Panama – One of Today’s Hottest Destinations!

Panama is being one of today’s hottest destinations as more and more tourists and retirees discover Panama as an inexpensive alternative compared to Costa Rica.

In 1980 when Costa Rica introduced its famed pensionado program…retirees from the United States and Canada quickly moved in…and property prices began to soar.

Today, the same thing in now beginning to happen in Panama.

More than just a canal, Panama is a land bridge linking two oceans and two continents.

Visitors are rewarded with lush landscapes, a melting pot of cultures, a bonus of both Pacific and Caribbean beaches, world-class deep-sea fishing, a lively capital and a matchless diversity of animal and plant life protected within accessible national parks.

The Panama canal is a 50-mile-long waterway that is the highlight of cruise ships sailing between ports of call between both oceans.

Some of Panama’s most captivating tropical rainforest areas lie within easy reach of Panama City. The Soberiana National Park is one of Panama’s most accessible. It is the home of over 500 species of birds and mammals. The Pipeline Road is a major destination for serious birdwatchers.

Lake Gatun, part of the grater water network formed by the Panama Canal, is home to Isla Barro Colorado, a 166-sq. mile biological reserve administered by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Travelers there will be introduced to the island’s rich flora, some of the 385 species of birds residing there, and many of its animal species, including monkeys, peccaries and tapirs.

In the highlands, David is the city gateway to the Chiriqui province where orchids grow in profusion and visitors come to cool off. The leading visitor center is Boquete, whose prosperity comes from harvesting coffee and cultivating flowers. At an elevation of 5,000 ft., visitors fan out to hike the mountain trails, fish for trout, or go horseback riding. This corner of Chiriqui is a favorite of whitewater rafters who take to fast-running rivers whose waters “peak” from May to mid-December.

Another highland retreat outside Panama City is El Valle de Anton, 60 miles away, nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano. Day hikes lead to powerful waterfalls and the bird watching is first class, and there are orchids everywhere. Panama’s largest weekly market, on Sundays, is held here; it’s a good place to buy local handicrafts.

A north coast archipelago, Bocas del Toro is Panama’s newest island getaway for birding watching, snorkeling and diving along the reefs and mangroves.

The main gateway to everywhere, and where you will land, is Panama City, a waterside capital full of hotels and restaurants, nightclubs and nonstop casino action. Left over from the earlier days is the colonial center called Casco Viejo, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Many parts of this 17th century district have been restored, and it’s a treat to walk along he narrow streets.

Just outside Panama City, no excursion is more rightly famous than the Panama Canal, the man-made engineering wonder that joins the Pacific Ocean on the Panama City side to the Caribbean at the port of Colon. From the Miraflores Locks observation platform, clients have the perfect vantage point to watch ships raised and lowered form lock to lock on their passage between oceans.

A signature destination in Panama is the San Blas Islands, autonomous territory of the Kuna Indians. Travelers travel by air to the islands, a short flight from the capital off the northern coast. While lodgings are at a premium, guests staying in the islands swim contentedly off white sand beaches, snorkel along pristine coral reefs, and join the islanders in their dugout canoes. May through November is the best time to visit San Blas.

Panama is a liberal, free country with all the advantages of tropical Caribbean living, but few of the disadvantages. The roads are almost pot-hole free…it’s out of the hurricane belt…it has state-of-the-art infrastructure and services…fast internet access…and excellent healthcare.

In many of the other great Central American retirement havens of the past decade (Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica)…expats had to sacrifice a number of these things. But because of Panama’s strategic location, its U.S. influence and its famous canal, Panama offers top benefits usually only available in industrialized countries.

For further information on Panama visit: www.panamainfo.com