One thing that Panama does not lack is a variety of options of things to do in your spare time. There are many bars, restaurants, nightclubs & casinos and the country has an amazing beauty that offers many opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities at reasonable proximity.

What you want to do with your spare time is up to your imagination!

Randy, your entry contains a lot of great information and your insight will, I'm sure be useful to many readers. As some of the things you say are based on personal experience and not statistics, I feel it's important to point these out. In particular, your comment on Panamanian men.

You say: "The young Panamanian men are really bad. Hot headed and in many cases very violent." From what you write, it seems you have chosen to spend some time in a certain type of nightspot or hangout, and naturally in these places you have encountered a certain type of Panamanian. However, statistics show that Panamanians are actually less violent than many. Particularly in Central America, Panama has a significantly lower percentage of violent crime than other countries.

Just a couple additional things: 1- There are a great deal of non-Spanish speaking expats that write in to tell us how much fun they've had in Panama. 2- You may find the interior (rural Panama) boring if you're looking for city nightlife. Don't go to rural Panama looking for urban comforts. However, if you enjoy nature (a good reason to go to rural Panama) and folklore (seeing the real Panama), then the interior may be for you. Find more information on the many areas to see in the interior, read Panama Insider, www.PanamaInsider.com.

As for church services, plays, concerts, and other entertainment, yes the majority are in Spanish, and a minority are in English. That said, Panama offers a pretty amazing variety of English-language and international options…more than you'll find, I bet, in any other Central or South American country.

For example, some recent activities:

U.S. Independence Day Celebration at City Club Panama, hosted by Republicans Abroad

Navy League Dinner at City Club Panama, hosted by PIMM International

Our Opera Stars at the National Theater

Rod Richards "Panama City Blues" CD launch party

Italian Night at the National Theater

And so much more in July, including meetings and events hosted by Panama's many expat societies, a children's fair, flea market, foreign cinema course, boxing match, dinner-concert, indigenous village tours, Peace Day concert…and the list goes on…

This was also the month of the Casco Viejo Music Festival featuring Panamanian tipico music, jazz, salsa, reggae/reggaeton, world music, classical (orchestra), and rock (including US expat band Shorty and Slim, who I hear will be performing at International Living's Live and Invest in Panama event this month, see Events menu by clicking on the events button above).

One thing I am really looking forward to is the Party Around the World annual food festival (for charity) in September…it's one of my favorite events of the year and a great time to meet Panama expats from all over the world.

Thanks again for writing and sharing your personal views on Panama.

Jessica Ramesch
Editor, Panama Insider
www.PanamaInsider.com

Thanks for all the tips, folks! I was in Panama in February, absolutely loved it, spent a fair amount of time initially finding my way around town, and am planning my next trip there. From what I saw on that initial trip there, I could spend YEARS exploring all that Panama has to offer.

Stayed at the Hotel Via Espana for $35/night within walking distance of the downtown section. It was a little gritty but breakfast was included and was served at a complete breakfast bar. On the last day I found a lovely B&B (for $60/night) called La Estancia located on "the forested slope of Cerro Ancon," the highest point in town. One of the pluses is that there is a winding road to the top for your morning walk; one of the minuses might be that you need to take a taxi anywhere else.

I met Glenda in the Multiplaza on my first day there. She's originally from Ecuadour, has a radio program on Sundays, writes a column in the paper, and she became my local guide. The first place she took me was Casco Viejo, the older part of Panama City built in the 19th Century after Henry Morgan burned Old Panama down in 1671. In Casco Viejo are the Mayor's residence, the Presidential Palace, and the French Embassy for starters. It's one of my favorite places in Panama City. No matter how warm, ok hot, it gets in town, there's always a wonderful sea breeze in Casco Viejo. It has its gritty side (squatters) but is being renovated. I saw apartments for rent, inquired, and they can cost up to $1500 per month. Cerro Ancon, where the B&B is located, provides a lovely view of Casco Viejo.

There is the only rainforest in the world located within an urban enviro in Panama City, the Parque Natural Metropolitano. It was one of my first stops. During my 2 hour hike there I saw a 3-toed sloth just "hanging out" in a tree, leafcutter ants, Blue Morpho butterflies, pond full of turtles with their little friends, the Jesus Christ lizards, the ones that run, not walk, on water.

My most memorable adventure while there was taking the Panama Canal Railway to Colon, 50 miles north to the Caribbean Sea, and then the bus to Portobelo (Beautiful Port), named by Christopher Columbus in 1492. It was the most important port used by the Spanish to ship their plunder to Spain. It is said that one-third of all the gold in the world went through Portobelo in the 16th Century.

Yes, the Bay of Panama needs a little help and when I left in March it was getting $200+M worth of help. I heard that much (all?) of the construction was being done by the Japanese.

I'm going to stop now. And I never even made it to a beach, mountain, island...!

Gotta go practice my Spanish.

Chris Wilder

Martha . ..Try Nicaragua, ...Quite, Safe, Affordable, Buitiful People, Fantastic Pacific Coast, All the Modern Convieniences, Specificly - Rancho Santana

I wanted to comment on the most recent e mail about Panama.

I live here in Panama City. I have lived here for fourteen months. I live in Marbella which is in the heart of the bars, restaurants and Discos.

I would say that Panama City could be an exciting place for you or it could be a boring place. There are so many restaurants that it would take you a few years to eat at them all. Food is not a problem. What you won't find here is Shakespearian plays, Good Symphonies with season tickets. They have a Jazz festival once a year here but by in large most of your concert options will be with latin artists who sing in the salsa or latin style.

They have VIP movie theaters here and you can order your food in the theater while you watch your movie in a first class style seat.

There is a lot of prostitution here in some of the bars. Mostly Columbian girls looking to make money to send back home. I notice they never talk to much in detail about the dark side of the city life which revolves around strip clubs and massage parlors. Not a good place for men in any kind of mid life crisis trying to hold their marriage together.

Over all Panama City is a decent place to live. Panamanian culture by in large is not a high culture philosophically. Panamanians live for the weekend and they love any excuse to party, get drunk, or fly on ecstasy in a local electronic Disco on Friday night.

If you like to go to church on the weekend their are not any good churches here. Your options are very limited especially if you don't speak spanish. If you are Roman Catholic then this is the place for you. If you are a Reformed Protestant you will have nothing to do on Sunday except go to the beach.

By in large some things are cheaper and some things are the same in terms of cost. Health insurance is very reasonable. I am 51 years old and my monthly premium is $70.00 a month. Rent in Panama City is high and unless you buy an older condo you will pay more here for housing than in St Louis MO.

If you don't speak spanish you won't enjoy your stay here that much. Most of the people I know here are men and they are womanizers. The 63 year old man with the 23 year old girlfriend. If that is your love then this is the place for you. Lot's of young girls looking for a little fun and security for sexual favors. You can actually find true love here. Many of my friends have ended up marrying these girls. Down here it is acceptable culturally. In the U.S. a 62 year old man will never date a 25 year old girl. Here it is not a problem. The most extreme I have seen here was a 73 year old man who was living with an 18 year old Panamanian girl. Many will not like this description of Panama but it is reality. Latin culture is just very different when it comes to sexuality. A fifty year old man is half his age when it comes to the female market. Many of the younger girls prefer older men. The young Panamanian men are really bad. Hot headed and in many cases very violent. So if you like wine, women and song Panama is really the place for you. In fact I would say that this aspect of Panama in the most appealing for men. If you are a woman who is retired here with your husband you better watch your man closely. I know a lot of marriages that have gone south here.

Anyway Panama has it's pluses and minuses. If you want high culture this is not the best place. Other countries like Chile are much more sophisticated culturally. Much more European influence and higher education demographics. Actually Columbia is more sophisticated than Panama on a cultural level. I you visit major cities in Columbia you will find art museums, large public libraries, higher education standards. More women hold college degrees in Columbia than in any other latin american country.

In Panama City cabs stop anywhere they want to pick people up. Large cattle style buses stop all over the place on the street and they are very obnoxious as they will just pull in front of you with out even looking. Have seen many accidents here in traffic. Traffic here is a nightmare at certain times of the day. I could walk to places that are two or three miles away faster than I can drive to them. The city planning here is not good when it come to traffic. It is irritating when you need to go somewhere like the doctor. You could die in traffic here if you had an emergency and needed to get to the hospital.

I could give much more information but I need to go. I have traveled just about everywhere here in the fourteen months I have lived here. Living in the interior can really be boring as there is very little to do. You really need to speak spanish well if you want to live in other cities here in Panama. I would not decide to liver in Panama unless you spend some time here to get a real feel for what you are looking at. Panama is oversold in my opinion. It is a decent place to live but then it just depends on you individually. It is not for everyone. I may not even stay here much longer myself.

Randy

Thanks to those of you who wrote in with your own suggestions of fun things to do in Panama (great restaurant recommendations folks!)

To those who don't like the places I recommend (Izabela, re: Guru), hey, the great thing about Panama is that there's loads to choose from. I like Guru (never noticed any prostitutes...but I wasn't really looking!) and will continue to recommend it, but that's me. Look around and you'll find the perfect nightspot, dance club, etc. for you. One reader recommends Barandas, and that is a great place to hang out with the suit-and-tie set.

Martha, I'm not sure how you can be leery after such an outpouring of positivity for Panama, but as I say above, Panama isn't for everyone. Every place has its pros and cons. You'll need to weigh things you don't like against the positives. I can't think of a better place to live, but my colleagues at International Living will be more than happy to lure you to the countries they write about...check out our country listing (drop-down menu to the left) and read on!

Thanks again everyone.

Best regards,

Jessica Ramesch
Editor, Panama Insider

OH MY!!!!!! I have just received my book fro IL on living in Panama....after reading all of these comments I am leary now. Even though I have not made my FIRST visit there yet now I am in a quandry about even making that one. I am a YOUNG senior citizen that is looking for the perfect place to hang my hat in my senior years...one of total laid back, lazy days. I am not so much interested in the night life....been there done that...but for the adventure of each day bringing me something different and a nice place for my children to visit. I am a whimsical person with a great
sense of adventure. Any ideas that you would deem to be more of a place to live that is cost efficient and beautiful?

Martha

Honestly I love Panama...but I have to admit that the comment about lack of decent places to go out is THE issue! Especially for young people (!). Please...do not recommend Guru! I’ve been there...and the place is full of hookers! As almost every place in Calle Uruguay!
I was disguised. If you know about any place full of young professionals, internationals, ambitious people having fun, without that kind of ‘entertainment’ around please let me know.

Izabela

I can't imagine that your reader looked very hard to find good restaurants. I live in NYC and have eaten in some of the best restaurants here, LA and Miami. While Panama City doesn't rival these US cities in number of restaurants, high end or moderate, I think some of the restaurants are very good. I love Barandas in the Hotel Bristol and ate there several times during my three trips to PC. The food is excellent. They have a very good wine list and superb service. The prices are very affordable for such high quality. I also liked La Posta a lot. The ambience is really wonderful and the food and service were very good as well. To me, the prices were very good.
Along with a number of other top notch restaurants, I found some very good food in local restaurants that were very affordable. The service always seemed pretty good to me no matter where I went. And I think Panama has the very best coffee in the world. I miss it all the time. Even when it's available in the US, it's roasted here and doesn't taste the way it does in Panama.
As a lifetime New Yorker, it is difficult for me to imagine living in such a small city as PC or in the country for that matter, but PC is a very nice city with really lovely and charming people.

We're New Yorkers who have traveled extensively, and as a result, we're easily jaded....but..... we found Panama City to be extremely cosmopolitan!
The food was uniformly delicious, and while we preferred to eat local cuisine (we go to Paris for French food, Rome for Italian, etc ;)), we did notice there was evey kind of restaurant in town.
We spent most of our evenings after dinner on Amador and it's islands, loving the energy and view.
We also spent a quiet but gorgeous night at the Hotel Vereda on Tobaga where the small but lovely restaurant served first-rate food.

At first I thought the letter was a joke. Then, as I read it a different message came thru. I have been to Panama many times and am moving there full time next month. The reason for my families move is Panama offers everything that a dynamic city offers. There is a great night life. Parties and fun taking place everywhere on Friday and Saturday night. The variety of restaurants matches any large city in the world, be they low end or fancy (I live in Los Angeles). There are peacefull mountain communities to visit and fantastic beaches just a couple of hours away by car.
The people are good and if you make the effort you will be welcome. It is likely the writer of the original article does not speak Spanish, nor do they want to learn. They arrived in Panama with thoughts of superiority and likely didn't do much research on the country before laying siege to it.
There is more to do than I have space to list. Plus if you want a little more adventure, fly to a neighboring country like Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Colombia or even Cuba. Adventure everywhere!
You can go to Contadora island for serenity and a fun little 20 minute flight. Housing is still reasonably priced even after doubling in the past few years, and you can really have a maid for about $250 per month. You can ride the bus for a quarter and take a taxi almost anywhere for two dollars, or oftentimes less.
The message I read from these unfortunate people is they were expecting the best of New York, London, or Tokyo in Panama. They want everything "sanitised for your protection". They are not into adventure and fun. They are into status and all the baggage that comes from that. A trip to Disneyland is a bit boring for them along with people's cultural and life issues. It appears that they are victims of wanting a true first world everything imposed on wherever they go. I may be wrong, but that is what I read "between the lines".

I enjoyed the response of the reader that described the following: "it stinks because it is a bay". Indeed you right no matter where you go (Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas/Mejico) is the same. I am a native of Panama residing in California (USA) and although I've being away for over 2 years since my last visit my beautiful country is getting better and better by the minute (with the exception of Colon (the city). However, there are beautiful beaches all around. If you can't find an excellent restaurant in Panama something is wrong with you. There are so many and the prices are extraordinary. Thank you feauturing my country and for visiting as well.

Angel

Ohh, just which Panama City did he visit; Panama City, Florida or Panama City, Republica de Panama? I know both pretty well and.....
I cannot imagine anyone failed to find excellent, low-cost, well balanced restaurants from Swiss to Chinese, German to Thai; the city abounds with great eating places and one need look no further than the $2 or $3 buck cab ride to the peninsula where there are a dozen good eating places. Granted most specialize in seafood but, ohh, what seafood for half the price in Panama City down Florida panhandle way.
Drinks? How did he avoid them: forty-five to seventy-five cent beer, $2.00 Abjuelo and Coke - the national rum drink - with most costing less than $3.50 even in hoity toity places.
Nightlife? I guess he didn't bother to glide or cruise along Avenida de Centquenta and tool off the main drag towards some of the most glittering night-spots in Central America.
The bay stinks because, as pointed out elsewhere, it is alive with fish. Imagine that!
As for the Mercado de Pescado; it may be a bit odorous and onorous downstairs in the Concourse but in the upstairs restaurant there is seafood that will keep one there all day long, dining and, oh yes, drinking as well.
Americans, many of them, don't function well outside their natural environment. That's why Hiilton and the like do very well internationally. We like intimate hotels, small restaurants and bars and good entertainment. For my money, and we own a home outside Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, there is no better place in this here universe than Panama City, Panama.

Give me the simple life of eating and enjoying fish and Balboa beer! For, oh, four bucks.

Bill Sanders

Mr. Perez,
I haven't travelled to every bay in the world but I know of one that most certainly does not stink. From my balcony overlooking Mission Bay in San Diego, CA, I breathe the most pure, fresh, fragrant air that I have ever breathed in my life, and every day I thank my lucky star for being able to do so. Perhaps you would care to see (and smell) for yourself someday.

Panama has plenty of excellent places to eat, from vegetarians to health-nuts.

You can easily find a great restaurant in Via Argentina, Marbella(lots of very nice ones in this area), or even at the malls such as Multiplaza and Albrook (although I don't really like the ambiance, there's too many people in those places). If you want to pay $100 for a meal you can, if you want to pay $40 for a meal you also can. The difference? Your right to brag that you spent $100 on a meal.

The bay stinks, yes, yes it does and so does the fish market that's right beside it. But that's because it's A BAY, and there's FISH in it, and of course garbage and black water. I don't think there's one bay in the world that doesn't stink. Also it's been cleaned up, although I'm not sure when it'll be done, hopefully it'll be better than what it is right now.

To find a drink you don't need to go too far, you can try Green House in Via Argentina, or the Sushi bar at the Decapolis, there's also the casinos (not Veneto...).