If you're travelling around Panama, there is a very good chance that at some point you will find yourself standing beside a road, watching a bus approach and wondering:
"Is this actually my bus?"
Welcome to travelling through Panama.
For many visitors, the idea of using public buses can initially seem intimidating. You may not know exactly where to board, where to get off, how much it costs or whether the bus will even stop where you want it to.
But once you get the hang of it, buses can be one of the cheapest, most interesting and surprisingly enjoyable ways to travel around Panama.
And yes, for the most part, they are perfectly safe for tourists.
Panama is a bus country
Public buses are not some strange form of transportation reserved for adventurous backpackers.
They are part of everyday Panamanian life.
Students use them.
Workers use them.
Families use them.
People heading to the market use them.
People visiting relatives use them.
And travelers use them to cross the country without spending a fortune on taxis and private transfers.
This is one of the things that makes bus travel so interesting.
You aren't travelling inside a carefully constructed tourist bubble.
You're travelling with Panama.
There are many different kinds of buses
One of the first things to understand is that there isn't really one single "Panama bus."
You have modern long distance coaches connecting major cities, smaller rural buses connecting villages, urban buses, minibuses and the famous colorful diablos rojos in some areas.
Some buses are modern and comfortable.
Others are considerably more basic.
Some have air conditioning powerful enough to make you question whether you accidentally boarded a bus to Antarctica.
Others have open windows and provide the full tropical Panama experience.
You never quite know what you're going to get.
And that's part of the fun.
Are buses safe?
For normal daytime travel, public buses are generally a perfectly reasonable option for tourists.
The main thing to watch out for is petty theft, particularly in crowded areas.
That doesn't mean you need to sit on the bus clutching your backpack like you're guarding the Crown Jewels.
It simply means you should use common sense.
Keep your phone and wallet somewhere secure.
Don't leave expensive electronics sitting openly on the seat.
Keep your backpack where you can see it or feel it.
And don't leave your passport lying around while you become distracted by the scenery.
These are good habits anywhere in the world.
Your biggest problem may be your backpack
Imagine this.
You're sitting on a bus.
Your backpack is behind you.
Your phone is in the outside pocket.
You're wearing headphones.
You're staring out the window.
You've just created an excellent opportunity for someone else.
Instead, keep important things close to you.
If your backpack goes underneath the bus, keep valuables and documents with you rather than in the luggage compartment.
And if you're carrying a smaller daypack, putting it between your feet or on your lap can make things much easier.
You don't have to be paranoid.
Just don't make yourself an easy target.
Bus stations are where you need to pay attention
The journey itself is often quite uneventful.
Large bus terminals can be a little more chaotic.
There are people coming and going, buses arriving, luggage everywhere, vendors selling food and travelers trying to figure out where they're supposed to be.
It can be wonderfully chaotic.
It can also be exactly the kind of environment where you accidentally leave your phone sitting on a bench.
So get organized before you arrive.
Know which bus you need.
Keep your important belongings secure.
And if you're unsure, ask.
Panamanians are generally accustomed to helping people figure out where their bus is going.
Learn a little Spanish
You don't need to become fluent before taking a bus.
But learning a few phrases can make the experience dramatically easier.
¿Este bus va a...?
Does this bus go to...?
¿Dónde me bajo?
Where do I get off?
¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much does it cost?
¿A qué hora sale?
What time does it leave?
And perhaps the most important:
¿Me avisa, por favor?
"Can you let me know?"
That last one can be extremely useful when you're worried about missing your stop.
You can also simply tell the driver or another passenger your destination and ask them to let you know when you arrive.
Don't be embarrassed to ask
This is one of the great things about travelling by bus in Panama.
You don't need to know everything.
If you're standing at a roadside wondering whether the bus approaching you is going to David, Boquete, Gualaca, Hornito or somewhere completely different, ask someone.
"¿David?"
Someone will usually either nod, shake their head or point you in the right direction.
And if they don't speak English, you have just discovered the international language of pointing, smiling and saying the name of the town repeatedly.
It works remarkably well.
Rural buses are an adventure
Once you get away from Panama City, bus travel can become particularly interesting.
You may find yourself travelling through mountains, forests and tiny communities where tourists are relatively uncommon.
People get on carrying groceries.
Someone may board with a huge bag.
Someone else might be carrying farm equipment.
A grandmother gets on.
A student gets off.
A guy at the side of the road waves.
The driver stops.
Five minutes later you're climbing through the mountains again.
It is everyday life for the people around you, but for a traveler it can be a fascinating glimpse into Panama that you simply don't get from an organized shuttle.
And then there is the scenery
This is probably the biggest reason to take the bus.
When you're sitting in a private vehicle with dark windows and a driver whose only mission is getting you to your hotel, you can miss an enormous amount.
On a bus, you can watch Panama unfold outside the window.
Jungle.
Rivers.
Mountains.
Banana plantations.
Tiny villages.
Cattle farms.
Pacific coastline.
Cloud forest.
People selling food beside the road.
And sometimes something completely unexpected.
You might even discover somewhere you want to return to.
Long distance buses can be surprisingly comfortable
Panama's longer routes can be an excellent way to travel between major destinations.
For example, travelling from Panama City toward David gives you the chance to sit back and watch the landscape gradually change.
The city disappears.
The countryside begins.
Then the mountains appear.
Eventually the climate and vegetation change again as you approach western Panama.
And you've done all of this without having to drive.
For budget travelers, that's a pretty good deal.
But don't assume every bus follows a perfect timetable
This is Panama.
Sometimes things happen.
Traffic happens.
Road construction happens.
Rain happens.
A bus can arrive later than expected.
Sometimes you will be waiting and wondering whether you misunderstood the entire transportation system.
Then suddenly the bus appears.
This is why giving yourself some extra time is a good idea when you have a flight, tour or important connection.
Don't plan a complicated series of buses with three minutes between each one.
Panama has a sense of humor.
Night travel requires more thought
For travelers unfamiliar with the country, I generally recommend doing your first journeys during daylight.
Not because Panama suddenly becomes a terrifying place when the sun goes down.
It is simply easier.
You can see where you are.
You can recognize landmarks.
You can figure out where you need to get off.
And if something goes wrong, you're dealing with it while everything is open and people are around.
This is particularly useful when travelling into remote mountain areas.
Arriving somewhere unfamiliar at 9 PM with a backpack, no idea where you are and no transportation available is rarely the highlight of a vacation.
Keep your phone charged
Your phone is incredibly useful when travelling by bus.
Maps.
Translation.
Accommodation information.
Messages.
Bus research.
Emergency contact.
And, of course, the ability to desperately search:
"Where the hell am I?"
Keep it charged.
A small power bank is an excellent travel companion, especially if you're heading into rural areas.
And don't assume you will have perfect mobile service everywhere.
Panama has mountains.
Lots of them.
The buses can be part of the experience
One of the best things about travelling through Panama by bus is that eventually you stop worrying about every little detail.
You learn how it works.
You walk into a terminal.
You ask where your bus is.
You climb aboard.
You find a seat.
You watch the landscape.
You get off.
And suddenly you're doing something that seemed intimidating when you first arrived.
That's one of the great pleasures of independent travel.
The first bus feels complicated.
The fifth bus feels normal.
By the tenth, you're pointing at the road and telling other confused backpackers which bus they need.
Congratulations.
You're now part of the system.
And don't forget the food
Bus stations and roadside stops can also be excellent places to discover local food.
You may find empanadas, fried chicken, fruit, snacks, drinks and all sorts of things you didn't know existed five minutes earlier.
If you're hungry, look around and see what the locals are buying.
That's often a better recommendation than anything printed in a guidebook.
Just remember that if you buy something messy and then climb onto a crowded bus, you have approximately 30 seconds to discover how difficult it is to eat it gracefully.
The secret is simple
You don't need to be an experienced backpacker to use public transportation in Panama.
You just need to be reasonably organized.
Keep your valuables secure.
Travel during daylight when practical.
Ask questions.
Learn a few Spanish phrases.
Give yourself extra time.
Use established bus terminals and services for longer journeys.
And most importantly, don't be afraid to take the bus.
Panama's public transportation system gives travelers access to far more of the country than they might see if they simply stay in tourist areas and move around by private transfer.
You get mountains.
You get villages.
You get jungle.
You get conversations.
You get local life.
You get spectacular views through a slightly scratched window.
And occasionally you get a bus driver who seems to believe that the laws of physics are merely suggestions.
That's all part of the adventure.
So yes, take the bus.
Keep your valuables close, keep your sense of humor even closer, and enjoy the ride.
Because sometimes the most memorable part of travelling through Panama isn't where you end up.
It's everything you see between here and there.