Panama Special Reports

In this Panama Special Report, we bring you the city of Chitré, located in Panama’s Herrera Province.

Chitré is not just any sleepy old rural town and, in recent years, it has overtaken all of its neighbors and Chiriquí in terms of growth. According to the United Nations Development Program, it’s also a great place to live, enjoying Panama’s highest quality of life based on factors such as the education level of its population and life expectancy, measured in the Human Development Index.

Panama’s doesn’t have many options for climate other than tropical… there are only a few places on this little isthmus that enjoy lower humidity and/or lower temperatures than their sea-level counterparts—and, yes, all of these cooler havens are above sea level. But there are a handful of appealing destinations that offer something close to springtime weather. In this report, we take a look at Panama’s top options for temperate-climate living.

The province is famous for its agricultural production, particularly its cattle. The capital, David, a middle-class town built on farming, feels like a down to earth, straightforward kind of a place.

Big tractors for big farming abound here. If your interest in Panama includes any investment agenda, this part of the country should have your attention.

The City of David is 445.4 kilometer from Panama City––about six hours by car or bus. It’s also about a one-hour drive from the Costa Rica border.

If you’re not up to driving or taking the bus, there are daily flights from the Marcos A. Gelabert Airport in Panama City to Enrique Malek Airport in David.

Infrastructure in David is equal to Panama City. Electricity, telephone, water, trash pickup are all here.

In this Panama Special Report, we bring you the expat-friendly city of David, Panama.

David boasts a busy social calendar. Club David is the Chiriquí equivalent of the Club Union in Panama City, “the” place for business and social events with the right people. Each year, Club David hosts many events for the local community and many events for various charities. Most are open to the public.

In March there’s the Feria International de David (International David Fair). Check out the exhibits, eat the food, and don’t miss the Horse Parade.

Like most areas in Panama, David doesn’t have much of an infrastructure for someone with a disability. To get around using a wheelchair would be nearly impossible. However, there is some progress being made in this area. The progress is slow, but it’s well on its way.

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…

In this Panama Special Report, we bring you the town of La Villa De Los Santos, located in the country’s Los Santos province.

This special report going into detail on the role that La Villa De Los Santos played in Panama’s path to independence. We have also included a section on the November holidays in Panama, of which there are many, including what, how, and where they are celebrated.

In this Panama Special Report, we bring you our top pick for beach living in Panama: Las Tablas.

Located on the Azuero Peninsula, Las Tablas is the first town of note along what is becoming this country’s Gold Coast. The charming city is well-known even beyond Panama for it’s yearly Carnival festival.