What's it like to drive in Boquete, Chiriqui Province?
Howard Jones - The Haven Hotel and Health Spa, Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama
Driving around Boquete is a breeze by and large. The roads are pretty good and the new 4 lane highway to David make the shopping trips much easier ( especially when they finish it). The decision to by a four wheel drive is more about where you wish to live, off a main road perhaps, than it is is about any requirement to have one in general. If you don't intend to go off road there really is no need for a 4 wheel drive. For me there is another consideration, which is the size...
Driving around Boquete is a breeze by and large. The roads are pretty good and the new 4 lane highway to David make the shopping trips much easier ( especially when they finish it). The decision to by a four wheel drive is more about where you wish to live, off a main road perhaps, than it is is about any requirement to have one in general. If you don't intend to go off road there really is no need for a 4 wheel drive. For me there is another consideration, which is the size of your wheels. With roads often getting in bad repair, if you have a car with a small wheel size it much more difficult to navigate the pot holes!!
Posted July 28, 2013
Paul McBride - Inside Panama Real Estate
Driving is Boquete is actually very pleasant, particularly if you’ve had the opportunity to drive in Panama City. Whereas driving in the capital city can be a hair raising and frightening experience, driving around Boquete and the provincial capital of David is much tamer.
The government of Panama has spent billions of dollars over the past 5 years upgrading and improving the main highways and primary roads in the country. Boquete has benefited from this...
The government of Panama has spent billions of dollars over the past 5 years upgrading and improving the main highways and primary roads in the country. Boquete has benefited from this...
Driving is Boquete is actually very pleasant, particularly if you’ve had the opportunity to drive in Panama City. Whereas driving in the capital city can be a hair raising and frightening experience, driving around Boquete and the provincial capital of David is much tamer.
The government of Panama has spent billions of dollars over the past 5 years upgrading and improving the main highways and primary roads in the country. Boquete has benefited from this investment and improvements to many of our primary roads. We now have a new 4-lane highway connecting us to David and the Pan American Highway, the main road leading to Panama City.
Like much of Latin America, drivers take a little different approach to their driving than you may be accustomed to in the US or Canada. For example, it’s not unusual to have a taxi stop in the middle of the road to pick up a passenger or for pedestrians to cross the highways and roads at points that are convenient for them. However, if you pay attention and plan for these minor annoyances your driving will be an uneventful experience.
Once you get off the primary thoroughfares, however, the condition of the roads can vary dramatically from relatively well-paved highways to impossibly passable dirt and mud trails. If you’re planning to venture off the primary roads, it’s a good idea to know the road conditions in advance (which will change drastically from the dry season to the wet season) and have the proper vehicle to handle the conditions.
While we’re on the subject of driving, a short mention of parking is important. Parking is a nightmare in most of Panama since the number of cars has risen as the economy here has improved every year. There are literally hundreds of thousands of newer vehicles on the road today than 4 or 5 years ago and thousands more being added every year. This means that places to park cars have become more difficult to find in most cities and towns. So, be prepared to spend a little time hunting for that great parking spot. Oh, and one last thing. Parking meters have recently started to pop up in Panama City and larger cities like David (particularly in the downtown areas) so it’s a good idea to have some change in your pocket to “feed” the meters.
The government of Panama has spent billions of dollars over the past 5 years upgrading and improving the main highways and primary roads in the country. Boquete has benefited from this investment and improvements to many of our primary roads. We now have a new 4-lane highway connecting us to David and the Pan American Highway, the main road leading to Panama City.
Like much of Latin America, drivers take a little different approach to their driving than you may be accustomed to in the US or Canada. For example, it’s not unusual to have a taxi stop in the middle of the road to pick up a passenger or for pedestrians to cross the highways and roads at points that are convenient for them. However, if you pay attention and plan for these minor annoyances your driving will be an uneventful experience.
Once you get off the primary thoroughfares, however, the condition of the roads can vary dramatically from relatively well-paved highways to impossibly passable dirt and mud trails. If you’re planning to venture off the primary roads, it’s a good idea to know the road conditions in advance (which will change drastically from the dry season to the wet season) and have the proper vehicle to handle the conditions.
While we’re on the subject of driving, a short mention of parking is important. Parking is a nightmare in most of Panama since the number of cars has risen as the economy here has improved every year. There are literally hundreds of thousands of newer vehicles on the road today than 4 or 5 years ago and thousands more being added every year. This means that places to park cars have become more difficult to find in most cities and towns. So, be prepared to spend a little time hunting for that great parking spot. Oh, and one last thing. Parking meters have recently started to pop up in Panama City and larger cities like David (particularly in the downtown areas) so it’s a good idea to have some change in your pocket to “feed” the meters.
Posted October 8, 2014
Mike Vuytowecz - Inside Panama Real Estate
Let me put it this way…If you have ever driven in places like Chicago, New York or Los Angeles, driving here in Boquete will be a breeze. Roads are generally in great shape, signs are plentiful, and towns are well-marked.
Panamanians like to communicate with the car horn, However, I’ve found that the vast majority of honks are not meant to be aggressive, but rather friendly. Being from North America, the frequency of...
Let me put it this way…If you have ever driven in places like Chicago, New York or Los Angeles, driving here in Boquete will be a breeze. Roads are generally in great shape, signs are plentiful, and towns are well-marked.
Panamanians like to communicate with the car horn, However, I’ve found that the vast majority of honks are not meant to be aggressive, but rather friendly. Being from North America, the frequency of horn-honking was a change in culture that I have gotten used to. I recently realized that I honk my horn much more frequently now compared to when I arrived five years ago. Most of my honks are meant to say hello to friends.
Posted December 29, 2014
Manzar Lari - Casa de Montaña
How can I say this politely and politically correct way?... It’s hell. It’s actually very difficult to drive here because people don’t drive the way you would imagine. It’s either people drive too slow or too fast and very erratically. The roads overall are pretty good in David and Boquete but the way people drive and the way people don’t pay attention to things can be unnerving if you’re not used to it.
...
How can I say this politely and politically correct way?... It’s hell. It’s actually very difficult to drive here because people don’t drive the way you would imagine. It’s either people drive too slow or too fast and very erratically. The roads overall are pretty good in David and Boquete but the way people drive and the way people don’t pay attention to things can be unnerving if you’re not used to it.
Related to that, I would recommend for people to get a good insurance person. In case you’re in an accident you will need all the support from the insurance person and making sure that if the car is repairable to get it repaired in timely fashion, because, here, there’s a mañana mentality. Mañana essentially means” not today.” So without a good insurance agent, the repair people just keep pushing it off and it would be harder to get things wrapped up. A lot of patience is needed here in getting things done whether it has to do with claims for insurance, getting your car fixed, or anything like that.
(Bridge in Boquete, Panama, pictured.)
Posted March 28, 2016
Marela Camarena
Driving in Boquete is simple, safe, and uncomplicated. There is no traffic congestion. There is only one main road. Secondary roads go to neighborhoods. The road from David to Alto Boquete is two-way traffic. Downtown Boquete only has one-lane roads. However, during holidays or when there are celebrations in Boquete, the traffic becomes horrible because a lot of people visit the town and a line of cars form from Alto Boquete to downtown...
Driving in Boquete is simple, safe, and uncomplicated. There is no traffic congestion. There is only one main road. Secondary roads go to neighborhoods. The road from David to Alto Boquete is two-way traffic. Downtown Boquete only has one-lane roads. However, during holidays or when there are celebrations in Boquete, the traffic becomes horrible because a lot of people visit the town and a line of cars form from Alto Boquete to downtown Boquete. During the Independence Day of Panama in November and the Holy Week, which are the high seasons of Boquete, there will be a lot of local families with children vacationing in Boquete.
Traveling by bus from Boquete to David takes 45 minutes and costs US $1.75 per person. The bus service from Boquete to David leaves every 25 minutes. There is also a bus service from Palmira, a mountainous town in Boquete, to David. David is the third largest city in Panama.
Within downtown Boquete, there are also public buses that cost is $0.60 per person to go around the town. You will need to pay more if you need to go a little farther than downtown.
There are also taxis within Boquete, which are normally shared taxis, and the cost is the same as the bus, at $0.60 per person. If you want a private taxi or "carrera", the cost is more and will depend on the distance. From downtown Boquete to a house in one of the nearby neighborhoods, the cost is $1.50. A taxi to David will cost $20 and takes 30 minutes. Bus and taxi rates increase to $1 after 10 PM. From downtown Boquete to my house in Alto Boquete takes five minutes.
(Road into Boquete, Panama, pictured.)
Posted June 23, 2017
Rommel H. Troetsch - Arquitectura Axioma
Greetings expat community.
Boquete is actually a very good place to drive. It is very uncommon to see accidents in Boquete Downtown, and people are nice in the vast majority of times.
Boquete is actually a very good place to drive. It is very uncommon to see accidents in Boquete Downtown, and people are nice in the vast majority of times.
Because Boquete is a small town it cannot be compared to another city. Boquete has beautiful landscape and the town entrance is a really nice road where you can view the whole town. You also can go from one side to the other within minutes even if you are...
Greetings expat community.
Boquete is actually a very good place to drive. It is very uncommon to see accidents in Boquete Downtown, and people are nice in the vast majority of times.
Boquete is actually a very good place to drive. It is very uncommon to see accidents in Boquete Downtown, and people are nice in the vast majority of times.
Because Boquete is a small town it cannot be compared to another city. Boquete has beautiful landscape and the town entrance is a really nice road where you can view the whole town. You also can go from one side to the other within minutes even if you are driving slowly.
At the present time, the municipality is installing pipe lines and they have been taking longer than anyone would have guessed so the roads downtown are pretty hurt but hopefully they will finish their work soon. The only inconveniences that I see in Boquete is the lack of parking space in Boquete Downtown, specially on a rainy day and you need to park one or two blocks away.
The access from Boquete to David is really good too. It is a 4-lane road so there is no traffic jam, except during a special holiday. Because this is a very touristic place and currently there is just one entrance the place gets a lot of visitors during the second to third week of January, Easter, carnivals and the first week of November.
I hope I can see you driving happily around downtown.
Wish you all the best
Rommel Hans Troetsch
The access from Boquete to David is really good too. It is a 4-lane road so there is no traffic jam, except during a special holiday. Because this is a very touristic place and currently there is just one entrance the place gets a lot of visitors during the second to third week of January, Easter, carnivals and the first week of November.
I hope I can see you driving happily around downtown.
Wish you all the best
Rommel Hans Troetsch
Posted January 26, 2018