But it cannot be denied that Panama has some great real estate investment opportunities as well.
Right now, we have a doozy of an investment opportunity for you!
(Click to See A Solid Puerto Armuelles Investment)
All of our properties are located in the Puerto Armuelles area.
The reason is that Puerto Armuelles is Booming.
The economic climate in Puerto Armuelles has noticeably changed on many fronts.
The Panama government has recently joined the ranks of players that are revitalizing Puerto Armuelles.
Puerto Armuelles is positioned to be the future strategic shipping port and free trade zone for western Panama.
Right now Puerto Armuelles is the 2nd largest city in the very popular Chiriqui province.
It will continue to grow.
Investors are increasingly seen in Puerto Armuelles, looking at both commercial and residential properties.
Photo by Mark Strozier.
Edited: May 22, 2019
Puerto isn' San Francisco and it isn't really gay-friendly, but there is evidence of a surprising level of gay tolerance. Regardless, I would avoid all PDAs.It appears that Puerto has a thriving, albeit small, transvestite scene.
I have lived in Puerto Armuelles Panama for five years now. (This article was originally written in 2012)
Of all the places I've been in Central America, the Panamanian beach town of Puerto Armuelles exhibits a higher level of gay-friendliness or at least gay acceptance than any other place of similar size I've been.
(Note: I've never visited Puerto Vallarta for Spring Break)
Granted, this is Panama. There are still no openly gay politicians.
The long, dark shadow cast by the Catholic Church is just beginning to fade.
However, despite the superficially tough “macho” culture which exists in all of Latin America, Puerto Armuelles seems to have a softer side for its own gays. Gay men, at least.
And, while a person might be described by locals as “the queer guy who works at the market”, or “the gay man who cuts my hair” with no hint of scorn or judgment, you are still not likely to see a gay couple holding hands while walking down the street in Puerto Armuelles (as of early 2012).
I have heard of no similar "gay-friendly" tolerance for lesbians. Although, it isn't completely absent.
For instance, we know a local female doctor who has been living with her "best friend" for about 20 years. It is quite obvious to most people that they are a couple. The situation is not discussed, but it is tacitly acknowledged and tolerated. The same is true of a lawyer we know, although she is based in David.
You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to sleuth out the fact that Puerto Armuelles is somewhat of a magnet for Panama's gays.
Ask any local, and they will tell you, that yes, for some reason Panama's gays are attracted to Puerto Armuelles.
Currently, Puerto Armuelles would not make it onto any list of top gay-friendly places to live. But, if you are gay, and looking for a place to live in Panama, Puerto Armuelles is definitely worth a look.
Mono Feliz is a wonderful, rustic eco-non-resort.
It is located at the very tip of the Punta Burica peninsula, in Panama's Chiriqui Province.
Staying at Mono Feliz is an amazing way to get back to your basic practice of “being”.
You are in a spectacular tropical jungle and at the apparent end of the known world.
Also there is a secret surf spot - actually, more than one.
A Relaxing & Rustic Place To StaySurfing on Punta Burica is very much worth the effort required to get there.
(Mono Feliz is nearly hour and a half drive from Puerto Armuelles, over some pretty rustic dirt roads. Or alternatively, a smoother and pleasant hour long drive on the beach - for most of the drive, but only during low tide.)
I had decided not to bring my surf board to Mono Feliz.
It was the off-season (early March), and the ocean in Puerto Armuelles was about as flat and calm as it is possible for the ocean to be.
Ideal for barefoot waterskiing, I'll bet.
I figured the surf conditions would be the same on Punta Burica as in Puerto Armuelles.
I was wrong.
When we arrived, I was surprised to find quite a bit of wave energy.
Albeit the surf was blown out by the wind.
I spoke to Michael, one of the sons of John (known better as Juancho) and Luzmila, the owners of Mono Feliz.
Michael told me that he and his brothers had been catching good waves lately.
I was surprised to learn that the boys claimed to be able to surf all year long out on the Island (Isla Burica).
Isla Burica is located a few thousand meters off-shore.
Isla Burica is reachable by kayak, surfboard, or in super low tides (-2), one can walk to the island.
At breakfast the first morning, Michael mentioned that they had surfboards for rent.
He invited me to join him for a trip over to the island to surf.
However, this was a family trip for me, not a surf trip.
Also, I seriously doubted that there could be a decent wave on the island, since the rest of the ocean around Punta Burica was as flat as a lake.
(According to the scientists at Magic Seaweed the swell was 1-1/2 feet)
I said no, I wasn't interested in paddling over to the island.
Michael, however did talk me into the lesser adventure of walking down the path five minutes to the nighbor Sean's “surf camp” .
There was reportedly a pretty decent wave at the surf camp as well.
I decided to join him for a short surf session there.
Though the surf was tiny, I was quite impressed with the form of the mini bay/inlet in the rocks in front of the neighbor's house.
It was obvious, from the clean mini lefts and rights peeling over the rocks at either side of the inlet, that this place must absolutely rock during the big wave months from May to December.
Despite the fact that the waves were small, and the thruster I had rented (a 6-2 with not much foam) made it tough to keep up any board speed, I had a fun time riding the small lefts (we were on the left side of the inlet).
I marveled at this ideal surf spot.
Michael, who is only fifteen or sixteen was also a super amiable surf partner.
As we walked back to Mono Feliz, I kept thinking to myself, “If only I had brought my Von Sol Shadow (my favorite fish) along."
Anyway, I reminded myself, this was a family vacation, and not a surf trip.
The following morning at breakfast, we met a couple of Juancho's and Luzmila's older sons.
Myron, who is about twenty five, and Edgar, twenty three.
Aside from really enjoying the good nature of the guys, I was beginning to be intrigued by tales about the surf on the island.
Myron had been away for a couple of days, and he was really eager to surf the island.
Edgar and Myron were enthusiastic to share the Island surfing experience with me.
So I grabbed my rented board, my sunscreen and followed them to the beach where we jumped into a huge, inflatable kayak.
With the three of us paddling, it took ten minutes or so to get to the island.
We beached the boat, and I followed the guys up a steep trail a short distance, before it flattened out, and quickly descended to the other side of the island, probably no more than two or three hundred meters.
As we climbed down through the trees, you could hear, then see the main peak, rising up, a perfect point, breaking left and right.
We got down to the beach, waded out into the water, and paddled out.
I was barefoot.
(I would recommend surf booties, since the rocks are slick and occasionally sharp.)
Myron and Edgar are natives and have super tough feet.
The paddle out was easy, as we were paddling around beside the main peak, and the surf was small.
However, the guys assured me that when the waves are big, they break further out, and there is a great tide rip to whisk one out to the break.
Myron was the first out, and he had already taken off on a couple of waves.
Just as it looked from shore, the wave consisted of a big, almost hollow drop, and then it quickly faded to nothing.
Still, Myron who was on a 5'-8” thruster was able to get down the line pretty well, including a couple of decent slashbacks.
In fact, Myron, who has been surfing the same peak for five years now, continued to take the drop, as far back as possible on the wave, and rode mostly rights for the next couple of hours.
Edgar also got some nice waves.
I hadn't surfed in months, and was on a borrowed board, but still I managed to make the drop and get a way down the line.
At the time I was only thinking about how much fun I was having.
But now I've decided to leave the Von Sol at home and bring my thruster to surf the island next visit.
If this is what the conditions are like when the Pacific Ocean is flat as a pancake, I could only imagine what the surf would be like when Magic Seaweed's buoy reading was say 6 feet, 7 feet, 8ft....
On the paddle back in the inflatable, Myron explained to me that there were a couple of other breaks that the brothers liked to surf, also reachable in the kayak.
You can also rent a fisherman's boat and go about fifteen minutes “around the corner” to the Costa Rican side of Punta Burica.
A place that is rarely surfed.
A place that always has a breaking giant of a wave, just offshore.
Reportedly, during the big wave months, this monster breaks for nearly a kilometer.
I can't remember which way it breaks.
Probably left, since it's on the Pavones side of the point, and the prevailing wave angle is for lefts.
As you can probably tell, I will definitely be going back to Mono Feliz during the swell season (May-December).
But, frankly, since Mono Feliz is so laid back, and there is so much for the kids to do there, I think we will make it a combined surf vacation/family vacation.
Surf in Panama is great.
It is particularly great to have such a wonderful place to surf so close to our home in Puerto Armuelles Panama.
It evolved into a lunch for a small group of ex-pat and Panamanian women (including myself).
We were lucky that Puerto Armuelles newest restaurant, The Watering Hole, opened just the week before.
Just in time for Carnival - and for us.
Unfortunately, the gas line in their kitchen was being installed at the same time as our gathering.
This delayed service and the full menu was not available.
Puerto Armuelles' Gathering of Expat & Panamanian WomenRegardless, it is great to have a new place to eat in Puerto Armuelles.
Amy, formerly a US Marine, owns and operates the restaurant.
Mauro is the chef. Mauro has a great energy and is an excellent cook. (Mauro is also Amy's boyfriend.)
It was wonderful to have an excuse to gather and catch up with folks.
The weather was glorious.
The views of the beach were stellar.
Beach View from The Watering HoleThe fisherman we could see fishing seemed to find it a profitable day as well.
Thank you Liz for making the event happen.
Puerto Armuelles is blessed by Liz's kind-hearted energy and love of people.
Tegus going left in Puerto Armuelles, Panama
Mid flood-tide, beach break, waist to chest high glassy, offshore breeze.
Decent waves for Puerto Armuelles.
I was out on my fish, and I had a bunch of fast little rides; a fine way to start the day.
My favorite surf spot is located a ten minute drive north from the center of town (twelve minutes on a bicycle).
The beach is called Corazon de Jesus. It is a small beach front neighborhood that is becoming popular with expats.
For that reason, it is probably the most surfed beach in town.
Corazon is a beach break, as are most of the local surf spots, with equal numbers of lefts and rights.
The waves there are usually clean, rideable probably about a third of the time in the rainy season.
Right now it is the rainy season.
The ocean in Puerto Armuelles has been know to be flat as a pancake for a solid month during the rainy season.
However, the rainy season is also when we get our south swell.
We have ten days of solid of 3-5 foot “epic” Puerto Armuelles conditions usually once or twice a season.
Guys come from as far away as David (an hour and a half) to catch our ideal surf conditions.
About that time, David's own main break Playa Barqueta is getting pounded by 15 to twenty foot close-out faces. Playa Barqueta has a full-on exposure to a huge Antarctic swell. It is an all -around nasty place to surf with super dangerous currents.
In Puerto Armuelles, under ideal conditions, we are probably riding 8-10 foot faces.
Surfing in Puerto Armuelles (Sarah pictured)The usual situation involves an offshore breeze in the morning that turns to onshore around midday - Except on cloudy days, when the wind never picks up and the surf stays good all day long.
There might be as many as a dozen surfers in town, mostly old gringos, mostly longboarders.
Most of these surfers have lived and surfed in Hawaii, California, or both.
Most of the surfer gringos are busy starting up businesses.
Ah.. Surfing in Puerto (Tegus pictured)(A few of the old guy surfers run the Hooked on Panama fishing lodge. They are often too busy with clients to get out surfing much.
Sometimes, however, they come back to town with fantastic stories about surfing the really big breaks out at the tip of Punta Burica
Punta Burica is about a half hour from town by boat, or an hour and a half by car.
There are witnesses who say the wave out there is huge, hollow, and breaks for almost two kilometers.
For guys who really want to chase big waves from Puerto, you need to drive out of the shadow of Punta Burica.
Punta Burica effectively blocks about eighty percent of the power of the prevailing southwest swell.
Surf in Nearby Pavones1. If you are looking for professional class surf, just hop in your car and drive the two hours to world famous Pavones.
Pavones is on the Costa Rican side of Punta Burica. It hosts some of the most amazing left handed barrels on the planet.
2. You could also charter a local Puerto Armuelles fisherman to run you out to the tip of Punta Burica for the day.
You can decide to stay out on the point with Juancho and Luzmila at Mono Feliz.
In season, you can get into some awsome waves out there.
My wife and daughter travelled all over Panama for three solid months when we first got here in late 2006.
We visited some of the top surf destinations: Santa Catalina in Veraguas Province, Playa Venao and others in Santos Province of the Azuero Peninsula. We have since spent time in Bocas del Toro.
The bottom line was that the best surf destinations had that sort of “cool” surfer vibe that just didn't attract us as a family.
In addition, most of the best surf places were no more than a collection of cabanas, a few restaurants, and lots of bars.
There was no sense of “place” to anywhere we visited.
That is, until we arrived here in Puerto Armuelles.
My wife and I moved from Seattle, Washington.
We did not want to lose the very livable small village lifestyle that Seattle's neighborhoods are so famous for.
Like Seattle, Puerto Armuelles is also composed of distinct and attractive neighborhoods.
Searching for Perfect Family Surf SpotPuerto Armuelles is a highly “liveable” town with an excellent sense of place, and a “good feel” to it.
My decision to become a Puerto Armuelles surfer was a decision to put our family's quality of life ahead of just surfing.
For our family, it was definitely the right decision.
For me, as a surfer, Puerto Armuelles has been a good choice.
P.S. If you are looking for surf conditions in Panama. A good place to look is Magic Seaweed.
November 14, 2011
Carrot Law Outlaws Liquor Sales: 3am-9pmAnd being Panama, there is alot of wiggle room in that law.
Prior to the Carrot Law there was no real restrictions on the sale of liquor in bars.
The "carrot law" states that from 3:00 am in the morning until 9:00 am of that same day, bars and discos, barbecues and grills, cantinas, wineries, and such, will have to close their doors.
However, casinos and hotels do not have to close.
I wonder what a business has to do be considered a casino or a hotel?
I bet a heck a lot of bar owners are thinking that too.
In the meantime, expect the noise level to go up on streets after 3 am.
PS. Don Winner of Panama Guide sleuthed out the significance of the name Ley Zanahorias. A reader emailed it to him as follows:
. . .It is basically called like that because in Colombia the "zanahorios" you can translate it as "carrot people" is a urban term used for people who have a healthy lifestyle, do not drink, do not party etc. therefore the law when passed was given that name. I hope this wikepedia page that will explaining it better to you.
Please comment below.
