Planning for a Panama Retirement

Some Recent News Articles About Travel to Panama

The Sydney Morning Herald ran a good article about travel to Panama

Many people see the scenery of Panama only in passing, from the deck of a cruise ship passing through the Panama Canal. But if you take the time to visit, you’ll find even more scenic countryside, tropical birds and plants, and reefs for diving.

Budget Travel magazine listed Panama as one of its top 10 budget travel destinations.

…the magazine’s list includes Cambodia for its affordable guesthouses and must-see temples, and Panama, for its eco-tourism and wildlife.

USA Today listed a beach in Bocas del Toro as one of the top seven affordable, less visited beaches

Looking for the next Costa Rica? Just head down the coast a few miles to Panama and the Isla Bastimentos, part of the Bocas del Toro archipelago in the Caribbean Sea, a 20-square-mile island that’s a microcosm of some of Panama’s top tourism offerings. Here you’ll find virgin rainforests home to sloths and monkeys, offshore coral gardens and mangrove islands perfect for snorkeling, and stunning beaches pounded by Hawaii-sized waves.

The island’s Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos ($10 for admission), which encompasses rainforest, beaches, and coral reefs, is an essential stop for all visitors. Most people come to snorkel the coral gardens and Cayos Zapatillas, two little shoe-shaped islets off the main island. On the land, guides can take you on hikes through the forest to see animals like white-faced capuchin monkeys and poison dart frogs. For the best beaches, go to the northern part of the island. Big waves and strong currents make the beaches unfriendly to swimmers, but the sight of the waves and the lack of bathers makes for postcard-worthy strolls.