One of the easiest ways to have a great trip to Panama is to understand that Panama is not simply a tropical version of whatever country you are coming from. Things are done differently here. Sometimes wonderfully, sometimes confusingly, and occasionally in a way that will make you stand there wondering whether you misunderstood the entire conversation.
Most of these differences are small. Nobody is trying to make your trip difficult. Panama simply has its own way of doing things, and once you understand a few of the unwritten rules, life becomes much easier.
So before you arrive, here are some cultural differences that might catch you by surprise.
Your idea of "on time" may need some adjustment
If you come from a country where 7:00 PM means you should be sitting at the table at 6:58 PM, Panama can occasionally be an interesting cultural experiment.
Not everything operates according to the same strict relationship with the clock that you may be used to. Social occasions can be flexible, conversations can run longer than expected and plans can change. That does not mean that every Panamanian is late to everything, or that appointments are meaningless. Formal business, flights, tours and important appointments are obviously different.
But if a friend says, "I'll be there soon," it is probably not wise to start staring at the clock after exactly five minutes.
Think of it this way: in some cultures, the clock controls the person. In Panama, sometimes the person negotiates with the clock.
People may seem more personal than you are used to
Panamanians can be friendly and conversational, and small talk is an important part of everyday interaction.
Someone may ask where you are from, where you are staying, whether you have a girlfriend or boyfriend, how long you are staying and what you are doing in Panama. If you come from a culture where strangers generally mind their own business, you might briefly wonder whether you have accidentally walked into a family interview.
Usually, you haven't.
It is simply part of being social. People often use conversation to establish a relationship rather than immediately getting to the practical point.
So if someone asks you how you are, "good" and immediately turning back to your phone may not produce quite the same interaction as actually answering and asking how they are doing.
Saying hello matters
One of the easiest cultural mistakes for visitors is walking into a small shop, restaurant or other place and immediately saying what they want without acknowledging the person standing in front of them.
A simple "Buenos días", "Buenas tardes" or "Buenas noches" goes a long way.
It is a tiny thing, but it changes the entire tone of the interaction. You are not just another transaction. You have acknowledged the person.
And if you learn a few Spanish greetings before arriving, use them. You do not need to speak perfect Spanish. A friendly "buenas" can sometimes accomplish more than five minutes of struggling with Google Translate.
Personal space can feel different
If you come from northern Europe or somewhere where people generally maintain a generous amount of personal space, you may notice that conversations in Panama can happen a little closer than you are accustomed to.
You may also see more physical affection between friends and family members. A handshake, hug or cheek kiss can be completely normal depending on the relationship and situation.
Don't panic if someone stands closer to you than you would expect. They are probably not trying to rob you of your personal bubble. They may simply have a smaller bubble.
"No" does not always mean "absolutely never"
This is one that can be confusing for visitors.
Communication in Latin America can sometimes be more indirect than what you may be accustomed to. Instead of giving an extremely blunt "no," someone may use phrases that sound more optimistic or open ended.
"Maybe."
"We'll see."
"Possibly."
"Let's see what happens."
To a visitor, these can sound like promising developments.
Sometimes they are.
Sometimes they are the polite version of "probably not."
Learning to read the context is part of travelling. If you demand a precise yes or no every thirty seconds, Panama may slowly drive you insane.
Customer service may not work exactly like at home
Visitors from countries with highly standardized customer service can sometimes find Panama interesting.
A restaurant may not operate with the same speed you expect. A government office may involve more patience. A shop might not have exactly what its website says it has. Something that you would normally expect to happen automatically may require asking another question, making another phone call or finding the person who actually knows how to make it happen.
This is one of those situations where getting angry usually makes the experience worse.
A little patience and a friendly attitude can take you surprisingly far.
And remember that Panama is not Europe with palm trees. It has its own systems, its own bureaucracy and its own way of getting things done.
Lunch can be more than fuel
Food in Panama is not simply something you consume as efficiently as possible before returning to your schedule.
Meals can be social occasions, particularly with family and friends. Food, conversation and spending time together are closely connected.
You may also discover that Panamanian meals do not necessarily look like the food you imagined before arriving. Rice and beans, plantains, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, soups, corn based foods and fresh tropical ingredients are all important parts of the local food scene.
And yes, there will probably be rice.
Quite a lot of rice.
If you don't like rice, Panama may eventually convince you to reconsider your position.
Breakfast can be a serious business
Panamanians have plenty of simple breakfast options, and you may discover foods that are completely unfamiliar to you.
Eggs, tortillas, hojaldres, carimañolas, fruit and coffee can all appear on the breakfast table.
If you come from a country where breakfast means cereal, toast and quietly staring out the window while wondering what went wrong with your life, a Panamanian breakfast can feel considerably more substantial.
Family is important
Family plays a very important role in Panamanian society. It is common for extended families to remain closely connected, and family gatherings can be much larger and more frequent than some visitors are accustomed to.
This also helps explain why conversations can sometimes become surprisingly personal.
Your family, your relationship status, your children, your parents and where you come from may all become perfectly normal conversation topics.
Don't automatically interpret this as being intrusive. Often it is simply another way of showing interest.
Expect more interaction with people
One of the things many visitors notice in Panama is that everyday life can feel more social.
People talk to one another. Neighbours know each other. Shopkeepers may chat with customers. People sitting together may actually talk rather than staring silently at their phones.
For travellers staying in hostels, this can be particularly noticeable. A shared kitchen, bar, bus stop or dinner table can quickly turn into a conversation with someone you met five minutes earlier.
This is one of the great things about travelling in Panama. Sometimes the best part of the day is not the attraction you planned to visit. It is the completely unplanned conversation you had with somebody along the way.
Don't confuse friendliness with an invitation to become best friends
There is also a funny side to all this.
Someone can be extremely friendly without necessarily wanting to become your lifelong best friend.
A smile is a smile. A conversation is a conversation. A person helping you find the right bus does not necessarily mean they want to add you to the family WhatsApp group.
Enjoy the friendliness without overanalysing it.
The weather can change your concept of planning
This isn't strictly a cultural difference, but it becomes one of the great cultural lessons of travelling in Panama.
You may wake up to blue sky, sunshine and absolutely perfect weather. Then, several hours later, the sky can open up and dump an impressive quantity of tropical rain onto everything.
Panamanians generally know this and work around it.
Visitors sometimes look at the forecast and assume that rain means their entire day is ruined. Not necessarily. Tropical rain can arrive dramatically and disappear just as quickly.
The trick is to stop expecting Panama to behave like a perfectly controlled environment.
Bring something waterproof.
Your expensive European attitude toward weather will not impress the clouds.
People may not rush just because you are rushing
This is perhaps the biggest lesson for travellers.
You may be in a hurry.
The person serving you may not be.
You may have five minutes before your bus.
The person in front of you may be having a conversation.
You may desperately need someone to fix something immediately.
The person helping you may first need to find someone else who knows how to fix it.
This can be frustrating, especially if you come from a culture where efficiency is considered a virtue above almost everything else.
But there is another way of looking at it. Travelling is partly about realizing that your normal way of doing things is not the universal way of doing things.
Sometimes you just have to breathe, smile and wait.
Spanish will make your life much easier
You can travel around Panama with English, particularly in tourist areas, hotels and hostels, but even basic Spanish can make a huge difference.
You don't need to become fluent before your flight.
Learn a few phrases.
Buenos días
Good morning.
Buenas tardes
Good afternoon.
Buenas noches
Good evening.
Por favor
Please.
Gracias
Thank you.
Cuánto cuesta?
How much does it cost?
Dónde está...?
Where is...?
No entiendo
I don't understand.
And perhaps the most useful phrase of all:
Una cerveza, por favor.
You can work out the rest.
The biggest cultural difference is probably the attitude toward life
Perhaps the most important thing to understand before travelling through Panama is that not everything has to happen exactly according to your plan.
Your bus might be later than expected.
It might rain.
The restaurant might take longer than you expected.
You might meet somebody and change your plans.
You might discover a beach you had never heard of.
You might miss the thing you were supposed to see and end up having a much better day doing something completely different.
That is part of travelling.
Panama rewards people who are flexible. If you arrive expecting everything to operate exactly like it does back home, you may spend half your holiday being annoyed.
If you arrive curious, patient and willing to laugh at the occasional chaos, you will probably have a much better time.
The best preparation for Panama isn't learning how to control everything. It's learning how to enjoy things when they don't go exactly according to plan. And honestly, that may be one of the best souvenirs you can take home.