Driving in Ancon, a largely wooded neighborhood in Panama City, one of my first weeks in Panama, I nearly swerved off the road when a large rodent, the size and shape of a mutant hamster, scurried out from the brush and into the center of the street, standing on its hind legs to stare me [...]

Filed under: Country Guide on March 26th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Boat ride to Cañas Island on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula
Planning a vacation to an unknown country like Panama can be a challenge, especially when that destination is also new at tourism.  Here are some common travel planning mistakes and misconceptions about Panama that we commonly encounter at my travel agency, which offers customized vacations to this [...]

Filed under: Country Guide on March 25th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Panama City Panama: a Business Mecca?
There are plenty of great things about living and working in Panama. I’ve covered those many positives in plenty of past articles. This post deals with the more annoying challenges of living and doing business in Panama City, Panama. So, without further adieu, the [...]

Filed under: Living & Retirement on March 25th, 2009 | 9 Comments »

One of the most important things to know before moving to or visiting Panama, is that you cannot rely on ambulances. No matter the emergency, your best bet is most likely going to be to get yourself to the hospital.

Filed under: Country Guide, Living & Retirement, News on March 24th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

A small film crew from the Canadian province of Quebec is currently traveling throughout Panama to shoot an extended documentary/reality show about Panama. The group will spend more than a month in Panama, shooting footage and gaining insight in to life in Panama.

Filed under: News on March 17th, 2009 | No Comments »

Visitors to Panama who possess only a tourist card must leave the country every 90 days. Many people on a budget travel to Panama’s border towns, and cross over to Costa Rica for the mandatory 72-hour exit. This is probably one of the cheapest methods to reset your stay in Panama, but the border at [...]

Filed under: Country Guide, Living & Retirement, News on March 9th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

For those athletes out there, Panama is a great spot to partake in outdoor activities. Hiking, jogging, swimming, and surfing are all great exercise options in Panama. However, Panama does have many gyms available for when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Filed under: Country Guide, Culture, Living & Retirement, News on March 4th, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Panama City’s Skyline Is Growing, But Is Tourism?
Having lived and worked for nearly a decade in Costa Rica and part-time for the last 5 years in Panama, I am fascinated by how the countries compare and contrast. One of the most noticeable differences is how real estate in Panama is placed ahead of [...]

Filed under: Business on March 2nd, 2009 | 6 Comments »