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Halfway between Panama City and David along the Interamericana Hwy., Santiago is a convenient base to visit waterfalls,
wilderness areas, beaches, and small traditional villages.
Transportation:
From terminal Piramidal:
Santiago to David or viceversa (998-4006), 3 hrs., runs every hr. from 9:45 a.m. to 2 a.m. , rate $
6:00; after midnight $ 7.50.
Santiago to Panama City: 3 1/2, runs every 1/2, from 3 a.m. to 10 a.m. &7.50. The terminal is near Hotel
Piramidal on the Interamerican Hwy. east of the fork.
Buses leave from the main terminal on Calle 10 halfway between Av. Central and the Interamerican Hwy.:
- to Arenas-Flores (3 hrs. 2 p.m. $7.00 ;
- Atalaya (20 minutes, every 10 minuets, starting at 5:15 a.m. 8:30 p.m. $.45 ;
- Las Palmas (1 1/4; every hour 5:20 a.m.- 6 p.m.; $2.50:
- San Francisco (30 min., every 30 minutes, 6:30-6 p.m, $.65;
- Santa Fe (1 1/2 hr. every 30 min., 5 a.m.-7p.m. $2.00;
- Sona (1 hr., every 20 min. 6:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. $1.50.
Sights:
- There is La Escuel Normal Juan Demostenes Arosemena is an excellent diversion. Built between 1935 and 1938,
It is a fully functioning school for teachers that boasts dazziling architecture, scuplture, and painting. The facade is a
gorgeous hodgepodge of stone carving hiding archway of the entry hall, framed by the Allegoryy of the Time and Philosophy
(that's Plato and Aristotle learning on the the clock) and though the doors to the Aula Maxima. This huge room was painted
by Roberto Lewis, the famous painter responsable for the Palacio Presidencial in Panama C>ity. The school is in the
middle of C. 7, 4 blocks north of Av. Central (open M-F 8 a.m.-7p.m, free)
DAYTRIPS:
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Santa Catalina:
Santa Catalina, recognized as one of the best year round surfing spots in the Americas, is a small town of fisherman
located in the Sona district, 110 kms. south of Santiago. People from all over the world come to Panama and hop on a bus for about
3 hrs. to Santiago, 1 to Sona, then 2 hrs. to Santa Catalina. Although surfer s are the majority there, this beach
supports great nearby fishing, diving, snorkeling; it is also a good leap-off point to Pacific Islands such as Coiba and Cebaco,
Gobernadora.
From Santiago; buses leave to Sona every 20 minutes (1 hr. M-F 5:40 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.), rate $1.50. There
are only three buses a day from Sona to Santa Catalina (2 hrs.) 5 a.m., noon, and 4 p.m., rate:$3.00 . 
From Santiago
to Sona $1.50 and
from Sona
to Santa Catalina $3.00
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Buses run between Santiago's main bus terminsl snd Santa Fe center (1 1/2 hr., every 30 m. 5 a.m.-6 p.m., $2.00)
To the north of Santiago, the mountain village of Santa fe. is a ecotourist's dream. With waterfalls, mountains, plantations,
and wildlife, not to mention the enchanted Orchid fair in August, Santa Fe has a little of everything, through not many tourist
facilities exist.
From Santiago to Santa Fe $ 2.00
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