After eight years as Panama Editor for International Living, you’d think writing about the best places to vacation in Panama would be a cinch. But there are so many great places to vacation in Panama that it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few. In fact, I’m constantly adding new favorites to my list.
“We spent about five years researching good retirement destinations before actually moving to Panama,” says Bill Hamilton who moved with his wife Mieke to the country’s capital city. “I’m the type of person to look up every single thing…crime rates, politics, cost of living, real estate, health care…and Panama City kept popping up in my research as the best option across the board.” Though in their 60s and already retired from previous careers, the Hamiltons made the decision to move in order to take a stab at running the Balboa Inn, a nine-room B&B in Panama City.
To live the big city life for less and enjoy a world-class retirement look no farther than the San Francisco neighborhood of Panama City. I chose to live in San Francisco because of its walkability, its amenities, and just how close it is to the kind of action that makes for a great city life...and from gourmet delis to evenings at the opera, I enjoyed every minute.
In 2005, I left my job in the cruise industry and decided to try my luck in Panama. I had a wonderful group of international friends—some from the Americas, and others from as far off as Australia. And I told them all to come visit me in Panama sometime. To my surprise, many of us actually did keep in touch and visit each other. I remember a girl from Venezuela asking me how come there were so many U.S. products on the shelves here.
As International Living's Panama Editor, I travel several times a year to speak at conferences. Often the image people have is of a country with pretty beaches, plenty of palm trees...and not much else. One of the questions I get most is: "Will I be bored there?" If you're expecting to take it easy and have a quiet retirement, you may want to think again. Bluntly speaking, it's nearly impossible to be bored or even inactive here.
Mangoes are falling, ripe, to the ground. A light breeze flutters through the fruit-laden trees, and a yellow tanager takes flight. A couple passes me, wearing tank tops and shorts. I'm at one of Panama City's many parks, thinking life just doesn't get much better than this. It's warm, the sun is shining, and everything around me is dripping in rainforest green.
Claire Ross had a great idea...no experience...and a small investment. It was all she needed to set up a bar in the beach town of Coronado in Panama. "When I first moved here, there was nowhere to hang out and meet people if you were single or new in town." With new arrivals trickling in, Claire wanted to create a space where everyone would feel comfortable and embraced.
"What are you doing tomorrow?" That's how the best weekends start in Panama. Last-minute invitations are never considered rude. And I've learned they should always be accepted...especially if you want to explore the country. So the next thing I knew, I was piling into a pickup truck with two local friends and heading to the little mountain town of Cerro Azul.
Panama’s artisans are perhaps the best-kept secret in the world of handicrafts. In every region you’ll find master craftspeople quietly selling their wares in small stores and on roadsides. Little-known festivals celebrate their skills. And Panama’s oldest families pass their creations on to their children…from the fine linen and Valencian lace of the dress known as the pollera, to the instruments needed for the distinctive sounding tipico music.
The capital of the Los Santos province, Las Tablas is in the heart of Panama—the provincias centrales or “central provinces.” And in an area known for its traditions and folklore, Las Tablas is as Panamanian as it gets. A small colonial town with a big party reputation, Las Tablas is considered Carnival Central by fun-loving locals.