eSIM and SIM cards in Panama

The local SIM

• Three networks cover Panama: +Movil (formerly Cable & Wireless), Tigo and Digicel. All sell prepaid SIMs with a passport, and all have counters or shops at Tocumen.
• Prepaid data here is cheap by regional standards, and a tourist package covering a week or two costs very little.
• Coverage is excellent in Panama City, along the canal and on the main highway, and drops away quickly in Bocas del Toro, the Guna Yala islands and the highlands. Do not plan on being reachable in the San Blas islands at all.

An eSIM instead

• The reason to have one here is the taxi problem. The FCDO advises against hailing street taxis and points you at ride-hailing apps instead - and those need data from the moment you walk out of arrivals.
• Install it before you fly and check it activates on the ground; Panama's networks are well supported by the main eSIM providers.

Wi-fi

• Hotels, malls and cafes in Panama City all have it and it is generally fast.
• Outside the city, assume nothing. Island guesthouses in Bocas and Guna Yala may have a single satellite connection shared by everyone, or none.