Why Panama is Our Top Retirement Choice

Why Panama is our top retirement choice at this time is simple. Sitting on our last flight headed back to Albuquerque, Ron and I were not looking forward to New Mexico’s cold weather.  We had been in Panama for the last two months so we didn’t even have warm jackets to wear off the plane. 

But we don’t mind, because we finished what we set out to do; we got our temporary resident visas and multi-entry passport stamps. 

When we left Albuquerque the first week in December, we didn’t know exactly how long we’d be gone.  Our airline tickets showed a return trip in mid-January.  However, we were in the application process for our resident visas and, with COVID delays and Christmas, we knew that timeframe might not work out. 

Although there were a couple of delays with the immigration office in Panama City, we were able to get everything completed and we received our temporary visas the end of January.  So, although we have recently returned to Albuquerque, our plan is to be back in Panama by this summer.   

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve written several articles about Panama and you might be thinking, “What is our interest in that country?”

And to answer that question, I might ask another one: “Why are so many North Americans and Europeans flocking to Panama, a country of less than four-and-a-half million people and smaller than the country of Ireland?”

The Benefits of Panama

Panama is a beautiful and diverse country.  Exotic Pacific and Caribbean coastlines . . . lush tropical forests . . . a gleaming metropolitan capital . . . laid back beach towns . . . a variety of microclimates . . . and some of the world’s richest coffee.   

You might think I’ve just described Costa Rica because it seems like a lot of people are more familiar with that country than they are with Panama.  However, they are neighboring countries which have a lot of the same diversity of natural landscapes, microclimates, and vegetation. And both are very appealing to expats and travelers.

Although the capital, Panama City, has the amenities found in most thriving financial and cultural centers, it seems to combine the attributes of modernity with history. 

For example, the main thoroughfare of the city, the Avenida Balboa, runs parallel to a park that gives easy access for joggers, bikers, and walkers.  This prime property just happens to border the Panama Bay so is available for all to take in some of the best the views of the city and the Pacific Ocean. 

Casco Viejo, another favorite of ours, is located at the end of the Panama Bay.  I’ve heard it said that it is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of the glamorous past.  And it seems that statement is true.

Stately buildings, once dilapidated, are now fine dining restaurants, comfy BnB’s, and cozy hotels.  Wrought iron, colorful doors, exotic gardens, and, of course, a shady town plaza offering a respite from the tropical weather. 

In the distance, you can see the skyline of Panama City.  Look out on the Pacific and the cargo ships await their turn to enter the Panama Canal.  Although much of Old Quarter has been refurbished, remnants of building facades, brick walls, and cobbled streets remain. 

Besides the natural beauty, history, modern amenities, there is another attraction that many countries do not offer.  And that attraction is why we have had such an interest in Panama. 

Would We Need Visas? 

One important detail that we hadn’t really considered three years ago when looking at retirement was that we would need to get visas if we wanted to stay in a country for a longer period of time.  And, although our overseas travels gave us time to figure out where we might want to stay for a while, that was the easy part. 

The difficult part was finding somewhere that we would qualify for visas.  In other words, that meant we had to determine a) which visas we would qualify for; and b) which visas we could afford. 

Besides visas, other facts are important for us to look at if we decided to stay in a country for an extended period of time.  Health care, reliable internet, climate, safe water, and easy flights to the US are at the top of the list.  And, in the last year, we’ve added a few other items, including good public transportation and infrastructure. 

After doing our research, we narrowed our choices to two countries:  Panama and Portugal.  But when we recently made our final decision, Panama came out on top because of relative ease of qualifying for and obtaining visas. 

Ever since we first started traveling almost thirty years ago, Ron and I have never lost our passion for travel.  We’ve taken many overseas trips, and each time we go, the idea of living in a foreign country becomes more real.  With our resident visas, we’ll have the opportunity and flexibility to stay in Panama for as long as we want.