Getting Here from Panama City
If you need any help making in-country travel arrangements from the international airport where you arrive (Panama City or San Jose, Costa Rica), please don’t hesitate to ask. We are happy to help and want your trip to be hassle-free!
To get to Boquete, you will travel first from Panama City to David, a large city in the Chiriquí Province located between Puerto Armuelles on the coast and Boquete in the mountains. There are two ways to get from Panama City to David: by bus or plane. Depending on how much money you want to spend and how much sleep you require, the round trip price for traveling between Panama City and David will range from roughly $90 to $330.
There are three basic itineraries for traveling between Panama City and David:
1) CHEAP
$90 Roundtrip
Generally, international flights arrive in Panama City in the evening. After arriving at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City you will take a taxi to Albrook bus station. Taxi time to the bus station is about 40 minutes and generally costs about $30.
The bus station is very clean and is connected to one of the most popular shopping malls in Panama City. The buses are modern Greyhound style buses with reclining seats and air conditioning. Buses run between Panama City and David every hour or so during the day and every couple of hours after 6 pm (including a midnight bus). If your flight arrives in the evening and you want to avoid a hotel stay, you can go directly to the Albrook station and buy a ticket for the midnight bus. There are many different bus companies to choose from and each of them essentially offers the same level of comfort & service. Regardless of the company that you choose, the midnight bus will make one stop in Santiago, which marks the half-way point in your trip. This is a good time to go to the bathroom! Buses take approximately from 6 to 8 hours to David so you can expect to arrive in David around 6am.
You can either arrange for us to meet you in David or if you prefer, you can take another bus from David up to Boquete. The bus station is small and the Boquete bus is easy to find: it is an old-fashioned school bus with “David-Boquete” (or vice-versa) painted across the windshield. The earliest bus to Boquete is around 7 am, so you may have some time to get some coffee and a fresh empanada before getting on the Boquete bus. By bus, the trip takes about an hour.
Your return trip to Panama City will be essentially the same, in reverse of course. Most flights depart from Panama City in the morning, so if you’re trying to avoid a hotel stay, it makes the most sense to take the midnight bus from David back to Panama City. You will arrive in Panama City at the Albrook bus station between 5:30 and 6:00 am, and then you’ll take a taxi back to Tocumen International Airport. You should arrive about 2 hours prior to your scheduled departure.
Approximate Costs:
Taxi:Tocumen International Airport to Albrook bus station
$ 30
Bus fare: Panama City to David
$ 15Total approximate cost (one way)
$ 45
Total approximate cost (roundtrip)
$ 90
2) ECONOMICAL BUT MORE COMFORTABLE
$180 Roundtrip
If you would like to get a good night’s sleep in a hotel before getting onto a bus and making your way to David, it is important to reserve your hotel well in advance, as Panama City hotels are generally booked solid. We recommend the Hotel Las Vegas. It is very comfortable and has an excellent restaurant that is open late enough for you to enjoy a late dinner after arriving in Panama City. It is virtually impossible to get a room at the Las Vegas unless you have a reservation well in advance of your arrival. Please let us know if you need help with your reservation as we are happy to make your reservations for you.
Once arriving at Tocumen International Airport, you will take a taxi directly to your hotel. The following morning, you will take a taxi from your hotel to the Albrook bus station. Taxi time from Hotel Las Vegas to Albrook is 10-15 minutes and generally costs about $5.
The bus station is very clean and is connected to one of the most popular shopping malls in Panama City. The buses are modern Greyhound style buses with reclining seats and air conditioning. Buses run between Panama City and David every hour or so during the day. Each of the bus companies offers the same level of comfort and service for your trip, so just choose a bus that coordinates with your desired departure time and buy a one-way ticket to David. By bus, the trip takes approximately 6 hours and regardless of which operator you choose, the bus will make just one stop in Santiago, which marks the half-way point in your trip. This is a good time to grab a bite to eat and to go to the bathroom.
You can either arrange for us to meet you in David or if you prefer, you can take another bus from David up to Boquete. The bus station is small and the Boquete bus is easy to find: just look for an old fashioned school bus with “David-Boquete” (or vice versa) painted across the windshield. The trip to Boquete takes around an hour.
Your return trip to Panama City will be essentially the same, in reverse of course. If your return flight departs on Sunday morning, you’ll want to schedule your trip from David back to Panama City on Saturday, keeping in mind that the trip takes about 6 hours. When you arrive in Panama City at the Albrook bus station, you will then take a taxi to your hotel. The following morning, you’ll take a taxi from your hotel back to Tocumen International Airport. Remember to plan for about a half-hour taxi ride in order to arrive about 2 hours prior to your scheduled departure.
Approximate Costs:
Taxi: Tocumen International to Hotel
$30
Hotel: Panama City
$40
Taxi: Hotel to Albrook bus station
$5
Bus fare:Panama City to David
$15Total approximate cost (one way) $90
Total approximate cost (roundtrip) $180
WE RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON SOME HOTEL STAYS AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE YOUR HOTEL AND IN-COUNTRY FLIGHT RESERVATIONS FOR YOU.
3) REALLY COMFORTABLE
$330 Roundtrip
If you are choosing this option, you are traveling the same way that our guests travel on our All-Inclusive trips, however you are selecting to travel on your own (without a guide). On our All-Inclusive trips, we make your reservations for you in advance and there is a BOA guide on hand to assist you with every detail of your in-country experience. By traveling on your own versus booking an All-Inclusive trip, you’ll save about $70.
This is a great option for you if you plan to arrive a few days before your trips begins or stay a few days afterward.
If you would like to avoid the bus ride altogether, then your best option is to stay in a hotel the night that you arrive in Panama City and catch an in-country flight the following morning over to David. Upon arriving in Panama City, you will take a taxi from Tocumen International Airport to your hotel. The following morning, you will take a taxi from your hotel to the airport at Albrook. There are two domestic airlines, Air Panama and Aeroperlas. Both airlines have departures around 8am on Sunday morning and you can plan to arrive in David around 9am.
Your return trip will essentially be the same, in reverse of course. International flights generally depart from Panama City early in the morning, so it is important to plan to fly from David to Panama City no later than the afternoon prior to your flight home. For example, if your return flight from Panama City leaves at 8am on Sunday morning, you’ll want to fly back from David to Panama City on Saturday afternoon.
Approximate Costs:
Taxi: Tocumen International to hotel
$30
Hotel: Panama City (based on double occupancy)
$40
Taxi: Hotel to airport at Albrook
$5
Air fare: Panama City to David
$90Total approximate cost (one-way) $165
Total approximate cost (roundtrip) $330
WE RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON SOME HOTEL STAYS AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE YOUR HOTEL AND IN-COUNTRY FLIGHT RESERVATIONS FOR YOU.