Hi Everyone. I will be taking a group of about 200 people to Panama City, Panama in a year or so. Just had a few questions for anyone who has been there.
1. Sim Cards. Is it easy to purchase them there? how much are they and what do they include?
2. Plugins- i have heard that the wall outlets are the same as in North America but sometimes you can run into a different one?
3. Any other tips?

Szymon
Thanks Lincoln
just want to give people some options. Telus and bell also have the $10/day roam plan. You have 9gb? That's crAzy lol

I still go over my data sometimes lol

I used my Rogers service for my entire trip in Europe to 11 countries. No sim card service in Europe was able to do that. It cost me $10/day (to a MAXIMUM charge of $100) to keep my 9GB plan and I had the fastest network whereever I went, while keeping my number with calls as if I were at home. No plan I've used abroad in Italy, US and Mexico before came close to allowing me complete worry-free service like the Rogers roam like home plan. I kept my data on to auto upload photos in case I broke or lost my phone. I've used cheap carriers in the past and received less than useful service.
In Italy I had a €35 plan for 3Gb, but the service didn't work outside Rome. In Mexico I spent 3 hours walking around looking for a sim card because of the language barrier. When I found a sim card, I didn't know what plan I got for 400 peso except for the fact that it was unlimited Facebook and Twitter. I had no clue when the data would die on me. In New York, I got a sim card and plan from AT&T for $50US for 3Gb. There service was great but I spent 40 minutes at the store activating it. Back home, I left the big 3 for 2 weeks and ended up going to Rogers because the unlimited data and fast service advertised were junk.
To avoid the trouble and maybe the $60 you could save, and your time, I highly recommend the Rogers roam like home plan if you're on Rogers. If you're with another big 3, you've got some time to finish your contract and switch, or pay your provider to unlock your phone, which ends up being about the same cost to get a foreign sim card and plan.

SIM cards are easy to purchase in Panama. When I was in Bocas I asked and was told I could get them just about "anywhere" which meant any grocery store. I was only there 5 days but you can purchase a plan based on how long you'll be there. I got the 7 day plan for $5 and SIM card for $5. Unsure how much the longer plans cost, but the SIM cards are super easy to get and refill.

We are in Panama (Bocas) now. We did the Rogers roam like home. I don't know about the SIM cards but likely they do as I saw some people buying minutes. The small places say they have wifi but don't or it can be sketchy. Great transportation offered with cheap taxis, shuttles, public transportation of buses or the Panama City metro. I paid $5 to clean a load of laundry.

As far as SIM cards go, I don't know in Panama... But in Costa Rica they were $25 with minutes included.... Which allowed for talk and text. Minutes could be reloaded as you'd like. Panama, when I went, was generally cheaper than Costa Rica too so it shouldn't be too expensive if you want to go that route.
Plugins are the same as here.

I just used wifi and skype and another internet phone service. Plugins are the same. Very easy country. They have everything so no need to over pack:)