WE are thinking of retiring to Panama or Central America in 5 years or so--anyone had any experience in this??

We are 60 and 50 respectively, very artistic and have an abiding love of nature. I am hoping to make some contacts with the retired Expatriate community in Central America, Costa Rica or mostly Panama before we go to visit. If you have been there yourself, or know anyone personally or know how I can contact such a group, I'd love to hear more about your experiences, both the good and the not so good! thanks for participating.!

Public Comments

1. Panama and Costa Rica are both absolutely beautiful and lovely, BUT, the amount of insects that bite (some poisonous) is astounding. This is mainly a problem along the coastal areas. Inland it isn't quite as bad but still worse than anything I have experienced in other places. I traveled to Panama and Costa Rica twice to check it out for the same reasons as you, but the bugs made me change my mind about living there. You might think about Belize.
2. Panama is a great place for retirement. You can choose from the city which is very cosmopolitan with a wide variety of fine cuisine, you can go to the highlands, where it is nice and charming and the weather is just right. In The highlands there is a small town called Boquete. Boquete is the favorite place for retirees, there are a few well developed retirement communities, but also you might find that retirees are all over the place. Boquete is also renown for it's world class coffee and you might find the very best. There is a place called El Valle, similar to boquete, no coffee but close to Panama city and the Pacific ocean beaches. If you are into the ocean there are a lot of developments in a place called Playa Blanca and Coronado. The Atlantic beaches are more secluded but very beautiful with Crystal clear water and wonderful seafood. Medical services are excellent in Panama City, many private hospitals including the new Johns Hopkins hospital. In general Panama city is the new retiree favorite and it is making a lot of buzz.