Panama with kids

dear knowledgeables,

27 january I will go for 2 months to Panama with family, the kids are 1,5 and 4,5 years young.
Am trying to choose the best ('low' budget) places (to stay and go) via the guide book and this forum. (but) as you parents know, specific things which are good for young kids (space, safety, other kids, family friendly hostels) are not really a thing mentioned in the guidebooks.
SO, do you have some specific tips concerning above mentioned subjects?

ALSO what is your experience concerning anti malaria pills in Panama. In Holland the goverment health service has a 0% risk policy, so that means we should take pills for half of Panama's areas
If i want to go to Bocas AND san Blas what pills would be best (since around san blas the mosquitos are resistant to chloroquine).

other specific question: what would be good beach place near airport to stay the first 2 days, we do not want to go to the 'big city'?

thanks!

Marco, Amsterdam

Edited by: charleyrhythm

Dag Marco!

I'll try to answer your questions, but for some, I just don't know! Like, for a beach near the airport?? I really have no idea! If your flight arrives during the day, you can go straight to Santa Clara, 1 hour and a half from Panama City. Various accomodations there, though my favourite is the "Blue Dolfin", not right on the beach but nice and friendly, and with a pool! Price range in Santa Clara are around 55$/night/room.

As for the malaria pills, I don't know what to tell you... of course there is a small risk, especially in San Blas and Bocas, but... are you planning to stay there for more than 2 weeks? These pills are pretty bad for your liver (not mentionning the liver of your 2 young kids). Decision is yours, but I wouldn't take them. Good repellent and mosquito nets (bring your own, many cheap hostels don't have them) is enough in my opinion.

If you're planning some mountain trips, make sure to go to Santa Fe de Veraguas, a simple authentic panamanian little town on the cordillera central. Tourism is not yet very developped there, but there is a cheap and wonderful hostel you shouldn't miss (Hostal la Qhia)... They have a kid the age of your older and can organize activities for you and the kids.
In Boquete (another much more developped mountain destination), there is a place called Paradise Garden which is actually a rescue center for animals... the kids will love it! Plenty of monkeys and parrots... last time I went there, they even had a baby ocelot.
And, last tip, on the way to Bocas del Toro, if you want to make the journey shorter (it's a long way to Bocas from David), you can stop at the Eco Lodge Lost and Found, the hostel in the jungle...

Enjoy your trip!
stef

There is a VERY low risk of malaria in Bocas del Toro. And the risk of malaria in San Blas is virtually zero, unless you're in the swampy jungle valleys of the mainland (Kuna Yala) and trust me, you won't be there.

At the risk of being repetitive, the thing you need to protect yourself in Panama and Central America in general is DENGUE FEVER. The only way you can do that is to use Deet religiously (yes, even on your kids), and wear proper clothing. Protect yourself against dengue, and you automatically protect yourself against malaria. Protecting yourself with antimalarials will do NOTHING to protect yourself from dengue. Keep the risks in perspective, and protect yourself the right way.

To take or not take the malaria pills is a personal question, and is asked every week on the CA forum. Mefloquine is an alternative to chloroquine, but is pretty nasty stuff. You should research its side effects and see if you can accept them.

I would recommend bringing the malaria pills, but not taking them unless you get sick. Diligent sprayings of repellent, as #1 and #2 have mentioned, is your best defense.

The malaria pills do nothing if you're already sick. Once you're sick, you have to get treated by a doctor. Antimalarials will do nothing. Again, the number of cases of malaria in Panama are insanely low. Worry more about dengue, and the malaria issue takes care of itself from a preventative standpoint.

"The malaria pills do nothing if you're already sick."

Maybe you're thinking about some other drug, but mefloquine is used for both treatment and prevention of malaria. Check Lariam info at http://www.rxlist.com/lariam-drug.htm. Dosage page specifies taking 5 pills at once if you have it, which is exactly what I was told by a doc here in the States. You doctor can tell you a lot more about the drug than I can. :)

If I were that sick, I'd still see a doctor in Panama, but I would still carry the drug with me in case there is no availability of the drug nearby, especially if I were out in the boonies.

I agree that dengue is more of a concern.

Ok, that's a first for me. Mefloquine is rarely given here in Central America, and it's only given as an antimalarial as far as I know. Even so, to just take it without seeing a doctor is pretty risky stuff. If you have malaria, the LAST thing you should be doing is treating yourself unless you have absolutely no choice. Which in Central America, there is pretty much always another choice with a good medical option available. Particularly in Panama, where public clinics and hospitals are just about everywhere.

Sure, there are clinics all around Panama, even in small towns, but quality varies. Folks from several indigenous villages have told me horror stories about how ill-equipped some of the small clinics are, like in Ipeti, but chances are OP won't be going there anyway. There is no prob in PC or David, of course. As I said, I'd still see a doc where there was one (or try to get back to PC where there are plenty), but save the pills for a last resort, like if the clinic can't muster any up. It's just a precaution for a very remote possibility. And after seeing the list of nasty side effects, I always make sure it's as remote as possible.

everybody thanks SO much, wish I could meet you all when we're there from tomorrow on.....

it'll be just fine.

Marco and family