In Focus: Panama

Entering the tropical paradise of Bocas del Toro is an experience far removed from life in Panama City. I've found...

In Focus: Panama

Find Out Why Investors Are Excited By Boca Chica, Panama

by Robin Post

August 9, 2018

A part of Panama has been quietly lurking in the shadows for years... Now the spotlight has shifted to this...

A grid off passports from different countries

In Focus: Panama

Coming Home: How I Got My Second Passport In Panama

July 26, 2018

When I came to Panama from the United States in 2012 I was looking for a new life, not a...

In Focus: Panama

A Taste of Boquete, Panama: Where Coffee Flows and Flowers Bloom

by Robin Post

July 12, 2018

Once again, Panamanian coffee has proven best in show. Last year, a top Boquete, Chiriquí, coffee plantation, Hacienda La Esmeralda,...

In Focus: Panama

Planes, Trains, And Automobiles: Getting To Costa Del Este

by Samantha Russell

June 28, 2018

Roll Over Led Zeppelin: Buying The Stairway To Heaven In May's issue of GPA, I wrote about a pre-launch project in...

In Focus: Panama

Academia 24 Fire: On The Ball With Panama’s Future Stars

June 18, 2018

Grass-Stained History In The Making—Buena Suerte, Panama! On Oct. 10, 2017, the whole of the population of Panama was on...

A group of young girls in African clothing in a parade

In Focus: Panama

A Celebration For All: Panama’s Afro-Heritage Month Festivities

May 31, 2018

May in Panama is the time for the Fiesta de la Etnia Negra or, loosely translated, Black History Month. Unlike...

google mymaps screenshot of a route in panama

In Focus: Panama

Getting Around Panama Made Easier With Google’s MyMaps

by Sophia Titley

May 3, 2018

As a recent arrival to Panama City, I speak from experience when I say that getting to know a new...

the panama canal train which runs between panama city and colon

In Focus: Panama

Taking A Ride On The Historic Panama Canal Railway

by Joey Bonura

April 19, 2018

The Panama Canal Railway opened in 1855 and was the world's first transcontinental railroad, creating an easy way to transverse...

festive models depicting the crucifiction of christ, panama

In Focus: Panama

Easter In Panama: From Carnaval To Domingo De Pascua

by Samantha Russell

April 5, 2018

Easter actually lasts for more than a week in Panama. It lasts just over 40 days and is a roller...

a market stall selling tropical fruits. for sale are lemons bananas limes apples and more

In Focus: Panama

Summer In Panama Is A Tropical Fruit Lover’s Paradise

March 22, 2018

At this moment, most of North America and Europe are merely dreaming about warm temperatures and the tasty treats of...

In Focus: Panama

What’s Really Behind Panama’s Booming Economy?

by Samantha Russell

March 8, 2018

Before I start writing about Panama's economy, I really must insist upon a few things: no yawning, no snoring, and...

In Focus: Panama

Our Favorite Expat-Owned Restaurants In Panama

February 22, 2018

Live and Invest Overseas office in Panama City's eclectic El Cangrejo neighborhood is a rainbow coalition of international talent. Along...

Panama’s Carnaval celebrations and parade

In Focus: Panama

Your Guide To Carnaval: Panama’s Biggest Party Of The Year

February 8, 2018

Panama's carnival—the next major holiday after New Year's—is right around the corner, and people from all walks of life have...

In Focus: Panama

Why I Settled On Sleepy Puerto Armuelles In Western Panama

January 25, 2018

The railroad rumbles through town as the shift-change siren wails overhead. There is a cargo ship stacked high with bananas...

In Focus: Panama

Buying, Rescuing, And Adopting Animals In Panama

January 11, 2018

Panama’s Forgotten Animals I was never much of an animal lover, even though I did have pets growing up. A...

In Focus: Panama

New Year’s Eve In Panama

by Peg Fairbairn

December 28, 2017

Odd Traditions—How Panamanians Start The New Year Afresh Depending on your demeanor, New Year's Eve celebrations in Panama are either...

In Focus: Panama

Christmas In Panama: A Tropical Twist On A Classic Tradition

December 14, 2017

The other day a friend asked, "Is that 'White Christmas'?" The song was in Spanish, but the tune was easily...

In Focus: Panama

Why I Started Urban Farming In Panama

November 30, 2017

It's well established now that what we consume affects our health and daily functioning. My balcony in Panama City is...

In Focus: Panama

Transportation Options In Panama City And Beyond—Chaotic But Rewarding

by Deryl Fisher

November 16, 2017

Using public transportation to get around in Panama City and in the interior of the country might, to the uninitiated,...

In Focus: Panama

Two Distinct And Divine Temples In Panama City

by Deryl Fisher

November 2, 2017

Being back in Panama, I was trying out the new Metro transit system, which had not yet been built when...

A young woman standing under a bright rainbow colored umbrella to escape the rain in Panama.

In Focus: Panama

6 Ways To Beat The Rainy Season Blues In Panama

by Kat Kalashian

October 19, 2017

We're now fully into Panama's rainy season, and sometimes expats get the rainy-day blues this time of year... From October...

a woman carrying her surfboard silhouetted against the sea at sunset

In Focus: Panama

Surfing For A Cause: Starting A Private Foundation In Panama

October 18, 2017

Working long hours and getting no closer to the lifestyle he believed he was destined to live, a young German,...

In Focus: Panama

[Q&A] Starting New York Bagel Cafe In Panama City, Panama

by Brittney Schering

September 21, 2017

A few weeks ago, I sat down with Jon Hurst, founder of the Vía Argentina staple, New York Bagel...

Members of the "Lince" Motorized Police Service

In Focus: Panama

What I Quickly Learned About Safety And Guns In Panama

by Matt Chilliak

September 7, 2017

I had been in Panama City for about a week when I found myself with a gun pointed at me....

trash spilling out of a trash can on a tree lines isolated road

In Focus: Panama

Panama’s Slow But On-Going Journey to Sustainable Living

August 24, 2017

Recycling in Panama has come a long way, but there’s still room to grow... I have long been a nature...

a restaurant with wood paneling and wooden stools at a counter

In Focus: Panama

6 Vegetarian Friendly Restaurants In El Cangrejo, Panama City

by Brittney Schering

August 10, 2017

When moving to Panama City with my significant other from a veggie-friendly hub in the United States, one of...

a man in a cherry picker working on electric cables

In Focus: Panama

No Lights, No Problem: Power Outages In Panama

by Deryl Fisher

July 27, 2017

I grew up in the United States, and I remember times when the electricity failed. But living in Latin...

The Bay of Panama with tall skyscrapers and marina

In Focus: Panama

The Insider’s Guide To Living In Panama On A Budget

July 13, 2017

Many who visit Panama come away praising the country for its thriving economy, in which everybody benefits and products are...

the Panama skyline in the distance as seen through tree branches

In Focus: Panama

Panama City’s Urban Escape: Parque Natural Metropolitano

June 29, 2017

The swath of green hills making up the high trails of the Parque Metropolitano (Metropolitan Park) completes the panorama my...

Organic Avocado Plantation Expect high returns and low risk

Agriculture

100% Organic Agricultural Investment Opportunity

by Lief Simon

June 15, 2017

As I remind you often, when you find a flag-planting opportunity that interests you, you should take advantage of it...

boats navigating a lock of the Panama canal bordered by lush green tropical landscape

In Focus: Panama

Gamboa: An Ecotourism Paradise Next To The Panama Canal

by Andrew Madigan

June 1, 2017

In central Panama, 50 kms west of the capital, at an abrupt crook in the Río Chagres where it slips...

a blond woman wearing a white button down shirt and yellow bowtie holding a tablet

Employment

How To Find A Job Teaching English In Panama

May 18, 2017

My first job in Panama was working as a primary school teacher. I obtained this job only by arriving at...

silhouetted cars driving down a toll road towards the center of Panama city

In Focus: Panama

How Panama’s Corredor Sur Is Paving A Road To The Future

May 4, 2017

Since being handed control of the canal from the United States, Panama has blazed a trail of economic advancement and...

In Focus: Panama

The Expert’s Guide To Postal Services In Panama

April 20, 2017

Panama is one of the most developed countries in the region—fully appointed in nearly every aspect... except postal service, which...

close up of shrimp for sale at the Panama fish market

In Focus: Panama

Mercado de Mariscos: A Trip To Panama’s Fish Market

April 6, 2017

We rode the escalator up from the Cinco de Mayo subway station to gray skies. Just 20 minutes earlier, at...

In Focus: Panama

Moving To Panama And Starting A Home-Based Business

March 23, 2017

This is the story of a couple that weathered moving abroad, changing jobs and careers, having a baby, and starting...

In Focus: Panama

Going To Prison In Panama: A Cautionary Tale

by Leighton Garner

March 9, 2017

I sat under the sunny skies, chatting with my friend Dean on his patio on the pleasant little island of...

A man holds up his phone to take a picture of trees

In Focus: Panama

Cell Phone Services In Panama: A Near First World Experience

February 23, 2017

Imagine yourself standing on the deck of a sturdy boat, a beautiful, sunny day ahead of you, and just in...

Taboga Island is the perfect quick Beach Island getaway in Panama.

In Focus: Panama

Isla Taboga: The Easy Island Escape From Panama City

February 9, 2017

My family has really come to appreciate the brightest and sunniest days Panama can offer—which primarily occur from January through...

Sidewalks and streets in Panama are worthy of American Ninja Warrior Course Design Inspirations.

In Focus: Panama

Sidewalks In Panama: Your Very Own American Ninja Warrior Course

January 26, 2017

Some things we take for granted living in the United States, Canada, and other developed countries. Things that tourists and...

Man wearing backpack with his thumb out hitchhiking on an empty road

In Focus: Panama

A Crash Course On Making A Border Run In Panama

January 12, 2017

Living as an expat in Panama City, Panama, the opportunity to explore other parts of the country and beyond is...

traditional paper machet dolls sit on the roadside in Panama

In Focus: Panama

New Year in Panama: Colorful Customs and Traditions

December 29, 2016

How To Ring In The New Year In Panama Like A Local Be sure to enjoy that last blast of...

Christmas season in Panama City, Panama complete with a big Christmas tree full of yellow and red lights.

In Focus: Panama

Tis’ Christmas Season In Panama City, Panama

December 20, 2016

Counting Down To Christmas In Panama If you grew up in the Northern Hemisphere, as I did, it’s difficult to...

A woman wearing the Panamanian national dress with the traditional head adornments and crown

In Focus: Panama

The Complete Guide Of November Holidays In Panama

by Kat Kalashian

November 3, 2016

Navigating November In Panama Wondering why Panama seems like a ghost town this month? Government offices are closed, the banks...

Medical Insurance For Tourists In Panama now has to be paid

Health Care

What Wikipedia Won’t Tell You About Health Care in Panama

October 20, 2016

Health Care In Panama—The Good, The Bad, And The Dysfunctional Panama offers international-standard health care, and medical tourism is a...

Sunset under the Azuero Peninsulas’ Los Islotes

In Focus: Panama

Building An Off-The-Grid Community In Rural Panama

October 13, 2016

Building Not Just A Home But A New Lifestyle On Panama’s Beautiful Azuero Coast What started out as a desire...

In Focus: Panama

Mind The Slang: Speaking Spanish In Panama

by Dusty Tubbs

October 6, 2016

Spanish Words And Their Many Meanings Language is a fluid thing... We (us writing this essay, you reading it) speak...

Uber Panama's ultimate destiny might be in the hands of the panamanian government.

In Focus: Panama

Uber Panama’s Destiny In the Hands Of National Transit Authority

September 8, 2016

Ubers May Become As Extinct As Golden Frogs Most people in business don’t like competition, it’s natural to want to...

the red and yellow washingotn hotel in colon panama

In Focus: Panama

Finding The Perfect Escape In Panama’s Colón Province

August 25, 2016