An Overseas Dream Home special report
You step onto the beach and breathe deeply. The ocean breeze stirs the coconut palms. Two bronzed surfers are out on the morning waves, the tropical sun reflecting off their boards. A young woman on a rose-colored beach bike cruises along the smooth white sand…
It’s still early.
Back in your beachfront home, mere steps from the sand, you have coffee brewing, made using beans grown in the highlands just west of here. You’ve prepared a bowl of fresh fruit too, sourced from the same lush landscapes.
But before breakfast, a stroll on the beach…
Thanks to your home here, this exquisite beach is your “front yard.” You always have instant access to the sand and constant views of the Pacific, shifting through sapphire to steel blue with the changing light.
In front of you is a whole day of bliss…
Panama’s Pacific Riviera offers something truly rare…the chance to live right on stunning white-sand beaches.
Typically, you spend your days in your beachfront community.
After all, you have so much to enjoy here or right on your doorstep—surfing, swimming, fishing, whale watching, hiking…resorts and beach clubs with spas, sports bars, sushi joints, rooftop cocktail lounges…
Today, though, something different. After breakfast, you’re going to Panama City…
Your community is on the nicest closest beach to this cosmopolitan metropolis…one of the richest cities on the continent, where shimmering skyscrapers crowd the skyline around a glistening waterfront.
In Panama City, you have mega-malls, luxury boutiques, incredible art galleries and museums, cinema complexes, trendy bars and cafés, exquisite fine dining spanning every major world cuisine…
And the dining and entertainment options get better every year as more people come.
The wealthy of the world have been flocking to this global financial hub and renowned safe haven, drawn by its appealing mix of favorable tax policies, easy residency options, abundant flight connections, and rich tropical culture and lifestyle.
You have a clear plan in mind for your day in Panama City…
Panama City is a major international hub of trade, travel and finance with flights to and from over 80 destinations from its international airport.
You’ll start with a tranquil stroll in Parque Omar, Panama City’s largest park, appreciating the lush greenery and vibrant flora. Next some shopping at the high-end Multiplaza Mall, packed with luxury brands.
Afterward, you’ll dine at Los Años Locos, an upscale Argentinian steakhouse over by the trendy financial district of Costa del Este. Then you’ll extend the evening at CasaCasco, a chic multi-story venue in the historic district of Casco Viejo, where you’ll relish rooftop cocktails while mingling with friends in the warm tropical air.
Finally, it’s back to your beachfront home—only around an hour to 90 minutes from the city—to gaze at the stars and fall asleep to the sounds of waves gently lapping against the shore.
This historic district of Casco Viejo is now Panama City’s hippest neighborhood, with trendy bars and cafés occupying its stunning colonial buildings.
True beachfront is scarce globally. But true beachfront an hour to 90 minutes from a world-class capital city?
That’s gold dust!
And yet, that’s exactly what you’ll find on Panama’s Pacific Riviera.
This coastline to the west of Panama City is stunning. In the right communities here, you’ll find glorious white-sand beaches that stretch along the warm, glistening waters of the Pacific. Framing this coast are lush, soaring hills with incredible hiking and views.
For decades, this coast—and the towns and beachfront communities along it—has been quietly growing, becoming the most developed stretch of coastline in Panama. Though for the moment, the region still flies under the radar internationally.
That’s changing…
More major resort and hotel brands are preparing to open on the Pacific Riviera. The region is about to hit a whole new level. But for the moment, owning beachfront real estate here can be hugely affordable if you get the right deal. This is an incredible lifestyle and real estate opportunity.
In this report, we’ll dig into all of this, sharing…
• The key destinations to know along this coast.
• The beachfront community here that offers by far the best lifestyle and investment opportunities.
• The best things to do along this coast and in Panama City according to long-time expats.
• All the things that make Panama such a renowned global safe haven and so attractive to the world’s wealthy, from easy visa and residency options to low tax rates, welcoming business policies, and more.
But let’s start with the history of the Pacific Riviera and why it’s about to have its moment…
Imagine owning a luxury home steps from a tropical beach close to one of the world’s great international cities… it’s possible on Panama’s Pacific Riviera.
The Birth of Panama’s Pacific Riviera
The origins of the Pacific Riviera are tied to the rise of Panama City itself. To understand how it became the most developed section of coast in all of Panama, we must first look at how the capital city changed from a sleepy backwater to a global metropolis.
Panama straddles the narrow isthmus, or land bridge, that connects North and South America. This is one of the world’s most important crossroads, not just geographically but also economically and culturally.
The country has benefited from this key strategic location throughout its history. But its rise from a Spanish colonial outpost to a major global hub of trade, finance, and transportation would not have happened without the Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal cuts across the Panama isthmus, providing a conduit for trade between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
This engineering marvel, built by the U.S. in 1914, is central to the global economy. Around $270 billion worth of cargo passes through the canal every year. (For some interesting facts about the Canal and a short video about its creation, go here.)
Though the canal eventually helped transform Panama, for most of the 20th century the country remained a backwater…
You see, while Panama’s economy was dependent almost entirely on the canal, the country did not oversee the waterway or its revenues. The U.S., as builder of the canal, retained control for many decades. But in 1977, the U.S. agreed to a phased handover of the canal, with Panama assuming sole control in 1999.
Between 13,000 and 14,000 vessels pass through the Panama Canal each year. The cost of passage for container ships is anywhere between $60,000 and $300,000. That’s a lot of revenue for Panama!
The handover of the canal presented an incredible economic opportunity for Panama…a chance to reposition itself as a key strategic center for global business.
Panama seized this opportunity with both hands, enacting a series of smart policies such as tax incentives to encourage major international corporations to use the country as their regional headquarters for Latin America. Scores of major global corporations rushed in to take advantage.
As major multinationals like Dell, Nestle, and Procter & Gamble poured in, Panama City became one of the wealthiest cities in the Americas.
Today, it sports the world’s 25th biggest skyline, beating out LA, Miami, and Beijing to name just a few. In fact, this is the biggest skyline in Latin America, and 45 of its 50 tallest towers were built after 2000, speaking to the phenomenal rate of growth of this small global safe haven in the last two decades.
Panama City boasts one of the world’s most impressive skylines…and the biggest in Latin America.
Starting in the latter half of the 2000s, Panama also launched a host of major infrastructure initiatives, chief among them the expansion of the canal which was completed in 2016 and has doubled the canal’s cargo capacity.
A metro system was also built in Panama City…vast amounts of new highways were constructed…and in 2021, the biggest convention center in Central America was opened. And there have been ongoing upgrades to Panama City’s airport, Tocumen International Airport, the region’s biggest hub with connections to 82 destinations, operated by 18 airlines.
As a result of all of this development, the population of Panama City is constantly rising, as is demand for housing in the city center.
But there’s almost no prime land left…
Panama City is hemmed in on one side by the Pacific Ocean, and on the other by large parcels of protected land and watershed for the Panama Canal, so there’s very little room in the city itself for urban sprawl.
That’s why development has been pushing west to the Pacific Riviera…
With a shortage of developable land in Panama City, progress has moved west, along the Pacific Riviera.
The Pacific Riviera is the stretch of coast that runs west of Panama City from Chame to Farallon—about 50 miles or so of Pacific beaches. You’ll find a 5-star Autograph by Marriott, golf courses including an 18-hole Nicklaus Design course, supermarkets, schools and restaurants. It’s by far the most developed section of coast in all of Panama.
Development began here as far back as the 1940s with the establishment of Coronado, the best-known community on this coast.
From then on, other development popped up…though in the past two decades or so, this has been gathering speed.
This development has been accelerated by an enormous government-backed “Path of Progress” that’s leading west from Panama City out to the Pacific Riviera.
A Path of Progress is anything that improves the accessibility of a piece of real estate or makes it more desirable, say infrastructure like roads, bridges, or airports, or a 5-star resort in a place that previously only had hostels and budget hotels.
Head west from Panama City today and you’ll see vast new highways under development. A fourth bridge is set to be built across the Panama Canal, improving access from the city to this coast. And the city’s metro system is set to run in a tunnel under the canal out to the western suburbs, close to this area.
The Bridge of the Americas takes you west from the city toward Panama’s Pacific Riviera…
The Panamanian government has even proposed a 243-mile high-speed rail project connecting Panama City to the city of David, which would have a stop at Chame on the Pacific Riviera.
All of these projects, when complete, will make the Pacific Riviera an even more appealing place to live. It’ll be easier than ever to get to from Panama City…
The Hotspots of the Pacific Riviera
As I say, the town of Coronado is the oldest and best-known community on this riviera. It was founded by a descendant of European immigrants called Roberto Eisenmann in 1941. (Just goes to show, international folk have been making their home in Panama for a long time.)
Coronado is set on a beach of white coral with charcoal splotches that vary with the tides. Often the sands appear black.
This is a weekend and vacation getaway for Panamanians and a snowbird destination for North Americans. Beyond the gates (Coronado is essentially one huge gated community) hides a vast residential complex. Homes ranges from condos in large towers through to Balinese-style standalone mansions.
Coronado is the oldest community on the Pacific Riviera. Newer, more luxurious ones, like Buenaventura and Playa Caracol, have emerged in more recent decades.
A slew of upper-middle-class housing back from the beach has brought schools, a medical center, supermarkets, and services in its wake. There’s a country club, several full-scale supermarkets, a golf course, a mall, and a variety of restaurants. Though the ad-hoc way Coronado has developed over the decades means it can also be cluttered and shabby in places.
An advantage of Coronado and other communities along the Pacific Riviera is that they’re set in the “Dry Arc,” one of Panama’s sunniest regions. This area gets less rain than the Caribbean coast and far less than mountain towns just a 45-minute drive away. Even Panama City is a bit rainier and warmer than Coronado.
One of the major reasons Canadian-Americans Keith and Carolynn Dick moved here was for the excellent weather. Having lived in Calgary, Chicago, and New York, Keith says, “I never wanted to be cold again, I never even wanted to wear a sweater again.”
The beach at Coronado is interlaced with glittering black volcanic sand.
A short drive east of Coronado is Nueva Gorgona, a smaller town that offers a long, wide beach that’s relatively uncrowded, with gentle waves that are ideal for swimming and water sports like surfing and paddleboarding. It too has an expat population as well as well-heeled locals with vacation homes in the area.
While Gorgona doesn’t have the vast array of amenities that Coronado offers, it does have grocery stores, local restaurants, and beach bars. Residents here often make the 10-minute drive to the gates of Coronado for more extensive shopping, dining and entertainment options.
Further west toward the end of the Pacific Riviera—about a two-hour drive from Panama City—is Buenaventura. Located near the town of Rio Hato, this prestigious beachfront community emerged over the past two decades and now covers hundreds of hectares.
The aim behind Buenaventura was to build an exclusive enclave where people could live, and not just a place to visit for the weekend and vacations. The community even has its own school, teaching an internationally accredited curriculum.
At the heart of Buenaventura lies the Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort, which has a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel and Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Buenaventura also has plenty of on-site amenities including multiple pools, restaurants, and bars, and a marina which can accommodate sailing, power boats, and sport fishing vessels.
The centerpiece of Buenaventura is the expansive Marriott hotel complex and the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.
Buenaventura is luxurious and prestigious, but prices there reflect this. You’ll find villas for sale for around $1 million…condos back from the beach start from $450,000.
At the other end of the Pacific Riviera, the end closest to Panama City, a new luxury community called Playa Caracol has been rising on a stunning stretch of white-sand beach.
And prices there are far more affordable…
The most popular community on the Pacific Riviera is Coronado on the left. Playa Caracol is on the right. Coronado’s black-sand beach is not as nice and it’s farther away from Panama City than Playa Caracol.
The Best Beach Community
to Own Real Estate
The rhythmic sound of the Pacific surf is the closest thing you have to a timekeeper in Playa Caracol.
No one is in a rush…not here.
As a waiter lays your cocktail at your poolside table, you watch the surfers carving through the water, the waves shimmering in the warm sunlight.
After your cocktail, you stroll along the beach to let the fresh, briny air open up your lungs.
The sun caresses your shoulders…the white sand presses gently between your toes like warm snow…
You’ve heard of Surf City California. This is like that but better. Everything about this community is high-end. It’s your own tropical beach retreat. It offers the comfort of a luxury resort with the community of a small beach town in Southern California.
And here you can own right on the sand. Mere steps from the ocean…
Playa Caracol puts you frontline to a pristine beach with surfing, swimming, fishing, whale watching and hiking all outside your front door. You have island hopping in the bay, the city close by, and access to incredible amenities, pools, spa, gym, restaurants…
It’s hard to believe when you visit now, but the stunning stretch of coast that’s home to Playa Caracol was once hidden from the world.
You see, there was an anomaly on the Pacific Riviera as it developed…
In the mid-to-late 20th century, as beaches and towns farther from Panama City boomed, Chame, a stretch of pristine beach closer to the city, went overlooked.
Chame is the nicest, closest beach area to Panama City. It was the natural starting point for development on the Pacific Riviera but it was leapfrogged and left a virgin paradise.
There’s no big mystery why this beautiful location stayed off the radar.
What passed for a road down Punta Chame peninsula was a car-killing bone-shaker. Plus, most of the land was owned by just a few families that didn’t want to sell. And much of the land was zoned as farmland.
Even in the late 2000s, not many people knew this coast existed. Wealthy folks heading out of Panama City to the beach for a weekend escape drove right past this spot to beaches and communities in Coronado and Buenaventura that were farther from the city, but easier to get to.
This coast may have been “hidden,” but it screamed potential.
It had glorious beaches, warm waters, and views of Panama City. You could take a boat out and see whales giving birth. The surfing here is world class too.
The islands offshore have fascinating stories. You can explore them easily on day trips. One was owned by John Wayne and has an abandoned Western World theme park on it. Another is home to two gaily painted fishing villages and you can hike the island’s trails and watch for birds.
The Path of Progress leapfrogged past the Chame peninsula. But today with smooth roads it’s now the closest nicest beach area to Panama City.
For years, one of Panama’s foremost developers dreamed of building a true beachfront community on this hidden coast. He was one of the few developers who could bring this project to fruition. A guy with a history of delivering unparalleled communities in Panama—including a set of man-made islands right off the heart of Panama City.
Undeterred and relishing a challenge, Alfredo Aleman and his GLP group eventually managed to secure a mile of magnificent beachfront here.
Now, he’s on a mission to turn his incredible coast into one of the world’s premier beachfront communities.
Alfredo Aleman, the developer behind Playa Caracol, spent 12 years building islands in the Bay of Panama to create a spectacular ultra-prime community called Ocean Reef.
Alfredo started by spending serious money on infrastructure, including getting paved roads put in, all the way to the project. Next came incredible residential communities, resorts and amenities.
Today, the community has more than 400 residential units. There’s a thriving surf club…a beach club…and the Surfside hotel, which includes a luxury spa, state-of-the-art gym, superb pool and beach club, gourmet restaurants…all right on the beach.
Playa Caracol is totally beach oriented, utterly luxurious. Everything is true beachfront with all of the luxurious amenities planned to make the most of that fact
The first phase of Playa Caracol has now been realized and Alfredo is well into the next, which includes plans for a beautiful boardwalk and an entire “village” center. Plans also call for a wedding pavilion, a sports academy, commercial center, supermarkets…everything you expect to find in the perfect beach town…
What he’s achieved here to date is remarkable. And major corporations have taken notice.
For example, the first Margaritaville in Panama is due to be delivered there in 2027. This complex will include residences and a resort with signature Margaritaville experiences such as the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar and License to Chill Bar & Grill.
Playa Caracol is about to hit a whole new level…
Playa Caracol offers miles of unspoiled beach…and a unique community where 400 units have already been delivered, with so much more planned.
At Real Estate Trend Alert, members were ahead of the transformation of this coast with a string of incredible, off-market deals…
• The first RETA deal in Playa Caracol was back in November 2016, with two-bedroom condos in a community called Sanctuary from a RETA-only $174,900. These are true beachfront, beach-facing condos with panoramic ocean views. Similar condos, albeit a bit bigger, later listed at $284,900 and $305,000. That’s an uplift of $110,000 and $130,100, respectively.
• In January 2019, members had the chance to own in the Residences at Playa Caracol from a RETA-only $184,300, with premium condos going from between $234,600 to $252,500. In October 2022, a condo available to RETA members for $234,600 was listed at $320,000—$85,400 more. And one bought by a RETA member for $184,300 was listed at $290,000— a boost of $105,700.
• In March 2020, RETA members had the chance to buy condos in Surfside from a RETA-only $214,300. In March 2024, a similar condo in Surfside to those RETA members could buy was listed at $280,000. That’s an increase in value of $65,700.
RETA members who own in Playa Caracol can avail of the amenities at the Surfside hotel.
Now the world is discovering Playa Caracol…
Playa Caracol is emerging as Panama’s standout beach destination…an international destination… But right now, this opportunity is still “ground floor.”
That means if you’re interested in owning true beachfront overseas, you still have an opportunity to buy ahead of the international folks and wealthy in Panama City for whom this beach is the closest, nicest beach.
Soon, RETA members will get a new opportunity to own here. This will be a chance to own luxurious ocean-view homes a few seconds stroll from the beach. Here’s a render showing what they look like…
Ocean views, big skies, the sound of the waves…RETA members will soon get the chance to own a small handful of stunning beach homes at RETA-only pricing on Panama’s Pacific Riviera.
Now, renders shouldn’t be considered the final thing, but they give you a great idea of what to expect… And what’s more, Ronan expects RETA members will see gains of over $300,000 five years after delivery on these homes at RETA-only pricing.
This is a huge opportunity…a chance to own an incredible home on a stunning tropical beach in one of the world’s safest and most dynamic havens, Panama.
More details on this coming to your inbox very soon…
The beach is wide and the sand is soft. The entire community of Playa Caracol is oriented to make the most of life on a tropical beach.
The Highlands of the Pacific Riviera
The Pacific Riviera is more than just tropical beach. In the lush, green mountains that rise up behind Playa Caracol there’s another climate to enjoy—the cool, temperate weather of Panama’s hills. These highlands are also home to some incredible hiking…
Cerro Chame is the 1,837-foot mountain that forms the backdrop to Playa Caracol. It’s increasingly popular with day-trippers from the city who come to picnic at waterfalls and hike up for the views. At Playa Caracol this mountain and all its secret spots are your backyard…just as the beach is your front yard…
Another amazing hiking option in this region is El Valle de Anton. Also known as El Valle, it’s the world’s largest inhabited volcano crater. El Valle sits at an elevation of roughly 2,000 feet above sea level. Here you’ll find a whole host of hiking trails that take you through cloud forests, waterfall canyons, and over lush soaring hills.
For a break from the beach, you can enjoy hiking trails and swim beneath tropical waterfalls in this stunning region of Panama.
Safe Haven Panama
As I say, to find true beachfront like Playa Caracol is rare anywhere these days. To find it within a hour to 90 minutes of a cosmopolitan world city is far rarer still.
Factor in Panama’s status as a global safe haven and you have something truly unique…
In an era of fractious and dysfunctional politics, Panama has a well-earned reputation for sensible, forward-thinking policymaking. The country is renowned for its easy residency options, business-friendly policies, and favorable taxation regulations.
Panama is a very easy place to invest and do business…
In the last two decades Panama City has totally transformed. This is a global city and renowned safe haven.
The U.S. dollar is legal tender in Panama, and the country has the most modern and successful international banking industry in Latin America. Most banks accept American clients, something that has become rarer overseas since the U.S. enacted the Foreign Asset Tax Compliance Act, which requires foreign financial institutions to report the assets held by U.S. account holders.
Panama’s dollar-based economy means it offers zero foreign exchange risk for U.S. investors. The country also has a host of policies and incentives to attract businesses, including an exemption from the payment of income tax for companies established in Panama but generating income outside its territory.
There are similar tax policies in place for individuals. Panama only taxes income sourced in Panama (although U.S. citizens will still owe taxes to Uncle Sam, if you’re earning overseas you can take advantage of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. This allows you to exclude up to $126,000 [for 2024, this amount changes each year] of earned income from your taxes.). There are also no gift, inheritance or estate taxes in Panama.
Panama is also a welcoming place, somewhere that’s an easy place to move to…
The country has three primary residency visas for foreign nationals—a visa for citizens from so-called Friendly Nations, which include the U.S. and Canada…a visa for qualified investors who invest funds of at least $500,000…and a visa for retirees that requires a minimum guaranteed monthly income of just $1,000. All three are highly accessible by global standards. (Full details on those in the “Residency” box below.)
With policies like these, Panama is drawing people from around the world.
In 2010, there were 3.3 million residents in Panama. That number is now at more than 4.4 million. And it’s projected to hit 5.8 million by 2050, with more than half of the population living in and around Panama City. This is a massive increase in a relatively short period.
This is a country on an incredible growth trajectory…
Panama’s economy expanded 4.3% in 2023—rates well beyond those seen in the U.S. and most other major Western economies. It’s also a major beneficiary of the “nearshoring” and “friendshoring” trends.
We’re in the midst of a major global realignment. Investment is shifting away from places like China and moving to countries that are closer and friendlier to the U.S. and the West, places like Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama. That’s big. It means countries like these will see big influxes of money in the years to come.
In other words, Panama is home to a booming economy and its growth has decades to run…
Panama’s one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Its status as a center for international finance, banking, and business is cemented and its safety and stability are highly prized in our uncertain world.
15 Things to See and Do in Panama City
Walk the streets of Panama City today and you’ll see all the hallmarks of a true world city…
Towering skyscrapers…trendy cafés…craft beer bars…Michelin star restaurants…designer clothing boutiques…supercars roaring along the streets…brunches of eggs Benedict washed down with champagne…sparkling jewelry dripping off necks and wrists…malls packed to the gills with designer fashions…
This is a place that draws well-heeled folks from across the world. And little wonder, the lifestyle here is incredible. There’s so much to see and do and explore.
Here’s a list of just some of the top options compiled by longtime Panama expats on the Real Estate Trend Alert team…
1. Visit the Panama Canal: The canal is one of the world’s greatest engineering marvels. Witness it in action at the Miraflores Locks. You can also kayak through parts of the canal.
2. Hike Metropolitan Natural Park: This large city park boasts incredible wildlife and lush rainforest. Panama City is the only city in the world with a tropical rainforest within its limits.
3. Explore Casco Viejo: Panama City’s historic district boasts stunning colonial architecture, colorful street art, and lots of excellent bars and restaurants.
4. Tour the BioMuseo: Explore Panama’s natural and cultural history at this museum designed by global architecture icon, Frank Gehry.
5. Stroll along the Amador Causeway: Take in stunning views of the city skyline and the entrance to the canal from this stunning causeway linking four islands to Panama City.
Casco Viejo has some amazing restaurants and bars hidden away amid the colonial grandeur of its historic streets.
6. Tour Mercado de Mariscos: Panama’s fish market was a gift from Japan and is famed for its exceptional ceviche.
7. Visit the Panama Viejo ruins: Explore the remains of the original Panama City, destroyed by pirates, including the legendary Henry Morgan, in the 17th century.
8. Take a day trip to Taboga Island: Just a short boat trip from the city, the nearby Taboga Island, or “Island of Flowers,” has beautiful beaches and a relaxed atmosphere.
9. Enjoy the nightlife in Calle Uruguay: Let your hair down and enjoy Panama City’s vibrant bar and club scene in this popular entertainment district.
10. Explore the San Blas Islands: Some of the most incredible beaches in Panama are on the semi-autonomous community of San Blas, home to the Guna indigenous people. Take a day trip, or stay the night and enjoy panoramic vistas of the stars.
11. Hike Cerro Ancón: Climb this hill in the heart of Panama City for panoramic views across the bay, and a chance to spot sloths and toucans.
The view from Ancon Hill is well worth the hike.
12. Visit the Mercado de Artesanías in Balboa: The Balboa Handicrafts Market is a vibrant place to explore local Panamanian crafts and culture. Walk all the way through the market and you’ll find yourself in the French Quarter, where you’ll see reminders of France’s role in the construction of the canal.
13. Shop til you drop at the Soho and Multiplaza malls: You’ll find lots of incredible shopping in Panama City, but Soho and Multiplaza have the greatest concentration of global high-end luxury brands.
14. Explore the Punta Culebra Nature Center: Learn about marine ecosystems and observe local wildlife at this Smithsonian research station. An overlooked gem with some incredible displays and lots of iguanas and sloths, on Amador Causeway.
15. Visit El Dorado for a Chinese breakfast: On Sunday mornings Panamanians love to eat a Chinese breakfast of dumplings and steamed buns. And the El Dorado neighborhood has some of the best traditional Chinese restaurants in Panama City.
Amador Causeway is a popular place to stroll, with wonderful views of Panama City.
The Future of the Pacific Riviera
Panama City is booming. More and more people are coming. Space is at a premium. The city has almost nowhere to grow but west along the Pacific Riviera. That’s why a mammoth, multi-billion-dollar Path of Progress is now extending west from the city along this coast.
This is as big a transformation as you can imagine…
And the community best placed to benefit is Playa Caracol.
In just a few decades Panama City has grown rapidly and now a big squeeze is on developable land. The Path of Progress is pouring across the Panama Canal down the Pacific Riviera…
As the closest nicest beach to Panama City, Playa Caracol is now just 60 to 90 minutes’ drive from the capital…and this travel time is set to be further reduced as new bridges, highways, metro lines, and even a potential high-speed rail line comes online.
The bottom line: The Pacific Riviera is being connected to Panama City. It’s the latest episode in Panama’s phenomenal story of growth. Major corporations can see what’s happening and they’re acting. That’s why the likes of Margaritaville are getting in on Playa Caracol now.
The upshot for anyone who’s ever wanted to own true beachfront real estate—a home literally steps from the sand—is that there’s an incredible and urgent opportunity here.
You can get amazing-value real estate on the sand, yet within easy driving distance of a major global city.
Playa Caracol is ideal as a base for the many international folks working in and visiting Panama City as well as Panama’s professionals and their families. Caracol is set to be the premier destination on the Riviera, the closest nicest beach to the city.
The world is about to discover the Pacific Riviera and Playa Caracol. But there’s still a window of opportunity to act.
Real Estate Trend Alert members are about to get a special opportunity here. This will be a chance to own luxurious ocean-view homes a few seconds stroll from the beach.
In the coming days, there will be more on this in Your Overseas Dream Home and Real Estate Trend Alert. Stay tuned to your inbox for details…
As I said at the outset, a luxury beach community with a world-class capital on your doorstep? That’s gold dust.
But it’s exactly what you’ll find in Playa Caracol.
The Truth About Living in Playa Caracol
By David Hinton
U.S. expat David Hinton is part of the RETA concierge team. He lives in Panama and for an entire year he lived right on the beach in Playa Caracol. He shared this article about his experiences there…
Less than a minute…
That’s how long it’d take me to get from my condo in Playa Caracol to the ocean.
Whenever the mood took me, within 30 to 60 seconds, I could be floating in the warm waters of the Pacific, looking back at the glistening, white-sand beach…my fellow residents playing volleyball, swaying in hammocks, or lounging in deck chairs on the soft, pristine sand.
It’s an almost surreal experience living right on the beach like this…a literal paradise right outside your door. Your days are filled with sun and sand. The ocean is a constant presence. You fall asleep to the sound of lapping waves and awake to them every morning.
It’s like being inside a postcard. Stress melts away.
When I was back in the States, I dreamed of this lifestyle—a modern home with the beach on my doorstep. But honestly, I don’t think I ever really believed it would happen.
During the heady days of my career, I lived all over America. Born and raised in Queens, New York, I then moved on to Phoenix and Los Angeles, before working in account management roles in Atlanta for three decades.
I’d seen what true beachfront costs. Millions of dollars.
It seemed unattainable for a middle-class guy like me…someone who’d raised four kids and now has five grandkids.
Truth is, I’d probably still be in the States if it wasn’t for COVID. But when the pandemic struck, it pushed my wife and I to follow our dream. We started looking for a place where we could live by the ocean. It didn’t take us long to decide on a move to tropical Panama.
For two years we lived in the coastal retirement community of Coronado. It was warm and pleasant, with a nice black and white sand beach. Then we heard talk of a master-planned gated community on the most stunning stretch of white-sand beach, located 30 minutes away from Coronado. A bold project by a visionary developer.
We had to check it out…
This was Playa Caracol. And it was everything we’d dreamed of. Modern resort-style communities right up on the beach. Next-level amenities like basketball courts and swimming pools and pickleball courts, all seconds from the ocean. After a few visits, we were determined to move there.
Relaxing in the pool at Playa Caracol.
We looked at buying, but somehow lucked into the most incredible rental arrangement. We got the chance to rent a two-bed, two-bath patio condo for $1,100 per month. I still don’t know how we got this price. I’ve seen similar condos listed in the $1,500 to $1,800 per month range. Sometimes even more.
The homes here are exceptionally well built and well-appointed, with excellent finishings and all mod-cons like big TVs and top-of-the-line air conditioning. Our spacious, covered patio became a favorite hangout spot for friends.
Moving to Playa Caracol was transformational…in unexpected ways.
When you live on a beach as striking as this, it has an unerring attraction. You can’t help but build your days around it. Time must be carved out for laying in a hammock…for laying by the pool, cocktail in hand…for strolling barefoot on the sand…
The environment simply demands it. And then there’s all the community activities and nearby attractions.
In Playa Caracol, your days become busy—not with things you have to do, but things you want to do. This is the way life is supposed to be lived.
I’d often start my day on the pickleball courts, sometimes as early as 6 a.m.—a daily dose of exercise amid the warm Pacific breeze. Then, after completing my calls and emails to RETA members as part of my role as a RETA concierge, my wife and I would relax on our patio, before going for a dip in the pool…located just 30 seconds from our door.
In the afternoons, my wife would head to the beach to walk the sands and swim in the ocean. My routine was to take a ride on my e-bike along the community’s excellent private roads.
Sometimes I’d take the 30- to 40-minute bike ride up to Punta Chame—a charming little beach community with restaurants and bars located on a stunning peninsula northeast of Playa Caracol where you can also go kite surfing. Or if I was feeling a tad lazy, I might head to Vento—the outstanding beach club within Playa Caracol, just a five-minute walk from my door.
Vento is an excellent place to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner as well as play pool, foosball or even ping pong. I must say that I think they serve the best pizza in Panama (which went some way to negating the health benefits of my frequent bike rides and pickleball games).
Vento Beach Club at Caracol is stunning…offering excellent facilities steps from the sand.
This community is developing so fast… It feels like every month, something new opens. Or new plans are unveiled. Or new infrastructure is developed.
If you’d explained Playa Caracol to me a few years ago, I’m not sure I would have believed all this was possible. Frankly, for most developers, it wouldn’t have been. But Alfredo Aleman is no ordinary developer… He’s one of the best in the entire region. Someone who’s built two ultra-luxe man-made islands off the center of downtown Panama City.
Now, Alfredo’s shaping Playa Caracol into a major, internationally recognized beach community.
Alfredo is remarkably friendly and approachable. When he visits Playa Caracol, he often takes time to talk to residents. I’ve had conversations with him about things like the orientation and covering for the pickleball courts…and I could tell he was really listening. He’s got an uncommon ability to consider both the big vision and the small details.
My wife living the life at Caracol!
Talk among residents is that Playa Caracol is going to be Panama’s Playa del Carmen. That’s a reference to the destination in Caribbean Mexico that went from fishing village to thriving beach city in record time. I would have said that’s impossible…until I lived here. Now I can see it.
Of course, that’s still some years away. But I’ve watched the trajectory of this community. I’m a believer.
I’ve tried to describe what it’s like to live on a true beachfront to friends and family back home. I worry they think I’m embellishing.
After all, life in Playa Caracol sounds impossibly idyllic…
Days filled with dips in the pool and swims in the ocean…strolls on the sand and naps in the hammock…games of pickleball, paddleball, basketball, or volleyball followed by those occasional barbecue competitions that the community organizes with live music, the kind that turn into all-night parties…
A true beachfront lifestyle, just an hour or so from the thriving metropolis of Panama City. And it doesn’t cost millions.
