S'amuser et sortir Panama

Timetable

It's in the capital that the evenings and nights are the liveliest. The beginning of the week is quieter, of course, but there's plenty to do every night, especially in Casco Viejo. The party really kicks off on Thursday, right through to Saturday night. Café terraces and rooftops fill up around 6 p.m., nightclubs around midnight, closing around 3 or 4 a.m. on weekends. Elsewhere in the country, the atmosphere is quieter at night, except in Bocas, where nights can get hot in high season.

Beware of the ley seca (the "dry law"): on the eve of certain religious or electoral holidays, the law prohibits all sales of alcohol, whether in restaurants, bars or supermarkets.

Budget & Tips

If you keep to a reasonable price and stay away from the more upscale venues, you can have a good evening for US$20-60, between club tickets and drinks. A local beer in a bar costs around US$3-4, more for craft beverages. A basic cocktail costs from US$6 in a cheap beach bar, double or triple that in a Casco Viejo bar.

To be booked

Reservations are not required, except to attend performances by world-renowned artists.

Night transport

At night, when leaving a bar or discotheque, it's best to take a cab or VTC to reach your hotel if it's not nearby, for safety reasons, even if robberies or assaults are rare.

Age restrictions

The consumption of alcohol is allowed from 18 years old. Younger people will have to prove their age at the entrance of bars and clubs. A photocopy of your passport is sufficient.

What's very local

On weekends, beautiful limousines, hired by los yeyesitos (the golden youth), are often on the road to celebrate birthdays or graduations... More popular, chivas parranderas are old buses or diablos rojos refurbished especially for the fiesta! Colorful and open-sided, the chivas roam the city at night with an explosive murga ("brass band") on board: saxophone, trumpet, trombone, percussion... If there's no live concert, you'll be treated to an explosive bass sound system! The armchairs have a wooden bar system for glasses and bottles of seco or national rum. Drink, dance and wobble... For around forty dollars per person, the evening's drinking knows no bounds. Back around midnight. Youth hostels usually organize groups.

Latinos make an effort to dress up when they go out, so avoid shorts and flip-flops, at the risk of being turned away. Of course, it's much more relaxed in Bocas and in the bars, which are aimed primarily at tourists.

Smokers

Smoking is prohibited inside bars and nightclubs.