Panama has what has been considered to be the World's Best Incentive Program for Retirees

  1.  "Known mostly for its Canal, Panama is in fact, an undiscovered paradise.
  2.  English widely spoken.
  3.  Exceptionally high quality of life .
  4.  U.S. Dollar is currency of trade.
  5.  Domestic services at very low cost. Example: live in maid for $130 month
  6.  Incredibly low overall cost of living.
  7.  Permanent resident visa available with little "red tape".
  8.  Second largest Free Trade Zone in the world .
  9.  There are direct flights daily from Panama City to seven major U.S. cities: Los Angeles, Newark, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Orlando, including a variety of European destinations.
  10.  Excellent hospitals and medical care and a fraction of the cost in the United States.
  11.  Numerous private bi-lingual schools.
  12.  The land of 933 native bird species
  13.  1200 orchid species
  14.  Rich marine life: lobsters, shrimp, clams, Black Marlin, tuna, barracuda, sailfish.
  15.  A jungle boasting monkeys, pumas, ocelots, armadillos, wild boars, anteaters, rabbits, sloth and deer.
  16.  Scarcely tapped mineral deposits of gold, copper, basalt, manganese, lime and granite (the possibility of large oil reserves definitely exists)
  17.  A duty free zone for the manufacture of your goods ... you can set up a tax-free business in Panama.
  18.  Sailing, surfing, deep-sea fishing, diving, river rafting, hiking, biking, horseback riding, exploring the ecological wonders of Panama, birding, beach combing, mountain climbing, tennis, golf, island hopping, Panama has hundreds of islands, many pristine and pure, friendly get together with a growing community of like-minding expatriates,
  19.  And lastly, one of the world's leading bank centers with over 110 international banks doing business here.

Is Panama safe? Yes- Panama is one of the safest countries in the world. In an analysis by the prestigious Pinkerton Intelligence Agency, in which countries all over the world were rated for tourist safety, Panama earned a ranking in the "most desirable" category for tourist safety- the same category as the United States.

And according to a recent article written by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Panama ranks 4th among the top 15 world locations for a home away from home citing first-world infrastructure of roads, business services, exceptional medical care and telecommunications. As a resident of Panama you will enjoy a lifestyle you have only previously dreamed of. You will live among a beautiful people, smiling, and cooperative. While many speak English, you will want to immerse yourself into the culture and the language of Panama.

Shopping
Its privileged geographical position has allowed this strategically placed small nation to grow into an ever more important crossroad of the world; since before Columbus discovered America, then for the Spanish Conquistadors and now as a universally recognized trading and business center.

Panama City has large shopping districts such as the Via España, Central Avenue, etc, where you can find Boutiques, Bazaars, Gift Shops, Jewelry Stores and many modern shopping Malls. The Free Zone, located in Colon, 45 minutes from Panama City by car, is the World's largest free zone and duty free shopping area.

Panama, the ideal country for the closest contact to a rainforest. It's the only Latin America capital surrounded by rainforest less than ten minutes away from its center and with an easy access to three National Parks.

If your idea is to get in the rainforest, Panamá offers you Nationals Parks, declared Biosphere Reserve and Mankind Heritage. Our Rainforest have the richest variety of flora and fauna around the world (Darien National Park) where more than 10,000 species of plants and 1000 species of birds live together.
You can walk and enjoy the Rainforest of the Barú Volcano National Park, and International Park La Amistad in Chiriqui Province Highlands.

Volcan Baru National Park is located in the Province of Chiriqui, with a surface of 14,325 hectares (35,000 acres) and has a highly valuable geological and ecological scenic landscape that protects a biological diversity with some unique species of this area. In this park you will find tropical rainforest landscapes with highlands species.
The mix between the forest and the volcanic remains is in tune with the agricultural activities that are normal for this altitude with nice temperatures between 10º and 20º C. and typical natural foods, and all of this has contributed to make it one of the most visited parks in Panama.

FOLKLORE AND CULTURE
There are six different Indians Cultures in Panama and each one of them practices its very own typical ancestral customs.
Each province of Panama has a varied Folklore reflected through its dances, music and cuisine. In the deeply catholic provinces of Cocle, Herrera and Los Santos churches are found on the main town square (Plaza) as was the Spanish tradition. Nata, one of the oldest colonial cities, boasts the oldest church of the American Continent.

One of the yearly festive highlights is Carnival, celebrated throughout the country in the month of February. The favorite pastime of Panamanians and visitors is enjoying the Caribbean and Pacific Beaches. Both coasts have beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters, white sand, coral reefs and coconut palm trees. These qualities make places such as Bocas Del Toro, Portobello and the San Blas islands in the Caribbean ideal vacation spots for sun-seekers and scuba divers.
On the other side and only few minutes' drive from Panama City, you can find 80 kilometers (50 mi) of Pacific Beaches stretching from Punta Chame to Farallon offering resort hotels, sport facilities, and restaurants for your enjoyment. Sailing enthusiasts can have their fun too in those quiet waters and visit the flower-island of Taboga or the enchanting Pearl Archipelago.

As a resident of Panama you will enjoy a lifestyle you have only previously dreamed of. You will live among a beautiful people, smiling, and cooperative. While many speak English, you will want to immerse yourself into the culture and the language of Panama.

How to get there
From Panama City you can take a 1-hour flight or a 6-hour drive to David, followed by a 50-minute trip by car to Vulcan. From Vulcan you can reach the Park's main entrance in Cerro Punta, the route to the top or the many trails

Services
Once you are in David, you could have the possibility to rent a car for an easy access to Vulcan and the park. There are many hotels in David that you could use for your stay or as a center of your activities. Boquete is one of the main tourist destinations of Panama and because of its closeness to the park it also has many hotels, restaurants, guides, banks and transportation.

What to do and Where to go?
The visitors to this park will enjoy multiple ways of getting in touch with nature. Some trails, like La Nevera and Los Quetzales (from Cerro Punta to Boquete), can provide the enchantment of the tropical rainforest and its habitat. The ascent to the top of the volcano, 3,475 meters (11,000 ft) above sea level, could be made in a strong 4x4 vehicle and could take up to 45 minutes or on foot around 4 hours and will bring back memories of the origins of the American Continent. .During this climb, you will have the opportunity to see much evidence of the last eruption. Once you reach the top and with good weather conditions you could see both oceans (Pacific and Caribbean). You can also take some of the trails leading to the different craters of the Baru volcano and see birds that can only be seen here. Temperatures may drop as low as 20º C. Some places like El Respingo near Cerro Punt are excellent for bird watching, especially the Quetzal (phraromacrus mocino) and the Toucan (ramphastos swainsonii), or for collecting some of the many Wild Orchids, ferns or moss that grow in this area.

Climate:
Panama has a warm, wet tropical climate. Unlike countries laying farther from the equator, Panama does not experience marked seasons based on changes in temperature, rather, Panama's seasons are divided into so called Wet and Dry Seasons.

Dry season begins around the middle of December (this may vary by as much 3 to 4 weeks). Around this time, strong north-easterly winds, known as the 'trade winds', begin to blow. Little or no rain may fall for many weeks in a row. Day-time air temperatures increase slightly at this time to around 30-31ºC (86-88ºF), but night-time temperatures remain around 22-23ºC (72-73ºF). Relative humidity drops throughout the season, reaching average values as low as 70%

Wet season begins around the first of May (this varies by 1 or 2 weeks). May is often one of the wettest months, especially in the area of the Panama Canal, so the transition from the very dry conditions at the end of the Dry Season to the Wet Season can be very dramatic. With the coming of the rains, things cool down a little during the day and the trade winds disappear. Relative humidity goes up quickly and may hover around 90-100% throughout the wet season.

Some people like to think of the weather in the tropics as being the same thing year after year. At least in Panama this in NOT true. Although it is true that air temperature varies very little from month-to-month and from year-to-year (unlike more northerly and southerly locations), what does change in Panama is the amount of rain. As we have seen, there is a dig difference in rainfall between the Wet and Dry Seasons; with almost all of the rain falling in the Wet Season. However, there is also considerable variation in the amount of rain that falls between years.

Good News!!! Panama is situated south of the hurricane track and generally not affected by these tropical storms.