Choosing a region/town in Panama

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Good morning! Welcome to the Panama Insider Forum. This is our very first post, hope to see lots of discussion in the days to come!

I frequently get asked which region (or city or town) in Panama I recommend. In fact, it’s probably the question I get most.
 
 Where to go? This is an intensely personal decision that only you can make. Your Panama Insider website does its best to layout the kind of ultra-specific information you will find useful in judging which destination is best for you (based on your personal needs and wants) and making your decision.
 
 There are plenty of great reasons to move to Panama. But when you plan your move, you’ll want to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons—your reasons. Understanding why you want to move to Panama can help you ensure you really are prepared.
 
 One tip we hope you’ll follow: If you are moving to Panama with a spouse, a parent, a child, or any significant other, work through this checklist and try to make your decisions together. That way, you’ll all be able to get the most out of the experience.
 
 Here are some reasons why people move to Panama:
 
 ·    The quality of life: To capitalize on the idea that you can live better, for less, in Panama…a modern country that promises many of the same comforts and conveniences you enjoy at home. 
 
 ·    The climate: To find the perfect climate (for you). Whether you choose the spring-like temperatures of the Highlands or the sultry tropical lowlands, you’ll never again shovel snow, scrape ice from your car windows, or pay an arm and a leg to heat your house. Plus, Panama sits outside the hurricane belt…completely.
 
 ·    The possibilities: To escape the 9-to-5 drudgery of a day job and choose a new future. You may decide to start your own business or reinvent yourself in a totally new career. The ease of doing business and Panama’s growing economy make this country one of the best places in the region to start anew. 
 
 ·    The luxury of time: To spend more time with your family, to pen that book you’ve always dreamed of writing, or to spend your mornings fishing or snorkeling. Thanks to the low cost of living, you may even find you can retire earlier than you thought possible…and devote time to hobbies and pastimes you truly love.
 
 ·    Help when you need it: If you need help for medical reasons or just want to free up some time, you can hire all kinds of help for very little…be it an in-home nurse, a driver, a gardener, a nanny, or a maid…
 
 ·    The financial pluses: Panama houses one of the world’s largest banking districts and offers a host of unique financial incentives. Panama charges you zero tax on offshore income (you may still be liable for tax back home), many properties come with 15-year property tax exemptions, and special incentive zones offer a host of additional benefits.
 
 ·    The adventure: Perhaps most importantly, many people move here for the sheer adventure of it… For the fun of taking on new challenges, like learning a new language, making new friends, and exploring a new world.
 
 Panama can offer you all these benefits and more. But no matter how enticing you find this country’s appeal, relocating is always a radical change. It’s not something you do without a certain amount of soul-searching…and mind changing. But you’ll probably find that, in the end, that’s okay. That’s the beauty of it. You can always change your mind.
 
 For example, many expats come here planning to live in one area and then deciding on another. Panama expat Mirella Rugolotto first scouted out the beach, then chose Panama City’s Casco Viejo (the colonial quarter) as her home. A few years later, she moved to a small valley town called El Valle. And it’s possible she’ll move again. It’s all part of the process.
 
 What are the wrong reasons for moving? Only you can know for certain. There are issues, like depression, that have very little to do with where you are. Moving to Panama is unlikely to solve such problems. And running from the law is obviously not a good reason, either; these things have a way of catching up with people.
 
 
 
Go ahead, have great expectations…but keep them realistic
 
 Panama offers First-World infrastructure, including widespread telephone and cell phone service, high speed Internet, and other amenities. If you’ve traveled elsewhere in Central America you’ll be able to appreciate why Panama is often referred to as the most modern country in the region. All things are relative.
 
 It would be unrealistic to expect Panama to offer all the conveniences of home, however. Yes, most grocery stores in the city are open 24 hours, and you can pay your property taxes online. However, there are modern conveniences that you may enjoy back home that aren’t available here…especially if you live outside the metropolitan area.
 
 I have yet to find all-night dry-cleaners or 24/7 Chinese takeout, for example. Several grocery stores in Panama City carry a variety of organic foods, but you won’t find the big, all-organic supermarkets here like Trader Joe’s. A major city in the First World may offer you unlimited choice when it comes to anything from printing services to bowling alleys to fabric stores…in Panama, the selection is growing, but still, it’s often smaller.
 
 So here are some things to remember:
 
 ·    No country or city is perfect. There is no perfect paradise. Each locale in Panama offers its share of pluses and minuses. It’s up to you to weigh them against your own list of priorities and decide what trade-offs are worth it to you.
 
 ·    No government is free from corruption. Every country has politicians, policemen, and bureaucrats on the take. In Panama, corruption is a common topic—in the news, in conversation, in daily life. However, whether or not you are able to avoid corruption, we’ve found, is often up to you. When getting a ticket for a traffic violation, for example, it’s up to you to either take the ticket or try to bribe the policeman. I have never been stopped arbitrarily—only when I’ve actually done something wrong. (And I’ve often been let go with a warning…an apology and a readiness to admit I was in the wrong was all that was needed).
 
 ·    No society is completely crime-free. Panama is billed as a safe country (one of the safest in the region) by all kinds of indexes and publications…but that doesn’t mean that crime doesn’t exist here. There are areas to avoid, just as in any other country. No matter where in the world you live, you should get to know your area, be aware of your surroundings, try to blend in, look into home security, and avoid flashing money or expensive items.
 
 ·    No climate is beyond reproach. Panama’s coasts and islands boast some of the world’s most beautiful beaches…and you’ll hear plenty of residents boasting happily about never having to shovel snow or buy hurricane shutters. For some, the weather here is close to perfect. Consider the climate/weather when deciding where in Panama you would like to live. The Caribbean region here gets a great deal of rain, year-round. The Pacific coast beaches in the “dry arch” region of Panama—one to two hours’ drive from Panama City—get much less rain, but not all of them offer pure white sand and turquoise waters. Panama City is often muggy and in the “peak hour” from about 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. you may get some mosquito bites if sitting outdoors. (And even in the cool mountain areas, there are plenty of different types of creepy-crawlies.)
 
 There will be upsides and downsides, so check into what they are ahead of time and be prepared. Again, it comes down to what’s important to you as an individual.
 
 There’s a simple way to determine which part of Panama might be right for you…make lots of lists. As you peruse your Panama Insider website, you’ll read about lots of different places and different expat stories. Ideas will come to you…ideas about what you want and need…or about what you don’t want. Take note of these, and list the pros and cons—as you see them—of each place you read about.
 
 Hopefully, this gives you a starting point as you embark on your journey of discovery. Panama is a small country. But it has a very diverse mix of climate and scenery. There is plenty of information on all of Panama’s different regions on your Panama Insider member pages.
 
And let me know if you have any further questions!

Have a great day, Panama Insiders!
 

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