[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Yes, there are scuba diving areas in Panama, the best known is Coiba, regarded by many as the best dive site in Central America. The island of Coiba is kept pristine so there are no resorts on it, just some rustic cabins.

Here’s some more information from your Panama Insider website (this and more attractions listed at https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/travelers-panama/#must):

Coiba Island National Marine Park: Considered Panama’s top diving and snorkeling destination, this park consists of one huge island and eight smaller islets off the Pacific Coast. Coiba is its own Galapagos—a bastion for endangered sea life and home to plants, monkeys, and birds that exist nowhere else.

It went unnoticed for many years because from 1919 until 2004, Coiba Island housed Panama’s most infamous penal colony. Rumors of violence, madness, and gruesome torture kept Panamanians from being too curious, and as a result, Coiba remained utterly pristine.
Now that the prison is long gone, Coiba may well be Panama’s most valuable natural resource. It is part of a national park protecting Cebaco and over 30 other islands, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Visits to Coiba are limited to help keep the environment pristine. You’ll need a permit from Panama’s Environmental Authority to visit. To arrange a trip, your best bet is to contact any of the operators that offer ecotours and take care of obtaining permits, such as luxury fishing outfit http://www.CebacoBay.com or charter outfit http://www.SantaCatalinaBoatTours.com.

Don’t expect luxury; the only permanent structures available for overnight stays are modest cabins at the ranger station on Coiba. This is the only place in the world where you’ll find ancient forest populated with endemic species (meaning you won’t find some of these critters anywhere else in the world). These include a delicate, long-beaked bird species called the Coiba spinetail, the Coiba Island howler monkey, and the cute furry Coiba Island agouti. It is one of the last places in the region where the scarlet macaw abounds in the wild and threatened species such as the crested eagle still remain. The marine park is home to the second largest coral reef in the Eastern Pacific and, according to Lonely Planet, the best diving to be found along the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Colombia.

Divers and snorkelers are liable to see a huge variety of sea life, including sea turtles, sperm whales, humpback whales, orcas, dolphins, stingrays, angel rays, moray eels, and much more.

Read more about Coiba tours at review sites like this one: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g298427-Activities-Isla_de_Coiba_Veraguas_Province.html.

Though IL does not organize trips per se, International Living does hold highly informative seminars in Panama City every year. The event is called Fast Track Panama. Exhibitors and speakers range from legal and real estate specialists, to expats who have already made the move, to tax and insurance experts…everyone you’d want to talk to prior to relocating. Exhibitors usually offer post-seminar tours, some of which are real estate tours. Information on these options is usually sent via email to attendees prior to the seminar. (These tours are organized by participating exhibitors, not by International Living.)

The 2015 Fast Track Panama event has been slated for April 9-11, check your inbox for Early Bird offers coming soon!

To contact IL Events, visit https://internationalliving.com/events/contact-us/.

Best regards,

IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

New Hyatt Place Hotel just opened in Panama City and has a “stay three, pay two days” promo for dates in Nov-Dec 2014: http://panamacity.place.hyatt.com/en/hotel/offers.html

About the hotel: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/first-hyatt-place-hotel-opens-in-panama-2014-10-29

Cheers!

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Great tip, thanks for chiming in to help!

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi Rodolfo,

We have a rolodex of expat info here:

https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/moving-to-panama/#expat

Terry’s blog is http://alongthegringotrail.blogspot.com/ and it lists their email clydeandterry@gmail.com.

You can also find listings galore at websites that are popular with locals (you will need a little “real estate Spanish” to read the best listings) such as: Compreoalquile.com and Encuentra24.com.

Note that short-term rentals are usually more expensive than long-term (6 months or more), but sometimes you can negotiate a shorter term…always worth a try.

I am not a big fan of Capira proper as a place to live but I think Chame, where the Coles are, has some great benefits like the beach and proximity to Panama City and Coronado. You’ll find some great stuff on their blog.

Don’t hesitate to post any additional questions.

Best,

IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Sir or Ma’am,

Thanks for posting your question.

You’ll find a run-down of info on this website, just follow this link: https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/health-care

Contacts are listed here: https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/rolodex/

Hope this helps.

Don’t hesitate to post additional questions.

Regards,

IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Sir or Ma’am:

Thank you for your email.

Jessica Ramesch here, your Panama Insider editor. It is my pleasure to answer questions about life in Panama or, if necessary, direct you to the appropriate person or department for help with other queries.

Unfortunately customer service (orders, logins, subscriptions, etc) is handled by another department and I do not have access to the information you seek. Nor can I ascertain your email address from this platform, I’m afraid.

Kindly contact IL customer service via this link for assistance: https://internationalliving.com/about-il/customer-service/.

I would happily forward your message to IL customer service if I could, but to do that I would need you to email me at jramesch@internationalliving.com and include your name, telephone number, and email address used to place the order.

Regardless, I recommend that you contact IL customer service directly for follow-up or additional queries, as only that department can provide the answers you seek.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Jessica Ramesch
IL Panama Editor

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hello Michael,

Panama does not issue international licenses, to the best of my knowledge. Local licenses are available to legal residents of Panama; you must be in country to apply. Find out more/confirm this via a Panama legal professional such as:

The Law Offices of Rainelda Mata-Kelly
Suite 406-407, Tower B, Torres de las Americas
Punta Pacifica, Panama City, Panama
Local tel: +(507) 216-9299
From the U.S. or Canada tel: (011 507) 216-9299
Email: rmk@mata-kelly.com
Website: http://www.mata-kelly.com

Hope this helps.

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Julian,

Welcome to the forum, thanks for posting.

The most popular beach for potential residents is not necessarily the same one you’d choose for a vacation…Coronado is one of the top destinations for expats living in Panama and a hub for the beach region that surrounds it, known as the Arco Seco (Dry Arc) and referred to by expats as Panama West.

Most of the all-inclusive/resorts and smaller boutique or B&B type businesses that are popular with vacationers are near but not in Coronado. For example, Buenaventura/JW Marriot (resort) and Togo (B&B type inn).

Of course, many vacationers venture into more remote areas such as Guna Yala (formerly San Blas or Kunayala) and Bocas del Toro, known for their Caribbean islands/beaches. The former has no expat communities and the latter is a place I recommend to visit but not to buy property.

We have write-ups on these areas and tips for both vacationers and potential residents in our Where to Live section as well as in our travel section, itineraries section, and rolodex, to name a few. I invite you to have a look and let us know if you have questions!

Here are some links to get you started:
https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/where-to-live/
https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/travel-itineraries/
https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/panama/travelers-panama/

We have a list of helpful travel tips posted here on the forum, please see https://internationalliving.com/forums/topic/helpful-know-before-you-go-travel-tips-and-info/and let us know if you have any questions.

Happy planning!

Jessica
IL Panama Editor

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Kathleen,

I have not had any experience with either of these companies, nor do I know the women running them, but perhaps you can find reviews of their services on the TripAdvisor website. Often tours are listed there and perhaps it will help you to read reviews written by their former customers. Also note that while IL does not offer tours, it will host a Panama seminar in 2015 (date TBA very soon, probably early April 2015). The presentations and/or exhibitors will cover the important aspects of life here (regions with expat communities, healthcare, immigration, moving your pet, buying property, etc etc) and many attendees will set out to explore after the seminar. We generally have tourism/transportation companies and real estate companies (that offer real estate tours) among our exhibitors.

I hope some of this info helps. Don’t hesitate to post again with any further questions.

Best,

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Sir or Ma’am,

Thanks for your post. This program unfortunately expired in August, and is no longer available.

Best regards,

Jessica Ramesch
Panama Editor
International Living

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Sir or Ma’am,

Thanks for your post. I don’t know whether that is correct but I go to Dr Sherry Goldsberry, find her listed here, along with several other options: http://panamacity.angloinfo.com/af/424/complementary-therapies-and-wellness.html.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jessica Ramesch
IL Panama Editor

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hello Leonard,

Thanks for posting. That’s very interesting that you were based at Howard for a while. It has changed so very much. You can reach the Mata Kelly firm at:

The Law Offices of Rainelda Mata-Kelly
Suite 406-407, Tower B, Torres de las Americas
Punta Pacifica, Panama City, Panama
Local tel: +(507) 216-9299
From the U.S. or Canada tel: (011 507) 216-9299
Email: rmk@mata-kelly.com
Website: http://www.mata-kelly.com

Best,

Jessica

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Sir or Ma’am,

Thanks for posting. There’s no right or wrong here. Real estate prices could rise or fall between now and then, just as the government could enact changes to the Pensionado Program, making it easier or more difficult to apply. That said Panama has a history of stability in that regard (the program hasn’t changed much in the past decade).

You do not have to be a resident to buy property here, as you probably already know.

Perhaps you should weigh the pros and cons and discuss with a Panama attorney and a real estate specialist. (Pro: property prices may be lower now than in the future. Con, if you buy a home now and are not living here yet, you may have to pay someone to care for it/manage it for you…and so on). We have contacts listed in the rolodex section of this website, but just in case, here they are:

The Law Offices of Rainelda Mata-Kelly
Suite 406-407, Tower B, Torres de las Americas
Punta Pacifica, Panama City, Panama
Local tel: +(507) 216-9299
From the U.S. or Canada tel: (011 507) 216-9299
Email: rmk@mata-kelly.com
Website: http://www.mata-kelly.com

Real estate:

Pathfinder International Real Estate
info@pathfinderinternational.net
Website: http://www.pathfinderinternational.net

For the Pensionado you must draw a pension of at least $1,000 per month to qualify. You are not required to buy real estate in Panama to qualify.

There is one exception to the $1,000 pension requirement, however. You can apply for residence with a lower pension—at least $750—if you have invested at least $100,000 in property in Panama. If your pension is over $1000 a month then you don’t need to worry about this.

You may pool your pension with your spouse’s to meet the minimum pension requirement, provided you’ll be applying together. If you include a spouse or dependents on your application, you must show an additional pension amount of $250 per dependent. If you are unable to do so, there is one alternative: you can set up a Panama bank account to hold a certain amount of funds per dependent (currently approximately $2,000 per dependent, subject to change).

Please verify all this with your Panama immigration attorney.

I hope this information helps. If you have more questions don’t hesitate to ask.

Best,

Jessica

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi Chuck,

These are questions that must be answered by a legal professional. If you have a Panama attorney contact I’d refer you to them. If not we have an attorney listed in the rolodex section:

The Law Offices of Rainelda Mata-Kelly
Suite 406-407, Tower B, Torres de las Americas
Punta Pacifica, Panama City, Panama
Local tel: +(507) 216-9299
From the U.S. or Canada tel: (011 507) 216-9299
Email: rmk@mata-kelly.com
Website: http://www.mata-kelly.com

I am sure one of the lawyers at the Mata-Kelly firm can provide more insight. My understanding is that yes, even an old “infraction” on your FBI record can cause a summary rejection of your application for Panamanian residence. It all depends on what the FBI shares in the document the FBI provides upon your request. A Panama attorney can tell you more about just what info appears on the document.

Best of luck and don’t hesitate to post again

Jessica

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Chuck,

I’m sorry to say I do not have good news in this particular regard. Some would say it is common knowledge that illegal residents in Panama generally do border runs every three to six months to “reset” their tourist visas. What’s less commonly known is that anyone caught doing this is subject to deportation and a five-year ban on re-entering Panama. This has rarely been enforced in the case of U.S. and Canadian citizens. But officials along the Panama-Costa Rica border are checking passports (and exit/entry stamps) much more carefully these days. This is likely because there are more expats in Panama than ever before. We never recommend living in a country this way for this reason, and attorneys here don’t advise clients to do this so you will likely not get a response from a reputable attorney if you ask about it. I’m so sorry if this news is a disappointment and I certainly understand that there are good people for whom minor things or even misunderstandings have meant an FBI record. I would venture that because so many “real” criminals have turned up in Panama, the Panamanian government is particularly leery.

Hope this helps clarify,

Best regards,

[Author]

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