Manners and Social Norms Panama is a fairly relaxed country, both in terms of manners and lifestyle. Treating others with respect is important, and you need to take the time to be polite. Panama, like much of the rest of Latin America, is a socially conservative country, and a large majority of the population is said to be Roman Catholic. Thanks to the country's history, there are more religions present than in other parts of the region, but the combination of a predominantly Catholic cultural identity, marked economic stratification and other deep-rooted colonial legacies has produced a country and a people that appreciate the rules and accept established social castes.
However, this does not mean that Panamanian society is stagnant. The history of the U.S. presence, widespread access to global media and entertainment, and relative demographic diversity, as well as recent economic expansion, have helped to make Panama a country familiar with change. Notable traditions that have survived to modern times include ancient hunting, fishing, and the custom of living in elevated shacks.
Emberá women still tend to go bare-chested and to wear colorful clothes from the waist down, with flowers on the hair. Another trademark is his “temporary tattoos” made of ebony. For these they use a dye made with the juice of the jagua fruit. Like Indian henna or mehndi, the stain lasts for a couple of weeks.
Dressing up is not only a faux pas to go shirtless in any city and town in Panama, but it's also illegal. Panamanians dress stylishly and even when they go casually, they pay close attention to their personal appearance. Men and women wear suits and dresses even when it's hot. This doesn't mean you shouldn't dress comfortably.
For casual outings, a pair of jeans and a clean-collar shirt they work well. Long linen shorts are considered fashionable for sporting events. Women would make a big mistake if they wore jeans instead of formal wear for a night out. There's no need to splurge on designer clothing all the time.
A clean, well-groomed appearance and a little bit of confidence is all that is needed to adapt to Panamanians.
