Driving into Boquete from the provincial capital of David, you’ll pass the main square on your right…but don’t stop there. Carry on toward the colonial church and climb up, past a smattering of shops and adorable little restaurants painted in happy pastels. Before you can blink, you’ll find yourself suddenly plunged into a world of misty green. The velvety mountainsides are dotted with dulcet cottages…the green is interrupted where flowers erupt in a bright fireworks display. This is Boquete, demure with a hint of cheeky color.

Nestled in the shadow of Panama’s mystic Volcan Baru in the province of Chiriqui, Boquete is one of the world’s best bird-watching towns…the site of international award-winning coffee plantations…and an orchid farm, where the variety dazzles even the most experienced collectors. (The rare and exquisite blooms can sell for $70 to $1,500 at international shows.)

The region provides up to 80% of all the milk, meat and vegetables consumed in Panama. With easy access to the freshest produce, seafood, and more, it’s not hard to see why many expats claim their health has improved soon after moving here.

The perfectly pristine beaches of Boca Chica and Boca Brava Island are about hour and a half away by car. So is Panama’s oldest and most valued archeological site, Sitio Barriles. Other nearby attractions include thermal springs, waterfalls, strawberry stands, horse ranches, rafting rapids and La Amistad National Park. Perhaps the best is the Los Quetzales Trail in the Volcan Baru National Park. One of the nation’s prized bird-watching trails, this is one of the best places in the world to spot the legendary resplendent quetzal.

All this makes Boquete a premium location, and that’s one of the reasons it is home to so many contented expats.

It’s also why my full report on retiring in Boquete is in the February issue of International Living Magazine.

guest post by By Jessica Ramesch

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Now the market in Boquete does offer some good buys again but one of the best buys is right next door – this area is just like Boquete but offers pre-boom prices!

Panama’s highlands are spring-like…their hillsides covered with wildflowers.

Look in the right places (like Volcan, below) and you’ll also find quiet village streets with homes that start at $37,000…

Find the Most Affordable Retirement in Panama

It’s a stunning drive to Volcan—and that’s not just travel writer hype. As the road winds up into the mountains, one vista after another unfolds. I have driven this road many times over the past four years, and it’s still as invigorating as ever.

As I reach 3,000 feet, I turn off the air-conditioning and roll down the windows; the air is fresh and clean. The roadsides are festooned with thousands of red, pink and white impatiens. They look like they were carefully planted by a talented landscaper, but they’re a simply great gift of nature.

Passing through the small village of Cuesta de Piedra, I get a glimpse off to my right of the majesty that is Panama’s highest peak, the 11,400 foot Baru Volcano (pronounced “bah-ROO”). The jagged peaks of this sleeping giant carve through a swirl of clouds and mist.

Volcan sits in a valley that opens westward onto a wide plateau. At 4,200 feet, it’s easy to see why the town is famed for its “eternal spring” climate. It is framed to the north by the Tizingal Mountain and to the east by the slopes and volcanic plain.

The combination of spring- like weather and abundant fresh fruit and vegetables has led some writers to describe the area as the “Shangri-La Valley.” A brief look at the gravestones in the local cemetery reveals that many residents lived well into their eighties and nineties.

Volcan is a bustling town of about 10,000 people, of which about 250 are expats from the U.S. and Canada. The town has four supermarkets, four hardware stores, three banks (two with ATMs) and over 30 places to eat. If there is a global recession, the people in Volcan haven’t heard.

The local economy has been buoyed in part by nearby hydroelectric projects. This will soon make Panama virtually energy independent and pump millions of dollars into the local economy. But agriculture is the real driving force behind the provincial economy. Chiriqui provides up to 80% of all the milk, meat and vegetables consumed in Panama.

The greatest savings here stem from the climate. There is no need for air conditioning, fans or heating. I use an electric washer, dryer and dehumidifier, but my average power costs stay low at around $68 a month. I cook with gas that costs me about $2 a month; my water bill is $4 a month; and garbage pickup is also $4 a month.

At Dalys’s restaurant a bottomless cup of coffee will cost you 40 cents. A hearty breakfast is about $2.50. Dalys’s is famous for serving an enormous glass of wine for $1.35. If you want to eat tipico, or “typical fare,” for lunch, a tasty mound of beans, rice and chicken will set you back a princely $1.75.

Volcan’s supermarkets offer just about everything that would expect to find in North America. And at the local organic kiosk you can walk away with a bulging bag of vegetables—the freshest in the county—for less than $8.

Prices for homes range from $37,000 to $150,000, and there are also lots available on  which you can build the retirement home of your dreams. If your pocket book is well funded, then the clear blue mountain sky is the limit; there are large land tracts, trout-bearing rivers and streams, and views to die for. If you are spending over $150,000, you’ll have a selection of North American-style homes to choose from.

Note: This is the very last day you can sign up for the Ultimate Overseas Retirement Plan. It’s the complete package for anyone interested in Panama, including the new edition of the Panama Owner’s Manual…a special report detailing a step-by-step guide to The World’s Best Retirement Program…and a collection of recordings from a special seminar held in Panama.

The recordings are a real bonus—they include presentations from expats, experts, doctors, and retirees about living in Panama.

This entire package is worth more than $170…but you can get it for just $79 if you sign up with this link -
Ultimate Overseas Retirement Plan

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We love Boquete. We have visited multiple times and have just completed a stay. I wanted to share what I feel is a bit of an unrealistic expectation for first time visitors. An interesting conversation with a fellow traveler we met this trip spurs me to write this review.

All of the beauty and kindness that is reported regarding Boquete, and Panama in general, is fair and true. The geography can be breathtaking. The climate is yours for the choosing (unless you want to snow ski!) and the relaxation and eco-possibilities are endless. Panamanian food is, by and large, very reasonable in price. Boquete itself can run about $3.00 per person for a wonderful, typical breakfast and/or lunch (don’t expect ooooh’s and ahhhhh’s since the food is generally very good but a bit bland by most comps); $10 for a very good dinner and if you wanted to eat at one of the finest (Panamonte Inn) in town, a dinner for 4 will run about $100 total, including a nice glass of wine each.

Accommodations are varied and can run from hostel rates up to $300 a night. We personally love the Boquete Garden Inn and it’s name speaks its reality.

Here is where I need to sound a bit negative but i do not mean it that way at all. The town of Boquete, the downtown central business district, is NOT Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills! It is NOT the thriving, fast paced, hotbed of love, music, food and life that is Panama City. It is NOT House Hunters International snips of lush, pristine, manicured lawns. The town itself, the town center, is NOT a quaint Italian Tuscan village. It is NOT a Spanish park. It is NOT a little Alpine village of Switzerland. It is, quite simply, the town of Boquete. It is a small village town. It has poverty. It has a very mixed pot of small shops, stores, real estate offices, a church and construction, along with some actual homes in the middle of it all. The traffic is pretty congested for a small town. The buses all spew diesel fumes. Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way. People walk where they want to walk. They park where they want to park. Once in a while a child will potty where they need to potty. The crazy thing is, it all works. There is not threat or unsafe feelings. Quite contrary. It is a walking town. The people go about their business….locals, the native Panamanian “Indian” families, tourists and animals alike! I love it. That was my expectation on my first trip. We have been blessed to travel in 1st, 2nd and 3rd world countries and kind of knew that House Hunters was a TV show. Oh, don’t get me wrong…..beautiful homes exist in the Boquete area fit for the wealthy. There are some that are being worked on. There are some that need work. Get the picture?

In closing, our fellow traveler said “When I first arrived in town my heart sank. I wondered what in the heck made this hole in the wall rank in the Top 10 International Living places to retire and live in. Then after a week, I stared to see. I changed my expectations and now I see where this grows on you every day.” With that, I leave you with a wish that you have the opportunity to visit this slice of beauty on earth and experience the fine folks of Panama in general. I bet you can’t just go once…………

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I’ve read a few similar comments about living in Boquete and was getting ready to post my own thoughts when I read Lee’s post. It seemed like kind of a waste of time to rewrite something that expressed my thoughts so well. Thanks Lee!

Boquete Panama, beacon or illusionby Lee Zelter

I am having a busy month, visiting children, writing a newsletter about Bocas del Toro and watching the increasing interaction both positive and negative on Boquete. Ning. I created Boquete Ning to allow for interaction of residents living in Boquete Panama, people considering a move to Boquete and tourists. It has achieved those goals and more.

There are a few current discussions, one started by a person using the pseudonym, A.V. Felton, Being the Devils Advocate, that in many ways is an effort to discourage new people from moving to Boquete. I have also written several times saying “ Don’t Move to Boquete”. My message is that is different here and it is not for everyone. It is not, nor is any other place on the planet perfect. Perfection, if you can ever discover it, is in a higher place than a physical location.

In my Bocas research I discovered this quote:

“Nobody seems to like Boquete much. The complaints center around the fact that Boquete is a very boring place. I first heard this complaint from George Grant, Richmond Hill, Georgia in an International Living Readers Article more than a year ago. I’ve begun to receive other eMail along the same lines. Comments such as, “..I wish I never would have bought in Boquete. It looks pretty, and it does have a nice climate, but there isn’t anything to do. My wife and I are not enjoying ourselves.” Escape Artist

The quote is attributed to Terry Hennessy, Bee Staff write. I looked at the archives of the Sacramento Bee and could find neither the article or writer. Still, this is a wonderful place to continue a discussion.

In the past few months I have visited several locations in Panama to write for a Panama Newsletter. I have visited Isla Colon, Volcan and David for research. In the past four years I have visited much more of Panama, Costa Rica, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile and Guatemala. This blog is full of those adventures.

Each place I visited is either boring or exciting, depending upon what you want and what you find of interest. If you like sand between your toes, surfing, fishing, snorkeling and swimming for entertainment, then Boquete might not be your perfect choice. If you want to live on a beach, try another place and you still might find yourself bored in a month.

If your primary entertainment is shopping, let me suggest a bigger city. If you need an international airport close, try again; it’s not here.

In Boquete people can find other adventures to entertain themselves. If you are a gardener, this is heaven. If you wish to run a farm, it’s a great place. If you like hiking, birding and just exploring this might a place for you. People have created restaurants, tourist businesses and built hotels; they are not bored.

What makes Boquete unique in Panama is that it is hours away from Panama City and San Jose, Costa Rica, the two flanking metropolitan areas. Yet although remote Boquete does have good infrastructure and proximity to David, a regional shopping center. Boquete is also unique in that it has two cultures.

Boquete and all of Chiriqui has a unique Chiricano culture, a fusion of Panama and Costa Rica. This culture is seen in seasonal events, fiestas, cuisine and music. Boquete also has a unique “gringo” culture. There are enough English speakers here, in a small area to have created community theater, a farmers market, weekly meeting with speakers, an evolving culture of English language activities.

Still, Boquete is neither Panama City, nor is it Bocas del Toro. We have little traffic, little crime and no beaches. It is easy to be bored here. If you do not involve yourself in the community and cannot self entertain, you can be bored with sand between your toes or in New York City as well. As for me, I cannot seem to find enough time to be bored.

For another ‘real take’ on life and living in Boquete you may want to check out Dianne Heidke’s ‘Boquete Handbook’

Boquete Handbook

Click here to visit Dianne Heidke.

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From 2005 until the bottom feel out of the US stock market Boquete Real Estate was appreciating at a dramatic rate. Many saw the writing on the wall and knew the escalation of prices couldn’t last much longer. Those who got in early are now enjoying their Boquete Panama Retirement. Those who looked to flip for a quick buck made money until the crash. But for the past year the market has been dead and now more reasonable pricing levels being seen in the area.

Living in Boquete Panama is now attainable for many people and offers some great advantages over the alternatives of high taxes and insurance rates in any of the typical US retirement  spots like Florida and southern Cal. Sure prices have crashed in both those markets but you certainly won’t find zero property taxes for up to 20 years as we have in Panama.

Here’s a great example of price adjustments and some of the fantastic buys you can now find for Panama Property – check out this listing => Jaramillo Boquete Panama Property.

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We had just been in Bocas del Toro and stayed at the Swan’s Cay Hotel there. When the fellow who was touring us around learned were off to Boquete next he made a call to an associate. He was trying to get us into Isla Verde a spot he thought was the nicest place to stay in the Boquete Highlands. Unfortunately they were all booked up as a matter of fact so was everything else in town. So, we ended up at the Fundadores Hotel.

The Fundadores was a little tired but so were we after another days journey! So, we took the boys for a walk and found some delicious ice cream at a place called Annas Sweets and then turned in for an early night.

By morning we hadn’t seen much of Boquete and although the air was cool and comfortable and the mountain jungles absolutely gorgeous we didn’t think much of the town. Of course we had yet to discover Valle Escondido or the Panamonte Hotel or any of the other hidden gems Boquete has tucked away around the next corner or lush green mountainside.

I remember meeting Sam, the developer of Valle Escondido and his comment that he had never seen a mosquito in Boquete. Well that night it seems our young son managed to experience the only mosquitoes  in Boquete and they were right there in our room at the Fundadores! But all said it really wasn’t too bad an experience. I think we paid around $40 for our family of four. The large room had a double bed and two singles. The old place had a certain charm or maybe better said, ‘character’ and you could tell it was a pretty interesting hotel in it’s day. The unique feature of a small river (probably the source of the mosquitoes) running thorough the restaurant is quite charming. Now Boquete has changed dramatically and there are a lot more Boquete Hotels to choose from so I’m not sure very many people still stay at he Fundadores Hotel in Boquete but it still retains memories for me!

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–Recommended  Reading –

Going Fast: $30,000 Homes as Forgotten Peninsula Becomes Exclusive Retreat

A famous French architect is about to transform a quiet tropical peninsula into one of the world’s most exclusive retreats for the rich and famous. New York Magazine has hailed it: “the latest eco-playground with panache.” And now a torrent of big-name Hollywood stars have begun to descend on the area including Mick Jagger, Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Eddie Murphy, Brad Pitt, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. But you can still buy homes today along this peculiar piece of paradise for as little $30,000! Read More Here!

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Not so. The town of Cerro Azul, where Paul lives, was one of the trendiest places to have a home until the late 1980s or early 1990s. Then, for no apparent reason, the elite turned its attention to beach locations like Coronado, making Cerro Azul feel like something of a ghost town. From 2004 to 2008, when real estate prices all over Panama were steadily rising, Cerro Azul stayed surprisingly affordable. This was probably because expats flooding the country didn’t know about it. They were too busy in trendy locations like Boquete and Bocas del Toro.

But little Cerro Azul couldn’t remain a secret forever. Word got out, little by little, and a small expat community began to grow here. Today, Paul says at least 70 expats live in Cerro Azul. The effect has been a revitalization of sorts. Members of the Panamanian elite have rediscovered Cerro Azul as a weekend destination—just 30 minutes by car and you’ve left the city and its madness behind. And the full-time population continues to grow…

I went recently to check it out. The drive out of Panama City was easy, thanks to the excellent road. As we ascended, it seemed we were driving up, up, up into the clouds. Passing dairy farms and ranches, we came upon a colorful Chinese arch—an exotic accent amid the greenery and a signal that we were there.

Some people say that Cerro Azul is an “energy center,” and that in certain areas you can watch your compass go haywire. Perhaps this is why local groups come here for yoga and other spiritual retreats. Or perhaps they come simply because the pines and mountain peaks are an uplifting sight, complimented by jewel-toned hummingbirds and ginger flowers as tall as a ten-year-old.

You will find plenty of property for sale here, and if you get here now, you’re sure to uncover some real bargains. One lot for sale is just off an unpaved road and has water and energy service already installed. The lot is in a residential zone and is well over a half acre. Asking price: $17,600. For $40,000 you can get a half-acre lot in a gated community. A creek runs through the lot, which is in a cul-de-sac and has a distant ocean view.

If you prefer to buy a house and move right in, you’ll find even more options, from inexpensive cottages to big mountain mansions. One home is on offer for $80,000 and comes furnished. The four-bedroom, two-bath home comes with maid’s quarters with separate bath and a covered terrace. Another four-bedroom home is on offer for $90,000. It sits on a lot of nearly half an acre and comes with a pool, storage locker, and two covered terraces.

If your budget is in the $100,000 to $150,000 range, you will have even more options to choose from. One Swiss-style chalet is $120,000. It has four bedrooms and two baths, a balcony, and a patio.

Almost anything grows in abundance, from orchids to bromeliads that pop up wherever you look. It’s close to Panama City and to the international airport, but quiet and peaceful. Far from the city’s light pollution, you can actually see the stars…and there’s no noise to keep you from hearing the nightly symphony of frogs and crickets.

Most importantly, Cerro Azul may be right for you if you want breathtaking views but don’t want to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for property.

Where did I find these great property listings? Here!

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Volunteer Boquete has developed a campaign that was officially kicked off on December 24^th with the first Community Cleanup in Boquete. With the new campaign, the foundation will be hosting a community wide event on Earth Day (April 22). “We have found a need in the community and we plan to address it because it needs to be done” said Kaytee Hoverson, project coordinator. In the meantime volunteers from the program, as well as local volunteers, have targeted areas of litter and attacked them head on.

A group of dedicated volunteers picked up litter on Christmas Day and then again the first week in January. While this hearty band of volunteers separates recyclables out of the trash picked up, they plan to further coordinate with Boquete’s recycling program ReALBoquete.

Project plans include researching joining forces with Boquete’s workforce for a more concerted effort, placing trash cans around the city in problem areas, building a regular volunteer base to pick up litter on a regular basis, and working with schools to educate young people about the litter problem.

As of this writing, a meeting was scheduled with Mayor Manolo Ruiz, to present him with a very concise 17-point topic list, outlining detailed solutions to litter problems in the Boquete area.

This is not just a group picking up trash, states Hoverson, but “…a long term project to make Boquete the cleanest, most beautiful town in Panama.”

More information about how you can be a part of this important program is available at www.unexpetctedmomentsofmagic.org or by calling 720-1025.

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I was going to do a complete review of what happens when you get sick in Panama – hospitals, emergency care, health insurance, etc. but then I was reading Richard Detriches Blog, a fellow ex-pay who lives on and off in Panama, and I discovered Richard had done a great story on all of those things. What is cool is that he focused on health care services in Chiriqui, Panama so you can get a good idea of what it is like to get care when you live in Boquete or somewhere between Boquete and David, the Panamanian provincial capital.

Here’s  Richard’s explanation of health care in and around Boquete Panama -

Hospitals: David, Panama

In David, the third largest city in Panama, 45 minute drive from Boquete, there are four large hospitals. The Maternal & Child Hospital is a National Hospital focusing primarily on material and pediatric care. It is only two years old and was a gift from the people of Taiwan, with whom Panama has diplomatic relations. Almost next door is the Social Security Hospital which serves people who are working in Panama and paying into the Social Security system. Just down the Pan American Highway is Hospital Mae Lewis, a private hospital that is used by locals and gringos. And a few blocks off the Pan American Highway is Hospital Chiriqui, a private hospital that is generally preferred by expats because of their “insurance” program (more on that later). Hospital Chiriqui. Additionally, scattered around David, there are almost a half dozen tiny private hospitals owned and run by a consortium of doctors. In some ways it isn’t very efficient, yet the hospital costs are low. A private room runs about $60 a day! Of the private hospitals, Hospital Chiriqui has the most “bells and whistles” including a state-of-the-art MRI machine, one of two in Panama.

Unlike in the US, in Chiriqui any doctor can practice in any hospital and you are not limited to only certain hospitals where your doctor happens to be on staff.

Emergency Care in Panama

Here is where things can get a little dicey.

If you happen to be one of the very few people to get bitten by one of our famously poison snakes, like the fer de lance which is fairly common in Chiriqui . . . and let me quickly add that your chances of getting bitten by a poisonous snake are about the same as your chances of getting struck by lightening or winning the lottery! . . . if you are bitten by a snake anywhere in Panama you are generally about 45 minutes from a Social Security hospital which is where the anti-venom is kept. So you have plenty of time to get to the hospital where you will find that rather than immediately giving you anti-venom there is a long waiting/observation period while they test your blood and wait to figure out what kind of snake bit you and what type of anti-venom you need. Almost everyone, except for Indians living in very remote areas, recovers. So although the fer de lance and bushmaster can be “deadly”, your chances of dying if you get assistance are very slim.

OK, we got that out of the way!

When we first came to Panama my wife asked our Boquete doctor, “So if I’m having a heart attack, what do I do?”

His response: “First you call me. I’ll come to your house and call an ambulance. We’ll stabilize you in David, and if necessary, once you are stabilized, we will fly you to the Panama City where the hospitals and doctors who specialize in invasive procedures are located.”

Good enough . . . but when we say “ambulance” do NOT think of ambulance service in the US! There have been times in Boquete when we had four different ambulances . . . and none were working! And an ambulance here is primarily a means of transportation. Don’t think a team of trained “EMTs” on call . . . or an ambulance with any sort of equipment on board. Over the years we’ve been in Boquete the expat community has worked hard and raised money to improve ambulance service, but it still is nothing like what we were used to in the States.

One Couples Panama Health Care Experiences

One afternoon my wife started having some kind of episode. She was dizzy, had no feeling in her arms, was weak, and couldn’t stand up. It looked like some kind of allergic reaction and I feared she was going into anaphylactic shock. (We have experience with this: I am highly allergic to shellfish of any kind in any amount, and my daughter is highly allergic to chocolate.) Without 911 or any similar kind of emergency help, I called our friend Brad, and together we carried Nikki to my car, and I went to the doctor’s office (the same guy who treated her when she was thrown off the horse . . . the story I told yesterday). It turned out the good doctor was on vacation and the gal who was filling in not only didn’t speak any English, but wasn’t that familiar with his office. Eventually she found the oxygen mask, started an intravenous drip, got Nikki stabilized and agreed we needed to get to the hospital in David. She called the ambulance . . . and the “fun” began.

The doctor called the ambulance, then said to me, “They don’t have any gas. They want to know if you can pay for the gas?” Yes!!!

So the ambulance and attendants arrived . . .

First problem: the doctor’s makeshift treatment room and the gurney that wouldn’t fit in.

Second problem: the ambulance crew hadn’t the slightest idea how to move a patient from a bed onto a gurney. Somehow we managed.

Third problem: Nikki was too big for the ambulance. Panamanians are shorter. So they couldn’t close the back doors of the ambulance all the way. She wouldn’t fit! So the creative solution was for the ambulance attendant riding in the back to wedge himself between the side of the ambulance and press his feet against the gurney to keep Nikki from sliding out the back doors, which were flapping in the wind.

Fourth problem: Nikki had an IV drip going and there was no place to hang the drip in the ambulance. The attendant in back was busy trying to keep the gurney from flying out the back, so Nikki had to hold her own IV bag.

OK, we stopped and got $20 worth of gas. Then we began racing down the mountain to David with lights and sirens going.,

Fifth problem: Nobody in Panama is going to move for an ambulance! Only the expats will pull over out of force of habit. So I’m in front, the driver is laying on the horn so people eventually will move out of the way.

Sixth problem: We start to get one of our famous, afternoon “rainy season” cloudbursts when the water is coming down in torrents. In front the windshield wipers are barely working and in back the doors are flapping in the wind and the water is coming in soaking Nikki and the attendant who is bravely still holding the gurney in place with his feet.

The reality: Supposedly “laughter is the best medicine” and Nikki, although the center of the drama, couldn’t help but find the humor in the situation.

Fortunately we arrived at Chiriqui Hospital and into the tiny emergency ward. It took a while, but Nikki was stabilized and a team of internists eventually discovered that she had developed an allergy to aspirin. She spent two nights in the hospital, before coming home. The ambulance ride:(for those of you who remember the original Disneyland . . . definitely an “E-ticket” ride!) $20 for gas, and another $5 (in gratitude) for beer for the guys. Hospital: emergency room, two nights, and physicians $225.

Yet another story . . . my wife keeps things interesting!

Nikki was experiencing tingling in her arms, chest pain, yada yada . . . with her history . . . “Come on, Nikki, don’t be a hero! Let’s get it checked now. If it’s nothing, fine . . . if it’s not, “golden hour” and all that stuff.” So we go to Boquete to the new clinic for such emergencies that Hospital Mae Lewis has opened. The only problem is there’s only a receptionist staffing the clinic. No doctor . . . not even a nurse . . . receptionist and janitor. The receptionist informed us that the doctor was going to be coming in an hour and that we could sit and wait. OK, so this is to be an “Emergency Clinic” . . . right. And if it is a heart attack, we’re going to sit here and twiddle our thumbs for an hour and hope that the doctor actually does show up as scheduled . . . which, in itself, would be somewhat of a miracle anywhere, let alone in Panama. And I’m about to have a “Richard-goes-ballistic” attack . . .

I remembered that a friend I had met because he had read this blog, lived in an apartment upstairs. He is a retired neurosurgeon who still consults via video cam in complicated surgeries around the world. Although he wasn’t a cardiologist, I knew he had his own personal encounter with a massive heart attack and open heart surgery, so I went upstairs and asked him if he could just come down and take a look at Nikki. Gracious friend that he was he put on his slippers, found his stethoscope and came down and took a look. His verdict, “I can’t say what is going on, but I can say with 99.9% certainty that she is not having a heart attack.”

So . . . forget paramedics and 911.

As “oldsalt1942? commented about yesterday’s post, “You get better or you die, and that’s the reality of health care in the vast majority of the world. You get better or you die. Period. And let’s face it, you can’t take life too seriously because none of us are getting out of here alive.”

Health Insurance in Panama

Folks handle insurance in different ways. People who worked for the Canal or the US military in Panama have their own insurance. Some people worked for companies who still provide their retirees with the insurance they were promised when they retired. Some have their own policies from the States or some international insurance policy. Like most insurance when you are trying to get insurance after retirement you find that the insurance companies don’t cover preexisting conditions, which is exactly what you are worried about. And by the time most people reach retirement age they have preexisting conditions.

When you turn 65 of course and are collecting US Social Security you have Medicare. However, Medicare only covers treatment in the US. So unless you want to return to the US when you need medical care, which some folks elect to do, you are not covered. When I looked at the cost of Part B for me, and what all was not covered by Part B, I decided that for me it was cheaper to just pay the full amount for the procedure in Panama. So we, basically, self-insure . . . with a couple of exceptions.

Panama Travel Health Insurance

Since we travel a lot, we purchase annual travel policies from a company in Scandinavia that cover us when we are away from Panama for emergency medical care except in the US. When you include the US the cost is prohibitive, and at least when I am in the US, I could use Medicare. My wife is too young for Medicare! Since we are on ships a lot, it is important for us to have insurance that covers medical evacuation. I think anyone is crazy who takes a cruise without having travel insurance that includes coverage for evacuation. The cruise line wants you off the vessel and into a hospital as soon as possible, firstly for your own medical welfare, and secondly to avoid legal responsibility. A medical evacuation from a ship by helicopter can easily run $10-15,000! Get insurance!

Hospital Chiriqui does have an insurance scheme called Medical Services Chiriqui, or MSChiriqui which we use. It is not really “insurance” but more of a discount plan. A doctor visit that usually would cost $40 with a MSChiriqui coupon costs us $20. There are discounts on almost all hospital services and treatment, somewhat akin to a major medical plan in the US. In our case when my wife required an angioplasty and stents, because the procedure is not available at Hospital Chiriqui, we went to Hospital Paitilla in Panama City and the MSChiriqui plan covered half of the cost. After you have belonged to the plan for 2 years it does cover pre-existing conditions. The plan now costs us about $1200 per year for both of us.

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As more and more people catch on to what Boquete proper has to offer, you need to look elsewhere in the region for the best deals.

That said, you can still find good deals on older, established farms and tiny pockets of property near Boquete, but sellers can have unrealistic ideas of what prices should be. Remember, in markets like this one, you’ve no reliable way to do comps. So owners don’t have any real idea of what their land is worth. They take their chances when a gringo buyer presents himself.

Some believe the market has gone beyond itself in Boquete. I’m not so sure but still I think it’s important to stay informed and why I’m looking beyond Boquete.  I’d like to  introduce you to another town in Panama’s inland Chiriqui region offering the same pleasant, spring-like climate of Boquete it’s called –Volcán.

Volcán doesn’t have all the amenities and infrastructure of Boquete…but neither does it have the developed (some might say inflated) pricing. You’ll spend half as much to own here as you would in Boquete…and you’re buying the same spring-like climate year-round, the same fresh mountain air, and the same beautiful scenery.

The small mountain town of Volcán doesn’t boast a big expatriate community, grand housing developments, golf courses, or a thriving social scene, but, at 5,000 feet elevation, it does offer a cool climate (something that can be a welcome escape from hot, humid Panama City) and great outdoor activities. It has a comfortable and refreshing small-town feel. This is an area I’ll be paying close attention to in coming months…and that I think is worth a look from you, too, if Panama’s interior is of interest.

I explored this area recently and here’s what I found:

* An old, rustic blue house on a 1/2-acre lot just outside town–on the market for only $10,000. It’s in need of repairs and restoration, but it’s just off the main road and a two-minute drive to town.

* A 2 1/2-acre lot along the roadside a bit closer to town. This one isn’t dirt cheap (it’s priced at $120,000), but it could be the perfect site for a restaurant or small cantina.

* Just outside town in an area called Paso Ancho, with a view of Volcán Barú, I saw 15 acres for sale for only $200,000. With that much land, you could create your own private haven…or invest in your own small development.

* Right in the town of Volcán, I saw 1 1/4 acres, on which is sitting an old, bright green, three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in desperate need of a paint job. But it’s priced at only $50,000. You’d pay at more than twice that in Boquete right now.

I’m going to be watching this little town and its emerging market closely. I’m sure that, in the coming months, I’ll find even more and better deals.

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