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colon free zone


Guest pammyj50
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Guest pammyj50

Does anyone know anything about shopping in the free zone? Is it safe? How do you get there? What is there to buy. Can anyone go there. Thanks

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My wife and I were regretful that we did not have more time to shop at the free zone. We found out about it after we did a tour. 40 square acres of wholesale and retail outlets selling everything from soup to nuts. My wife purchased 300 worth of perfume for a mere $80. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Levi, Ray Ban, etc, is available for a fraction of the cost because there is not transportation, tariff, taxing costs. Is it safe?? We walked it for about two hours, no problem. It is within 100 yards from the port, just walk out side of the port area, hang a left, get past all the hawks selling their wares. You will see a side street with security guards, they are there to keep out the locals, if they ask show them your passport, drivers license, etc, and shop to your hearts content. Take a large suit case and put your real suit case inside of it. Then when you get off the ship take that large suit case with you to the free zone and SHOP, SHOP, SHOP.

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is this beyond the stores that are right at the port, or is this what you are speaking of, just trying to visualize where you are, when we dock at the pier, there is a walkway to some stores, is that the free zone if so doesnt look like 40 acres, sounds like we missed something. Please enlighten me, this sounds good.thanks in advance

Marjorie

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  • 2 weeks later...

You can go on your browers and look up "Colon Free Zone" it has a ton of information on it. What I found is - "The Colon Free Zone operates mainly on a wholesale policy. Some companies may sell retail to tourists, but there are strict customs regulations. Nobody can leave The Free Zone with their merchandise. Wholesale consignments must leave with an authorized carrier with the proper customs documents. Smaller retail purchases must be sent in-bond from the Colon Free Zone to Tocumen international Airport, where they are delivered to departing passengers. Normally they will be there on the day after your purchase."

So my question is if you do buy something how do you get it back to the ship? And also how safe is it to get there? This place looks huge on the Colon Free Zone website. I have a post on AOL Travel board about this and no one has made a reply. And I have not seen any other people asking about it either. Except on this board with only one person saying that they have been there.

Maybe our TA can tell me something about this. Good luck and if anyone finds out more information on Colon Free Zone could you e-mail it to me.

Thanks

Cheryl

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I bought a bottle of Bacardi rum there before and believe me, all I drink is Bacardi (when I drink). This was a fake bottle, not Bacardi although it was in a Bacardi bottle just like an original. I couldn't believe it, I couldn't even stand the taste. I was telling a friend of mine in retail (he worked for Federated, they sell to the shops on board of cruiselines) he said Panama has the biggest amount of fake products next to Thailand.

 

That explained it...so if the price seems toooo good, maybe check the product again.

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  • 3 weeks later...
It is within 100 yards from the port, just walk out side of the port area, hang a left, get past all the hawks selling their wares. You will see a side street with security guards, they are there to keep out the locals, if they ask show them your passport, drivers license, etc, and shop to your hearts content. Take a large suit case and put your real suit case inside of it. Then when you get off the ship take that large suit case with you to the free zone and SHOP, SHOP, SHOP.

 

What port are you talking about? Cristobal or Colon? I think that might be the confusion.

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I bought a bottle of Bacardi rum there before and believe me, all I drink is Bacardi (when I drink). This was a fake bottle, not Bacardi although it was in a Bacardi bottle just like an original. I couldn't believe it, I couldn't even stand the taste. I was telling a friend of mine in retail (he worked for Federated, they sell to the shops on board of cruiselines) he said Panama has the biggest amount of fake products next to Thailand.

 

That explained it...so if the price seems toooo good, maybe check the product again.[/QUO

 

PANAMANIANS AUTORITHIES WILL CANCEL ANY LICENSE TO THE COMPANIES THAT ARE FOUND SALING FAKE PRODUCTS AND PROCESS TO THE LAW ANYONE FOUND GUILTY........ YOU BETTER ASK YOUR FRIEND WERE HE FOUD THAT INFO AND REMEMBER THE BACARDY RUM IS MADE ON SEVERAL PLEACES, THAT MY CHANGE A LITTE IT FLAVOR ....PLS BE SURE BEFORE ACUSE A COUNTRY OF SALE FAKE PRODUCTS..(RESPECT IS GOOd)

 

i JUST DONT WANT TO BELIEVE THAT AS YOU ARE FROM FLORIDA YOU MAY BE TALKING AGAINST THE COLON TRADE ZONE ( 1-HONG KONG 2- PANAMA 3- MIAMI)

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COLON 2000 IS THE PORT

defaul1.jpg

Welcome to the home of the world's second largest Free Zone on the Web.



 

 

The Colon Free Zone is a gigantic entity at the Atlantic gateway to the Panama Canal, dedicated to re-exports of an enormous variety of merchandise to Latin America and the Caribbean. We offer you a complete guide to the Free Zone and its companies. You can easily search for the company, trademark, product or service you’re looking for.

 

Follow the links above to find general information, such as travel, how to establish a company in the Colon Free Zone, representation and other services.

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  • 2 months later...

We spent the last hour before sailing shopping in the free trade zone. We could have spent the entire day there and not visited every shop. It is massive.

 

Our cab driver told us that we would not be questioned about purchases we could carry out our selves but that we would not be allowed to bring large obvious items out. We would be required to have them shipped; items such as plasma tv's etc.

 

I just brought backpack to carry our purchases. I bought a shirt and a basketball, my wife bought a swim suite a beach bag and some other items of clothing. I doubt we spent 40 buck.

 

To get there leave to port and go left. The road will make a 90 degree right turn after a block. When you turn right the wall surrounding the zone will be on your left. You can enter at any open gate, just walk in. We saw alot of the crew shopping in the zone. If you are unsure about anything just ask a crew member.

 

yst

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They say if you make large purchases; they have to take items back to ship for you and fill out paperwork. What are they talking about? Also, do the companies in the FTZ sell you one item at a time or do you have to buy like a dozen?

 

It is a bit of a mixed bag. Many stores in the free trade zone are like retail stores anywhere. Items are on shelves etc. The free trade zone is like the shopping district in any city or town, only it has a wall around it.

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The wall is to keep out the locals, as long as you are from another country, no problem shopping there. You can buy anything, from a cargo ship to a tooth pick. I intend to take an extra wheeled suit case with me, and intend to fill it as much as I can. Last time I was in Colon, I regret having taken an excursion and not spend the entire day shopping.

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From the port to the free zone is about 15 minutes or less , the free zone is a place for international business only so that the main reason the colonoses cannot buy in the free zone , and also allow that the tourist enter to buy without any tax, and yes we use dollars since panama exit :)

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From the port to the free zone is about 15 minutes or less , the free zone is a place for international business only so that the main reason the colonoses cannot buy in the free zone , and also allow that the tourist enter to buy without any tax, and yes we use dollars since panama exit :)

 

Sorry I am not clear still....When we get off the ship in Cristobal, we can just take a cab to Colon? My itinerary says that we arrive at 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, what time does the shops close?

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Sounds like the cruise line discourages trips to the free zone. Are there many that go anyway? Are prices fixed or negotiable? The savings on perfume sounds great. Would love to shop for some jewlery and designer purses.

 

Carol

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