Eight days to see the country, eat well, and look at land and houses together: the capital first, then the Pacific coast, then the mountains and the Gulf of Chiriquí.
Dates not setExample: Dec 5–12, 2026Homes capped at $500KFly into Panama City, out of David
Routes follow the main highways roughly. Eastern Panama (Darién) is off the map. Drive times and Google Maps links for each leg are under Getting between stops. On a phone, swipe the map sideways to see all of it.
The trip
One multi-city ticket, two airports
Everyone flies into Panama City (PTY) on Day 1, flies PTY to David (DAV) on Day 4, and flies home from David on Day 8. Booked as a multi-city itinerary, this usually costs less than a round trip plus a separate domestic flight, and nobody backtracks across the country.
Day 1 · Sat Dec 5Panama CityArrive, settle into Casco Viejo, first dinner together.
Day 2 · Sun Dec 6Panama CityPanama Canal at the Miraflores locks, Casco Viejo on foot, Cinta Costera waterfront. Drive through the newer districts (Punta Pacífica, Costa del Este, San Francisco) and, if a broker is free, see one or two apartments.
Day 3 · Mon Dec 7San Carlos, then El ValleDrive west, about an hour and ten minutes, to San Carlos for beach and neighborhoods. Continue to El Valle de Antón for the market, hot springs and the housing. Sleep in El Valle.
Day 4 · Tue Dec 8Fly to DavidDrive from El Valle to Tocumen airport, take a mid-afternoon Copa flight to David, then drive to Boquete (30–40 minutes).
Day 5 · Wed Dec 9BoqueteDowntown, a coffee farm, Alto Boquete neighborhoods with a local broker.
Day 6 · Thu Dec 10Boquete highlandsVolcán Barú area, a hike, second round of listings. Easy day for anyone who wants to skip a property visit.
Day 7 · Fri Dec 11Boca ChicaDrive to the Pacific side (about 1 hour 20 minutes), boat out to the Gulf of Chiriquí islands, look at oceanfront land. Sleep by the water.
Day 8 · Sat Dec 12Fly home from DavidDrive to David, about 45 minutes. Book a late-morning or afternoon flight for margin.
Getting between stops
Each link opens Google Maps with that leg filled in, so you can see the live route and current traffic. Times marked "est." are my estimates, not map readings.
Each person searches the same shape from their home airport: Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Dallas or Austin to PTY on Day 1; PTY to DAV on Day 4; DAV to home on Day 8.
Pick the same Day 4 flight so the group travels together.
Copa flies to David from Tocumen, the main airport. Air Panama flies from the smaller Albrook airport in the city, which means a cross-town transfer. Copa is usually cheaper.
An example search from Fort Lauderdale (Dec 5, Dec 10, Dec 16) priced the whole trip at about $535 on Copa and United. Treat that as a reference point, since fares move.
Dallas and Austin travelers may connect through Houston or another hub. Compare nonstop and one-stop options early.
Packing and comfort
Carry-on only works well here. Domestic bag rules are tighter than international.
Pack for two climates: light and hot on the coast, a rain jacket and a warm layer for Boquete and El Valle.
Tall travelers should pick exit rows or extra-legroom seats when booking. Seats fill early.
Rent an SUV in David for the Chiriquí days. Roads to the highlands and Boca Chica are paved.
When to go
The dry season runs roughly mid-December to April, so a December trip catches its start and later dates are drier.
Coastal highs run roughly 77–90°F. The highlands run roughly 59–75°F with a fine mountain mist the locals call bajareque.
The US State Department notes more residential break-ins around the holidays. If dates are flexible, early to mid-January avoids both the holiday crowds and that window.
Dates are open. The Dec 5–12 schedule is an example. Shift every day together if the group picks different dates, and keep the same order.
Places and prices
Where we will look
Listings below are homes and land at $500,000 or under, posted in 2026, collected October 2026. They exist to show what money buys in each area. Some will sell before the trip, so confirm availability with the listing agent.
Panama City
Casco Viejo is the UNESCO-listed old quarter, founded in 1673, with the most walkable streets, restaurants and short-term rental demand. Punta Pacífica and Costa del Este are the modern towers on reclaimed land along the bay.
Role
Orientation, banking, hospitals, airport
Rents
2-bedroom apartments roughly $800–$2,000 a month depending on neighborhood
A calm Pacific beach town about an hour and ten minutes from the city, a quieter alternative to nearby Coronado. Many homes sit inside gated beach communities such as Costa Esmeralda and Punta Barco, so ask brokers about houses in and around the village itself.
A mountain town about 600 meters up, inside an old volcanic crater, under two hours from the city. Cool nights, a Sunday market, hot springs and hiking. It is a weekend retreat for many Panama City families.
A coffee-growing highland town 30–40 minutes from David with the most established foreign community in the country. Alto Boquete, Los Naranjos and Volcancito Village are the areas that come up most. Gated communities charge monthly fees of roughly $120–$150 in the examples below.
The launch point for island trips, sport fishing and snorkeling, about 45 minutes from David and 1 hour 20 minutes from Boquete. Oceanfront here mostly prices above a $500K cap, so Day 7 is mainly to see the coast and ask what exists below the cap, including land.
Feel
Quiet, boats, low density
Check
Titled land only. Many islands carry possession rights
Written for people who are curious, not yet sold. Where a number comes from a broker or expat site, treat it as a starting point and verify it with an attorney or an official source.
TopicPanamaCompared with the US
Weather
Panama
Two seasons, not four. Dry from about mid-December through April, rainy from May to December. Coasts stay hot year-round, roughly 77–90°F. Boquete and El Valle sit in the cool range of roughly 59–75°F. The Caribbean side, including Bocas del Toro, is wetter.
Compared with the US
Far less seasonal swing and no winters to shovel. The tradeoff is humidity and daily afternoon rain in the green season. The beach and the mountains are an hour or two apart, which few US regions offer.
Taxes
Panama
Territorial system: only income earned in Panama is taxed. Foreign salary, pensions, investment income and rent from property abroad are not taxed there. Panama-source corporate income pays 25%. There is no estate, inheritance or gift tax. Property tax exempts the first $120,000 of value for a primary residence, and new construction can carry exemptions of up to 20 years on the building.
Compared with the US
US citizens owe US tax on worldwide income no matter where they live, and Panama has no income tax treaty with the US. Rent from a Panama property is Panama-source income. A Panama corporation owned by a US person must be reported to the IRS. Get a cross-border CPA before buying.
Population
Panama
About 4.6 million people in 2026, roughly the size of Louisiana. Most live around the canal. A second cluster sits in the far west around David.
Compared with the US
The US has roughly 340 million. Panama feels like a small country where one introduction reaches everyone: brokers, lawyers, doctors and officials know each other.
Security
Panama
The State Department rates Panama Level 2, "exercise increased caution," for crime and civil unrest. Theft and residential break-ins are the common problems, more often around the holidays. It says do not travel to the remote Mosquito Gulf stretch of the north coast or to parts of Darién, and none of this itinerary goes near either. Large urban areas, including Chiriquí's, have the higher crime rates.
Compared with the US
Crime in both countries depends heavily on neighborhood. In Panama the practical answer is a secured property: a gated community, a caretaker, good locks and insurance. Demonstrations occasionally disrupt travel and supply, so keep a few days of slack on any critical trip.
Language
Panama
Spanish is the national language. English is common in Panama City private hospitals, hotels and business, and in Boquete's foreign community. Outside those, expect Spanish. Bocas del Toro and Colón also have a long-standing English-speaking Caribbean community.
Compared with the US
You can get by on English in the places this trip visits. Contracts, utilities, permits and neighbors run in Spanish, so budget for a translator at closing and for lessons if anyone plans to live there.
Business owners and work
Panama
Foreigners can start and run businesses without limits. Working remotely for a foreign employer is untaxed in Panama because the income is foreign-source. Several residency routes tie to investment: sources currently cite about $200,000 in real estate for the Friendly Nations visa (the US is eligible) and $300,000 in real estate for the Qualified Investor visa, which grants permanent residency directly. Those thresholds have changed several times. Unemployment is about 7.7% and the informal workforce is large.
Compared with the US
Ask a Panamanian attorney how hiring local staff and work permits for foreigners are handled before planning a business. Panama also offers a pensioner visa for people with a pension of at least $1,000 a month, plus $250 for a spouse.
Health care
Panama
Two systems. Public care (CSS and MINSA) is nearly free but slow. Private care is what expats use. Hospital Punta Pacífica in Panama City is affiliated with Johns Hopkins International and is the only JCI-accredited hospital in the country. Private care runs roughly 40–60% below North American prices, many doctors speak English, and private hospitals often want payment up front. David has private hospitals too. Ask what care is close to Boquete or San Carlos before choosing either as a full-time home.
Compared with the US
Lower prices and shorter waits, but US Medicare generally does not pay abroad, so plan on international or local private insurance. An older source put a general doctor visit at $30–$50 and a specialist at $75–$100. Check current rates. Private hospital rooms are quoted at $150–$500 a day.
Economy
Panama
The US dollar is legal tender and has been since 1904, so there is no currency risk for US buyers. The economy runs on the canal, ports, logistics, banking and tourism. It grew 5.5% in the first half of 2026, led by canal revenue and Tocumen airport traffic. The Cobre Panamá mine closure in 2023 slowed growth for a while. Poverty is around 19%.
Compared with the US
A small services economy tied to global shipping, with fast growth and gaps between city and countryside. Cost of living varies a lot by area, so get a real monthly budget from residents in each place we visit.
Property rules
Panama
Foreigners hold the same property rights as citizens, with limits near borders and on some islands. Titled land is recorded in the Public Registry and can be mortgaged. Rights of Possession are not full title and cannot be mortgaged. There is no title insurance, so a lawyer checks the registry certificate, liens, boundaries and unpaid taxes. Panamanian banks do lend to foreigners.
Compared with the US
The process is simpler than people fear, but the safeguards are different. Buy titled property, hire your own attorney (not the seller's or broker's), and expect closings to take weeks to months.
Other things worth knowing
Panama
Panama City is Copa's hub, so nonstop flights reach most of the Americas. Panama stays on one time zone all year with no daylight saving time. Cloud forest, whale watching, Gulf of Chiriquí diving and Coiba National Park are all within a few hours of David.
Compared with the US
Tocumen's hub role means one-stop connections to most US cities, so owners can come and go without a long travel day. Check current schedules for your home airport.
Owning together
One property, several households
The idea: a house, a few cabins on a plot, or a rental building owned jointly. Some owners live there most of the year, others come for a season, and the property earns rent while it sits empty. It can work well and it can go badly. The difference is mostly paperwork written before anyone sends money.
Three shapes
Income property. A Casco Viejo apartment or a San Carlos house run as a short-term rental, with a manager and a calendar for owner stays.
Shared plot. A parcel in El Valle or San Carlos with a main house and casitas. Each household uses its own space and shares land costs.
Full-time and seasonal mix. One or two households live there year-round, which gives the property a caretaker, and the rest come for weeks or months.
How people usually hold it
A Panamanian corporation (S.A.) owns the titled property and the owners hold shares. A shareholders' agreement sets the rules.
A foundation or a Panama trust is another route attorneys raise for family arrangements, and Panama has no inheritance tax. Ask which fits.
A corporation has ongoing fees, at least $300 a year, plus IRS reporting for US owners.
Ask whether a partial share counts toward a residency visa threshold. Rules differ by program.
What the agreement should settle
Who pays what, and how the reserve fund is built.
How the calendar works: weeks per owner, holidays, guest rules.
What happens if someone wants out, dies, divorces or stops paying.
Who manages the rentals and who decides on repairs.
Whether the community allows short-term rentals. Some HOAs do not.
Rough split calculator
Enter a listing price and a number of owners to see the share each household would put in. The fee and monthly cost fields hold placeholder numbers. Replace them with real quotes from an attorney and from the community.
Upfront per household$0
Monthly per household$0
Whole project, upfront$0
Near a residency threshold?–
Decisions
What we need to settle
Pick dates. Confirm the trip window, then everyone books the same Day 1 and Day 4 flights.
Confirm who is in. A headcount decides whether we book a house or several rooms, and how many cars.
Decide what each household wants. Full-time, seasonal, or only the income. This shapes which areas and property types make sense.
Set one budget. Cap per property, and how much each household can commit.
Line up an attorney and one broker per region (Panama City, San Carlos or El Valle, Boquete) before arriving, so Day 2, 3, 5 and 7 have appointments.
Talk to a US cross-border CPA about reporting and how Panama income is treated.