certain drivers with whom they work. Lastly, the cabs are marked on the door with a unique registration number -- memorize it or write it down and secretly tuck it safely away on your person before entering any cab.

Never lose your temper with taxi drivers or police (or anyone else really) no matter how bad you may find a situation or service in some places. Exert your rights politely but firmly.

Other
Look both ways before crossing the street! Panamanian drivers are notoriously aggressive when the traffic allows and will not slow down for you even if you're lucky enough to find a crosswalk. There's only one way to cross the road here. Wait for a break in the traffic and walk. Once you start, keep going. Drivers will stop (99% of the time...). Otherwise you'll be stuck for hours waiting.

Embassies and Consulates

 * 🇦🇷 Argentina
 * 🇧🇴 Bolivia
 * 🇧🇷 Brazil
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇨🇴 Colombia
 * 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
 * 🇨🇺 Cuba
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇪🇨 Ecuador
 * 🇸🇻 El Salvador
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇬🇹 Guatemala
 * 🇭🇳 Honduras
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
 * 🇵🇾 Paraguay
 * 🇵🇪 Peru
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇰🇷 South Korea
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇺🇾 Uruguay
 * 🇻🇪 Venezuela

Go next

 * Isla Taboga - Take a boat trip out to the islands off the coast of Panama City.
 * Gamboa - Check out the birds and Chagres River.
 * San Blas Islands - Take a tour of the islands
 * Portobelo - Visit the forts, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue onwards to Isla Grande for some nice R&R - buses goes from the main street in Portobelo to La Guira and from there it is a 5 minutes boatride ($2)
 * Bocas del Toro - fly Panama air to beaches and nature. 4 flights every day.
 * Bus schedule from the main, Albrook Terminal is as follows (February 2024). On top of that, a lot of local buses go from the terminal, especially along the main, Pan-American highway, frequently. Arriving 30-60 minutes beforehand gives enough time to ask around (with basic Spanish) and buy a ticket.
 * Bocas - 11hrs. Depart nightly from 6.30pm - 7pm. Ideally, buy the ticket beforehand at the station, buses fill quickly. Passport required for a ticket.
 * Santa Catalina - 7-8hrs.Take a bus to Sona at 6.30am(sometimes), 8.20am or 10.20am, then change for the bus to Santa Catalina (later buses from Panama City normally miss the last bus to Santa Catalina at 5pm; taxi from Sona to Santa Catalina is around $40).
 * El Valle - 2.5hrs. Buses run hourly from 7am - 6pm.
 * David - 8-9hrs Buses run at least hourly from 5am - 10pm. Express buses, 6-7hrs, run at 10pm, 11pm and 00:00 daily.
 * San Jose (Costa Rica) - 16hrs. TicaBus or Expreso Panama run nightly buses, around 15hrs journey due to a slow border crossing. Check online for latest schedules. Passport required to get a ticket.
 * El Palmar - 1.5hr. Take the bus to Rio Hato or Penonome and ask the driver to let you off the "entrada a el Palmar".

title: Panama City


text:
Panama City (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Panama City:

Panama

 * Panama City (Ciudad de Panamá) — the capital of the country Panama, in the province Panama.

United States of America

 * Panama City (Florida) — A town in Florida.
 * Panama City Beach — a suburb of Panama City (Florida).

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Panama City (disambiguation)


text:
Panama City (Florida)

Panama City is on the Emerald Coast of Florida.

Understand
Panama City is located adjacent to Panama City Beach, which tourists often confuse with Panama City. Panama City Beach is home to the beaches of the area and is a hugely popular destination for spring breakers and families alike. Panama City is much different, being the more established city in Bay County, and is therefore seen as the governmental, cultural, business, and educational capital of the county.

Panama City and the western portions of the Florida Panhandle are in the Central Time Zone, one hour behind the rest of the state.

Panama City and Mexico Beach sustained severe damage due to Oct 2018's Hurricane Michael. The city and areas surrounding it were decimated, and everything was shut down for the better half of two months. Travel is not advisable until the community has had a chance to rebuild. As of November 22nd, 2019 many recreational parks/activities, restaurants, and businesses are up and operational, and the cities have started a "Re-beautification" Process. Completion of the project is expected for late 2023; however, the city is being hit by Hurricane Sally as of September 16, 2020.

Climate
Panama City is in the warm subtropical zone, which is not as warm as South Florida, but it is still has mild winters, hot summers, and pleasant spring and fall weather. The nearby waters of the Gulf of Mexico helps to moderate the climate. Panama City is also susceptible to hurricanes due to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

By plane

 * Private pilots can also fly into Sandy Creek Airpark, located in the East Bay.
 * Private pilots can also fly into Sandy Creek Airpark, located in the East Bay.

By car
Travelers headed to Panama City often drive to the destination, due to the strong regional appeal the area has. There are several routes to take depending on which direction a traveler is coming from. you can take  US Highway 231 from the Florida Alabama state line to Panama City State Route 77, State Route 79 are all excellent roads into the area. US Highway 98 is the major East-West Highway along the and crosses through Panama City as 15th Street.

Arriving by SR 79, one will have to turn east onto US 98 in Panama City Beach and proceed across the Hathaway Bridge to reach Panama City.

If using Interstate 10 to reach Panama City, there will be several exits to take depending on your direction of travel. If arriving from the East, use the exit for US 231. From the exit it is a 50 mile drive to Panama City. One can also use the exit for SR 77, and it is also about 50 miles to Panama City.

By bus
Panama City has a Greyhound bus terminal located on Harrison Street/US 231.

Sleep
See also Panama City Beach

Go next
The following locations are less than a 3 hour drive away, perfect for a day trip:
 * Apalachicola National Forest near Tallahassee.
 * Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna.
 * Destin, with 2 outlet malls for shopping and more great beaches.
 * Tallahassee, the state capital.
 * Falling Waters State Park - just north of Panama City on Hwy 77 in Chipley, you will find this state park an amazing site. With sinkholes and a waterfall which you can walk down into, this is a great location to visit for the day or even camp over night.
 * Bayou George is 20 minutes from Panama City on Deer Point Lake, and is in a wooded area; it is a good place for nature activities.

title: Panama City (Florida)


text:
Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach is a town on the Emerald Coast of Florida. It is approximately halfway between the state capital, Tallahassee, and Pensacola.

Understand
The area including Panama City Beach is known as the Emerald Coast. While many people call Panama City Beach Panama City, they are separate cities, separated by St. Andrew's Bay, with the beaches and a large proportion of tourist activities being in Panama City Beach and more business-oriented activities being in Panama City.

History
The St. Andrew's Bay area was home to Native Americans before it was settled by Europeans in the 1800s. Pirates found the deep pockets of the bay ideal to lie in wait for merchant ships en route to Mexico or Spain. Legend has it that many a pirate buried his share of treasure at Spanish Shanty Point on Shell Island.

Another area teeming with history in Panama City Beach is St. Andrews State Recreation Area. During World War II, it was part of the St. Andrews Sound Military Reservation. Circular cannon platforms are still in place near the jetties. Opened in 1951, the park now covers more than 1,200 acres.

For quite some time Panama City Beach has been a popular vacation destination, especially among people in the Southern United States. The city is also a very popular spring break destination, sometimes being referred to as "the Spring Break Capital of the World," with over 500,000 college and high school students who arrive during the months of March and April.

Well-known locations in the city were places such as "The Hang-Out" at the Long Beach Resort motel and the now closed Miracle Strip Amusement Park. There has been a construction boom and the cityscape is now characterized by high-rise hotels and condominiums.

Climate
Panama City Beach is in the warm subtropical zone, which is not as warm as South Florida, but it is still has mild winters, hot summers, and pleasant spring and fall weather. The nearby waters of the Gulf of Mexico helps to moderate the climate.

By plane
Panama City Beach is served by the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport  in neighboring West Bay. NFBIA, while international in name, does not offer any regularly scheduled international flights. Delta Air Lines offers daily non-stop service under the Delta Connection brand from Atlanta and Memphis. Southwest also has flights from Baltimore, Houston-Hobby, Nashville and Orlando. From the airport it is a short drive to the east end of the Panama City Beach, but due to the long shape of the beaches, it can take a bit longer to reach the west end.

A great alternative to fly into for a better fare when flying in from Canada is North West Florida Regional Airport (VPS) an hour and a half away from PCB.

By car
Travelers headed to Panama City Beach often drive to the destination, due to the strong regional appeal the area has. There are several routes to take depending on which direction a traveler is coming from. If coming from the North, US Highway 231, State Route 77, State Route 79 are all excellent roads into the area. US Highway 98 is the major East-West Highway along the coast and with the Alternate route the only long distance East-West roads in Panama City Beach.

Arriving by US 231 or SR 77, turn onto 23rd Street in Panama City. Travel the length of the highway until you reach Port Panama City/Gulf Coast Community College and then turn right onto US 98. A few moments later you will be across St. Andrews Bay and in Panama City Beach.

Arriving by US 98 or SR 79, there is nothing more to do to reach Panama City Beach as these two highways take travelers directly to the beaches, with SR 79 terminating at the beach.

If using Interstate 10 to reach Panama City Beach, there will be several exits to take depending on your direction of travel. If arriving from the East, use the exit for US 231. From the exit it is a 50-mile drive to Panama City. If arriving from the West, exit at SR 79. As an alternative you can exit at US 331/DeFuniak Springs in Walton County and head south. US 331 terminates at US 98 and from there is a short drive to Bay County and Panama City Beach.

By bus
Panama City Beach does not have a bus terminal. However, neighboring Panama City does have one that is served by Greyhound.

Public transportation
Panama City Beach is served by the Bay Town Trolley, which serves routes throughout Bay County. Service is limited on the beach with two routes: Route 8 running from the west end of Front Beach Road to the Panama City Beach Senior Center on Middle Beach Road and Route 7 which runs from the Panama City Beach Senior Center along Middle Beach Road to Thomas Drive to the Gulf Coast Community College transfer station. If you miss the trolley, you can expect to be waiting for a while before the next one comes by. This is a common complaint with the system and has been helped slightly with the splitting of Routes 7 and 8 to provide more frequent service. One-way fare is $1.

Car rentals
On Panama City Beach there is an Enterprise Rent-a-Car in the Shoppes at Edgewater next to the Waffle House. If you are arriving by air, all of the major care rental companies (Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Alamo, and Enterprise Rent-a-Car) are at the airport, just across from baggage claim.

Other rentals
Many visitors to Panama City Beach rent scooters or electric cars to drive along Front Beach Road. There are several different companies and locations to rent from, most of them along Front Beach Road and Thomas Drive. Check the local phonebook under motorcycle rental for listings. Always compare prices and check your hotel lobby for money saving coupons while in Panama City Beach. Enjoy your vacation and be safe!

See

 * Miles of white sandy beaches with beautiful emerald green waters. It's considered to be part of the "world's most beautiful beaches" because of the spectacular white sand and glistening emerald green waters. It is so soft it literally squeaks under foot. You will be spoiled forever after experiencing this. (However, this applies more to nearby Destin and Okaloosa Island today, Panama City's beaches tend to be a bit dirtier - Panama City is generally known as more of a concert or college partying place rather than a 'pristine beach' place.)

Do

 * - in Panama City Beach

Drink

Sleep
See also Panama City

Go next

 * Tallahassee is the state capital of Florida and is a two-hour drive to the east. Also in Tallahassee are two major state universities, The Florida State University and Florida A&M University.
 * Destin is roughly one hour west of Panama City Beach in Walton and Okaloosa Counties. There are plenty of shopping opportunities (Destin Commons, Outlet Center, and other smaller venues) as well as golfing at the Sandestin Resort and many other activities.
 * Navarre is a beach community about an hour west on Highway 87. Navarre is known for its relatively quiet pure white beaches, as well as having easy access to additional areas for hiking, boating, and camping.
 * Pensacola is two hours to the west by way of Highway 98. Pensacola is home to NAS Pensacola, which is home to the Blue Angeles flight demonstration team, and the National Naval Aviation Museum.  Also, Pensacola is considered to be the oldest European settlement in America, unlike St. Augustine it was not continuously settled from first settlement.  There are many historic sites relating to the Spanish Colonization, which includes a series of forts.

title: Panama City Beach


text:
Pan-American Highway

The Pan-American Highway is a series of routes that passes through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama in North America, and Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina in South America. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest motorable road in the world. While the Pan-American Highway doesn't have a route through the U.S. and Canada, some people start in Alaska and drive/bike to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost tip of South America. It is necessary to bypass the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia by ferry, however.

Understand
The Pan-American Highway is about 19,000 miles (30,000 km) long depending on the route you take. There are many options in the United States, Canada, and Mexico because of the large area and number of roads. Central America has only a few roads going north to south, with most of them - especially the Pan-American highway running along the Western (Pacific) shore.

Prepare
The Pan-American Highway passes through many diverse climates and ecological types, from dense jungles, to arid deserts, some of which are passable only during the dry season, and in many regions driving is occasionally hazardous.

Talk
Most of the route passes through Spanish-speaking countries and thus you should definitely make an effort to learn some Spanish. Not only will it be invaluable in case of any problems (and there will be problems on a long trip), but you will be much more able to get to know the locals and experience the culture of places you pass through and stay at.

Get around
There are several modes of travel that are used on the Pan-American Highway.

By bus
It is possible to use buses down all the way to Argentina from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, except for the Darien Gap and along the Alaska Highway between Fort Nelson, British Columbia and Tok, Alaska. Buses are less frequent with limited availability in remote areas especially those in the far northern parts of Canada and Alaska; and in the far south such as the Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. They are more possible and frequent, connecting the more populated areas between Canada and Argentina. See By bus under Get around in a country or state/province article and under Get in in a city or town article for a list of available bus companies. It will require multiple transfers to travel the entire western hemisphere between north and south by bus. Except in the United States and Canada there are no trains to travel north and south along the entire western hemisphere.

By car

 * See Driving in Canada, Driving in the United States, Driving in Mexico

If you drive by personal vehicle, it is important to know that your vehicle must be shipped from Central to South America (or vice versa) in order to travel around the Darien Gap. While your vehicle is shipped, you can transport yourself by plane or boat. Driving the Pan-American Highway is certainly possible, and many travelers complete the overland journey from North America to South America (or vice versa) each year.

By bike
While most of the territory the highway passes through cannot be considered "bike-friendly" by any stretch of the imagination, every year countless people do successfully travel all or part of the route by bike. Knowing how to fix minor defects is essential if you want to attempt the whole route on your own as help is often not forthcoming on rural stretches of the highway. A firm grasp of local languages (particularly Spanish) is another thing to consider.

Route
Because the route of the Pan-American Highway essentially consists of a number of other famous driving routes (such as the Alaska Highway and the Inter-American Highway) in succession, more detailed planning should be done by researching each of those sections. Furthermore there are numerous alternative routes possible. Here we can only give a summary with links to more details about various subsection of the route where it's named or defined as the "Pan-American Highway" or "Inter-American Highway" from north to south.

North America
The original Inter-American (Pan-American) Highway begins in Yaviza, Panama and goes up north through Central America and Mexico and ends at the US border in Laredo, Texas. From the north it begins from Purdhoe Bay on the Arctic Coast and follows the Dalton Highway, south to Fairbanks, AK and southeast to Dawson Creek, BC on the Alaska Highway. Between the end of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek and Mexico City (where the Interamerican Highway splits into multiple branches) there are multiple routes one can take to reach northern Mexico, through the United States and Canada, from one end to the other. The Pan-American Highway is loosely defined with multiple interstate highways as the "Pan-American Highway" in the United States and undefined in Canada. The below are the most direct and popular routes between Dawson Creek and Mexico City:

Alaska, United States

 * Alaska_11_shield.svg Historically the Dalton Highway has been the northernmost highway with its northern terminus in Deadhorse at Prudhoe Bay and the Arctic Coast from its southern terminus in Fairbanks, Alaska.
 * Alaska_2_shield.svg & Yukon_Highway_1.svg The Alaska Highway connects Alaska to the rest of North America; from Fairbanks, Alaska to Dawson Creek, British Columbia.

Canada

 * NWT-8.svg & Yukon_Highway_5.svg The Dempster Highway is a highway through the sub-Arctic wilderness of northern Yukon Territory and extreme northwestern Northwest Territories (NWT) in Canada. The highway runs 671 km (417 mi) from the Klondike Highway near Dawson City to the Indigenous settlement of Inuvik. Since 2017, the 137-km (85-mi) extension to Tuktoyaktuk opened as the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway and is one of two roads leading north of the Arctic Circle from North America.
 * Yukon_Highway_2.svg The Klondike Highway connects the Dempster Highway (YT-Hwy 5), Jct 40 km southeast of Dawson City, to its intersection with the Alaska Highway in Whitehorse. The Klondike Highway continues from Whitehorse to Skagway through Carcross.

 * Yukon_Highway_1.svg & BC-97.svg The Alaska Highway continues through Canada from Alaska through Haines Junction (turn off towards Haines, AK on YT-Hwy 3); Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Fort Nelson and ends in Dawson Creek.

In Canada, no particular roads have been designated as the Pan-American Highway. The National Highway System, which includes but is not limited to the Trans-Canada Highway, is the country's only designated inter-provincial highway system. However, several Canadian highways are a natural extension of several key American highways that reach the Canada–US border:

Traveling along the Alaska Highway you can go south on BC 37 to Trans-Canada Hwy 16 from Watson Lake and go east towards Prince George on Trans-Canada Hwy 16 or continue on the Alaska Highway (BC-Hwy 97) through Dawson Creek to Prince George. The Pan-American Highway would continue east into Alberta along BC-Hwy 2 from Dawson Creek. But, some travelers may continue south on BC-Hwy 97 towards Vancouver or Osoyoos Lake, through Prince George and Cache Creek, as a more direct route into the "Lower 48" from the Alaska Highway:
 * Through British Columbia

 * BC-37.svg The Stewart-Cassiar Highway goes from Watson Lake to BC-16 (TCH).svg at Kitwanga, then Trans-Canada Hwy 16 to Prince George.
 * BC-97.svg & US 97.svg Connects Dawson Creek to the US border in Osoyoos by Osoyoos Lake via Prince George (Jct Trans Canada Hwy 16); Cache Creek, Kamloops, Vernon and Kelowna. The highway continues into the United States through Oroville, WA as US Hwy 97.
 * BC-97C.svg another way to Kelowna through Logan Lake, Merritt and Peachland. It ends at Hwy 97 in Peachland, 25 km southwest of Kelowna
 * BC-1.svg or BC-99.svg connect Cache Creek to Vancouver on two separate routes. Trans Canada Hwy 1 winds south to Hope and then west into Vancouver through Fraser Valley. BC-Hwy 99 goes southwesterly through Whistler and the Sunshine Coast into the Vancouver Metropolitan area through North Vancouver.

The routes through Alberta have been designated as part of the CANAMEX Corridor established under the North American Free Trade Agreement as a series of improvements to the transportation infrastructure, including highways to link Canada to Mexico through the United States as follows:
 * Through Alberta
 * BC-2.svg & Alberta Highway 43.svg From Dawson Creek to Grande Prairie, Alberta. From Grand Prairie continue east into Edmonton on Trans-Canada Hwy 16.
 * Alberta Highway 2.svg & Alberta Highway 3.svg. AB 2 goes from Edmonton to Fort Macleod via Calgary. From Fort Macleaod go east to Lethbridge on AB 3.
 * Alberta Highway 4.svg & I-15.svg Lethbridge to San Diego, California where it merges into I-5 to continue south towards the Mexican border in San Ysidro. The highway crosses into the United States in the towns of Coutts, AB and Sweetgrass, MT where it becomes Interstate 15 in the United States.

 * Through Manitoba
 * BC-16 (TCH).svg BC Yellowhead blank.svg The Yellowhead Highway starts in Prince Rupert and goes across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba towards Winnipeg. It passes through Kitwanga, BC (Jct BC-37); Prince George (Jct BC-97); Jasper National Park, Edmonton (Jct AB 2 & 43); Saskatoon and ends at Trans-Canada Hwy 1 in Protage la Prairie, 80-85 km west of Winnipeg.
 * BC-1.svg The Trans-Canada Highway starts in Vancouver and winds its way northward to Cache Creek (Jct BC Hwy 97 & 99). It goes across towards Winnipeg through Kamloops, BC (Jct 97); Banff National Park, Calgary (Jct AB 2); Regina and other places in between.
 * Manitoba Highway 75.svg & I-29.svg Winnipeg to Kansas City, Missouri where it connects into I-35 and continue south towards the Mexican border in Laredo. The highway crosses into the United States through the towns of Emerson, MB and Pembina, ND where it becomes Interstate 29 in the United States.

 * Through Ontario
 * Manitoba Highway 1.svg to Ontario 17.svg TCH-blank.svg The Trans-Canada Highway continues east from Winnipeg, through southwestern Ontario and into Thunder Bay where the traveler can go south on Ontario 61.svg to the I-35 corridor in Duluth, MN.

The CanAm Highway is a defined (and sign posted) variant of the Pan-American Highway that connects (La Ronge) Canada to Mexico through the United States. CanAm follows a series of provincial highways through Saskatchewan, from La Ronge to the US Border as follows:
 * Variant via Saskatchewan
 * Saskatchewan Highway 2 (jct).svg & Saskatchewan Highway 3 (jct).svg SK-Hwy 2 begins in La Ronge and goes 240 km south to its intersection with Hwy 3 in Prince Albert. Follow SK-Hwy 3 94.5 km east to SK-Hwy 6 in Melfort.
 * Saskatchewan Highway 6 (jct).svg & Saskatchewan Highway 39 (jct).svg SK-Hwy 6 is the longest stretch of the CANAM in Canada. It goes 400 km from its intersection with SK-Hwy 3 in Melfort to Corrine where the road curves southeasterly towards Weyburn as SK Hwy 39. It intersects the Yellowhead Highway in Dafoe (168 km east of Saskatoon) and the Trans-Canada Highway in Regina.
 * Saskatchewan Highway 35 (jct).svg & US 85.svg Connects Weyburn to the United States through a border crossing between Ounngre, SK and Fortuna, ND.

United States (Lower 48)
In 1966, the US Federal Highway Administration designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the "Pan-American Highway System", but this has not been expressed in any of the interstate signage. Of the many freeways that make up this very comprehensive system, several are notable because of their mainly north-south orientation and their links to the main Mexican route and its spurs, as well as to key routes in Canada that link to the Alaska Highway:
 * I-35.svg MN-61.svg Ontario 61.svg Interstate 35 is the northward continuation of the Interamerican Highway (MX-Hwy 85) into the United States from Mexico. Even the segment through San Antonio is named "Pan-Am Expressway" locally. I-35 begins in Laredo, Texas, at the Mexican border and continues north to Duluth, Minnesota where it ends. From Duluth the highway continues north towards Thunder Bay, Ontario in Canada as MN-Hwy 61/ON-Hwy 61. Likewise the traveler can go more directly towards the Canadian border from the I-35 corridor in Kansas City along I-29. Alternatively one can reach the I-29 corridor from Minneapolis to Fargo on I-94 or from Duluth to Grand Forks, North Dakota via US Hwy 2. Interstate 35 comes closest to being THE "official" Pan-American through the U.S. as it is in close alignment with the official beginning and end point of the Interamerican Highway at the U.S./Mexican border.
 * I-29.svg & Manitoba Highway 75.svg Spurs from I-35 in Kansas City, Missouri to the Canadian border where the highway becomes MB-75 to continue north to Winnipeg.

There are additional spur routes from Mexico to the Canadian border, through the United States:
 * I-25.svg & I-10.svg Continue north from the Mexican border in El Paso/Cd Juarez to Las Cruces, New Mexico where I-25 begins. It is locally named the "Pan American Freeway" in Albuquerque as an extension of MX-Hwy 45. I-25 goes north from Las Cruces to I-90 in Buffalo where it ends. To continue towards the Canadian border go west on I-90 to Butte, Montana and north towards Canada on I-15. Alternatively travelers can go on US Hwy 287 between Three Forks ( east of Butte along I-90) and Helena ( northeast of Butte on I-15) thus saving the extra 50 miles of travel between Butte and Three Forks.
 * US 85.svg CanAm_Highway.svg The CanAm Highway is a defined (and sign posted) variant of the Pan-American Highway that connects Mexico (Cd Juarez) to (La Ronge) Canada through the United States. It runs concurrent with the I-25/I-10 corridor from El Paso, Tx (at the Mexican border) to Cheyenne, WY where the two highways split. CanAm follows US Hwy 85 from north of Cheyenne, WY through western South Dakota and North Dakota to Weyburn, SK.
 * I-15.svg I-11.svg Alberta Highway 4.svg have been designated as part of the CANAMEX Corridor established under the North American Free Trade Agreement as a series of improvements to the transportation infrastructure, including highways to link Canada to Mexico through the United States. Interstate 15 begins in Lethbridge, Alberta as AB-Hwy 4 which become Interstate 15 in the United States and ends in San Diego, California where it merges into I-5. From Interstate 15, the CANAMEX Corridor follows I-11/US Hwy 93 from Las Vegas/Henderson, Nevada towards Phoenix through Wickensburg, Arizona where it merges with and becomes US Hwy 60. I-11 only goes from Henderson to Boulder City where it becomes only US Hwy 93 the rest of the way to Wickensburg. Going north from Leathbridge to Dawson City the CANAMEX Corridor follows a series of highways through Alberta to Dawson Creek, BC (as described in the above under 'Through Alberta').
 * I-19.svg & I-10.svg are the continuation of the CANAMEX Corridor from Phoenix to the Mexican border in Nogales along I-10 to Tucson and I-19 to Nogales, AZ. The CANAMEX Corridor continues from Nogales to Mexico City as MX-Hwy 15/15D. Plans are underway to upgrade and integrate the route from Boulder city to Nogales to become Interstate 11.
 * I-5.svg & BC-99.svg I-5/BC-Hwy 99 is the closest and most direct route from the Alaska Highway to the Mexican border in San Ysidro, CA ( south of San Diego). Interstate 5 begins in Vancouver, BC as BC-Hwy 99 and becomes Interstate 5 in the United States through Blaine, WA.
 * US 97.svg & BC-97.svg US Highway 97 is the continuation of BC-Hwy 97 into the United States from the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek. It runs parallel with the I-5 corridor from Oroville, WA to Weed, CA where it ends at the I-5 corridor. It passes through Wenatchee, North Cascades National Park, Ellensburg and Yakima in Eastern Washington; and through The Dalles, Redmond, Bend, Crater Lake National Park and Klamath Falls in Central Oregon.

The following are east-west highways that connect the north-south spur routes to each other. Interstate 90/94 connect along the north while Interstate 80 serves as the middle tier and Interstate 10 along the southern tier. Interstate highways going north & south are odd numbered while the east & west highways are even numbered:
 * I-90.svg & I-94.svg Interstate 90 connects Seattle (Jct I-5) to Billings, Montana where I-94 begins. I-94 continues east towards the I-35 corridor in Minneapolis through Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Fargo ND (Jct I-29). From Butte, Montana, I-90 goes south to Buffalo WY (Jct I-25) and turns east towards the I-35 corridor in Albert Lea MN ( south of Minneapolis) through Rapid City (north of Mt Rushmore National Park); Badlands National Park and Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Jct I-29).
 * I-80.svg & LincolnHighwayMarker.svg Interstate 80 supersedes the historic Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway across the U.S., connecting San Francisco to New York. The Pan-American Highway travelers can combine the historic Lincoln Highway in their plans for travel from I-5 in Sacramento or I-15 in Salt Lake City (nearest to the Alaska Highway) to I-29 in Omaha in the east where you can continue south on I-29 to merge with I-35 in Kansas City and towards Mexico on I-35.
 * I-10.svg Interstate 10 goes east towards the I-35 corridor in San Antonio from the I-5 corridor in Los Angeles. It passes through San Bernardino (Jct-15); Joshua Tree National Park, Phoenix (Jct US Hwy 60, I-17); Saguaro National Park, Tucson (Jct I-19); Las Cruces (Jct I-25), and El Paso (Jct MX Hwy 45/US Hwy 54) in between.

Mexico
The Pan-American Highway is also the "Inter-American" which is well defined and often also well signed in Mexico as it is through Central and South America. It runs from the US border in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas to the Guatemalan border in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc, Chiapas; through Mexico City which consists of:
 * Carretera_federal_85D.svg Carretera_federal_85.svg I-35.svg is the "Pan-American Highway" or the "Interamerican Highway" between Mexico City and the US border in Nuevo Laredo. It connects Laredo/Nuevo Laredo at the US/Mexican border to Mexico City through Monterrey, Ciudad Victoria, Ciudad de Valles, Jct Hwy 45 in Portezuelo, Ixmiquilpan, Pachuca and Tizaycua. Going north from the border the highway continues towards San Antonio from Laredo as Interstate 35.
 * Carretera_federal_150D.svg & Carretera_federal_135D.svg are not part of the Pan-American Highway but they connect Mexico City to Oaxaca via Puebla on a more direct and faster route. Fed Highway 150D (La Carretera Mexico-Puebla-Veracruz) connects Mexico City to Puebla where travelers get on Fed Highway 135D towards Oaxaca.
 * Carretera_federal_190.svg is officially the Pan-American Highway in southeastern Mexico leading from Puebla towards Oaxaca through Izucar de Matamoros, Acatlan de Osorio, Heroica de Ciudad Huajuapan de Leon and merges into Highway 135D in Asunción Nochixtlán, 89 km NW of Oaxaca City. From Oaxaca City it becomes the main highway towards the Guatemalan border in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc/La Mesilla through Zaragoza de Juchitlan, Tuxtla Gutierrez, San Cristobal de las Casas and Comitan.

Additional branches of the Pan-American Highway from Mexico City, through Northern Mexico, to the US border as follows:
 * Carretera_federal_45.svg Carretera_federal_45D.svg US 62.svg is the undefined southbound continuation of the CanAm Highway into Mexico from El Paso. Going north the CanAm Hwy begins at US-Hwy 62 at its intersection with I-110/MX-45D. US Hwy 62 becomes US Hwy 85 through downtown El Paso and merges into I-10 north of El Paso. Going south, Hwy 45 begins in Ciudad de Juarez, CHIH and continues towards Mexico City through Chihuahua, Durango, Fresnillo, Zacatecas, San Francisco de los Romo, Aguascalientes, León, Silao, Irapuato, Celaya, Salamanca, Queretaro, and ends at Fed Hwy 85 in Portezuelo.
 * Carretera_federal_15.svg Carretera_federal_15D.svg I-19.svg is the continuation of the CANAMEX Corridor to Mexico City from Nogales, SON. It passes through Hermosillo, Ciudad Obregón, Los Mochis, Cualican, Mazatlan, Tepic and Guadalajara along the west coast of mainland Mexico to Tepic. From Tepic Fed Hwy 200 continues the rest of the way along the west coast of Mexico to the Guatemalan border.
 * Carretera_federal_1.svg I-5.svg Is the continuation of the Interstate 5 corridor from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas through the Baja California Peninsula. To continue on the Pan-American Highway travelers can go east on Fed Hwy 2 from Tijuana to the Hwy 15 corridor at 185 km south of Nogales; cross the Sea of Cortes by ferry from La Paz to Mazatlan; or go east from San Diego to the I-10 corridor in Casa Grande, AZ on I-8.

Central America
The Pan-American Highway is well defined through Central America and runs continuously from the Mexican border at La Mesilla, Guatemala to Yaviza, Panama in the Darien Gap as a singular route. In most countries it is numbered as "CA-1" or "Hwy 1" which passes through the major cities in the heavily populated areas of the Central American isthmus. Like the roads in North America (see above) there are numerous other highways not defined as the "Pan-American Highway" (Carretera Panamericana) one can travel on to get across the Central American isthmus from the Mexican border to the Darien Gap.

Guatemala
& La Carretera Panamericana (CA-1) passes through Guatemala from its border with Mexico in La Mesilla to its border with El Salvador in San Cristobal. The segment of the highway between Cuatro Caminos (Jct RN-1), 16 km NE of Quetzaltenango, and Aldea Molino (Jct CA-8, 77 km southeast of Guatemala City, is four lanes wide with two in each direction while the rest of the highway in the Western Highlands and Eastern Guatemala are two lanes wide with one lane in each direction:
 * Huehuetenango is the largest city and capital of the department of the same name. It serves as a major city and trading center for the Western Highlands and as the first stop if entering from Mexico.
 * Cuatro Caminos is a busy intersection with RN-1 which leads into Quetzaltenango (Xela) in one direction and up the hill to Santa Cruz de Quiche in the other. This intersection is 16 km NE of Quetzaltenango.
 * Los Encuentros is where the road to Chichicastenango (RN-15) intersects the Pan-American Highway. The turn-off towards Solola and Panajachel (RN-1) is another 3.3 km west of Los Encuentros.
 * Chimaltenango is a town 50 km west of Guatemala City. It is also where the main highway (Hwy 14) to Antigua Guatemala begins for traffic from the Western Highlands.
 * Jct CA-10 to Antigua is 20 km west of Guatemala City, east of town of San Bartalome Milpas Altas.
 * Guatemala City is in the department (territorial division) of Guatemala, and it's the capital of the country. All the main highways start at Kilómetro 0, inside Palacio Nacional de la Cultura (National Palace), in Centro Histórico (Historic Center).
 * Cuilapa
 * San José de Barberena
 * Jutiapa

El Salvador
and The Pan-American Highway passes through El Salvador from its border with Guatemala near the town of San Vicente to its border with Honduras in Amatillo near Golfo Fonesca. The highways becomes a dual carriageway near the urban areas, four lanes wide with two lanes to each direction while it remains a two lane road with one lane to each direction in rural areas. It passes through:
 * Candelaria de la Frontera/San Cristobal
 * Santa Ana is the second largest city of El Salvador and a very important one in terms of agriculture and coffee production (coffee plantations - called fincas - cover much of the land outside town and up the hills) in Western El Salvador.
 * Santa Tecla
 * San Salvador is the capital city of El Salvador, approximately in the center of the country in a valley near the base of the San Salvador volcano. The city has a long history, with origins dating back to the Spanish conquest of the Pipil tribes.
 * Cojutepeque
 * San Vicente
 * San Miguel is the third largest city in El Salvador and center of agriculture and production of Eastern El Salvador. It is less cosmopolitan than the capital San Salvador in the West but the surrounding areas of San Miguel are very beautiful with many beaches around the city.

Honduras
RN-1 passes through the south/southeastern part of Honduras from its border with El Salvador in El Amatillo, through Choluteca, and into Nicaragua at El Espino. The highway goes through:
 * El Amatillo
 * Jicaro Galan a town 40 km east of El Amatillo border crossing and 12 km north of San Lorenzo at the junction with RN-5. From here travelers can go north towards Tegucigalpa on RN-5.
 * San Lorenzo
 * Choluteca
 * San Marcos de Colon

Nicaragua

 * Somoto
 * Estelí
 * Sébaco
 * Managua — the capital and principal city of Nicaragua
 * Jinotepe
 * Rivas

Costa Rica
The Pan-American Highway is called "La Carretera Interamericana" or "Inter-American Highway" and is divided north and south, depending on if you go north or south from San Jose. Except for certain sections (such as the immediate areas of San Jose), most of the highway has only one lane for each direction.

La Carretera Interamericana Norte connects Peñas Blancas, at the Nicaraguan border, to San José through:
 * Peñas Blancas
 * Liberia
 * Alajuela
 * Heredia
 * San José

La Carretera Interamericana Sur continues from San José to the Panamanian border at Paso Canoas:
 * San José
 * San Isidro
 * Cartago
 * Paso Canoas

Panama
This is the location of the Panama Canal (which is spanned by a bridge) and the Darien Gap, so there's a gap in the Pan-American highway here. From the Costa Rican border in Paso Canoas the highway passes through:
 * David serves as a major city, transport hub and trading center for the Pacific West Region such as Boquete, Boca Chica, Volcano, hot springs and many other places. It is the first major city from the Costa Rican border at Paso Canoas.
 * Santiago de Veraguas
 * Goes over the entrance into the Panama Canal from the Pacific on the Puente Centenario
 * Balboa is separated from Panama City by the Cerro Ancon (Ancon Hill), one of Panama City's skyline landmarks.
 * Panama City is the capital of Panama. Sitting on the Pacific end of the Panama canal it has long been a point of transit for travelers and freight and these days Tocumen Airport has become the busiest in Central America and one of Latin America's most important transfer hubs. This is where travelers make arrangements to ship their vehicle(s) to Guayaquil, Ecuador from Panama City via the Pacific or to Cartagena, Colombia from Colon via the Caribbean. After shipping the car (or traveling without a car) one can fly or sail to South America to continue the Pan-American journey. Therefore, Panama City would be the end of the road for many coming from North America or where the road picks up again for going north from South America.
 * Chepo
 * Yaviza in the Darien Gap is where the road itself from North America ends or begins in.
 * Puerto Obaldía is not on the Pan-American Highway but it is a remote place where travelers go through to get across the Brazo Leon Rio Atrato Bay to Turbo, Colombia via Capurgana, Colombia. Travelers would still have to fly from Panama City to Puerto Obaldia as the village/town is not accessible by road.

South America
The Pan-American Highway officially begins in Turbo, Colombia (nearest to the Darien Gap) and winds its way down towards Santiago Chile through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Northern Chile. From approximately 80 km (50 Miles) north of Santiago the highway continues east towards Buenos Aires where it officially ends. Unofficially the route continues south along AR-RN 3 to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego in the southern tip of South America. Alternatively the traveler can continue south on the unofficial route from Santiago to Puerto Montt where it splits again to Quellon on Chiloé Island or to Villa O'Higgins along the Carretera Austral. Going north the Pan-American Highway splits in Medellin. One branch goes towards Turbo (nearest to Darien Gap) while the other continues north towards Cartagena as the principal port where the majority of travelers sail to and/or ship vehicles to Panama for the continuation of the Pan-American Highway through Central and North America.

Ecuador

 * Ecuador_E35.svg The Pan-American Highway follows El Troncal de la Sierra through the Andean Highlands from the main border crossing with Colombia in Tulcán. It serves as the main highway through Ecuador and it passes through Rumichaca, Ibarra, Quito, Ambato, Riobamba, Cuenca and Loja before crossing into Peru through La Macara.
 * Ecuador_E28.svg Vía Colectora Quito-La Independencia connects El Troncal de Costa (E25) to El Troncal de la Sierra(E35)(Panamaerican Highway) north of Quito.

 * Ecuador_E25.svg El Troncal de Costa runs parallel to the Pan-American Highway through the Coastal Lowlands. It begins at its intersection with Vía Colectora Quito-La Independencia (E28) in San Miguel de los Bancos, 154 km west of Quito. From here it passes through Santo Domingo, Quevedo, Jct Troncal Austral (E40)(road to Guayaquil); and Machala. El Troncal de Costa crosses into Peru through El Alamor. Likewise travelers can exit off at Transversal Sur (E50) in Arenillas to get to Tumbes via the Huaquillas border crossing.

Peru
The Pan-American Highway is called "La Carretera Interamericana" and is divided north and south, depending on if you go north or south of KM-0 at the intersection of PE-1 and Autopista R. Priale a Chosica (PE-22) in Lima. Except for certain sections (such as the immediate areas of Lima), most of the highway has only one lane for each direction.
 * PE-1N_route_sign.svg La Panamericana Norte or  Ruta nacional PE-1N connects the Ecuadorian border crossing in Macara from Lima along the northern coast. Going north from Piura the highways splits into two branches. The main branch continues to the Macara border crossing while the other branch continues to Sullana where it splits again with one branch crossing through El Alamor border crossing and another continues along the coastline to Tumbes and then crosses into Ecuador through Zarumilla / Huaquillas. Going south towards Lima from Piura it passes through:
 * Chiclayo
 * Trujillo
 * Chimbote
 * Huacho
 * Lima

 * PE-1S_route_sign.svg La Panamericana Sur or  Ruta nacional PE-1S connects the Chilean border near Tacna to Lima through the southern coast cities of:
 * Tacna is 37 km north of the Chilean border.
 * The road (Carretera Interoceanica Sur PE-36A) to La Paz, Bolivia begins at its intersection with Carretera Panamericana Sur (PE-1S) south of Moquegua. Follow signs to Moquegua and then to Desaguadero (border town with Bolivia).
 * Arequipa is a city in the Southern Coastal region of Peru just below the edge of the Altiplano, at 2,380 m (7,810 ft) above sea level and surrounded by three impressive volcanoes. It's Peru's second most important city (after Lima), and the second most popular among tourists (after Cusco).
 * Nazca or Nasca is a town in Peru's Southern Coast region. It is most famous for the Nazca Lines, a collection of long lines, geometrical figures, and giant drawings in the desert sand that have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The road (Carretera Interoceanica PE-30A) going towards Abancay and Cusco begins in Vista Alegre, the next town south of Nazca.
 * Ica
 * Pisco The road (Av Liberatador PE-28A) going towards Ayacucho and Cusco begins in San Clemente, the next town NE of Pisco.
 * Lima

Variant via Bolivia

 * [[file:Schild_RF1_BO.svg|30px]] goes south from La Paz to Oruro and Potosi. The route branches follows Hwy 14 from Kucho Igenio 41 km south of Potosi. Going the other direction from La Paz this highway goes west towards the Interamerican Highway in Aqueagua, Peru through Disaguadero (at the border). In Disaguadero it also splits with one road going northwesterly towards Puno and Cusco and the other continues west towards Aqueagua.
 * [[file:Schild_RF14_BO.svg|30px]] continues from Kucho Igenio to Villazon at the Argentine border. The road continues south as AR-Ruta 9 from the Argentine border town of La Quiaca.

Chile

 * Via_Panamericana_Chile.svg Ruta_5_(Chile-1R).svg Ruta Carretera Panamericana or simply Ruta 5 goes from Arica (nearest the Peruvian border) in Region XV (Región de Arica y Parinacota) to Puerto Montt in Region X via Iquique, Antofagasta, Copiapo and Santiago.
 * Ruta_CH-60.PNG begins in Valparaiso and goes east towards the Christ Redeemer Tunnel (under some mountains) through the town of Los Andes. The Pan-American Highway splits with one branch of the highway going through the Christ Redeemer Tunnel where it crosses into Argentina and becomes AR-RN 7. The Pan-American Highway follows this route towards Buenos Aires from the intersection of Rutas 60 y 5 in Llay Llay, 80 km north of Santiago. The other branch continues south along Ruta 5 to Quellon on Chiloé Island via Santiago and Puerto Montt.
 * Ruta_7_(Chile-10R).svg La Carretera Austral is not defined to be part of the Pan-American Highway but it can be the continuation of the southern journey for those who do not wish to cross eastward towards Buenos Aires and then down towards the Tierra del Fuego on the Atlantic side. Instead this route continues south from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins in Region XI (Region Aysén). Construction is underway to extend La Carretera Austral further towards Punta Arenas.

Argentina

 * RN7-AR.svg & Ruta_CH-60.PNG begins in Chile at 80 km north of Santiago as Ruta 60 and crosses into Argentina through El Tunel de Cristo Redentor (Christ Redeemer Tunnel) where it becomes Hwy 7 or "Carretera Libertador General San Martín". It crosses through the Cuyo ( Mendoza & San Luis provinces); and the Pampas Regions (Santa Fe & Buenos Aires provinces) to Buenos Aires city, the capital and largest city of the country. This route forms an important "bi-oceanic" corridor between the Pacific (near Santiago) and the Atlantic (in Buenos Aires) and is defined as a part of the Pan-American Highway.
 * RN3-AR.svg & CL-RN-255 The Pan-American Highway continues south from Buenos Aires city to the Tierra del Fuego along the Atlantic coast. It crosses through the provinces of Buenos Aires, Rio Negro, Chubut and Santa Cruz in the Argentine Patagonia. To continue from Rio Gallegos to Ushuaia and La Parque Nacional del Tierra del Fuego, RN-3 crosses into the Chilean Patagonia in San Gregorio and becomes CL-RN-255. It goes another 39 km to the intersection with CL-RN-257.
 * RN-257 & RN3-AR.svg continues another 16 km to the ferry terminal to cross the Magellenes Strait to Tierra Fuego. It then continues another 186 km through the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego to the border crossing at Paso Fronterizo San Sebastian to cross into the Argentine side of Tierra del Fuego. The road rejoins AR RN-3 in San Sebastian Tierra del Fuego which ends 37 km west of Ushuaia in La Parque Naciona del Tierra del Fuego.

 * RN40-AR.svg & Chile_Ruta_9_jct.svg At a length of 5,224 km (3,246 mi), and stretching the whole mainland part of the country, the Ruta Nacional 40 is the longest national highway of Argentina and a popular travel itinerary. The southern end is at the South Atlantic coast and the road goes north following the Andes. The highway crosses remote and uninhabited parts of the country but also metropolitan areas like Mendoza and San Juan. The northern end is in La Quiaca at the border to Bolivia. Ruta Nacional 40 is not defined as part of the Pan-American Highway but travelers may follow this route from the Pan-American Highway in the city of Mendoza to Tierra del Fuego without having to go all the way across to the Atlantic coast to save some travel time.
 * RN9-AR.svg

Stay safe
Try to avoid areas where cartels operate, particularly in the Mexican states south of Texas. Follow the advice for the areas you are planning to travel through.

title: Pan-American Highway


text:
Panarea

Panarea is one of Italy's Aeolian Islands, off the coast of Sicily.

Get in
Panarea is reached by boats from Lipari, largest of the Aeolians. The SIREMAR line offers fast hydrofoils, which are preferable to slower ferries, particularly since you'll have no need for a car. Ferry lines to the Aeolian Islands depart from Milazzo (the closest to the islands, but most difficult to reach), Messina, and Palermo in Sicily, as well as Reggio di Calabria and Naples on the mainland. For international travelers, the most direct route is to fly to Catania, Sicily, transfer to an express bus to Milazzo, from where the most ferries run. As an alternative to the bus, Europcar offers a special deal to rent a car one-way between Catania and Milazzo, but this must be arranged for in advance.

Get around
The island is so small that there are no roads, but only paths. There are no cars on the islands, but only motorbikes, 3-wheeled trucks, and golf carts. There is a golf cart "taxi service" that runs between the port and all points in the only town, but for those who can walk up a hill, all points in the town are accessible by foot.

See

 * Panarea has two small, rocky but scenic beaches, which offer views across the sea to the volcano-island of Stromboli; you can see ash and steam clouds from the volcano's frequent, small eruptions.
 * Footpaths and hiking trails circle the island. The prehistoric ruins at the southern tip of the island at Punta Milazzese make a fine destination at sunrise.

Do

 * Hikers can check out the Bronze Age ruins a short-to-medium (5-km round trip) walk from the dock, at the entrance to a nature reserve. No amenities, and the ruins are largely unexcavated; you'll be reminded more of the austere sites of the American Southwest than of the glories of Rome.
 * Rent a small boat in the port and make a tour around the island, but be aware that the currents at the northern and southern tips of Panarea are strong. Or, go across the sea to the islet of Basiluzzo, or the nearer islets of Lisca Bianca and Lisca Nera, all of which offer inlets to drop anchor and enjoy the fine clear water.

Sleep
At high season, it is necessary to book far in advance. Most accommodations on Panarea are open only from May through September. In May through mid-July, and in September, you will be met at the dock by representatives of various hotels and inns, and you can negotiate a price for a room with a view of the sea. Hotel Lisca Bianca is a good-priced hotel in the main port with a lovely veranda where breakfast as served. The proprietress can also offer rooms in villas nearby.

title: Panarea


text:
Panchgani

Panchgani is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Panchgani derives its name from the five hills around it.

Get in
98 km from Pune, 266 km from Mumbai via Mahad

20 km from Mahabaleshwar

Nearest Airport: Pune

See

 * Table Land

Beware of monkeys though

 * Sydney Point
 * Parsi Point
 * Mapro Garden

Do
Para-gliding, horse riding, Go-karting, and chilling

Buy
Mapro's - Strawberry/Litchi Crush, Jam, lots of fruit juices and mocktails, candies & honey. Kholapuri Chappals, Madhusagar Honey, Channa, Malas Jam

Sleep
There are various hotels in panchgani ranging in price from ₹500 all the way to 6k If u want the amazing view of entire valley then Ravine hotel is perfect for you. For panchgani experience the prospect hotel or il-palazzo hotel are a place you may want to try. there is also a place called eco-camp which is run by a couple.

Go next

 * Satara

title: Panchgani


text:
Panch Kedar

Panch Kedar is a group of five Mahadev Temples in the Garhwal Himalayas. The trek to all these temples takes 15-16 days. None of these temples are connected to a road, and the way to these temples takes one through some of the most beautiful parts of Garhwal Himalayas. It is not a picnic trek, but a great event to bring you closer to yourself as also to the Divine.

Understand
The Legend of Panch Kedar

Panch Kedar has an interesting legend. When the Pandavs went to the Himalayas, Shiv avoided them because they had killed so many people in the war. To avoid them He ran in the form of a Bull, and Bhim chased him. On being followed, the colossal Bull dived into the ground to resurface at other places. He left his hump at Kedarnath. But when he resurfaced, it seems that he had assumed human form and emerged at different areas in these mountains. His face resurfaced at Rudranath. His Arms resurfaced at Tungnath. His navel emerged at Madha Maheshwar. His hair emerged at Kalpeshwar. These temples of Panchkedar have been and are seats of Tapasyas for sages from time immemorial. It is believed that even today the area abounds with siddhas and sadhaks.

Which are these five Mahadev Temples? Hump at Kedarnath: one of the 12 Jyotirlings. Arms at Tunganath: Highest temple in the region. Face at Rudranath: Natural Rock Temple. From Gopeshwar drive 4 km to Sagar. Trek 20 km to Rudranath. Mid-body (naval) at Madhyamaheshwar: 25 km northeast of Guptakashi. From Guptakashi drive to Kalimath and then trek to Madhyamaheshwar. Hair at Kalpeshwar: Between Rudranath and Helong, a motor head on Badrinath route.

Go
What is the route of the Panch Kedar Parikrama? The proposed route is as follows: From Delhi drive to. Offer prayers to invoke the blessings of Shakti at Kalimath before proceeding.
 * Day 1:

After Puja at Kalimath drive 70 km to via. Visit Guptakashi temples when passing through the town.. From Gaurikund trek 14 km to. This is 1st Panchkedar.
 * Day 2:

From Kedarnath return to Kalimath.
 * Day 3:

From Kalimath trek 16 km to.
 * Day 4:

From Gaundher trek 10 km to. This is 2nd Panchkedar.
 * Day 5:

From Madhyamaheshwar return to Gaundher.
 * Day 6:

From Gaundher trek 12 km to Kalimat. From Kalimath bus to.
 * Day 7:

From Ukhimath take a bus to 43 km away. Trek 4 km to. This is 3rd Panchkedar. Return to Chopta.
 * Day 8:

From Chopta drive 30 km to and then trek 10 km to Panargupha.
 * Day 9:

From Panargupha trek 12 km to. This is 4th Panchkedar.
 * Day 10:

From Rudranath trek 18 km to Dumuk.
 * Day 11:

From Dumuk trek 14 km to. This is 5th Panchkedar.
 * Day 12:

From Kalpeshwar trek 9 km to. Catch a bus to Badrinath.
 * Day 13:

Rest at Badrinath
 * Day 14:

From Badrinath return to Delhi.
 * Day 15:

title: Panch Kedar


text:
Panchkula

Panchkula is a city in Haryana.

Understand
Panchkula is more a suburb of the city of Chandigarh than an independent city. The three cities of Chandigarh, Panchkula (in Haryana) and Mohali (in Punjab) constitute one metropolitan area.

Get in
Panchkula shares an airport and a train station with Chandigarh, but has its own bus stand. It lies on the Kalka-Ambala road.

Get around
Panchkula is 5 km from Chandigarh.

The bus stand of Panchkula is in Sector 5 Panchkula. People like to catch buses within the city from bus-stops that are there on all main roads dividing the sectors.

A bus from Chandigarh to Panchkula costs around ₹16–₹20. A taxi costs around ₹100-₹150.

There many taxi stands in Panchkula, in Sector 14, Sector 8.

See

Sector 5 of Panchkula has a couple of exotic gardens that mark the greenery of Panchkula. Sector 5 is the heart of city, it almost lies in the centre and is surrounded by 8 sectors.

Yavnika open-theatre and adjoining park.

Vatika Gardens along with City Fountains. Panchkula is an upcoming city with a lot of movie theatres and shopping malls in and around the city.

1.Fun Republic in Manimajra, opposite Sector - 7 Panchkula. 2. Shallimaar Mall opposite Sector - 8 Panchkula. 3. Bella Vista opposite Sector 6 & Sector 2 on the Tank Chowk. 4. DT Cinemas IT Park. 5. Paras DownSquare and Adlabs Multiplex, Zirakpur 5 km from Panchkula. 6.PVR in Chandigarh Industrial Area Phase-I.
 * Chhatbir zoo is one of the best place to visit. A good place to go with family and no headache of roaming as they have battery cars all over another car comes in next one minute.

Eat
Panchkula hosts many franchises like Dominos (in Sector-9), Pizza Hut (Sector-20), KFC(Sector-9), Nik Bakers(Sector-5), Cafe Coffee Day (Sector-11), etc.

Some local restaurants available are:

1. Anupam Sweets: Situated in Sector-11 (SCO-25), its the foremost vegetarian family restaurant in Panchkula offering great variety of dishes. North Indian, South Indian and Chinese cuisines are served. Fast food is also available. Cost for two will be ₹450-₹500 approximately.

2. Sagar Ratna: Also a vegetarian restaurant, present near KC Cinema, Hi5 Multiplex, DLF City Center Mall, Sector 5, Panchkula. It mainly serves South Indian food.

3. Kabab Khan: It is a dine in restaurant specialising in Mughlai and North Indian food. Bar is also available. Average cost for two will be around ₹1000/-. Its present in HUDA Restaurant Complex, Opposite City Fountain, Sector 5, Panchkula.

Panchkula had many restaurants in its thriving sectors, offering almost every famous cuisine in the world. Apart from these ever busy establishments, many road side vendors can also be seen selling cheap finger snacks like samosas, spring rolls, sandwiches, gol gappas, chat and even Chinese food which can be packed for take-away. Though hygiene isn't really a priority for these road side establishments, their popularity isn't lessened. They also see a steady rush of customers daily and also gain many regulars.

There are almost 160-200 places to eat in Panchkula with an average cost of ₹500 per person.

Cope
There are some hospitals in Panchkula. If you need more listings, look at the "Cope" section of the article on the nearby city of Chandigarh.

 * Army Command Hospital, Chandimandir
 * Government Hospital, Sector 6
 * Saket Hospital, Sector 20

title: Panchkula


text:
Pandalam

Pandalam is a municipal town in Pathanamthitta. Pandalam is the land blessed by Lord Ayyappa where his childhood days are spent as the son of Pandalam King.

By plane
Nearest airports: Thiruvananthapuram - 101 km, Kochi - 127 km

By car
Pandalam is 101 km north of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, and 120 km south of Kochi the state's commercial capital.

By bus
You can reach Pandalam by bus through MC Road. KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) is conducting the services, if you are coming from either Thiruvananthapuram or Kochi airports. Private buses ply to various destinations around Pandalam. Buses ply to nearby Thaluk headquarters in Adoor.

Get around
Taxis and auto rickshaws can be used to get around the town.

title: Pandalam


text:
Pando

The Pando Department is an undeveloped, sparsely populated, densely forested and remote region in the Tropical Lowlands of Boliviain the Amazon Basin on the border with Brazil.

Understand
Pando's two main cities are: Pando is close to navigable waterways leading to the Amazon River and from there on to the Atlantic Ocean.
 * — the departmental capital on the banks of the Rio Acre across from the Brazilian city of Brasiléia, to which it is connected by two bridges
 * — a city of 4,300 people (2012) on National Routes 13 and 16

The main economic activities are agriculture, timber and cattle.

At an altitude of 280 metres above sea level in the northwestern jungle region, Pando is in the rainiest part of Bolivia. Pando has a hot climate, with temperatures commonly above 26 °C.

Get in
Cobija is about 600 km north of La Paz. Cobija is served by major Bolivian airlines at Captain Aníbal Arab Airport and by buses from Riberalta. The Interoceanic Highway passes through the city of Cobija.

Get around
There are few roads in the department.

See and do

 * — protects the Amazon rainforest ecosystem, and provides habitat for jaguars, pumas, capybaras, a variety of monkeys, bears, toads, frogs, snakes, turtles, lizards, alligators, 1000 species of birds and a variety of fish. It is also the home of the Tacana, Pacahuara, Iñaparis and Araona indigenous peoples.
 * Nuestra Señora del Pilar Cathedral in Cobija on the city's main square
 * International Recreational Fishing Championship of Puerto Rico is held over three days in mid-June (as of 2022).
 * El Chivé

title: Pando


text:
Panevėžys

Panevėžys is an industrial city in the Aukštaitija region of Lithuania. It's the country's fifth largest city, with a population of 	89,100 in 2021 and another 30,000 or so in the city district. It's about midway along the highway between Vilnius the capital and Riga the Latvian capital.

Understand
"Panevėžys" means by the River Nevėžis, which here makes a loop in its westward course. The area has been inhabited since prehistory but the town is first documented in 1503. It has shared the turmoils and horrors of the rest of Lithuania, with prolonged peace from independence in 1990. It's long been industrial, major trades being concrete, metal works and mechanical engineering, ceramics, glass, and flax processing; the sugar refining business has fallen on hard times. Town centre has been smashed and rebuilt many times and much of it nowadays dates from the 1960s / 70s: drab architecture but functional, and leavened by broad squares and parks along the riverside.

By plane
Vilnius Airport is usually the most convenient, for its range of budget flights and onward transport. It's 145 km southeast on a good highway.

Kaunas Airport 106 km south and Riga Airport  160 km north in Latvia also have budget flights.

By train
Four trains daily from Šiauliai (starting from Mažeikiai) take 90 min to Panevežys. For times and online tickets see LTG Link.

off S Kerbedžio g is modern.

By bus
Eurolines run once a day from Riga airport via Riga city to Panevėžys, 2 hr 15 min, continuing to Kaunas. Another bus calls here on the way to Warsaw, and a third for Minsk. From further west (eg Berlin) change in Warsaw; from further east (eg Tallinn) change in Riga.

Buses from Vilnius and from Kaunas run hourly and take two hours, continuing to Biržai or Šiauliai or Joniškis. From Klaipėda you usually have to back-track via Vilnius or Kaunas. Bus lines include Vlasava, Kautra and Toks. For timetables and fares see Autobusubilieta.

is just a drab open square, no shelter or anything. But it's central, close to amenities.

By road
From Vilnius take A7 north, a fast dual carriageway (no toll) that bypasses Ukmergė and Panevežys and continues across the border to Riga.

From Berlin and Warsaw make for Kaunas, and from Kaunas take A8 north. This is badged as E67 or Via Baltica, the highway from Prague to Helsinki. It's an undivided highway across Lithuania, and much of the route's grand strategic concept remains aspirational.

Get around
Most sights are within walking distance of the centre. Stops-Lt displays city bus routes: Bus 6A runs hourly from Janonio g and the railway station downtown then east out to Dembava.

Taxis can be booked with the eTAKSI app for smartphones, similar to Uber/Lyft.

See

 * Museum of the Soviet Occupation is an annexe of the History Museum 100 m southeast at Respublikos g 17. It's closed in 2023.
 * Museum of the Soviet Occupation is an annexe of the History Museum 100 m southeast at Respublikos g 17. It's closed in 2023.

Do

 * Music Theatre is opposite Holy Trinity Church on Nepriklausomybės Square, Box Office +370 45 584675.
 * Theatre: Juozo Miltinio dramos teatras is at Laisvės a 5, Box Office +370 45 584599.
 * Ekrano Lake 500 m east of Skaistakalnis Park has picnic areas, fishing and water sports.
 * Football: FK Panevėžys play soccer in A Lyga, the top tier. Their home ground Aukštaitija Stadium (capacity 6600) is 500 m south of the railway station. The playing season is March-Nov.
 * Ekrano Lake 500 m east of Skaistakalnis Park has picnic areas, fishing and water sports.
 * Football: FK Panevėžys play soccer in A Lyga, the top tier. Their home ground Aukštaitija Stadium (capacity 6600) is 500 m south of the railway station. The playing season is March-Nov.

Buy

 * Maxima is the most central supermarket, at Ukmergės g 23 by the Lutheran church, open daily 07:00-22:00.
 * Babilonas is a shopping and entertainment mall 5 km west on the Klaipėda highway, open daily 08:00-22:00.

Eat

 * Bisas at Laisvės a 6 is reliable for budget food, open Su-Th 10:00-21:00, F Sa 10:00-22:00.

Drink

 * Bars cluster along the streets near the museum. Choose from Mėsmalė, Drunken Horse, Seklyčia prie uosio, Lazy Monkey and Garsiakalbis.
 * Špunka Old Barrel Pub is at the bus station, open Th 16:00-23:00, F Sa 16:00-02:00.

Connect
Panevėžys and its approach highways have 4G from all three national carriers. As of Feb 2023, 5G has not rolled out in Lithuania.

Go next

 * Panevėžys is fairly central in Lithuania, so most other towns are within a two hour drive.

 * Šiauliai to the west is best known for the Hill of Crosses.
 * The road west continues to Palanga beach resort and Klaipėda city.
 * Kaunas is mostly modern, but with an old centre and wartime fortifications.
 * Vilnius has a charming town centre in Baroque style.
 * Riga the capital of Latvia has a great mix of ancient, Soviet and modern.

title: Panevėžys


text:
Pangandaran

Pangandaran is a small town and a subdistrict in on the south coast of Java in Indonesia, in the East Parahyangan region.

Understand
With its black beaches, Pangandaran, will never stand a chance compared to Bali when it comes to attracting the big crowds. However, this is exactly the appeal of this remote town of beach resorts. Even though it is a popular tourist destination with the locals on national holidays for its fine sand beaches (considered to be of the finest in Java), you will not feel overrun by the tourism. In the natural park you have also a beautiful white sand beach with monkeys where you can snorkel.

By plane
Susi Air flies from Jakarta (with a short stop in Bandung) on small 12 passenger Cessnas, but the plane will fly only with minimum 8 passengers. (, also known as Pangandaran Airport) is a small airfield near Cijulang (along the road to Batu Karas), about 25 km west of Pangandaran.

By bus
The stops at the market just 500 m from the beach where you can find plenty of accommodation. It is close enough to walk, but if you are lazy or laden with heavy bags it will not take you long to spot a bicycle rickshaw (more likely, they will spot you) ready to help you empty your wallet.

Local buses run frequently from Pangandaran’s bus terminal to Tasikmalaya (Rp30,000, three hours), Ciamis (Rp20,000, 2½ hours), Banjar (Rp25,000, 1½ hours), Kalipucang or Majingklak (Rp5,000, 40 minutes) and to Cilacap (Rp25,000, 2½ hours). Buses also run along the west coast as far as Cijulang (Rp7,000, 40 minutes).

The large patas buses generally leave from the Perkasa Jaya depot, just north of town, and Budiman bus company depot, about 2km west of Pangandaran along Jl Merdeka. Frequent normal buses go to Bandung (Rp48,000, six hours) between 06:00 and 16:00.

However, the most comfortable way to travel to Bandung is with the Sari Harum (639276) door-to-door minibus for Rp100,000. Perkasa Jaya minibuses (639607) pick up from hotels for the trip to Jakarta’s Kampung Rambutan terminal (normal/air-con Rp125,000/150,000, nine hours). Travel agencies can also book tickets for most buses and minibuses for a premium, but transport to the depots is usually included. From Yogyakarta, travel agencies can book you a minibus to Pangandaran for around Rp130,000.

By car
Most travel agencies rent minibuses with drivers for about 500,000 Rupiah per day including driver and petrol. Put together your own tour and you may be able to negotiate a better rate. The most popular trip is a three-day tour to Yogyakarta. The usual route will take you as far as Wonosobo for the first night. The second day goes to Dieng for the sunrise, then on to Borobudur for the night. The final day is to Yogyakarta via Prambanan.

Seven hour drive from Jakarta.

By shuttle
Unlike the shuttle from Bandung to Jakarta, which is point to point, the shuttle from Bandung to Pangandaran is door to door. The tariff for regular shuttle travel is about Rp125,000 to Rp150,000 (236 kilometers from Bandung, while Bandung-Jakarta is about 150 kilometers). Sun In Pangandaran Group charge Rp100,000 only for customers who sleep in Sun In Pangadaran Hotel (East Beach). For executive shuttles, which use Suzuki APV or Daihatsu Grandmax for 5 passengers and a driver, the tariff is Rp200,000 per passenger.

By train
Contrary to its name, Pangandaran train from Jakarta and Bandung only goes up to Banjar through Tasikmalaya, but a shuttle to Pangandaran is available from Banjar railway station. Eksekutif class costs Rp100,000 and Ekonomi Premium class Rp50,000.

Get around
Pangandaran’s becak (tricycle) starts at around Rp10,000 and requires heavy negotiation. Bicycles can be rented for Rp25,000 per day, and motorcycles cost around Rp50,000 per day, excluding petrol. Petrol costs Rp8,500 per litre at petrol stations, but 9,500 - 10,000 per litre outside petrol stations.

Costs for becaks from the main bus station are price-fixed at Rp30,000. This is primarily due to that local hotels will provide the becaks a Rp30,000 commission for bringing in tourists who have not previously booked. It is less than 1 km from the bus station to the centre where all the hotels are.

See

 * "Green Valley" About 15 km northwest of Pangandaran. It's possible to swim in the clear water of the second "Green Canyon" that exists above the dam of the main tourist "Green Canyon". This is slightly more difficult with bumpy road to get to and involves hiring a moped (cheap), but the journey and the final destination is very rewarding. There are barely any tourists and it feels like your own personal tropical river. It is much cheaper (Rp19,000 each for entry and parking, or 24,000 if taking photos) and provides far more freedom and scenery than "Green Canyon". Body rafting in Citumang can be done even in rainy season which it cannot be done in Green Canyon. The water of Citumang River is cleaner than in Green Canyon and relatively calm, so kids of 4 to 6 years old can safely enjoy body rafting. There are several waterfalls you can safely jump from, ranging 1m to 10m high into pools 6m deep, a rope swing, and a cave where it is said drinking the dripping water will bring everlasting youth. Body rafting with life vest and guide/guard cost is Rp120,000 for 1.5 hours, including lunch (both not required, but a life vest is recommended due to the amount of swimming). Weekends are hectic with local tourists, but in weekdays are very quiet.
 * "Paradise Beach" is a deserted island that will satisfy all your Robinson Crusoe adventure feelings for a day. Hire a boat (Rp600,000 for the day), stock up on supplies and have a picnic on the white sandy beaches of this sliver of paradise.
 * "Paradise Beach" is a deserted island that will satisfy all your Robinson Crusoe adventure feelings for a day. Hire a boat (Rp600,000 for the day), stock up on supplies and have a picnic on the white sandy beaches of this sliver of paradise.

Do
In short; beach, sun, surfing and kicking back is the image of Pangandaran. However, there is so much more in this yet unspoilt paradise. Hire a motorbike and explore the surrounding area. Not far from the beach you will encounter the life of the unimpressed locals tending to their crops and livestock. Take a trip to the Green Canyon or Green Valley (see above) and continue on to Batu Karas, for some of the best beginner surfing Java has to offer.

 * Hiring a moped is well worth the Rp50,000 tuppence that it costs. Exploring the surrounding countryside and villages such as Batu Karas (the amazing two-way traffic bamboo bridge crossing the river is a highlight along with great surfing at the beach) and Karang Nini boasts some spectacular isolated beaches (one beach which hasn't been cleaned up since the 2006 tsunami also boasts a lagoon). Batu Hiu or "Shark Rock" provides beautiful views of the Indian Ocean and Pangandaran along with clifftop walks.

Note: Pangandaran and many of its surrounding villages charge a fee to enter (around Rp3,000 - 5,000), it may also be necessary to provide a monetary gift (Rp1,000 - 2,000) to the guard.

 * Surfing lessons are offered in Pangandaran, prices vary around Rp200,000 - 250,000 per day. Every hotel and tour operator will let you know about this as soon as you arrive.
 * Bike (the Heartland of Southern Coast, beyond the beach, Pangandaran offers more natural attractions. choose on of bike tours. Enjoy the countryside experience across the lush paddy field, garden and coconut plantation. Take a breath of fresh air of the village and watch the local farmers starting their day, and try other track and be the downhiller.
 * Coral adoption, Contributing to Nature, coral transplantation has been taking place in Pangandaran to contribute to coral reef rehabilitation. In the last two years, the program has been extended to allow tourists to participate.
 * Tunnel exploration, Pangandaran keeps silent evidence of the rail route in the southern coast of Java - dated back from its role as one of the plantation areas in the colonial era. The railway track lies from Banjar - Pangandarn - Cijulang although it is no longer used, the tracks and tunnels keep their appeal and provide a perfect setting for trekking tour in the hinterland.
 * Traditional dance lesson - Ronggeng Gunung is a traditional dance originally from Pangandaran. It is related to the history of the local princess "Dewi Rengganis. Rengkong and Gondang are the traditional dances to celebrate harvesting period at the southern coast of West Java. The local community has developed a special performance tour for you to see these fascinating dances. Setting under their village's open sky and at the yard of a traditional stage.
 * Canoening, explore the rivers and paddling canoe around Pangandaran feel the different atmosphere
 * Canoening, explore the rivers and paddling canoe around Pangandaran feel the different atmosphere

Buy
ATMs are available near the bus terminal, nearby and at the bus station area, there are 3 ATMs, but none at the beach area.

There a few mini supermarkets along the beach.

Eat
Seafood comes fresh to the fish market on the eastern side of the city every day. Here you can have your pick from one of the many cheap restaurants. Pick your live seafood (fish, crabs, lobsters, prawns etc.) and watch while they cook it in front of you.

On the west side (the beach side), western style cafes and restaurants line the beachside road. The government has moved the beach cafes and restaurants 3 kilometers away further to the west from the longstanding former spot. (05/2018)

Drink
Often a bonfire on the beach and drinks and snacks from the closest Warung is the definition of a night out in Pangandaran. The government has moved the beach cafes and restaurants 3 kilometers away further to the west from the longstanding former spot. (05/2018)

 * several others next to them.
 * several others next to them.
 * several others next to them.
 * several others next to them.
 * several others next to them.

Sleep
There are plenty of hotels to fit every budget, scattered around the town. Most are on the street along the beach, or in an alley just off that street. The price for a clean and equipped room is Rp150,000 with fan and Rp200,000 with aircon (2014). On national holidays prices go up and you should book ahead.

Connect
There are some internet places by the beach, but the cheapest (Rp1,000 per 15 minutes) is near the bus terminal. They don't have wifi, but you can plug your laptop into their LAN for the same price.

Go next
The main routes out of Pangandaran are either east towards Yogyakarta, or west towards Bandung:
 * Yogyakarta via Sidareja. A private minibus (usually seating 4) is heavily advertised by the main hotels (Mini Tiga home-stay etc.) which travels to Sidareja station and from there the train heads to Yogyakarta.
 * Bandung — provincial capital in the mountainous central part of West Java; 4-6 hours by car or bus.
 * Batu Karas — small fishing village 1 hour from Pangandaran, with a beginner surf break and some backpacker accommodations.

title: Pangandaran


text:
Pangasinan

Pangasinan is a province in Ilocos Region of in northern Luzon, the chief island of the Philippines. The capital of Pangasinan is Lingayen. Being in a somewhat fertile plain, the area is known for agricultural products like corn crops carabao milk, duhat wine, nipa hut roofings, tuba and other products.

Regions

 * Western Pangasinan:
 * Central Pangasinan:
 * Eastern Pangasinan:
 * Southern Pangasinan:

Cities and municipalities
Each municipality in Pangasinan has its unique characteristics and contributions to the province's cultural and economic landscape.

 * – The provincial capital of Pangasinan and famous for its fermented fish sauce or that so-called bagoong.

 * – Home to the famous Hundred Islands.
 * – Famous for its vibrant agricultural industry, particularly rice and corn production.
 * – Known for its religious significance and the St. Peter and Paul Parish Church.
 * – Famous for its freshwater fish production, known as the “Seafood Capital of the North”. They also celebrate their annual Sigay Festival.
 * – Known for its white sand beaches, Patar beach and its native product binungey, also known as bamboo cake. It is also a renowned tourist destination with stunning beaches and the iconic Cape Bolinao Lighthouse.
 * – Offers many beaches and a waterfall.
 * – Home to the famous Calasiao puto (rice cake) and the St. Peter and Paul Parish Church. They also celebrate their Puto Festival annually.
 * – home of the tasty Bonuan bangus (milkfish), and the economic hub of the province. Known as the Bangus capital of the country, Bangus Festival is celebrated annually every month of April.
 * – Town facing the coast of West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Known for Tambobong Beach and white sand islets. It is also known for salt-making with more than 10,000 salt beds.
 * – Known for its coastal charm and beautiful beaches.
 * – Known for its caves.
 * – Famous for its agricultural products, including rice and vegetables.
 * – Home to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag, a major pilgrimage site in the Philippines.
 * – An agricultural municipality with an expansive public market. Also known for the Manleluag Spring Protected Landscape.
 * – The "Mango-Bamboo Capital of the Philippines", and a cultural and historical center of Pangasinan. Site of the Mango-Bamboo Festival every April, an event marked by green and yellow colors, delicious mangoes and durable bamboo handicrafts and the hospitality of San Carlos' people.
 * – A municipality with a focus on farming and rural life, knowns for its San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam Project, which is the second largest dam in Asia.
 * – Site of numerous Cordilleran hills and mountains and waterfalls such as Antong Falls.
 * – Renowned for its power plant and coastal attractions.
 * – Known for its agricultural heritage and rural landscapes.
 * – Mostly just interesting for the nearby Diket Falls.
 * – The economic center of eastern Pangasinan.

Understand
The name "Pangasinan" can be ambiguous; it can refer also to the people and the language.

Pangasinan's name derives from the word for "place of salt", with the root word "asin" (salt). Salt production is the main source of income, but the local economy has since diversified. It is the richest and most populous province among the four in Ilocos Region.

The local people are of the same name, Pangasinan (also called Pangasinense or Panggalatok, the latter they consider to be derogatory), but the province has been heavily settled by Ilocanos from the north, which still some natives resent. Other ethnic groups are the indigenous Sambal peoples, who live in western Pangasinan. The few ethnic Tagalogs are mostly in parts of Pangasinan bordering Tagalog-speaking Nueva Ecija.

While historically, geographically, and culturally linked to Central Luzon, Pangasinan is rather lumped up as part of Ilocos Region as a relic of the Marcos era. As a result, native Pangasinan object to calling Ilocos Region as simply Ilocos.

Talk
The primary language is Pangasinan, though Ilocano and Tagalog are also widely used.

Pangasinan, also called Pangasinense or Panggalatok (the latter considered derogatory), is an Philippine language native to the province. It is a relative of Ilocano, which is spoken across the Ilocos region, but is more closely related to the native languages of Benguet. It is co-official with English and Filipino across the province, and is used in education from kindergarten to grade 3, but it mostly exists as a spoken language. It is spoken by Ilocanos and Sambals as second language.

Ilocano is also widely spoken, but its usage in Pangasinan is somewhat controversial due to it causing the decline in usage of Pangasinan. It is spoken by many Pangasinan people and Sambals as second language.

Other languages are Sambal to the southwest and Bolinao to the west. Tagalog is also spoken in the towns bordering Nueva Ecija.

By bus
Victory Liner runs buses every hour from Manila to Alaminos, Lingayen or Dagupan (and vice versa), with stopovers at Dau and Tarlac City; some buses continue onward to Baguio through MacArthur Highway/Manila North Road (Route 2). Five Star, Victory's sister bus line, also serve the same destination pairs, but they also have a trip from Santiago in Isabela with an ordinary (non-air-conditioned) bus.

By car
Pangasinan is served by the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway since 2015, shortening travel time from Manila. Taxis can take you to the province, but are expensive

By plane
There is no airport in Pangasinan with commercial flights, and the two only airports, in Lingayen and Binalonan, are mostly used by general aviation and flying schools. The nearest major airport is in Angeles. There are plans to build a new airport at Alaminos, but construction is stalled by political debate.

Get around
The best way to get around Pangasinan is by provincial bus, with frequent connections across key cities and towns. Major operators are Victory Liner and Five Star, Pangasinan Solid North and Dagupan Bus Line.

Highways are of a decent standard, but most will be two- to four-lane roads with homes and businesses at both sides, and lots of slow traffic and obstacles.

Jeepneys are the primary mode of local public transport around Dagupan and surroundings. On most other places, tricycles are more common, and jeepneys primarily used to service nearby towns, but are less comfortable than buses.

See

 * Tinakayanan Falls about 10 km west of Lingayen.

Do

 * Mountain hiking or picnicking in the mountains of San Nicolas.
 * Ziplining, other outdoor activities and a hot spring can be found west of Rosales.
 * Go island hopping and snorkelling in Hundred Island National Park.
 * Visit the largest dam in the Philippines and 16th largest in the world, the San Roque Dam located near San Manuel.
 * Malangsi Fishtival is a yearly agricultural festival in April in the town of Bayambang in the south of Pangasinan.
 * Dipalo River scenic area in San Quintin municipality

Beaches

 * Patar White Sand Beach
 * The beaches near San Fabian in the northeastern part of Pangasinan are worth a visit
 * Tondol Beach or often referred to a Little Boracay of the North is a stunning beach near Anda in the far northwest of the region.

Buy
For a fishy experience, try the fish market in Dagupan.

Go next

 * La Union

title: Pangasinan