One of my favorite properties in Panama is the Coronado Golf Condo Tower located in the Pacific Coast Beach Region of Panama. The 33-story residential condo building combines proximity to the ocean with breathtaking views of the mountains while being located smack in the middle of a premier golf course and country club.

As a resident, you and your guests get access to miles of soft sandy beaches, three swimming pools, five social areas, a private beach club, private restaurants, tennis courts, and an equestrian club. But here's the kicker. As a resident, you also get to play free golf at the Coronado Golf Country Club. All the golf, beach club and equestrian club amenities are just $125 per month for part-time residents and $250 per month for full-time residents. That's less than a round of golf for two people at many public courses throughout the world.

Coronado is the oldest beach community in Panama. It's where all the wealthy Panamanians spent their free time over the past decades, and it soon became the hub of the Pacific Coast Beach Region for English-speaking expats. Gringos are drawn to Coronado for the never-ending sunshine, the gated communities, and the easy access to ample shopping, fabulous restaurants and English-friendly services. 

Coronado Golf Condo Tower is a residential community that boasts granite counter tops, Jacuzzi bathtubs, and spectacular views. Residents hop in their golf carts to go to the beach, the equestrian club, or even brunch with friends. There's a different activity each night of the week, from nightly happy hour events to beach volleyball to polo at the equestrian club. Coronado Golf is more than just a place to live... it's the lifestyle that you've dreamed about. 

Although the condos are almost sold out, you can still find amazing deals. For example, a one-bedroom condo with all appliances and air conditioning units is available for just $210,000, and it comes with an 18-year property tax exemption. You can even get easy financing by putting 20% - 30% down.

If you don't plan in living at Coronado Golf full time, we can handle the property management and rent your condo for you. Most owners turn a tidy profit while their investment increases in value.

Homeowners Association dues are only $165 per month and includes water, common area maintenance, and 24-hour security in a triple-gated Coronado community. 

To get a private tour, contact me. If you ask nicely, I'll even let you drive the golf cart while I pour the champagne. You'll see firsthand that paradise is not only affordable, but it's also within reach. All you need to do is grab it. 

Panama is a city of restaurants, and as a foodie, it's my goal to eat my way through the city without changing my dress size. My favorite meal to eat out is lunch. Not only do many restaurants have friendlier pricing, but I feel less guilty eating carbs at lunch because I have the opportunity to work them off.

Da Noi sounds Asian, but in fact it's an authentic Italian restaurant. Da Noi means "by us" in Italian, a fitting name for a mom & pop restaurant tucked in a small shopping center in the El Cangrejo neighborhood of Panama City. El Cangrejo reminds me of the West Side of New York. It has narrow streets and constant bustle. There are dozens of restaurants and shops crammed into every corner of this middle class neighborhood, cheek-to-jowl with European-style hotels, car rental agencies, and big casinos.

Like many Panama restaurants, the doors at Da Noi don't open until noon. At 12:01, I was knocking on the glass and pointing at my watch. A nice looking Italian man checked his watch, realized it was noon, and unlocked the door. Although we were the first ones in the restaurant, within minutes, most of the tables were full.

The interior is typical of a mom and pop restaurant in Panama--bare tables with plastic chairs and vinyl-covered diner-style bench seating, although the brightly painted walls, high ceiling, and wall of half-bottles of wine gives it a cheery, urban hip feeling. 

I was smitten when I saw the lobster ravioli with lemon sauce on the menu, but it wasn't available the day of my visit. We ordered a traditional lasagna, along with a chicken and mushroom pizza. When I lived in Dallas, I craved pizzas cooked in a stone oven. I've gotten spoiled living in Panama because most pizzas are cooked this way. That being said, the crust on my pizza was near perfection. It was just the right thickness and was both crispy and chewy.  The only negative is that the toppings weren't as juicy as I would have liked. The cheese was Italian style (sparse), and the chicken and mushrooms were just ever so slightly over-baked. But the crust made up for the deficiencies, and I inhaled half my pizza in record time.

Being an American, I took the other half of my pizza home. (Latins don't like to take leftovers home. They think it makes them look poor. I love leftovers and don't care what the waiter thinks, so I always get a doggie bag when the food is too scrumptious to throw away.) The leftover pizza was so good cold that I didn't bother to heat it up. I'll definitely be back to try other pizzas and to get try the lobster ravioli with lemon sauce.

When you arrive in Panama on a tourist visa, you can stay for 180 days before you have to leave. No, the federal police won't come to your house and pull you out of bed if you overstay your 6-month visa, but if you get stopped at a random checkpoint, you could be deported. Better to stay ahead of the Federales by leaving the country on your terms.

The good news is you don't have to go far, nor do you have to be gone long. You just need to leave the country and get a re-entry stamp. This is where a Costa Rica border run comes into play. The whole process of leaving Panama and getting a new entrance stamp doesn't take long--usually only about an hour to stamp out and then stamp back in. The tricky part is that the border guards don't always say the same thing. 

I experienced this firsthand during a recent border run to Costa Rica. I have my residency visa, but my fiance does not. I was along for the proverbial ride. I didn't need to go, but I rationalized it as gaining experience to share. After all, how am I supposed to get good meat for my blog if I don't experience everything Panama has to offer... the good, the bad, and even the bureaucratic.

You can arrive at the border crossing station between Costa Rica and Panama by bus or by car. If you drive, note that there is no parking lot for immigration, so just find a place to park nearby. Check the alleys nearby and be sure not to leave any valuables in your car. If you arrive by bus, they will drop you within a few feet of where you need to be. 

If you want to know the exact process of getting your passport stamped and extending your tourist visa, click here to request a copy of my upcoming book, "Panama Uncorked: Everything You Need to Know to Visit, Live and Invest in Panama." I'll give it to you for free if you are one of the first 99 people to request it. 

Panama is known as “The Hub of the Americas,” both because of the Panama Canal and Panama City’s Tocumen Airport (PTY). 

Panama’s airport infrastructure has also seen dramatic improvements. With easy flights available from most major cities in the world, Panama is becoming even more attractive as a haven for snowbirds and Baby Boomers wanting a tropical home.

Panama is expected to invest about $821 Million in airport infrastructure in three main airports. Three major airport projects are increasing the ability for foreigners to easily reach their destinations. 

1. Tocumen International Airport (Panama City): Panama’s main airport is currently undergoing an expansion estimated to cost $679 million. The expansion includes a new 30-gate terminal, new facilities for migration and customs, parking, commercial operational facilities, and hotel infrastructure. The expansion should be complete in 2014. 
   
2. Enrique Malek International (David): The recent $27 million expansion allows for more flights and larger aircraft from international destinations.
   
3. Rio Hato International Airport (Rio Hato): A new $115 million international airport is underway to serve the Pacific Coast beach region, such as Coronado, and the center portion of Panama’s interior. It is expected to be functional in late 2013.
   

With so much investment in infrastructure, Panama is expected to continue to top the lists of “best places to live, invest and retire” for years to come.

Panama has many diverse micro-climates, but it can be broken into four major regions where expats like to settle—Panama City, the Pacific Coast Beach Region, David / Boquete, and the Caribbean Coast of Panama. 

Panama City

Panama City is not only the capital of Panama, but it is also where about half of the population lives. Panama City is full of Western-style amenities. It has international hotels, modern boulevards, high rise condos and office buildings, and restaurants to satisfy every food craving imaginable. Visitors can easily find bakeries, dry cleaners, paint stores, beauty salons, medical spas, pet grooming, and every other service one would expect to find in an international city. There are many Western-style hospitals, and healthcare is easy to get. There are a variety of international schools in and around Panama City. Houses in Panama City are rare, though, and the average foreigner who invests in residential real estate typically chooses to invest in condos.

Pacific Coast Beach Region

The Pacific Coast beach region of Panama encompasses the beach area on the Pacific Ocean side of the country. It is more developed than the Caribbean side and gets about half the rainfall, making it more desirable to most foreigners who want to live in Panama. The Pacific Coast Beach Region is an easy drive from Panama City, and most people can go from Panama City to the Punta Chame in about an hour. The region extends to the new Rio Hato International Airport and includes mountain areas, such as Altos del Maria. Western-style retail stores and grocery stores can be found throughout the region, but most are located in Coronado, which is in the center of the Pacific Coast Beach Region. A thriving international expat community means that English is spoken almost everywhere. Plus, new international schools are being formed to meet the growing need for families with school-aged children.

Caribbean Coast

The beaches along the Caribbean coast are magnificent and sparsely populated. The white sand beaches and aqua blue water can make you feel like you're living a dream. Day-to-day life in this area can be more problematic though. Things like major highways, International schools, and reliable high-speed Internet are not always available. If you truly want to get away from it all, the Caribbean Coast is the place to do it.

David / Boquete

David (pronounced Da veed) is the third largest city in Panama and the capital of the Chiriqui Province. Services and goods are readily available, just on a smaller scale than Panama City. Within close proximity to David are Pacific Coast beaches, Costa Rica, and the mountain town of Boquete. Boquete’s year-round spring-like temperatures and lush flora and fauna attract people from around the world. Expats make up about half of the population of Boquete, and more English is spoken per capita than anyplace else in Panama. Boquete has the oldest expat population, which is mainly comprised of retirees. Unlike other parts of the country that have seen rising real estate prices, Boquete's real estate prices have fallen recently, making many properties more affordable than ever.

If you would like more information on Panama's regions, please contact us. We would be glad to help you determine which area might be best for you.