Shopping in Panama City

Panama City Shopping

Panama City has more shopping options than you can shake a credit card at. Because of the country's role as an international port, manufactured goods from all over the world are cheaper in Panama than just about anywhere else in the hemisphere, and merchants from South and Central America regularly travel here to shop, though they tend to do their business in the Colón Free Zone. Even people who go to Panama on vacation end up filling the old suitcase with new toys, but American tourists will find that the U.S. megastores often beat the local prices for cameras and other electronic goods—plus the stores back home are more convenient in terms of warranties. Clothing, on the other hand, is dirt-cheap in Panama. The Avenida Central pedestrian mall is lined with massive clothing stores that sell imported shirts and blouses for as little as a few dollars, though most of the styles cater to Latin American tastes. Busy Vía Veneto, in El Cangrejo, has several decent souvenir and T-shirt shops. The city also has several modern malls, where the selection ranges from the cheap stuff to name brands.

Panama also produces some lovely handicrafts. The famous Panama hat is misnamed since it originated in Ecuador, but it has been associated with Panama since Teddy Roosevelt was photographed wearing one when he traveled to the country to check on canal construction. Panama does, however, produce some handwoven hats, mostly in the provinces around the Azuero Peninsula, though they are stiffer than the Panama hat, and have dark brown patterns woven into them. Both Panamanian hats and imported Panama hats are available at souvenir shops and handicraft markets around the city.

The most popular Panamanian handicraft is the mola, a fabric picture sewn by Kuna women and worn on their blouses as part of their traditional dress. They are lovely framed, and the Kuna incorporate them into shirts, blouses, bags, and other items. The Kuna are also known for their bead bracelets and necklaces, as well as simple jewelry made from seeds and shells. The Emberá and Wounaan also make some fine handicrafts. The men carve animal figures out of dark cocobolo wood and the seed of a rain-forest palm called tagua, which is known as "vegetal ivory." The women weave attractive rattan baskets, bowls, and platters, which can take weeks to complete, and are consequently expensive. The Ngöbe-Buglé Indians are known for their colorful dresses and jute shoulder bags, which can serve as shopping bags or purses. They also create intricate bead necklaces called chaquiras.

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