Driving in Panama (and Car Rental Tips)| The Essentials — ALONG DUSTY ROADS

You Probably Don’t Need a 4×4…

On European road trips, we usually plump for the shittest, cheapest, smallest car, because driving a Fiat Panda with 10,00 miles on the clock that’s stuck to a single radio station is all you really need, and it sort of adds to the vibe.

For our Panama road trip though, we were more concerned about road conditions, access to remote coastal towns like Cambutal, and navigating the hills of Boquete. Research gave us a mixed bag of advice though: some said that a 4×4 was absolutely essential, whilst others said you’d easily get by without one.

To cover all bases – and, not gonna lie, for the aesthetic – we wanted a Suzuki Jimny 4×4, but it was out of our price range. Instead, we went for a Jeep T270 Sport: not a 4×4, but sturdier with higher clearance for several of the destinations on our route.

That choice was another reason our hire costs ran above average.

So, what was the reality on the ground? For our route in dry season (November-April), the car was absolutely fine and there was no need for a 4×4. A regular vehicle would also have done the job, and there were plenty locals driving the rougher roads in standard cars with no issues.

This means you can save quite of money on car hire overall.

That said, we definitely appreciated the clearance, power, and better suspension on several dusty roads that led to remote hikes and beaches. Some of those would have been more challenging, or even impassable, during the rainy season however, especially if churned up.

If you’re travelling during that season, or planning on visiting a bunch of off-the-beaten-track locations, opting for something with higher clearance and power will be a great help. However, if you’re a proper surfer planning on hitting up more remote breaks and beaches on the Azuero Peninsula, then a 4×4 is a much better bet.

Travel Tip / The model of car you book in advance on the websites is never a given, but you should be given a very similar type at the rental desk. Also, remember that not all SUVs are 4x4s.