Bougainvilleas in El Valle
In January, 2010, we visited Panama. We spent a couple of days in Panama City, a day in the Gamboa area of the Canal, and five days in the small town of El Valle (officially El Valle de Anton). El Valle is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Central America. The town sits in the crater of an extinct volcano that blew its top some 3 million years ago. Hence, the town is situated in a valley with the cloud-forested rim of the crater encircling it. The town itself is lovely, thanks to a number of gorgeous homes and many flowers.
Much of the population is of modest means, similar to residents of other rural areas in Panama. Those who have jobs clean homes, work at the chicken ranches in the hills, operate tourist attractions, or are employed by the hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. There is a thriving ex-pat population numbering close to 200, and the rest of the population are wealthy Panamanians, most of whom live and work in Panama City and come to El Valle on weekends and holidays.
Beautiful El Valle, Panama
The wealthy Panamanians are a curse and a blessing. They create havoc when they are in town (filling swimming pools can exhaust the town’s water supply), yet they ensure that the town’s infrastructure is better than that of most of rural Panama. For instance, when a side street falls into disrepair and the government is slow or unable to fix it, they use their influence or “pass the hat” to bring the street into usable condition.
Although the town population is small (pop. 6900), it is surprisingly spread out. I’ve seen tour books that suggest you can walk to restaurants and El Valle attractions. Perhaps; if you are young and athletic. For the rest of us, a rental car is a necessity. There are some very nice restaurants on Avenue Central, the main street in town. They range from simple open-air places with good Panamanian food to the fancier eateries frequented by tourists and ex-pats. The more upscale restaurants with outdoor dining and great views are at the edge of town along the sides of the crater to afford panoramic views of the valley.
Massiel restaurant in El Valle
Another misconception fostered by tour books and real estate salespeople is that English is widely spoken. Outside of Panama (City), don’t expect to encounter English spoken except by some in the tourism industry. Nonetheless, the people are extremely friendly and go out of their way to help you. I remember the proprietor of the Massiel restaurant in El Valle valiantly trying to explain items on his menu with his well-worn Spanish-English dictionary in his hand. I’m not sure I got what I thought I ordered, but the meal was great and the staff was SO friendly.
If you are interested in tourist attractions in El Valle, I recommend picking up a travel book like Moon Panama (Moon Handbooks)
Pool & Terrace at Golden Frog Inn
We stayed at the Golden Frog Inn, so named for the area’s Golden Frogs, whose numbers have been diminished by a fungal plague to a few being cared for at a rescue center next to the zoo. The Golden Frog Inn was in a quiet part of El Valle on the side of the crater, with a superb view of the surrounding hills.
Sunsets from the porch at happy hour were to die for. The owners, manager, and staff made our stay there a pleasant one. Becky, the owner and a former resident of the US Northwest, was a tremendous resource and helped me learn about living in Panama, and in El Valle in particular. She arranged for Linda and I to attend an informal gathering of ex-pats at a home in El Valle, where I had the privilege to speak with several North Americans who had made their home in El Valle.
Golden Frog Inn Sunset
Although they had a variety of reasons for deciding to make their home in another country, the main reasons for living in El Valle were the beauty, people, and climate. From the crater to the pretty town streets, El Valle delights. At 2500 feet above sea level, it was decidedly cooler than the lowlands and Panama City. The ex-pats have created a vibrant community here, becoming involved in many civic activities like recycling, spay-and-neuter campaigns, and more, making the town a better place to live. They stay in touch via phones and the Internet. I became convinced that El Valle might be a great place to retire. Real estate is fairly expensive here, but the cost of living is low by American standards. The climate is near perfect, the scenery breathtaking, and the community inviting. The most modern Central American city is 2 hours away: far enough, but not too far. There you can find everything a thriving city offers, including cultural centers, a large business community, modern hospitals, quality healthcare at a fraction of American costs, restaurants, clubs, marinas, and so much more, with the Panama Canal as both an attraction and a promising economic future for this country.
Is El Valle a best place to retire? Perhaps; but consider that real estate is pricey, it is in a rural region of the country, and there are many cultural differences you need to consider. As several residents told me, “It’s not for everyone.” To become more informed about those cultural differences, please read about Tropical Retirement here on our website.
