Panama is no doubt growing as a tourism destination for couples, families and retirees from around the world. It’s also a place where you can sometimes spot Hollywood screen sirens and rock stars.

Some of the most notable stars that have either visited Panama or purchased property here are: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mick Jagger, Tobey Maguire, Paris Hilton, Regis Philbin, Donald Trump, Mel Gibson, Enrique Iglesias and Daniel Craig.

Celebrities enjoy coming to Panama because they don’t get hassled here. Celebs pretty much get treated like anyone else. Panamanians don’t tend to be as star-struck as North Americans. You won’t see paparazzi hanging out at Tocumen International Airport just waiting to see who will get off the plane. When celebrities buy property in Panama they don’t have to be concerned about people climbing trees to get a peek, or to take a photo they will later sell.

Rumor is king in Panama. Just about every week you will hear a new story about a celeb sighting in Panama. Sometimes it’s true, sometimes it’s not. My friend Casey is co-owner of Casita Margarita, a small hotel in Pedasi. He called me on New Year’s Eve day to let me know there was a story in one of Panama’s major newspapers that Mel Gibson would be staying in his hotel. The hotel owners had no idea, but celebs often reserve hotel rooms under an alias. The story was then picked up by two other major daily newspapers in Panama. Word spreads fast in Panama!

The story of Mel’s visit was the talk of the town (the country for that matter) for quite a while. Now, I could tell you if Mel showed up or not, and I could tell you whether he’s a nice guy or not, but if I did, that would ruin the anonymity the celebrities come to Panama for. Plus, it’s more fun for me to leave you guessing!

Have you ever spotted a Hollywood celebrity in Panama?

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Filed under: News on January 30th, 2009