• We pick you up
• You take a taxi
• You drive with a rental car
• Friends pick you up

(1) We pick you up
We highly recommend you let us arrange your airport pickup transfer. At $35 for up to 3 people  it’s only $ 2 more than the airport taxi and you can be sure to have a reliable driver that knows our exact location and doesn’t confuse us with another inn. Remember, we haven’t been around that long. We can arrange pickup at any time of the day or night. To use this service, simply arrange it during the booking process or send us your flight data.  We will then send you a copy of these airport pickup instructions.

(2) You take a taxi
If you prefer to take an airport taxi. No problem. But please, make sure to print out this document and, very important, take it with you . Even the most geographically challenged taxi driver in Panama (and they are all very challenged!) should be able to make it. Remember, Panamanian taxi drivers can’t read maps so make sure they read the Spanish instructions that refer to well-known landmarks. The map is for your own reference. And do be sure to note our phone number just in case.

We don’t mind late check-ins but we definitely don’t get excited by being called at 11 p.m. by a confused taxi driver who has never been to Balboa, took the wrong turn, can’t count beyond 5 or took you to Balboa Avenue instead of the Balboa neighborhood. And we know you won’t be happy neither. So, please print the instructions and carry them with you.

(3) You drive a rental car
No problem. Although driving in Panama City – depending on the time of day – is not always for the faint of heart, it certainly not as bad as Bangkok or Calcutta. As an option, you may actually consider picking up your rental car at Albrook airport after you arrive at the Balboa Inn. Driving in the Canal area is a whole different story and getting in and out of town, from Balboa, is very easy. We’re right near the Bridge of the America’s and the highway to Colon.

Please review and PRINT the  instructions on this page (in PDF).  to make driving over from Tocumen as easy as we can possibly make it.

Don’t count on your rental-company supplied GPS! We just had guests (October 2010) that spent over 2 hours driving around because their GPS didn’t work.  We also know some rental companies don’t update the local maps which can lead to all kinds of aggravation.  When you call the Balboa Inn in such a case, we will recommend you flag down a taxi and have them lead you to the Balboa Inn.   Of course for this you will need the directions for a taxi driver in Spanish.  So just place safe: print it and take it along.

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(4) Friends pick you up
It’s good to have friends! Just make sure they know where the Balboa Inn is and when in doubt, tell them to check out this page and the maps above.

Return to Tocumen with a rental car?

Very easy.  Please review and print this page or ask our staff to print it.