Panama Hat s
 

We are going on a cruise to Central and South America in November. I'm in the "market" for a Panama Hat (or hats) . Where can I get the best price and how much costs? We will visit Panama, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile.

I bought my favorite Panama hat in Panama for $5.00 in a store in Boquete. Check the Balboa craft markets (and expect to pay more but not substantially so). Your trip sounds marvelous. Be sure and post a report.
Buen viaje.

A lot will depend on your ports of call and optional shore excursions. Since Panama hats come from Ecuador, where will you be in that country?

In Ecuador we will dock at Manta. Dont know what the shore excursions are as yet. However, Manta is the only port of call in Ecuador for us.

Manta is just a few miles from Montecristi, the small town that gave birth to the Panama hat. The hat makers in Montecristi are smaller, family-run operations, and their hats tend to be a little more expensive there (but very high quality). You should be able to get a taxi when you get off the ship in Manta, but Montecristi is always part of one of the organized shore excursions.

A really top-notch Montecristi hat, of the type Queen Elizabeth wears (she's a big fan), runs about $300 but you can find them for less.

These days, much of the production has shifted to Cuenca, inland, where the production is a bit more factory-like, making the hats a little lower in price. You won't be anywhere near there, and I seriously doubt Cuenca is a shore excursion. (You'd have to fly there from Manta.)

Jeff: Any idea how much a cab wouuld co
st to Montecristi and return to Manta? I did find an excursion to Montecristi at $58.

Based on my taxi travels between towns in Ecuador, I'm sure you could do it for a lot less than $58 round trip, but remember, you'd also have to pay the driver for the time he waits for you in Montecristi while you shop. Also remember that stepping off a cruise ship might mark you as someone for whom the driver thinks he can inflate the price.

ttt

I was in Quito last month & bought my Panama hat in the mercado a couple blocks from the Hilton. Paid $10 for it.

Could try here - https://www.webury.com/mens-country-...es/panama-hats - they range from like £40-£60.

Hope you find the right one :)