Paso Canoas and The Bizarre Panama Border


Paso Canoas and The Bizarre Panama Border

(1 vote)

Written by Ezra Paskus

Wednesday, October 03 2007

Like most border towns, Paso Canoas in Panama, has a touch of the old west. Located on the InterAmericana, straddling both Panama and Costa Rica, Paso Canoas has everything to make happy both the adventure traveler and the shop-a-holic.

You won't find showdowns in the street between gunfighters, saw dust on the floor saloons, a swaggering sheriff, or whorehouses. What you will find is showdowns on the street between cabs and eighteen wheelers, enough Policia National firepower to take out Costa Rica, reggeaton pumping cantinas, and whorehouses. I guess whorehouses never go out of fashion.

Paso Canoas sits in both countries. Judging by where the actual immigration offices are, one should think that it starts after Panama ends and before Costa Rica begins. But during my most recent trip, I learned all that separates the Panama and Costa Rica side is a thin strip of grass.

Whenever I mention that I'm going to the frontera (literally translated as ‘the frontier', how fitting) I get grimaces. I don't quite understand why. I think it's a fascinating wonderland. Others think it's a dirty, thieving place full of dirty thieving homeless people that pester you for change.

In reality, you get pestered to buy perfumes and pirated DVDs. It's a shoppers dream. There are clothes and shoes galore. And they are not knock-off brands. They are usually overstocks that are no longer in fashion in other places. But it's all here, Puma, Nike, Op, O'neil, and more. Everything from building supplies and saddles to Playstion 2s and DVDs. Duty free stores with your favorite brand of booze and smokes that you cant find anywhere else in Panama, especially Chiriqui. Everything on the cheap and because you have a foreign passport, you can frequent those duty free shops. Motorcycles, furniture, stereos, air conditioners, tools, cell phones, and watches, anything you can think of, you can find it here.

I will admit that those grimacing people have one thing right. It gets dirty in the street, and when it rains, stepping in that dirty street river can be nasty. My friend wore sandals on our last trip and after stepping in something of the consistency of dog poo for the fifth time, he had some regrets.

You can't talk about the border without mentioning something about immigration. Those of you with a Pensionado Visa or any other kind of visa really don't have to worry about anything, ever. But those of you on that eternal tourist visa should know a few things:

1.         You can leave Panama and enter Costa Rica, stay the required minimum 72 hours and return, no problem. However, the 72 hours start the day after you leave. For example, you leave Panama 5 p.m. on Wednesday, you can return anytime on Sunday.

2.         Even though you buy a tourist visa for $5 and it says you can stay in Panama for 90 days, if you are from Canada, Columbia, USA, Mexico, or Argentina, you can only stay for 30 days. You can apply for a 60 day extension while in country at an immigration office and all that that entails.

3.         If you are thinking of bribing your way back the same day, be careful. About 2 weeks ago, an immigration officer was arrested for this and 90 percent of the staff was rotated to another station. A few officers were arrested in Sixaola on the Bocas side as well.

4.         Regarding the above, consistency has never been a strong point among the immigration officers and border crossings. I have heard tale of an officer cutting short a long winded excuse to reenter the same day to ask for $10 to make it happen. I have heard tale of an officer charging $20 monthly to make it happen. I have heard tale of someone making a very successful excuse and returning in 24 hours, for free.

5.         The same goes for the checkpoint located about 2 kms from the border on the Panama side. Sometimes they stop you and ask for passports, sometimes vehicle documentation, sometimes they just wave you through.

6.         If you stay over the 30 days, you will be charged $25 for the first month over, and that starts one day after your 30 days is up. In other words, you were supposed to leave on October 1, if you leave on October 2 you will have to pay $25. $60 for the second month. It increase beyond that, but at that point it's probably cheaper to get married. (not really)

Paso Canoas is indeed a strange experience that, like outdoor intercourse, everyone should try once. My numbers and legal advice should all be taken, like a margarita, with a lump of salt.

Comments (1)

Don: It's Not as Glamorous as you Describe

I stayed in Paso Canoas for a night. We crossed the border at night by crossing the grass strip and heading on down into Panama for a few hours to visit a friend's family. On the way back late at night we were stopped about 10 miles from the border by the Panama transit people. With automatic weapons.

The next day we did the legal crossing through the mess of immigration on both sides, paying for visas and tourist stamps, not knowing exactly where we were supposed to be, not really sure we would get back.

The finest hotel in town had a 20 year old black and white television with an iron cage welded to brackets on the wall. The blankets looked like they had been drapes in a previous life.

I love rustic. This was just filthy.

February 22, 2008

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