Emergency numbers and help in Panama

The numbers

• 911 works and the operators are unlikely to speak English. Have the address written down, or hand the phone to a hotel employee.
• Panama City has a dedicated tourist police unit operating in Casco Viejo and the main visitor areas, in identifiable uniforms.

If something goes wrong

• Report any crime to the police before you leave Panama. The FCDO is explicit that a report filed after departure may not be investigated - and no insurer will pay without one.
• Keep a copy of the passport and the entry stamp separately from the passport itself.
• Medical evacuation from an island is slow. If something serious happens in Bocas or Guna Yala, the useful call is the insurer's assistance line as well as 911.

Roadblocks

• If a protest closes the highway, do not try to drive through it. Wait, or turn back. Blockades in Panama are held for days and are not negotiated with individual drivers.
• Airlines rebook when the road to the airport is closed; the airline app is faster than the counter.