The waves roll in over white-sand beaches as palm trees sway overhead… The sun shines down on you as the hammock gently swings to and fro, an umbrella drink in your hand…
If you’re day dreaming in an office cubicle or as the snow piles up on the streets outside, beach life probably seems like paradise.
The question is: Where is that beach?
The world is full of beaches and all of them have their pros and cons. Where one person finds paradise, another won’t. Some places are too touristy, others too remote. Then there’s the climate, accessibility, community, language barrier, immigration laws, and more…
The good news is, in Panama, you can have your pick from a wealth of options. After all, Panama is basically two long beaches with a small isthmus of land in the middle, making beach living seem inevitable.
Let’s compare two of Panama’s Pacific coast beachside destinations…
Santa Catalina and Puerto Armuelles look similar on paper. Both are small fishing villages on the Pacific coast. Santa Catalina is an hour-and-a-half from Soná, while Puerto Armuelles is the same distance from David. Both towns have small expat communities and homes for sale at modest prices.
So how do you know the difference?
Visit first, rent second, move third.
After a stay in both of these towns you’ll see that the paper version and reality are completely different.
There’s lots of local fishing, but Santa Catalina is also a jumping-off point to Coiba Island. Its accessibility to the island and surrounding archipelago makes it a prime location for tourists. Each day boats take groups on snorkeling and diving trips to these remote islands.
Plenty of hotels dot the shoreline providing a range of accommodations, from cheap and cheerful to ritzy. Restaurants that cater to Europeans and North Americans alike are popular with the tourist population.
There are several beaches prime for swimming and surfing, making outdoor recreation a big draw to the area. The sunsets are, of course, gorgeous as they drift into the Pacific.
The growing tourist market of Santa Catalina is also ripe for expats not yet ready to retire. If you have an untapped entrepreneurial vein, you could find or create opportunities here. Several expats have already started businesses like hotels, restaurants, dive shops, even a bakery. Possibilities abound…
What Santa Catalina is not, is a commercial district. It’s remote and although Soná is only 90 minutes away, it’s not a bustling metropolis like David or Panama City. It’s still a small town and your shopping options will be limited.
So, how does Puerto Armuelles compare to Santa Catalina?
It helps to know a little history about Puerto…
The town found its place on the map in 1927 when Chiquita Banana came calling. The company built the town as it exists today, complete with housing for workers, roads, sewers, and a railroad. Although Chiquita is no longer headquartered in Puerto, its legacy lasts.
As you approach Puerto Armuelles, the first thing you’ll see is a large baseball stadium. There are a handful of grocery stores, a couple of banks, and several ATMs. Unless it’s a Sunday, the streets are packed with locals going about their business. The local fishermen sell fresh fish, lobster, shrimp, and octopus at the local market, on the side of the street, on bicycles, or off the back of a truck.
Commercialism is alive and well in Puerto, partly due to the many small outlying villages dependent on Puerto that cropped up during the Chiquita era.
What Puerto is not, is a tourist destination. This isn’t to say that no tourist has ever visited, but rather Puerto has little to offer the general tourist. There are plenty of bars, but they’re local dives that cater to the beer-drinking worker… no umbrellas here. Even the hotel situation in Puerto is slim pickings.
As a result, there are plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurial minded people; the problem is the market. Most of the beaches in Puerto and the surrounding areas are calm and inviting and several others cater to surfing…
This is what Puerto Armuelles and Santa Catalina look like today. What the future holds for both towns is anyone’s guess.
It would seem logical that Santa Catalina will continue to grow and prosper. The location is unspoiled and sure to draw more businesses and expats. As the saying goes, “If you build it, they will come…”
In Puerto there are talks, hopes, and dreams… maybe someday the tourism boom will come. For the time being, enjoying Puerto for what it is and not what it might someday be, seems like a safer bet.
If you’re looking for a beach town to retire to, with long walks down the beach at sunrise, then Puerto has what you’re looking for.
If you’re looking for an active lifestyle and water recreation options, Santa Catalina is more up your alley.
If you like to shop each day, Puerto… if you hate shopping and once a month is enough, Santa Catalina.
As you can see, no two beach towns are the same and each has their pros and cons.
Panama has much to offer, and finding your own personal paradise may take some time… but in the end, when you hang up your hammock, you’ll have a dream that came true.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Teeters
Contributor, Panama Letter
