Panama is well known for its friendly people...and that includes both expats and locals. It’s easier than ever to find like-minded people who are willing to make friends, include you in their activities, or support you in starting something new.
If you’re going to do business in Panama, you’ll need a local bank account to facilitate the day to day operations of your business. Any legitimate business can open a bank account in Panama, and you're not required to be a Panama resident.
When Elizabeth Ballard Slagle and her husband swapped Florida for rustic Panama five years ago, they wanted to extend their youngest son’s childhood and give him a different perspective on the world. She and Larry—an ex-bartender—run a restaurant called Big Daddy’s Grill in “downtown” Boquete.
It feels like the highland town of Boquete is Panama’s fastest-growing relocation destination. There are a lot of “new things” around here…a new market, new theater, new library, and a new hospice are just a few. In fact, there’s little that can’t be found in Boquete these days.
In the Highlands of Panama, near the border of Costa Rica, there are mountains and valleys velveted in deepest green. Bougainvillea scampers up the hillsides, most often in shocking, bright contrasts of magenta and coral. The place just feels good for you. People comment on it all the time, particularly the expats, many of whom will tell you their health improved after moving here.
"Pase al frente"... "Go to the front." That’s the phrase I hear most when I’m with my Dad, who is 75 years young. When I was a kid in Oregon, I don’t remember there being a particular emphasis on respect or special courtesies for our elders. Now we live in Panama, where I’ve discovered that locals have very specific notions about how to treat mature citizens.
It feels like the highland town of Boquete is Panama’s fastest-growing relocation destination. There are a lot of “new things” around here…a new market, new theater, new library, and a new hospice are just a few. In fact, there’s little that can’t be found in Boquete these days. and you’re close to the city of David, just 30 to 40 minutes away (the road is being widened and drive times will vary until it’s done).
From the crisp, cold summit of the Baru Volcano to the Caribbean isles of Kunayala, Panama is crammed with variety. You can live on the beach, or in lush comfort at a year-round temperature of 68 F, or pioneer your way into the green world of the Darien jungle.
Coconuts and limes...briny breezes and salty skin…a translucent sea… This is Bocas del Toro, Panama. The risks of buying untitled property here keep me from recommending Bocas as a full-time retirement destination. But the fact remains that it continues to beckon to people from all over the globe with the brilliant, blinding beauty of its beaches.
Louise Orr finds it hard to stay in. Though she retired early at the age of 53, she doesn’t have much free time. “There are days when I say, thank God I don’t have to be anywhere,” she says. “Days when I can just work in the yard, or read a book.” It’s not that Louise is tied down to a business or a job…it’s just that there are so many fun and worthwhile things to do.