Tocumen to Gamboa (1 Viewer)

A few things seems to have changed since I was in Panama a good long while ago. How does one go from Tocumen to Gamboa today?

What is current preferred lodging in Gamboa, and why?

And likewise, is Panapass a regular part of car rental today, so that one does not have to worry about whether a road is toll or not?

thanks
Niels

Niels I'm not quite up to date but the discovery tower at the beginning of pipeline road makes the rainforest lodges unnecessary. If you are just doing Gamboa area, Ivan (Ivan's B&B) used to arrange transport from the airport - (It's straight forward to get there); also he had a couple of golf carts to get to the beginning of pipeline road. I didn't use as I rented a car. Not sure what the process is now to get a key for the gate for pipeline road - but if I recall it was quite tricky when I went.

Thanks Mike,
I also expect to rent a car. I saw a note saying that there were ash-trays and smokers everywhere in Ivan's place, which is a bit of a turnoff. I have therefore provisionally made reservation a couple of nights at the Radison which is 10 km from Gamboa. With two people it was not that much difference from the cost I saw at Ivan's. The rainforest resort would have cost at least double that.

This is for a relatively short period before going with Canopy to the Darien Camp for a week. Thereafter we will have some more time to go further west.

Niels

Getting to Gamboa is straightforward but there might be tolls and there might be electronic payment systems, I don't remember details of that sorry.

I doubt you can get a key to go further in Pipeline Rd, if possible I don't know how. Straightforward to drive to the gate and walk however.

Beware weekends, it is chock full of Mtn bikers these days

Access to Old Gamboa Rd had been restricted last time I was there (early 2014), FYI.

I had heard about the restriction to old gamboa road, a very unfortunate thing

Niels