OVERVIEW

Colon, the second largest city of Panama, is a port town that features a duty free shopping district and access to the Panama Canal. While definitely worth the visit, Colon can be difficult to access for the physically challenged traveler, as one must utilize ground transportation to see more than just the portside shops. On our visit to the canal, we were able to see two ships pass through the locks, which was an amazing sight.

LANGUAGE

The official language of Panama is Spanish. However, other languages such as English are spoken as well.

CURRENCY

The official currency of Panama is the Balboa. We used U.S. dollars everywhere we shopped on the trip without a problem.

QUICKLINKS

LOGISTICS: Air – Water – Ground
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels – Resorts
ENTERTAINMENT: Tours – Activities – Restaurants & Nightlife
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Hospitals – Medical Equipment
ABILITYTIPS: Precautions

COLON : Logistics

AIR TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORT

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GROUND TRANSPORTATION

If you are dependent on a wheelchair, you will probably need to use a manual wheelchair if you want to visit the city. On our visit, we could not find any wheelchair accessible transportation.

TAXI

We could not find a wheelchair accessible cab when we visited the city. However, we found it fairly easy to transfer into the front seat of the micro bus the taxi drivers use and place my wheelchair in the back of the cab. We were able to see many beautiful landscapes by cab, tour downtown local neighborhoods, visit the Free Trade Zone, and see the amazing Panama Canal.

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RENTAL CAR (Wheelchair Van)

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TRAIN (Heavy Rail)

Panama Canal Railway: The Panama Canal Railway offers visitors the chance to travel the scenic route between Panama City and Colon. We are still trying to determine if this train is wheelchair accessible and will hopefully have more information shortly.

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COLON : Accommodations

HOTELS

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LUXURY RESORTS

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COLON : Entertainment

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

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ACTIVITIES

Panama Canal: The Panama Canal is a short drive from Colon. The Guan locks are an amazing site in action. We were able to see two very large ships pass through the locks, one of which was a full size cruise ship full of passengers. Tours and cruises of the canal are available, however we are unsure if they are wheelchair accessible.

Free Trade Zone: The Free Trade Zone is a massive area devoted to re-exporting goods such as clothing, perfume, and many other items. It is fun and interesting to tour and shop in the area. Beware that it’s not very wheelchair friendly.

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RESTAURANTS/NIGHTLIFE

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COLON : Emergency Services

MEDICAL SERVICES/HOSPITAL

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COLON : AbilityTips

PRECAUTIONS

Because wheelchair accessible transport in Colon is limited to non-existent, be sure you are easily able to transfer in and out of whatever vehicle you choose to utilize during your stay in Colon.

OVERVIEW

Puerto Limon is the capital of the Limon Province in Costa Rica. There are a few tour companies that cater to the physically challenged traveler, allowing access to this beautiful country beyond the cruise port.

LANGUAGE

The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish, although Mekatelyu, a regional language, is also spoken. We were able to get by on our visit using a mix of broken Spanish and English.

CURRENCY

The official currency of Costa Rica is the colón, which floats against the U.S. dollar. On our trips from the U.S., we have not found a need to exchange dollars for the local currency.

QUICKLINKS

LOGISTICS: Air – Water – Ground
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels – Resorts
ENTERTAINMENT: Tours – Activities – Restaurants & Nightlife
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Hospitals – Medical Equipment
ABILITYTIPS: Precautions

PUERTO LIMON : Logistics

AIR TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORT

There are four International Airports located in Costa Rica. The closet airport to Limon is the Limon International Airport located in the city of Limon in Limon Province.

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CRUISE PORT

Puerto Limon has a dock capable of accommodating more than one cruise ship at one time. The city is situated directly adjacent to the port, and can be accessed without ground transport or the need of a tender.

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TAXI/SHUTTLE

Go With Wheelchairs: This company offers wheelchair tours and transportation in Costa Rica.

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RENTAL CAR (Wheelchair Van)

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PUERTO LIMON : Accommodations

HOTELS

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LUXURY RESORTS

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PUERTO LIMON : Entertainment

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

Accessible Journeys: This company offers wheelchair tours in Costa Rica.

Go With Wheelchairs: This company offers wheelchair tours and transportation in Costa Rica.

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ACTIVITIES

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RESTAURANTS/NIGHTLIFE

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PUERTO LIMON : Emergency Services

MEDICAL SERVICES/HOSPITAL

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MEDICAL EQUIPMENT RENTALS

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PUERTO LIMON : AbilityTips

PRECAUTIONS

Puerto Limon is a developing tourist port, and as such, many of its buildings are older and not accessible to the wheelchair dependent traveler.

OVERVIEW

Belize City is the largest city and principle port in Belize. It is located on the site of what was once the capital of Belize, which was moved in l970 after the town was devastated by a hurricane in 1961. Belize continues to emerge as a destination for tourism, but is limited in its offerings for the physically challenged traveler unless you book an accessible mode of transportation.

LANGUAGE

The official language of Belize is English, although Spanish and Kriol are also recognized regional languages.

CURRENCY

The Belize dollar is the official currency of Belize, and is fixed to the U.S. dollar at 2:1. We had no trouble using U.S. dollars on our visit.

QUICKLINKS

LOGISTICS: Air – Water – Ground
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels – Resorts
ENTERTAINMENT: Tours – Activities – Restaurants & Nightlife
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Hospitals – Medical Equipment
ABILITYTIPS: Precautions

BELIZE CITY : Logistics

AIR TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORT

Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport is located 30 minutes from Belize City. Most of the major airlines fly into to the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport.

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CRUISE PORT

Belize City does not have a dock capable of serving cruise ships. All visiting ships must moor and utilize tenders to transport guests to and from the island. Consult with your concierge if you must take your electric wheelchair or scooter to the island. When we visited, I chose to use my manual chair to access the island.

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TAXI/SHUTTLE

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RENTAL CAR (Wheelchair Van)

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BELIZE CITY : Accommodations

HOTELS

Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza: The Best Western Belize Biltmore is located in Belize City, Belize. To access the hotel, there are no steps at the front entrance. This hotel has one wheelchair accessible room, which is located on the first floor of the hotel. The accessible room has lower closets, larger doors for easy access. The bathroom has grab bars and a roll in shower. The Victorian Room Restaurant located in the Best Western is also wheelchair accessible.

El Pescador Lodge and Villas: El Pescador Lodge and Villas was named one of the “Top 10 Luxury Eco-Resorts” by Forbes Traveler. The El Pescador is located on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. To reach the Caye, you must be able to travel by small boat. Assistance is provided in getting in and out of the boats. A manual wheelchair can be folded and placed in the boat. The hotel has no steps to the entrance and they have one wheelchair accessible room. The room has a wider doorway, a wheelchair accessible shower, and hand rails by the toilet. The hotel has three pools on its property; none have lifts or beach entry.

The restaurant at the hotel is wheelchair accessible and offer local Caribbean cuisine with family style dining.

If you’re feeling adventurous, the hotel also offers various activities, however for people with disabilities they recommend saltwater flats fishing, since Belize is a world-class destination for this type of fishing. They have a guide that specializes in working with guests who use wheelchairs.

“We are a small resort with very intensive focus on guest services and satisfaction.  We have hosted several wheelchair guests and have offered whatever assistance needed to get into the pools, etc.” Chris, 8/3/09

Sun Breeze Beach Hotel: The Sun Breeze Beach Hotel is located in Ambergris Caye, Belize. To reach the Caye, you must be able to transfer into a small boat. Be sure to contact the hotel in advance to plan and understand logistics.

The hotel entrance is accessible and does not have steps, just ramps. There are two wheelchair accessible rooms, which offer wider doors to the bathroom, roll in showers, and grab bars.  Both wheelchair accessible rooms are located on the ground floor.

Most facilities on the property have ramps. However, the dive shop does not have a ramp. The pool area is accessible and is located next to the restaurant/bar which offers beachside dining.

Victoria House: Not a fully accessible hotel, however the hotel can make special accommodations. This hotel is located on Ambergris Caye.

“Our family stayed at Victoria House on Ambergris Caye and the staff there also bent over backwards for us.  When we arrived our travel agent had only told them that one of the members in our party was handicapped but did not note that the handicap involved the use of a wheelchair.  By the next morning the resort had extremely nice custom ramps built throughout the property and throughout the day they would wet and pack down the walkways that were hard sand.   Also, if my mom was not feeling up to having a meal in the main dining area they quickly set up everything for her to dine either in her bed or around the pool in front of the house.  Please do not hesitate to suggest this business for travelers.” Jaime, 3/31/2010

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LUXURY RESORTS

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BELIZE CITY : Entertainment

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

Experience Belize Tours: Experience Belize Tours offers wheelchair accessible transportation and tours. The company has two small vans equipped with a wheelchair lift. There are three main tours offered by this company and all are tailored for the physically challenged, mature traveler, or person who uses a wheelchair. They also make arrangements for wheelchair accessible hotel accommodations, airport pick-up, or cruise terminal pick-up. Since wheelchair accessible transportation is difficult to come by in Belize, be sure to book well in advance.

“There are 2 small mini buses that are equipped with wheelchair lifts. One can hold 2 wheelchairs and can hold around 6 able-bodied persons the other can hold 3 wheelchairs and because you would need room to manoeuvre the wheelchairs or scooters only the persons accommodated in chairs can fit, but your friends can be accommodated in another minibus.” Noemi,  4/1/09

“My mom is a paraplegic and wanted to be able to see everything we got to see in Belize while on vacation.  For our mainland tours we found the best tour company, “Experience Belize Tours, Ltd”.  Allen went out of his way to make sure my mom was comfortable and the tour was at her pace.  The van he used was perfect and the wheelchair lift was such a relief because for the trip we were having to help transfer her and she was tired of being pulled and picked up.  Experience Belize Tours and Allen made our trip more memorable than we could have every expected!  This is a small family owned business and they truly want you to enjoy the tours and are very good handling the wheelchair lifts.  I would recommend this company to anyone who needs wheelchair suitable tours for Belize City.” Jaime, 3/30/2010

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ACTIVITIES

Altun Ha: Altun Ha is a Mayan Archeological Site, which is located approximately an hour away from Belize City. Before planning your trip to Altun Ha, contacting a tour guide company with wheelchair accessible transportation is highly recommended. The ancient ruins are not wheelchair accessible, but these magnificent ruins can be admired from below from the grass areas. Also, please note that restrooms at Altun Ha are not wheelchair accessible.

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RESTAURANTS/NIGHTLIFE

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BELIZE CITY : Emergency Services

MEDICAL SERVICES/HOSPITAL

Belize Medical Associates

Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital

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MEDICAL EQUIPMENT RENTALS

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BELIZE CITY : AbilityTips

PRECAUTIONS

Because cruise ship access to Belize City is limited to the tender, be aware that the seas can be considerably rougher for these small boats. If you are prone to sea sickness or worried that your chair might be damaged, check the conditions before embarking.