Geocaching in Panama

[lordofthings]

We have a growing community of geocachers in Panama, sadly many of our geocaches get vandalized rather quickly by children who find them, regular people who find it and don't give a darn about the contents even when you leave a stash note or sometimes by the ground keepers that dig deep and find the caches.

 

I have planted 3 caches in Panama and all 3 have gotten vandalized. I submitted my 4th a few days ago which is waiting approval (GC3H90X) but I wonder how long it will last before it gets vandalized. For that reason I am not planting any geocoin or travel bugs.

 

Another issue we are having in Panama is that several of the geocaches are planted in remote areas that I would almost dare calling "extreme geocaching". Given that it is a tropical country some of these become dangerous due to poisonous animals and the like. Today I read a log in one of the urban caches in a park near a nature preservation area and the finder not only found the cache but also a small snake (where there is a small there is "mama" as well). Likewise I went on the hunt for another one in a botanical garden and had to abort because a LOOSE crocodile was roaming around freely.

 

But I guess what I find most annoying is the excessive vandalization, no matter how well you hide it when you get back after several DNF it turns out the cache is gone.

[luckykoi]

A loose croc? Wow.. What other dangers are there for geocachers in Panama?

Edited July 26, 2012 by luckykoi

[Ellsgirl]

My Family and I placed a geocache last January while visiting Panama. It was not approved because we are too far away to maintain it. I do not have much worry about it being vandalized as it is hidden in an area that is not overly busy. We are looking for someone in Panama who might be interested in volunteering to maintain our cache for us. It is near Gamboa Nature reserve and hotel.