Читать книгу Cashing In On a Second Home in Central America: How to Buy, Rent and Profit in the World's Bargain Zone - Tom Hammond Kelly - Страница 20

While Panama City is surrounded on all sides by water, there are no real beaches. This is due in part to tides and pollution (which will be addressed by a multimillion-dollar clean-up effort in the future by the government of Panama). If you want to live on the beach and still make day trips to Panama City, the area prime for development is the Pacific beach corridor 60 to 90 miles west from Coronado to the former Rio Hato Air Force Base. This region is referred to by some as the Costa Blanca and by others as the Arco Seco, or Dry Arc of Panama, named for its infrequent rains in the summer months that can pour on nearby Panama City. This coastal area begins at Coronado, an upscale beach area popular with Panama City residents, which is built up with single-family residences, condos and other services.

Further up the coast, several new projects on the ocean offer anything to match taste and budget. This is an area that is still a work in progress, so don’t expect to find the amenities that you would find in Panama City (two hours away via divided highway). The ocean here is cleaner than in Panama City, but it comes with often treacherous waves and periodic dramatic tides.

A few all-inclusive resorts cater to tourists, and the master-planned communities are spectacular for anyone looking for oceanfront living. Developments such as Vista Mar and Buenaventura boast world-class golf courses, oceanfront homes at amazing prices, and landscaping, ambience and development that give them an upscale feel. As in many locations in Panama, the heat and humidity can be intense, but this is your best bet for oceanfront living within a manageable drive to Panama City. The surrounding topography is varied and diverse, with interesting small villages tucked away in the mountains. A drive up the mountains takes you to a cooler climate, with several developments taking shape that cater to second-home buyers. An area called Valle de Anton is especially interesting and charming. It features a weekend craft market that draws in day trippers and tourists from Panama City. This area offers outstanding beauty in a mountain setting with easy access to the beach and Panama City. The 2-hour drive to Panama City is the downside. In the coming years, this region will have more ample shopping and services but, in the meantime, it is limited.