Everything we could think of that you'd like to know about living, visiting, and retiring here in Boquete Panama. Lots of facts, some stuff just our opinions/impressions. Enjoy.
I love your videos. Always good to get as many views/opinions as you can. Thank you. My first trip to Boquete was in 2021 with PRT. This is my 2nd time to Boquete, and I have been here since 10/30. My original plans had me here 12 days and 5 days driving around other parts of Panama, ending my trip a few days in El Valle Anton until leaving back for the states 11/23. I came from Bocas Del Toro, 10/30, via the last shuttle that got thru!! We hit 4 roadblocks and no issues. (Peaceful). We would just get off one shuttle, walk thru the roadblock to get on the next shuttle. I have enjoyed my extra time in Boquete, have met many great people, and have enjoyed my time. Perhaps I should also mention, I am a solo, female traveler in my 60's. I have never felt unsafe here in Boquete, even walking home from dinner after dark. (just be smart) Be willing to just "roll with it" while in Panama. Yes I had grander plans, yet, 3 weeks in Boquete, with no car or gasoline, has got to be better than 3 weeks, stuck in your house with 3 feet of. snow!
Boquete is the most Americanized town in upcountry Panama. It's not for everyone, it wasn't for us. We moved to the other side of Baru in Volcan, which we love.
I lived in Boquete for 16 months. The biggest negative for me was barking dogs nearly everywhere unless you hit it lucky but they are left outside 24 hours in a gated yard and they can bark off and on during the day and the night.
We obtained our permanent resident visas for R/P and can't wait to spend time there someday in retirement. Boquete and Valle de Anton and Volcan are our favorites! The secret is rapidly getting out though. .We ❤ Panama!! You all described it so well. 👌
I'm slowly hunting for where I want to retire. This is your first video I've watched. You are awesome together. Great informative video. I need to get me a machete just for the machete bump crossing paths. Thank you!
Thank you for the informative video you have uploaded. I really like the way the gentleman speaks. He seems like a kind & benign soul. Blessings to both of you. Just subscribed to your channel.
I found it very helpful advice that one should rent for a while and plan to live in several cities before deciding the best place to make home in a new country.
Your videos and info are always top notch and objective. Having been to many of the areas you visited your perspectives and take aways provided valuable insights which otherwise might have been missed. Keep up the great work! It's appreciated!
Please acknowledge your wife’s contribution of cooking😅. A lifetime of work for our families rarely get acknowledged; fortunately I loved to cook, now, not so much💗
Glad you addressed the peaceful protests. I took my first Panama tour with Jackie in 2018 and even then we were advised to not be judgemental, because they make their government work in their own way. Sorry to see you wrap up the Boquete series. We have been their many times and your videos always do them justice. Thanks
I have lived in Boquete District as a homeowner for over 6 years. Good summary of pre-election conditions. It was not mentioned that Boquete District is HUGE, and includes many secluded and rural places. Bajo Boquete is the downtown section- very noisy, overcrowded, scarce parking and terrible sidewalks. But the District itself is much more diverse and beautiful. If you want to avoid the expat lifestyle, you can easily do that.
With regard to costs, things produced in Panama, meat, produce, eggs, services like dentists, are cheaper but anything imported - all electronics for instance are as expensive or mostly more expensive.
I have lived in Bocas now for 11 years.I am 72 and feel completely safe here. But the medical facilities are good in David so I am thinking of moving to Boquete area. I liked your video, it was very fair. Panamanians are great people I appreciated your tips on not buying. Very true.
wow honesty, integrity and humor. great job folks. im a 66 year old from hawaii and doing my due diligence to move to boquete i will visit later this year. i am retired bartender and real estate broker from maui and plan to bring the aloha with me. much mahalo.
Im pretty sure that the shooter was a Panamanian national who had also gained an American citizenship as a second citizenship when he went to the US for college.
We are in Boquete this week, so beautiful! Jenny and I really enjoy your videos. We are Canadians looking for our retirement haven, it appears we found it! If you are in the area and there is a way to reach out to us, perhaps we can meet at Kotowa for coffee, where we are at the moment. Thanks, Wayne and Jenny
Both of you are awesome. I'm looking forward to meeting both of you someday. It will happen. Thank you so much for your info. See you in 2025 if you're still there.
I was seriously contemplating retirement in Thailand. I worked internationally and have visited SE Asia more than a few times. I like that part of the world... warm and inexpensive. Was last in Thailand a few months ago and just about to pull the trigger. Unfortunately, the newly elected Thai government has now decided its a good idea to tax foreign income up to 35%, to include the sizable expat community. That new development, in conjuction with a burdensome visa process, has turned me off of Thailand. Glad I've found your channel. Now looking at Panama as an alternative.
So many countries around the world are in trouble financially. So they look for ExPats to fix part of that. Usually they do it by making it attractive for ExPats to just come and spend our money with nothing in return social services wise (SMART). Now though, some countries have moved into the 'tax them' idea which is super stupid. Because, in that scenario, no one comes. Why go where you're going to be fleeced? We too looked at Thailand and Malaysia. Both great places. But for us at least, a LONG way to go for visits to us or to go home to visit. It was our main reason for not pursuing those countries. Now for Thailand at least, there's another reason not to.
@laptopseniors Very short sighted of the Thai government. I foresee a mass exodus of expats. That will result in significant economic damage to the Thai cities where expats have congregated. Condo development will take a huge hit, and existing unit values will nose dive. Stupid indeed!
We are looking into Panama, too. Just saw that the China camps are really expanding, and China is heavily involved within the government. Lots going on at the Darien Gap. We are keeping an eye on it.
Caveat: The Foreign Earned Exclusion does not, however, apply to SSI. You are still responsible for those payments to the U.S. Treasury. As an independent contractor, you are responsible for both the "employer contribution" and the "employee" share. Check with an international CPA to be safe.
Always check with a CPA or Tax Lawyer on a lot of this stuff. Get the quick overview. I once had a tax lawyer tell me to ALWAYS use an accountant for taxes. Why? Because you ALWAYS have someone to blame should something go wrong. As long as you give truthful info and defer to an expert, your pretty much golden. If you do things yourself you have no one to point to....as in did you do it on purpose? Ignorance of the law doesn't fit versus an accountant handling things. It was really interesting advice literally from a specialized tax lawyer.
This video is a great overview !!😊 !! But brought up a question or two ??? I don't drive and have no licenses !!! And will do some research about busses or taxis for shopping and will check into possible a remote or working at home and currently in the USA applying for this!!!
Our impression was that you don't need a car in Panama City or in Boquete if you live right in the city where walking is ok to most things. I'd bet Chitre would also be fine with no car. Using buses, Uber, Bolt, taxis, etc probably work. Plus you'd likely make friends who have a car and most likely would let you go shopping etc with them here and there. For Coronado and other towns, I think a car is pretty important to have.
My now deceased father reached the point in later life that he could not walk far. I always think of trying to be in a place that does not matter, or how to mitigate it. Also, to be near medical care. Boquette is hours (??) from Panama City, but the weather is great. I would have to figure the medical side out.
I am 81 and enjoy living in Queretaro, Mexico for the last 2 years. Over 61 years visiting Mexico, mainly Acapulco. I traveled the world on my own dime and all 50 USA states. GOD KNOWS THE TRUTH. LIVE ALONE! NEVER SHACK< MARRY OR HAVE BABIES. INVADERS! GET OUT. MOVE TO MEXICO. SENDING WARMTH FROM QUERETARO. Happy I moved to Queretaro in 2021 at 79 for 70% less expensive and safer. PRAYERS sent to my 1942 birth city CHICAGO from Queretaro since 2021. I know that cold weather big time. Thank God for the safety and warmth of this city. RIP. DO NOT ALLOW THE INVADERS TO DESTROY YOU.
Another good video. Since I’ve enjoyed several already I decided to subscribe. Was this video filmed in Boquete? I’m retired and Boquete has been on my radar. I like that you didn’t ask for a TU or sub at the beginning of your video ( those people never get it from me). Keep em coming 😁
Thanks. We filmed this in Orlando where we are for the moment. The Boquete examples (sidewalks, restaurants, grocery store etc) were filmed in Boquete.
I want to say you guys make great videos. Very informative and I feel like I'm there. What do you think about the Anton Valley area ? Is it a place to consider for retirement? Thanks and God bless you guys.😊
We did a couple days in Valle de Anton. It was a really pretty, lush area. The town was very tiny. Too small for us. But, it had the basics and you're not all that far from Coronado and lots there. The houses we saw were sort of like estates. Lots of land, beautiful homes, etc. It'd be a great place for a quiet relaxed homebody type retirement. At least that was our impression. Only negative was the town core size to us. All the rest, really nice.
We are just starting our research into Panama for retirement, planning a trip in late spring or summer. You mentioned live music. How possible do you think it would be for my husband (a bass player) to connect with other musicians?
Can't speak for all cities, but we met a couple of musicians in Boquete at our first ExPat's happy hour (they have them every week). So it's likely going to be real easy, at least in Boquete.
Barbed wire fence toppings are a traditional Central American architectural feature that you see in a lot of places. They don’t correlate with the crime rate.
I understand that expats do not pay tax in Panama on foreign income (pensions). As an expat with pensionado visa are you required to file a tax return in Panama?
Generally….Both residents and non-residents are required to file taxes in Panama. But unlike other countries, residents and non-residents are only taxed on their Panama-earned income. Foreign-earned income is not taxed in Panama. If you work for an employer that withholds taxes, you do not need to file a tax return, and your taxes will be automatically withheld. But, if you’re self-employed, have multiple jobs without income withheld, or have a more complicated tax situation, you must file a tax return. How much you’ll pay in taxes depends on whether you’re a resident or non-resident. As a rule of thumb, you are considered a resident of Panama if you spend 183 days or more in the country in a calendar year. However, it is worth noting that other factors, such as having a permanent home or center of vital interest in Panama, may also impact your tax residency status. Best to see a Panamanian accountant if you earn income in Panama to be sure on the specifics.
At the moment we're on the road filming in Florida. We sort of bounce between the US, Canada, & Panama and elsewhere for the channel. And of course grandkids and relatives. Probably at some point we'll narrow all those down when the kids hit their teens and start to ignore us : ).
You did the tipping imitation perfectly. Have you been to Starbucks when they turn the card reader around? Best to have coffee in sight before they spit in it.
Is it possible to insert a banner on the screen correcting the statements you made about the shooter being American. He is Panamian who may have had Am citizenship. Thanks!
Unfortunately Keith, once a video is up the only option for change is to take it down completely. It's too bad they don't allow you to simply replace one with another. But it's not possible.
Boquete…. A place I personally wouldn’t recommend to anyone who likes to experience local life. Boquete is run over by North Americans! But I also don’t like gated communities because there live mostly Expats. That’s like tourists who book a resort for 3 weeks, never leave the resort, and tell at home that they were in ….. but only walked from the room to the pools! As a European (originally from Germany) this Expat communities have an absolute negative vibe to me and other Europeans. For years, Europe is trying to integrate foreigners. But in reality, you have: Little Italy. Little Istanbul. Little Jugoslawia. Because all move to their country men! That’s what North Americans do. In my opinion. If you don’t want to deal with local people in other countries, just stay at home. - Prices. Boquete… is very, very expensive! Just a little advice. If someone is driving from Panama City through Panama and like to explore Boquete, book your hotel stay in David. David is only a 30 minute drive away from Boquete but you safe at least $100 per night for the hotel! Buying homes? Americans do NOT use their brains! 1st of all, Expats get ripped off to 90% here in Panama and the worst part? They still think they made a deal. Stop thinking about what it would cost in the Staates or Europe. Just explore what locals would be willing to pay or did pay. The real estate market in Panama is - sorry - f-up! Development areas are 20-30 years old but houses are still being sold as new homes. And you can NOT flip houses. Don’t even think about making profit of selling a house. Most people I met in Panama and tried to sell, said 2 things. 1st: OMG! I lost so much money… 2nd: It took years to get rid of it! - One more thing. I don’t know why people say: An American shot 2 people… 1st. This man was born in PANAMA and is a natural born citizen of Panama. He got later in life a US passport. He has the Panamanian citizenship and US citizenship! People who do watch RU-vid videos and consider to live in Panama should absolutely understand that Panamanians have developed “allergies “ in regards to North Americans, especially Americans. With Americans it’s born out of the history and with Canadians it’s since the mining story what was never properly put in contracts. - And in Panama are certain professions ONLY natural born citizens can do. Like lawyer. And the man who shot the 2 people in Chame is a Panamanian lawyer. And until now, he is not in jail.
Yes...that got cleared up after we shot the video. Hmm, even the dual part seems to have changed from American to British if you have that correct. Sources are so iffy lately.
Definitely. Visitors in Panama do that after seeing that info on the net, but 10% is it. It's sort of funny though for a waiter's reaction. In Panama there's usually no reaction and you can think something's wrong.. We just spent a month in Portugal and 10% there (also norm) gets huge smiles and thank you's. Odd.
@laptopseniors I have been to Greece a few times and the practice seems to be leave the server the rest or round up the bill however note they tack on a charge for bread and butter and sometimes a service charge.
What if you never go back to America/ Do you pay American taxes? retirement is taxed heavily. Even though you already paid taxes on that income. The man who shot those 2 people was born in Panama and lived in America over 17 yrs ago.
USA requires you to file taxes (not necessarily pay given your income/math) every year regardless of where you live.....forever. Unless you give up your citizenship.
You said Amazon does deliver in Boquete. I have hear that Amazon does not deliver in Panama, you have to have it shipped to a forwarder and they will deliver it to you. Which is it? The US is becoming a dictatorship, this country is so FU.
You use mail forwarding services like Mailboxes Etc. They give you a Miami address for Amazon deliveries. The packages are then forwarded to your local branch and you go pick them up. System works very well
NOPE, the person who shot the 2 protestors is NOT an American. He is a Panamanian attorney, born in Panama. And attorneys are one of the protected class of workers in Panama, so of course he's Panamanian. Just because he is "white" doesn't make him American. This video is full of inaccuracies, from the climate in David and Boquete, to the pronunciation of Eritrea, to the prices of food in restaurants, to protests. I'm all for RU-vid videos but step up your game and false information helps no one.
@@ChesterPaulSgroi I posted my comment 4 months ago. Would have to re-watch the video in its entirety, which I'm not going to do. Just know that this video is not reliable. I already pointed out that the man who shot the protesters is Panamanian (you can easily confirm that) and that they mispronounced Eritrea - you can google how to say Eritrea. For food prices, a 12" Subway sandwich costs $5 in Panama City and an avocado costs 50 cents, for example.
As kindly as I can put it Boquete is one of the worst, most racist and corrupt places I ever visited in my life. From the mayor extorting small businesses to the clickish expat community and sky high prices, you would be better off in Colombia.
