|
| |
|
PASO CANOAS |
| |
Duty-free shops and stalls lining the Interamericana announce the
approach to PASO CANOAS . As you come into town, either driving or on
the TRACOPA or international Ticabus service, you'll pass the Costa
Rican customs checkpoint, where everybody gets a going-over. Foreigners
don't attract much interest, however; customs officials are far more
concerned with nabbing Ticos coming back over the border with
unauthorized amounts of cheap consumer goods.
To cross from Costa Rica into Panamá, most nationalities need a tourist
card : though UK citizens need only bring their passport. Tourist cards
should be collected in advance from the Panamanian consulate , or from
the office of Copa, Panama's national airline, in San José. Many people
should also have a visa - Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders
among them. You may also need a return ticket back to Costa Rica or an
onward ticket out of Panamá to another country (though the cheapest
TRACOPA fare will do), but bear in mind that immigration requirements
frequently change, seemingly at whim, so always check with the
Panamanian consulate before setting off.
The migración is on the Costa Rican side, next to the TRACOPA bus
terminal. You'll have to wait in line, maybe for several hours,
especially if a San José-David-Panamá City Ticabus comes through, as all
international bus passengers are processed together. Arrive early to get
through fastest. There's no problem changing money : there's a Banco
Nacional on the Costa Rican side of the border and, beyond that, plenty
of moneychangers. Note that you cannot take any fruit or vegetables
across the border - even if they're for your lunch. They will be
confiscated.
DAVID , the first city of any size in Panamá, is about ninety minutes
beyond the border. Buses run from the Panamanian border bus terminal
every hour or so until 5pm. From David it's easy to pick up local
services, including the Ticabus to Panamá City, which you can't pick up
at the border.
|
| |
|
