Customer Reviews

Panama: The Bradt Travel Guide

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Panama: The Bradt Travel Guide is a superb in-depth travel guide, packed cover to cover with everything from where to view more than 350 species of bird to fishing, rafting and hiking opportunities, prime beaches and watersport locations, top-rated locations to stay or eat, the history of the Panama Canal, an extensive focus on Bocas del Toro, and much more. On a less lighthearted note, Panama: The Bradt Travel Guide also covers "need-to-know" information concerning common diseases, what to bring in a first aid kit, natural hazards, and locations that are particular hotbeds of crime or danger. Maps, charts, graphs, and a handful of photographs round out this practical-minded, "user friendly" and informative guide ideal for the casual tourist and the dedicated business traveler alike.

I feel suitably qualified to judge this guide on accuracy as I live full-time in Panama and know it well. Of course, no printed material can ever be 100% accurate - things change too fast, but this is the best on the market by far. For me, the Bocas del Toro and San BLas sections in particular are both way above average. I was also pleased to spot plenty of great bits of local insight in every chapter - plus stacks of info on birding, camping and truly discovering Panama's great outdoors.

I should add that I've just read the last review posted and in the interest of fair play, I'd like to point out that the Gamboa Rainforest Resort IS listed. Find it on page 121 under Panama Province - the correct location, as it is NOT located in Panama City itself. This is also clearly listed in the Index on page 339. Pipeline Road is listed in the index on the same page and is on page 119 of the guide - and is (as the last reviewer correctly mentioned) a spectacular spot to watch birds.

In my opinion money well spent for an excellent all round guide to the country.

I was unfamiliar with "Bradt" and hesitated about buying the guide to Panama. Name brands, what a silly thing to rely on?! This was one of the best guide books I have ever purchased for all my travel around the World. It was so "on the money" in my opinion, that I sent a copy to my sister in law who is a Panamanian! Her exact words were; "the author captured our very essence, and left no stone unturned". 11 thumbs up for Ms. Woods! It made traveling an absolute delight, and I am excited about our future trips! I hope we have the same author for the next Bradt purchase. I highly recommend this guide for it's refreshing views, unbiased, colorful, passionate, non-political, content. Don't leave home without it!!...

The Bradt guide to Panama is very highly reviewed, and so we bought it and took it to Panama. The guide is wrong at almost every turn, with not-to-scale maps which are also difficult to read, deeply incorrect prices and phone numbers, and many entries which make it clear that the author did not visit many if not most of the described attractions. This seems to be SOP for travel writers in Panama; a realtor in Santa Fe explained to me that the writer for Lonely Planet simply sat in a restaurant and asked questions of locals and other tourists, and it's clear that the same is true of this book. No copyright information is provided inside the book in what appears to be an attempt to hide the fact that this edition was obviously researched vastly ahead of the publication date of November 2009; typically a book takes about a year to come to market from the last editing date, but it's obvious that this second edition was not adequately updated from the original. You might try the Let's Go Central America guide; their writers are reputed to actually visit the places they talk about.

I recently used this guide on an extended business trip to Panama and found it excellent and up to date - well as up to date as any guidebook can be!

I have used other guides in the past there but found this to be the best all round and honest source of informaion to this emerging country.

Highly recommended.

As someone who recently spent a few months in the Bocas del Toro region of Panama, I found this book to be excellent and definitely "right on". Sarah Wood's detailed and comprehensive coverage of the various areas of Panama, as well as her very accurate and insightful guide to the Bocas region is fantastic.

Aside from providing very practical information for someone planning a vacation in the Bocas region, Sarah manages to capture the essence of its daily life. She includes stories of the colorful and quirky characters who abound, including the "Aeroplane Guy", who tests out his makeshift planes on Main Street. The book also describes little known historical facts and gives information on hidden trails, wave-types for surfers, walking time to beaches, volunteering opportunities, etc. It would take someone a very long time to learn this their own.

This book is extremely well-written and very well-researched. I don't think that there is any hotel, restaurant, bar, diving or fishing spot, beach, tour, and so forth that the book does not capture. It is all there... every single detail. It is obvious that Sarah has done her homework. I have read many guide books in my life, and this is definitely one of the best.

I bought 3 guides, and this was by far the best. I was heading to Bocas and everyone told me this was the best for that place - and they were right. It had it all, even though stuff is changing so fast. Everyone knew the author too, and said good stuff, but that's not as important as it getting me around OK -and more. Although I got added insight from having this hanging outa my backpack.

I visit Panama at least twice a year and this guide is as up-to-date as you can get. There's lots in it that's not in any other guidebook - and those heading to Bocas del Toro and Kuna Yala (San Blas) will be particularly pleased with the detail and local insight. Highly praised.

I have read all the books out on Panama for travel guides and with out question find this the most informative yet. She is very presise about her travels and not biased as so many other writers have been. She worked very hard to give detales I have never seen in other travel guides to Panama.
Great job Sarah!
Looking forward to your next addition, Kevin

I wanted to try a travel guide other than Lonely Planet, but after skimming this guide by Sarah Woods I went back to Lonely Planet. This book contains too much useless information and is poorly formatted. The worst is when she says that she does not include budget hotels because she is a lone female traveler, because she fears for her safety. I can see her point, but I am a man and don't have these safety fears. This book should be titled "Panama for Women." I guess she is not going to write a travel guide for Cambodia any time soon? This is the first time, in a long time, that I feel ripped off buying a book.