Paso Canoas: An Easy Border Cross Between Costa Rica and Panama
Life just got a little easier for our traveling family, now that we’ve experienced the stress-free border cross at Paso Canoas.
The coastal drive from Atenas in the Central Valley to the border was a smooth five hours, with no traffic on a Saturday morning.
We had heard that this border was cracking down on legitimate flight confirmations, which must return you to your home country, and proof of $500 via credit card or ATM/Bank statement.
If you can follow these requirements, another 90 day stamp shouldn’t be difficult to achieve.
Here are our thoughts along the way:
If you want to “get around” the cost of a flight back to the States, you can always cancel it within 24 hours for a full or partial refund.
On Saturday morning, we booked four one-way tickets to Fort Lauderdale in Florida (the cheapest destination) for less than $100 a piece. We received a full refund later that day.
The only surprise we encountered was the directions to stay in Panama for at least two hours. This wasn’t too much trouble since there is a large, air-conditioned mall within a block from the border, and a few restaurants around.
I still insisted on pulling a “fast one,” and we exited Panama thirty minutes shy of two hours–I’m a daredevil like that!
The cost of the border cross– $0. Zero Dollars!!! We didn’t even have to pay for parking, which was available right at the Costa Rican exit.
We’re lucky enough to have awesome friends who generously lent us their car–thanks Natalie & Jim at No Particular Place!
Paso Canoas trumps the Costa Rican/Nicaragua border of Pañas Blancas for three major reasons: It’s a prettier drive from the Central Valley, there are no visible guns near my children, and it’s cheaper.
We plan to give ourselves a week to return when our 90 days run out again, and spend some relaxing time on the beaches of Costa Rica’s stunning Pacific coast.
[custom_script adID=97]
Written by Emily Shea of TravelMother.com. “When my husband and I decided to become parents, we strongly agreed that having children would NOT slow us down! We would continue to feed our huger for traveling, participate in outdoor explorations, and maintain our individual hobbies and lifestyle with the babies in tow, or more likely, in the carrier.”
Did You Know The AARP Ranks Atenas as…One of “The Best Places to Retire Abroad?”
The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) ranks Atenas as one of “The Best Places to Retire Abroad.” For more information about homes and land for sale in the area please telephone our Recommended Realtors in Atenas Dennis Easters and Gerardo Gonzalez-Porras on (506) 8854-7721 or contact him using the simple form below:
Article ID Number 4412
Andrew Makarik
to@welovecostarica.comAndrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.
Are you into beautiful Costa Rica?
All interesting things you want to know about Costa Rica are right here in our newsletter! Enter your email and press "subscribe" button.
