Panama

The tiny finger of land that pokes out from Panama City’s southeastern corner and into the Pacific Ocean is San Felipe—better known to most as Casco Viejo, Casco Antiguo, or, simply, Casco.

Casco is laid out in grid format like a classic European city. Every few blocks, you’ll find a tree-lined plaza or the spire of a cathedral, all of which casts an Old World charm over the place. At only four avenues wide, the neighborhood is small and compact; a tiny treasure trove of historical structures best explored on foot. But despite all the visual reminders of the past, it’s also constantly evolving…

Most of Panama City’s cultural events are hosted in Casco Viejo. On any given day, you attend a gallery opening, watch a parade, listen to a concert, or stumble upon an impromptu event on the streets. There’s almost always something going on here… The best way to find out about events is to simply wander the streets.

Casco is sought out by tourists from around the world… If the prospect of living in the thick of all the action sounds appealing, Casco is probably for you.

In this Panama Special Report, we bring you a closer look at the District of Chame and its most popular town, Punta Chame, which—in high season—draws beach-goers of all stripes, from surfers, kite-surfers, sport-fishermen, extreme sport-lovers, etc.

While it shares the same stretch of coastline as expat hot spot Coronado (which has seen major development over the past decade), Chame remains largely undiscovered, unpenetrated, and underrated.

Located in the Panamá Oeste Province, Chame comprises 11 small towns that sprawl out along the Panamerican Highway. On the hour-and-a-half drive it takes to reach the area from Panama City, you pass national parks, sleepy hamlets, mountains, and mangrove forests before finally arriving at the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean.

In this Panama Special Report, we offer a tour of Panama’s most famous and historically important churches.

Panama is home to hundreds of beautiful and significant religious structures, and a tour of the country through her churches reveals much about her history.  This report takes a look at some of these churches and the architectural, historical, and other interesting tidbits associated with them.

Panama is surrounded by beaches, and Panamanians have a variety of weekend getaways to choose from, but Coronado, only about an hour’s drive outside the city, isn’t just any beach. It’s the most turn-key, expat-friendly beach community in Panama.

Coronado is a town where expats gather for drinks, dinner, and dancing at least twice a week. Three international schools are located either in the town or the surrounding Pacific beach areas.

You can also keep the kids (and yourself) busy with an equestrian school, a surfing school, and even golf classes, all available right in town. Panama correspondent Chris Powers describes Coronado as the “furnished home of the tropics.” Whether you are looking for an oceanside retirement retreat, a place to raise your kids, or a weekend getaway, you’ll have no problem adjusting to your new home away from home in Coronado.

In this Panama Special Report, we bring you one of the most fun and eccentric neighborhoods in Panama City; El Cangrejo.

El Cangrejo’s mix of people from all over the world offers an interesting mix of cultures. Many regard El Cangrejo as Panama City’s most lively and expat-friendly area. The neighborhood is walkable and offers an abundance of tree-lined streets under which to grab some shade and perhaps a bite to eat. If you are interested in living in Panama City, this is one of the first places we recommend you look.

In this Panama Special Report, we bring you Gamboa, an area not too far from Panama City, but offering a completely different way of life.

Gamboa presents an ideal balance of modern convenience and quaint jungle tranquility. This is an outdoorsman’s playground, with a long list of wilderness activities you can do, from hiking to bird-watching.

Despite the relatively small size of the island, there are enough options to suit a variety of travelers––affordable hostels, somewhat pricey hotels, and houses listed on Airbnb.

The near side of Isla Grande is the site of a rustic Caribbean village. Getting around is only possible on foot because there are no paved roads, and therefore no cars. The only ‘street’ is a narrow sidewalk trail that runs along the beachfront from one end of the island to the other, serving as the main artery for foot traffic.

Towards the center of the village, the walkway is surrounded by rows of houses and lined with numerous bars and fondas (little family owned hole-inthe-wall restaurants) that serve droves of visitors every weekend. On weekdays the village becomes a ghost town as most people return to the mainland to resume their busy lives.

Life on the island is peaceful and everyone knows each other well. Everything runs on ‘island time,’ and no one appears to be stressed out or in a rush. You can easily tell the difference between a local and a tourist simply by observing how fast they are walking…

Situated on Panama’s northern shoreline, Isla Grande is a Caribbean island just off of the coast of a little town called La Guaira in the Colón province. La Guaira is only two hours away from Panama City by car and the island itself is just a stone’s throw away from the docks.

Traveling there is easy compared to other Caribbean destinations because it’s close, the route is straight-forward, and the roads are well-maintained…