Thank you Florence, that is a great suggestion.

I always recommend that guests catch a taxi from Tocumen Airport to the Albrook Bus Terminal. From there, hop on a bus to Chitre where you would rent the car. Drive 25 minutes to Las Tablas from Chitre and explore the area. The closest beach to Las Tablas is Uverito Beach, which has a lot of potential for retirees. On the way back, drop the rental car off in Chitre and relax on the bus back to Panama City.

Thanks for this advise. It has been hard for me to find info about how to get to Las Tablas. I will be a solo female traveler and may not want to rent a car at all. I am guessing there are buses from Chitre to Las Tablas. Will I get along OK in Las Tablas without a car? Can I get to the beach without a car? I"m planning to visit in August, 2013 for about 2 weeks if I can find an affordable place to stay.

You can catch a bus directly from the Albrook Bus Terminal to Las Tablas. The town of Las Tablas is fairly small and walkable, so you can get along without a car. Although it is possible to walk to the closest beach - Uverito Beach, I would recommend catching a taxi and paying $5-$7 to get there because it is about 10 kilometers away. There are affordable places to stay at Uverito Beach, but most don't advertise on the internet.