Health and safety
Santa Fé ranks among the safest places in Central America. That said, there are some risks involved that can easily be avoided if one takes proper care.
Watch your stuff
In general people of Santa Fé are warm and kind, but some of them will act opportunistic if they get a chance. Therefore, do not leave your valuable stuff unattended outside our hostel, and always lock your door.
Wildlife
When you go into the nature, always take the proper precautions: inform someone of the area you are going to visit and when you will be back, take enough food and drinks with you and wear long trousers and proper boots. We can provide you with a machete free of charge. When in nature, look out for snakes. If you want to go off track watch where you put your hands and feet. Apart from snakes the environment around Santa Fé is generally peaceful.
Pests
When you travel to the tropics be prepared to deal with insects, in this case mostly mosquitoes, chitres (tiny biting flies) and ticks. Biting insects such as the ones mentioned above are most predominant during the rainy season from may until November. Be sure to pack some long-sleeved shirts and trousers to wear during the evening hours and when going for a hike. Shake your cloths and shoes before you wear them and you’ll be fine.
This 4 inch grasshopper couldn´t find a more appropriate book for its pose
Although biting insects can be quite irritating, the good news is that they don’t carry any diseases such as malaria or lymes disease. The area around our hostel is generally vermin controlled to guaranty a comfortably stay and an uninterrupted sleep.
Medical care
Santa Fé has a small clinic to provide first aide and some basic treatments. A fully fitted hospital can be found 60 kilometers down the road in the town of Santiago.
Tap water
Santa Fé has its own water supply pumping fresh water straight out of the mountains. This ‘mineral water’ is safe to drink.
Trafic
The biggest killers in any latin-American country are road accidents. If you don’t feel entirely comfortable driving in a strange country, go by public transport. Panama’s public transport is efficient and cheap.
