City brief · Panama City
Tourist Scams in Panama City: What to Watch For and Where
Panama City is a cosmopolitan hub — the canal, the skyline, the colonial Casco Viejo — and mostly gentle for visitors. Its everyday friction is the no-meter taxi; its main caution is knowing which few areas to skip. Handle those and the city is easy.
2026-08-23
Problem zones at a glance
- Taxis (no meters) Moderate Tourist overcharging is routine — agree the fare first, or use Uber/inDrive, which fix the price.
- Casco Viejo & its edges Moderate The beautiful old town is safe and lively in its core, but its edges border rougher areas — stay in the restored blocks, especially at night.
- El Chorrillo, Curundú & Colón Elevated Genuinely rough areas to avoid — don't wander in, and treat Colón (a separate city) with real caution.
- Cinta Costera, Marina & malls Low The waterfront, the banking district, and the malls are safe and pleasant with normal awareness.
- Nightlife & crowds Moderate Watch your drink and your pockets in the busy bar districts; sort your ride home.
The short version
Panama City is a genuine crossroads — the canal, a Miami-like skyline, and the colonial charm of Casco Viejo — and mostly a gentle, cosmopolitan place to visit. Its everyday friction is the no-meter taxi (fares are negotiated, so tourists get overcharged), and its main caution is simply knowing which few areas to skip. The banking district, the waterfront, the malls, and the restored core of Casco Viejo are safe and easy; a handful of rough neighborhoods are not. Use the apps, stay in the visitor areas, and the city is straightforward.
The scripts you’ll actually meet
- No-meter taxi overcharging. Fares are negotiated — agree it first, or use Uber/inDrive to fix the price. The taxi rules →
- Area awareness. El Chorrillo, Curundú, and the separate city of Colón are genuinely rough — don’t wander in. Casco Viejo’s core is safe; its edges are not. Tourist-price dynamics →
- Petty theft. In crowds, on Casco Viejo’s edges, and at night — bag in front, valuables low-profile.
- Nightlife caution. Watch your drink and your pockets in the bar districts; ride home by app.
- Overcharging. The occasional tourist-price bill or “service” — check prices, agree first.
Getting around
Uber and inDrive are the easy way around, fixing the fare and skipping the taxi haggle — the default for most visitors. If you take a taxi, agree the full fare before getting in (and note taxis share rides with others going your way, which is normal). The Metro is modern, clean, and cheap on its lines. Casco Viejo, the Cinta Costera waterfront, and the canal areas are walkable and pleasant by day; use apps to and from Casco Viejo at night and stay in its restored core.
What it looks like
Panama City’s tells are mild: a taxi with no meter quoting high (the negotiated overcharge), and the geography of Casco Viejo, whose lovely core borders rougher blocks. Use the apps, stay in the visitor areas and the restored old-town streets, and skip the few rough neighborhoods, and the city is easy.
Do this instead
Use Uber or inDrive to fix fares, or agree a taxi price first; stay in the safe areas — the banking district, the waterfront, the restored core of Casco Viejo — and skip El Chorrillo, Curundú, and Colón; keep valuables low-profile in crowds and at night; and ride to and from Casco Viejo after dark. That covers Panama City’s whole risk list.
Warning signs, in general
- A taxi with no agreed fare is the negotiated overcharge — set it first or use an app.
- A few blocks past Casco Viejo’s restored edge, or the rough neighborhoods, is where the real caution lies — stay in the visitor areas.
- The busy bar districts are ordinary drink-and-pocket awareness zones.
If something happens
- Emergency: dial 911. There is tourist-police support in the visitor areas.
- Taxi overcharge: use the apps to avoid it; agree fares first if you take a taxi.
- Theft: freeze cards, then file the report for insurance. The full first-hour checklist →
- Wrong-area situation: if you realize you’ve wandered somewhere rough, calmly leave the way you came or app a ride out; don’t linger.
Quick answers
Is Panama City safe for tourists?
Yes — Panama City is a cosmopolitan, broadly safe capital, with the banking district, waterfront, and the restored core of Casco Viejo pleasant and easy. Violent crime against tourists is uncommon in the visitor areas. The main things to know are the no-meter taxi overcharge, some genuinely rough areas to avoid (El Chorrillo, Curundú, and the separate city of Colón), and ordinary petty-theft awareness in crowds and on Casco Viejo's edges at night.
Are taxis in Panama City a ripoff?
Panama City taxis famously have no meters, so tourist overcharging is routine and fares are negotiated. Agree the full fare before getting in (ask your hotel the fair rate for common trips), or use Uber and inDrive, which fix the price in advance and are the easy way to avoid the haggle. Taxis also pick up multiple passengers going the same way, which is normal. For simplicity, most visitors just use the apps.
Which areas of Panama City should I avoid?
Skip El Chorrillo and Curundú, and treat the nearby port city of Colón (on the Caribbean side) with real caution — these have genuine crime and little reason for tourists to enter. Casco Viejo's restored core is safe and lively, but it borders rougher blocks, so stay in the tourist streets, especially after dark, and don't wander past the restored edge. The banking district, Cinta Costera waterfront, and the malls are all fine.
Is Casco Viejo safe at night?
The restored, touristy core of Casco Viejo is safe and lively at night — it's full of restaurants, rooftop bars, and people. The caution is its edges: the old town borders rougher areas, and a wrong turn a few blocks past the restored zone puts you somewhere you don't want to be after dark. Stay in the busy, well-lit tourist streets, take an app ride to and from, and enjoy the nightlife.