DAVID & BOQUETE AREA, PANAMA

RECOMMENDATIONS from cruisers

Compiled by s/v ARGO

Rev. 5/11/10

NOTE A:  Originally this was done for David only, but we have added a few items for the Boquete/Volcan area under the Medical & Dental section and at the end of this write-up.   If not specified, then it pertains to David.

NOTE B: Land phone numbers are 7-digits and start with a “7”; cell phones are 8-digits and start with a “6”

NOTE C:  Jubliado discounts are for “senior citizens” - men aged 60 and over and women 55 and over.  You’re suppose to have a Panama pensionado/residency card to present, but we find that if we ask for the jubliado discount, sometimes they give it to us.  In particular, we've received 15% and 20% discounts at the pharmacies (Arrocha, Revilla, Hospital Chiriqui, Mae Lewis Hospital), Hospital Chiriqui (mammogram, bone density), Laboratorios Raly, sometimes at Hotel Castilla.  It doesn’t hurt to ask!  (Have proof of age with you.)

HOTELS

Hotel Castilla – adjacent to Central Park

Very clean, hot showers, cable TV, telephone, lobby internet, restaurant.  $40/night double occupancy Mon. thru Thurs.  Best value are “interior” rooms w/ window but no view.  Nov – Mar is high season.  Ask for retiree/jubliado discount (in 4/10 got room for $30).  Telephone 774-5236,  Email:  hotelcastilla@cwpanama.net

Hotel Alcala – 3 blocks from Central Park

Similar to Hotel Castilla – very clean,  hot showers, cable TV, telephone, free Wifi in room, restaurant.  $40/night double occupancy (single-bed rooms may be small).  Telephone:  774-9018, 774-9019, 774-9020, Fax 774-9021,  Email:   hotelalcala@cwpanama.net

Gran Hotel Nacional  - $78/night - 775-2221

Nice swimming pool and good restaurants.  4-plex movie theater located next to the hotel – latest movies in English with Spanish subtitles.  Casino next door.

Puerto del Sol - Approx. $34/night (promotional rate as of Nov. 2008), Wifi - 774-8422

Ciudad de David – brand new, high-end business hotel and conference center.  $115 and up for very comfortable rooms and suites.  D. Norte St. 2nd East Ave, Tel. 774-3333, info@hotelciudaddedavied.com.

RESTAURANTS

Casa del Churrasco, 730-3491, Ave Central between Banco HSBC and Banco Continental.  Authentic Argentinean parrilla-style grill. Good steak and great pizza (pizza after 4PM). Covered outdoor and A/C indoor dining options.

Tamu Country (Tamburelli’s) - Good pizza, pasta

El Fogon  - Decent steaks and seafood, great Sangria; indoor and patio dining

Palacio Oriental – Chinese

Multi National Café – Cafeteria-style restaurant located next to Hotel Castilla.  Good food and excellent prices.  25% discount for retirees.  Lunch includes meat, veg, salad and drink for two for less than $10.

Renagado Restaurant – Good Italian food at medium prices.  Located on Pan American Highway just before the overpass.

Steakhouse – Great Chinese food, best for lunch

TGIF Fridays – Next to Arrocha Shopping Center; you’ll think you’re back in the USA!

Stylo – at Ciudad de David Hotel; very nice ambiance, food and service.

Rincόn Libanese (sp?) – Excellent Lebanese food (probably one of the best restaurants in David).  We shared one of the “samplers” which had about 20 different “tapas”. 

MEDICAL & DENTAL 

(for both David and Boquete area)

Ask for the “jubliado” discount if men are 60 or older and women are 55 or older - see NOTE C above.

The primary medical centers in David are:

-  Centro Medico Mae Lewis with clinic attached.  Receptionist speaks fluent English.  Tel. 775-4616

-  Hospital Chiriqui with attached doctors’ offices.  This is a larger and newer facility.  Tel. 774-0128

Acupuncturist:  Dr. Manuel Len

In town of Volcan, 771-4544

Arthritis:  See below Orthopedic / Dr. Solis

Cardiologist:  Dr. Anquizola

774-2453 in Mae Lewis

Chiropractor:  Dr. Matt Verstraete, D.C.  (“Dr. Matt”)

Located between David and Boquete (about half hour drive from David) in Hacienda Los Molinos development.  HIGHLY recommended by myself and friends.  Works (by referrals only) out of his condo, $20/session.  Tel 6828-8785.  mattverstraete@gmail.com

Chiropractor:  Dr. Matthew A. Holstein

Located across the street from the emergency entrance of Chiriqui Hospital.  Tel. 775-7119, cell 6700-1917, drholstein@hotmail.com.  Speaks English and Spanish.

Colonoscopy: Dr. Velkys Beitia Montes

775-4646 x 315, 6690-2236 in Mae Lewis

Dentist:  Dr. Franklin M. Halphen

Clinica Dental Hermanos Halphen - General Dentistry, Periodonics, Oral Rehabilitation, Endodonics ?

Dr. Halphen and his staff speak good English.  Facilities are very clean and modern.  Prices are extremely reasonable.

Phone:  775-3344,  Cell:  6673-3563, Email:  clinicahalphen@hotmail.com, halphen@cwpanama.net

Dentist:  Dr. Guillermo Arosemena

General and surgical dentistry.  Speaks good English, very gentle (does cleaning himself), small hands!  775-1301, 775-1672, near baseball stadium (Direccion for taxi: Estadio Keni Serracin, Emisora Blasch, estuda “Calva”, 2^nd piso)  

Dermatologist:  Clinica de Piel

½ Oeste B Sur,  Phone 774-0032

Dermatologist:  Dra.  Deyla Rodriguez de Vergara

Speaks a little English, Office in Chirique Hospital (although may sometimes share an office in Mae Lewis with Dra. Lucy Vizuette)  Cel:  6527-3717

Family Practice & Geriatrics:  Dra. Luz Vizuette (Quiel)   (aka  “Dra. Lucy”,  aka “Dra. Clark” )

Good place to start for physicals and checkups.  Speaks good conversational English, married to an American.  She promptly responds to emails and phone calls.  Located in Mae Lewis Clinic. 

Email: Lucyvizuette24@hotmail.com,  Cel: 6612-4293;   Lucila is secretary (no English) 775-4616 ext 298

General Practice?:  Dr. Espinosa, nurse Rose Marie 6509-0810 or Medico Mae Lewis 775-4616.  Speaks English.

Internist:  Dr.  C. de Leon

Specializes in Arthritis.  Understand most English but does not speak it.  Located in Chirique Hospital,  Cel:6637 8494

Internal Medicine:  Dr. Juan Llerena

Suite #109,  Does not speak  English.  775-4616, Cel: 6676-3793

Ob/gyn:  Dr. Gabriel Arrocha

775-0455

Ob/gyn:  Dr. Porfina Quintero

At Mae Lewis, Speaks a little English.  Phone 775-3724,  Cel: 6673-3616, Main at hospital 775-4616.

Ophthalmologist:  Dra. Sonia Gordon,

775-4616  Speaks English, at Mae Lewis Clinic

Ophthalmologist:  Clinica de Ojos Orillac - Calvo

Dr. Ernesto A Calvo 

Apartado Postal 55-2533, Paitilla

Panama City, Panama, Balboa Plaza 201 –202, (507) 269-7475, Email: ecalvo@cwpanama.net

Orthopedic Surgeon:  Dr. Heradio Barria

Speaks fluent English.   Located across the street from Chirique Hospital,  Cel:  6671 4444

Orthopedic Surgeon & Trauma:  Dr. Martin Solis (Jiron)

Hospital Chiriqui (Tower) 2^nd floor.  Specializes in arthritis, prefers more natural approach rather than drugs & surgery.  Speaks good English.  Tel. direct 777-8025, main 774-0128 ext. 3125, cell 6430-5506.  Email: msolis21@hotmail.com.    

Pediatrics/Neonatal:  Dr. Johny Juan Parra (Montes)

Dra. Lucy took me to him to get my shingles (“varicella zoster”) vaccination, with no waiting.  $50 (compared to approx. $250 in USA).  Don’t know if he speaks English.  At Mae Lewis Medico.  Tel. 775-4616.

Urologist:  Dr. Oliver Candanedo

One of the top Urologists in Panama.  He is legally blind with glaucoma.  Fluent English - Very helpful his daughter is a Physical Therapist working out of his office.  Phone 775-1945  Cell: 6623-5037

Urologist:  Dr.  Don Guerrero

Located at Mae Lewis Hospital.  Speaks fluent English.  Tel. 774-1073

Mammograms, bone density and other diagnostic’s are given at the Hospital Chirique (preferred by my doctor) and Mae Lewis Clinic/Hospital.

Laboratories:

Laboratorios Clinicos Raly – Modern and efficient, on-line access (by you and your doctor) to your test results.  Supposedly the cheapest price – they have great specials, discounts and give the jubliado discount.  M-F 6:30am-8:00pm, S/S 7:00am-2:00pm.  www.laboratorioraly.com   Labs throughout Panama City, too.  Two locations in David:

• Centro, located 1 block from Central Park and Hotel Castilla.  Tel. 777-1027.  On Ave 2 East between Calle B & C Norte

• At Mall Chiriqui, Tel. 777-3401

Laboratorio Clinico Bio-Medico

Plaza Oteima 774-2164.  Highly recommended by Dr. Oliver as being the best in David

Chirique Hospital and Mae Lewis Clinic also have labs

IN CHANGUINOLA:

Orthopedic:  Dr. Amulfo Guzman

758-9967.  Located across from immigration office and about a block up the street in the clinic (Clinica Hospital Santa Isabel?).  Jo on s/v Mystic Adventure highly recommended – Dr. injected and prescribed powdered glucosamine sulfate (1500mg 2x/day, I think) for her painful hip bursitis, which gave her significant relief.

FREIGHT and TRANSPORT SERVICES;  PERSONAL SHOPPER

Toby & Lola Braxton (sisters)

Very reasonable rates to Bocas from David.  Very reliable, speak English.  Will do personal shopping for you in David.  Toby has a commercial truck that makes deliveries couple times a week to Bocas on the ferry – cheap to have her send stuff to you.   Also will escort you to Dr. appts. and interpret for you.  And more, just ask.  Born and raised in Texas, has lived in David for 20 yrs.

Toby Braxton  6617-8629,  Lola Braxton 6607-9423,   services-toby25@hotmail.com

Taxi driver between Almirante and David:  Javier, 6440-1410.  Double-cab pickup truck. $90 one way; $130 round trip same day, takes you around David.  Speaks English.

SHOPPING

La Arrocha Shopping Center includes:  Rey – large, new supermarket; DO IT - a Home Depot-like store; Arrocha - a smaller Target-like store with pharmacy, high-end cosmetics counters, lots of office supplies, big toy section, great selection of seasonal Christmas decorations; Lumicenter - for light fixtures and bulbs; AudioPhoto a nice computer, home entertainment, electronics and appliance store; SAR – impressive line of industrial cleaning supplies; Melo – pet and garden supplies; Movistar – a full service office; Conway - brand new department store.   Across the street is Super-Baru, a large, gourmet supermarket; and the new, big Novey hardware store.

PriceSmart  which is like Sams Club and Costco but on a smaller scale.  You must join to shop.  Have taxi take you, or Toby or Lola (they have membership cards).

Mall Chirique - shoes, sporting goods, book store, small Super Baru market

Hardware Stores - DO IT and Novey in/near La Arrocha Shopping Center (see above).  Clustered together on Pan American Highway are: Cochez is largest, Franklin Jurado is medium size and Hopsa is smallest.

Central Park – surrounding the park are lots of electronics, appliance, clothing and shoe stores; Revilla and other pharmacies; Romero’s department and grocery store; Libreria with office supplies, art supplies, copy/printing services, more; nearby, the Shopping Center, a 6-story(?) department store.

Rodelag – Big store specializing in TVs, computers, large and small appliances (bought window air conditioning unit), housewares, garden, hardware, and impressively large selection of office supplies.

                                                                        ENTERTAINMENT

Gran Casino Nacional, next to Gran Hotel Nacional

Movie Theatre, next to Gran Hotel Nacional – several theatres, new releases, most are in English (ask)

COPYING & PRINTING SERVICES

Patty Copias, also printing from memory stick. 2^nd Ave & 3^rd Calle, near Hotel Alcala. Office supplies.

Officentral Plus - great office supplies and services (including laminating):  from Hotel Castilla, cross the street, turn left and it is on the corner

Libreria by Central Park (see above)

Quality – was told by taxi driver they have good office supplies and services?.

FABRICS

Almacen y Tapiceria Peneco. S.A.

Good source for Sunbrella and snaps, grommets, high density and closed cell foam rubber.  Upholstery fabrics, etc..   Calle D entre Ave. 2da y 3ra Este.  775-1227   Cel: 6615-1318

Bazar Tun Tun, S.A.

Foam Rubber for Cushions.  Zippers, snaps, grommets, upholstery thread, upholstery material.  Located across the street from the Hotel Castillo.  775-2972

BOAT STUFF & REPAIR SERVICES

Electrysol.S.A.

Victor Saldano;  Xantrax Authorized Inverter Repair

507 618 4146 ?    Fax: 774-1080,  Email:  vsaldane@electrysol.com

Vargas Matamoros

Excellent machine shop.  775-3859,  775-8433

Alternator and Starter Sales and Repair

Auto Partes Electromecanicas

Nelson Mojica – Sales Manager and I think owner

Good selection of OEM alternators and starters.  Good people to deal with.

Calle Primera Oeste y B Norte

Edificio Don Jesus, Local 5,  Tel: 774-4515,  Email:  autoelectrochiri@hotmail.com

DAISY department store

About 3 blocks from Castilla Hotel.  Contact is Tomy Man in the Departamento de Pesca (fishing department) upstairs.  Speaks fluent English and Chinese.  What he does not have he can order from Panama City and receive in a few days. He has many catalogs, including the big Centro Marino one. (Prices in catalog are PC prices, David prices will be higher). Focus is on fishing but many boat items are there as well.

Avenida 2da Esta y Calle C Norte (across from Cable & Wireless bldg; same block as Raly Labs)

Phone 774-3880

Tomy's cell is 6207-1421 and his email is ChinoRT@hotmail.com

Technidiesel “La Casa del Turbo” – injectors repaired, popped, etc.  New for most all diesels available.

Tel. 775-9087,  Cel. 6695-5993

Filtros Carossi, S.A. – Filters of all sizes and makes, if they don’t have it they will get it for you. 

Tel. 774-5468,  Cel. 6615-9984

Lola says there are two other stores selling boat stuff as well in David.

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Boquete:  (also see Medical & Dental section above)

El Oasis B&B, situated along the river opposite town (easy walk across bridge).  Nice and clean B&B. Recently expanded with full “apartment” suites; nightly rate starts at $50 and includes breakfast, I think; weekly rate starts at $250.  Rooms are less, includes breakfast.   New restaurant & bar areas.  Anayansi Menendez is owner.  Tel. 720-1586, 720-1827.  Email: info@oasisboquete.com.  www.oasisboquete.com.

Hostal Boquete, located on the river next to the new bridge.  Saw decent private room (#7) w/ private bath, cable TV, wifi, balcony over river for $38/night ($34 w/ jubliado).  Lower priced hostel options  available.  Tel. 720-2573, hostalboquete@gmail.com, www.hostalboquete.com.

Il Pianista Restaurant, excellent Italian & pizza, nice ambiance, situated on a creek, Tel. 720-2728

Punto de Encuentro, a.k.a. Olga’s.  In town, great breakfast, gringo hangout.  Open for breakfast only, 7 days/week.  Guestroom also available, $50.

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Volcán / Cerro Punta area:  (on west side of Baru Volcano)

Hotel Dos Rios, nice rooms and pretty grounds situated along a creek, $42 (2008), 771-5555, 771-4271

Restaurant Acropolis, real Greek food, Tel. 6624-9687.  Call ahead to make sure open.

Los Quetzales Lodge (Cerro Punta/Guadelupe) – nice grounds and views, good lunch stop; pricey rooms include all meals, sightseeing/birding tours, and more.  $170/person.

Finca Dracula, home to one of the world's largest and most complete collections of rare American orchid species.  They have over 2,200 different orchid species.  Open for tours Monday-Friday, Tel. (507) 771-2070,  www.fincadracula.com

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If you have additions or changes please let us know.  Email to:   svargo154@hotmail.com