What is the weather like? only a few degrees above the equator, is blessed with warm temperatures all year round with the average temperature of about 77. The average high temperature averages about 90 and average low temperature averaging about 70. Important: DO NOT LOOK at weather information from Panama City, which is where most weather is reported from. Esplendorosa is located in a "Tropical Dry Forrest" whereas Panama City is located in a "Tropical Rain Forrest". The Azuero Peninsula is the driest region of Panama and is made up of a Dry Season and a Green (Rainy) Season. Even in the "Green" season, rains in Azuero are normally intermittent and most days have plenty of sunshine. Naturally, there are transitions from one season to the other that may be a mixture of the two seasons.

Dry Season – December to May

• High Temperatures - Low to mid 90's
• Low Temperatures - Low to mid 70's
• Rainfall – Virtually none, particularly from January through March
• Breezes – Almost constant breezes from the NE particularly from January through March
• Humidity – Not exactly sure, but less humid that Rainy Season
• Sunshine – Abundant, nearly constant
• Landscape – Golden Brown "savannah like"

Green Season – June to November

• High Temperatures - Mid to upper 80's
• Low Temperatures - Upper 60's to low 70's
• Rainfall – Rains are normally intermittent, peaking in September and October
• Breezes – Normally late morning through early evening from the SW
• Humidity – Not sure, but high humidity during this season
• Sunshine – Mixture, but most days have sunshine
• Landscape – Lush Green "Tuscan like"

Villa Esplendorosa is designed with abundant shade, shelter and breezeways to maximize outdoor comfort 12 months of the year.

Do Hurricanes impact Panama? No – Due to its position near the equator, there have been no recorded hurricanes in Panama.

What Airlines Fly to Panama? You will first arrive in Panama City which offers excellent connections from the U.S. from Mi, Orlando, Houston, Newark, New York, Washington DC, Dallas, Atlanta and Los Angeles with American Airlines, Delta and Continental. Panama offers direct flights from Europe from Amsterdam through KLM Airlines.

How do we get to Villa Esplendorosa from Panama City? If you have been to Panama before and wish to make your own arrangements to fly or drive to Villa Esplendorosa from Panama City, you are certainly welcome to do that. On the other hand, for most people, particularly first time visitors to Panama or those that speak no Spanish, we recommend our "DOOR TO DOOR" Package. While we have several variations of the "DOOR TO DOOR" package (including some site seeing options), the basic package includes the following:

• Our English Guide will meet you upon arriving at the airport.
• Our guide will provide a comfortable private transfer to a nearby hotel for a relaxing evening there.
• IF you prefer to dine outside the hotel, our guide will provide restaurant recommendations and arrange transfer there and back to the hotel
• After breakfast at the hotel in the morning, our guide will provide a transfer for you to Allbrook Airport for the short 35 minute flight to Pedasi.
• Our Houseman, Erick, Erick _________, will pick you up at the Pedasi Airport and delivery you directly to the Villa
• From there, prepare to relax and enjoy an incredible experience at Villa Esplendorosa

How much does the "Door to Door" Package Cost? We offer 3 levels of the "Door to Door Package" ranging from ___________ to _____________ above the room rate costs.

Do we need advance shots for tropical diseases? – NO - Fortunately, the diseases of Yellow Fever and Malaria that plagued construction of the Panama Canal a century ago are no longer threats today. While there are some remote jungle areas in the Darien Province where caution needs to be taken, all areas of Panama readily accessible to tourists are safe from disease and inoculations are not necessary. If you are arriving from certain countries where tropical diseases are prevalent (not the U.S., Europe, etc.) you may be required to show inoculations.

What currency does Panama use? The U.S. Dollar - Since, 1914, the Republic of Panama has used the U.S. Dollar. Technically, they use the "Balboa", however, one Balboa equals one dollar and Panama does not print any of its own paper currency. You will see some local coins that are sized the same as U.S. dimes and quarters. However, all denominations of U.S. currency are accepted and used in Panama every day.

Should we rent a car? Good Question??

Are taxis readily available? How do we get around on our own? are Taxis available a few miles away in Pedasi.

Are mosquitoes and other pests a problem? have been to Panama many times as well as many coastal areas in Mexico, Costa Rica and Florida. We find more mosquito problems in our home in Missouri than any of these places. Being a Tropical Dry Forrest, there is virtually no standing water during the dry season of Dec through May and we do not have much of the pests such as snakes, etc., that you will find in the tropical jungle areas. The "No Seeums" can be a problem and seem to be selective as to whom they target, but using deet based repellents take care of the problem.

How much money should I bring? Bank's and ATM's are readily available in nearly all towns in mainland Panama, 2-3 days of cash is plenty. Credit Cards are generally accepted also in many restaurants, nearly all hotels and many gas stations and convenience stores. If you get off into some of the Islands or plan to visit or drive into remote areas, then it is a good idea to have some extra cash and keep the gas tank topped off.

How much do we tip the staff? Tipping of the household employees is voluntary—however, it is customary and expected. The amount of the tips would, of course, depend on the service, the length of stay, the number of guests, special service and so forth. We are frequently asked how much to tip and have established a guideline that may be of help to you. We believe that $10.00-$15.00 USD per guest per day is an appropriate range.

The staff uses a formula to distribute the tips, with key people receiving higher shares but all staff will receive some share. You can ask Erick for an envelope. All of this money goes directly to the employees and none to the Villa owner.

Will we be safe in Panama? is safe to travel. Naturally, like the U.S., there are areas to avoid where crime is more prevalent. For example, the city of Colon has high crime and traveling alone in the jungles of the Darien province is not recommended. Traveling in the country side, such as the Azuero Peninsula is very safe as Panama. Crime in the Pedasi area is virtually unheard of. If you use the same caution that you would use in the U.S. or Europe, you will likely not have any problems whatsoever.

Do we need to speak Spanish? you select one of our "Door to Door" packages, the answer is no. Otherwise, knowing some basic Spanish would be helpful if you are traveling on your own. Even with the "Door to Door" packages, it is always helpful to know a few phrases, particularly if you plan to take some exploratory drives. While finding English speaking people in Panama City is fairly easy, the more rural areas and small towns may not have many English speakers. At a minimum, we would recommend purchasing a handy phrase book with some phonetic pronunciation guides just as a precaution.

Will our phones work in Panama? , but it may be very expensive. Before you arrive for Panama, check with your carrier to see what service you may have and the cost will be. experience is that they work well back and forth to the U.S. but have difficulty making calls within Panama, particular to local cell phones. We will provide some useful tips learned the "hard way" on how to minimize phone and data transmission costs when traveling in Panama. We will also provide a local cell phone for your use at a nominal cost within Panama with pre-loaded minutes and a number of pre-programmed contacts.

What services does the staff provide? , anything you need. Services include but are not limited to cooking meals, grocery shopping, housekeeping, bar service, arranging tours, laundering and folding your clothes. We will collect provide from purchases we make on your behalf. You will be charged our out-of-pocket costs plus a 10% service that covers our costs of transporting the items.

Are there safe places to store money and valuables at the Villa? Yes, each bedroom is equipped with a combination safe like you would have in most hotels these days.

Is the beach safe for swimming? Playa Distilladeros is a great beach to walk and a great beach to look at. Although it is safe for swimming at certain times, our recommendation is that you take advantage of a couple of other beaches nearby that are always safe for swimming and body surfing. Our houseman, Erick can guide you there with a nice picnic basket and cooler of refreshing drinks.

Can we walk to the beach? How far is it? - beach is not more than 125 yards from our Villa but there is a steep ravine to access it. We recommend that you take the load the beach stuff, the cooler, etc. into the golf carts we provide take a pleasant and short trip to the beach by the road.

Do we need to bring our own snorkeling equipment? maintain our own supply of snorkeling equipment and life vests. They are cleaned completely prior to each arrival. Once you are fitted, they are yours to use throughout your visit to Esplendorosa.