{
  "_license": "CC BY 4.0 — attribute SKETCH.WORLD (https://sketch.world) and link back if you use this data.",
  "_source": "https://sketch.world/panama",
  "iso2": "PA",
  "name": "Panama",
  "slug": "panama",
  "updatedAt": "2026-07-12T18:48:20.567Z",
  "score": 74,
  "verdict": "go-attention",
  "confidence": "high",
  "subscores": {
    "advisoryConsensus": 88.8888888888889,
    "political": 68.705534,
    "policeTrust": 44.731449999999995,
    "health": 72,
    "crime": 76.585413116071,
    "lgbtq": 90
  },
  "delta7d": 4,
  "advisories": {
    "disagreement": 1,
    "us": {
      "level": 2,
      "label": "Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution",
      "url": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/panama-travel-advisory.html"
    },
    "uk": {
      "level": 1,
      "summary": "See FCDO advice.",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/panama"
    },
    "ca": {
      "level": 1,
      "label": "Exercise normal security precautions (with regional advisories)",
      "url": "https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/panama"
    }
  },
  "generated": true,
  "regionFlags": [],
  "health": {
    "notices": [
      {
        "title": "Oropouche in the Americas",
        "level": 1
      },
      {
        "title": "Global Measles",
        "level": 1
      }
    ],
    "vaccines": {
      "required": [],
      "recommended": []
    },
    "tapWater": "unknown"
  },
  "entry": {
    "visaNote": "",
    "passportValidityMonths": 0,
    "sources": []
  },
  "scams": [],
  "laws": [],
  "streetWisdom": {
    "summary": "Panama City is generally navigable, but travelers report that safety perceptions shift rapidly just outside tourist hubs like Casco Viejo. A five-minute walk beyond these established zones can lead to areas where visitors feel unsafe at night. While specific concerns about petty crime exist, the primary advice involves avoiding neighborhoods identified as high-risk by locals and online reviews. Taboga Island carries a reputation for pollution, leading many to seek cleaner alternatives like Contadora for swimming and snorkeling. Ultimately, safety in the city requires staying within patrolled areas and exercising caution when wandering away from well-traveled tourist corridors after dark.",
    "quotes": [
      {
        "text": "some people on reddit have said its quite polluted",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1o8ysjp/travelling_and_safety_in_panama_city_panama/"
      },
      {
        "text": "some people have left reviews that the area did not feel safe at night, and this was only 5-7 minute walk outside of Casco viejo.",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1o8ysjp/travelling_and_safety_in_panama_city_panama/"
      },
      {
        "text": "Safety is a priority. I’m looking for a relaxed, safe environment where I can truly disconnect",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1skeaw1/help_me_choose_puerto_rico_dominican_republic/"
      }
    ],
    "generatedAt": "2026-07-12"
  },
  "localKnowledge": {
    "staySafe": [
      {
        "text": "Most of Panama is very safe."
      },
      {
        "text": "One exception is the border region between Panama and Colombia, which is considered extraordinarily dangerous due to Colombian rebel groups and drug traffickers."
      },
      {
        "text": "During the daytime, San Felipe is perfectly safe for foreigners."
      }
    ],
    "stayHealthy": [
      {
        "text": "Panama is well known for its excellent medical care, making it a hot spot for medical vacations."
      },
      {
        "text": "Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for all visitors over 9 months of age travelling to the provinces of Darien, Kunayala (San Blas) and Panama, excluding the Canal Zone."
      },
      {
        "text": "The U.S. Centers for Disease Control state that risk of malaria exists in rural areas of Bocas del Toro, Darién, and San Blas provinces; no risk in Panama City or in the former Canal Zone. N…"
      },
      {
        "text": "Dengue fever is endemic, particularly in the province of Darien."
      },
      {
        "text": "Tap water is safe in virtually all cities and towns, with the exception of Bocas del Toro, where bottled water is recommended."
      },
      {
        "text": "The moisture and heat of the tropics can encourage yeast infections."
      }
    ],
    "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Panama"
  },
  "recentHeadlines": [],
  "whatChanged": "Panama's sketch score rose to 74 today, and while the US maintains a level 2 advisory, you need to watch for Oropouche and measles alerts currently active in the region.",
  "practical": {
    "plug": [
      "A",
      "B"
    ],
    "voltage": 110,
    "drivingSide": "right",
    "emergency": {
      "police": "911",
      "ambulance": "911",
      "fire": "911"
    },
    "simAdvice": "",
    "cashVsCard": "",
    "tipping": ""
  },
  "lgbtqLegal": {
    "status": "legal",
    "summary": "Legal since 2008+ UN decl. sign.",
    "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights_by_country_or_territory"
  },
  "receipts": [
    {
      "sourceId": "us-state",
      "url": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/panama-travel-advisory.html",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "uk-fcdo",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/panama",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "ca-gac",
      "url": "https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/panama",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "worldbank-political",
      "url": "https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/GOV_WGI_PV.EST?format=json&date=2024&per_page=300",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "worldbank-policeTrust",
      "url": "https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/GOV_WGI_RL.EST?format=json&date=2024&per_page=300",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "cdc-health",
      "url": "https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/oropouche-in-the-americas",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "wikivoyage",
      "url": "https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Panama",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "reddit",
      "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "unodc",
      "url": "https://data.unodc.org/datareport/hom-victim",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "acled-hdx",
      "url": "https://data.humdata.org/organization/acled",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "lgbtq-legal-wikipedia",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights_by_country_or_territory",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    }
  ]
}