The fourth in a series of articles comparing Central America’s two leading expat and retiree destinations.  Costa Rica is the more established of the two, but Panama is the upstart new kid on the block with a full head of steam and a pocket full of dollars.  Who will come out on top? Read more and find out.

Click here for Round 1: Retirement Benefits

Click here for Round 2: Climate

Click here for Round 3: People and Culture

Round 4: Things to do

If you are going to pack up (or sell) everything and move to Central America, you might as well go somewhere where there is stuff to do; after all, you can only sit on the porch and drink so many margaritas before it becomes mundane (or does it…).  In this matchup, the cultural and outdoor activities of each country are looked at and a winner decided.  Round four, begin!

Note: While sitting on the beach all day is fun, it can be done in both countries with equal laziness. Thus, beachbumming does not count as an activity.

Costa Rica

Expats, retirees, and tourists wouldn’t have been flocking to CR for two decades if all there was to do was sit on the beach all day.  For a tiny country, Costa Rica boasts a huge array of attractions that can keep the average gringo busy for months, if not years.  Here are a few top picks, both in outdoor activities and cultural discoveries.

Into the wild:

1. Arenal volcano- Yeah, its been exploited more than Macauley Caulkin, but Arenal still is one of Costa Rica’s most impressive, and easily accessible, natural attraction.  Not only does lava commonly spurt from the top, but the surrounding area is popular for hiking, fishing, and canopy tours.

2. White water rafting- This is some intense stuff. The #1 river to raft is the Pacuare River, which not only offers a rush of adrenaline but also a chance to see virgin rainforest up close, without the mosquito bites.

3. Parque Corcovado.  It would be a sin to leave out Corcovado from any list.  This is the absolute best place in Central America to immerse oneself in the rainforest without going “Man vs Wild” Bear Grylls-style.  Far enough from the tourist trail but still within civilization, the park offers unparalleled access to plants and animals in their natural habitat.  And the hiking isn’t all that difficult.

Whats a Tico, anyway?

1. San Jose museums and opera house- not many travellers or expats spend much time in the capital, but the gold and jade museums, along with the Belgian/Italian designed opera house, are worth checking out to get some background on Costa Rica’s long history.

2. Grana de oro- Coffee is big time in CR, and even non-fans of the stuff (like me) will find the coffee regions intrguing.  The process, the climate, the scenery, plus the opportunity to taste and buy some of the “gold grain”

3. Craft shopping- Even the guys out there will enjoy this, as every manpad (or dining room…) should have at least one piece of badass foreign art that you can tell your friends about.  Despite not having a gloried pre-Colombian past, the country boasts some excellent handmade crafts, from pottery and dolls to colorful oxcarts, that are available for a fraction of what you would pay for them in North America.

While it can sometimes feel like you are being led around by the hand by tour guides and its often hard to go five minutes without seeing a fellow gringo, Costa Rica has a ton of activitis to offer, too many to list here.  The infrastructure is top notch, making even the novice traveler or expat feel comfortable.

Panama

In a country that is still being discovered by gringos, Panama has some really cool stuff for the expat, retiree, and tourist alike.

Into the wild:

1. Wildlife viewing- Rainforests and cloudforests dominate Panama, so there is no lack of opportunity to get out and see some nature.  The famed Pipeline Road is close to the capital in the Soberania Park and is great for birdwatching, and the Baru National Park in Chiriqui is well known for its Quetzal birds.

2. Tree canopy adventures- scattered in forests throughout the country, these “rides” consist of a person being harnessed and attached to a zipline, then literally flying around the forest canopy from one platform to another.  Really cool, safe, and a total adrenaline rush.

3. Diving and snokeling- Get off the beach and into the water.  Around Portobello, Isla Grande has well-established dive programs and Bocas del Toro offers some untouched diving spots.

The canal and more

1. Panama Canal- Every tourist, expat, and retiree should see the canal in action at least once.  Not only is it really a remarkable feat of engineering, but also a big part of each Panamanian; a true source of pride.  If possible, book a trip from the Pacific to the Caribbean or vice-versa.

2. Portobello- Steeped in history, this Caribbean town was once one of the most important cities in the Western hemisphere.  Some of the most famous pirates fought brutal campaigns in and around the town, and the ruins are quite amazing and the tourist infrastrure well set up.

3. Go native- Panama boasts some pretty unique and accessible indigenous tribes, each one being different in some way, beit customs or language.  The Embera people mainly inhabit the dangerous Darien forest along the border with Colombia, but a few communities have made their way to the Chagres River by the canal area and welcome visitors daily.  Along the Caribbean coast, the Kuna people make their home among the 400 islands of San Blas, so visitors are treated to an incredible setting as well as indigenous customs.

Round 4 winner: Costa Rica. This was a close one, but Costa Rica’s far superior infrasture gives it the edge.  While this might not appeal to everyone, CR is just more accessable than Panama; however, given the right oversight Panama could easily equal, or even surpass, Costa Rica in terms of cool things to do. And man, Corcovado just plain rocks. Score: Costa Rica: 2, Panama: 1, 1 tie

Voice your opinion below.  Agree, disagree, or have additional info thats been left out?  We want to hear from you…

The third in a series of articles comparing Central America’s two leading expat and retiree destinations.  Costa Rica is the more established of the two, but Panama is the upstart new kid on the block with a full head of steam and a pocket full of dollars.  Who will come out on top? Read more and find out.

Click here for Round 1: Retirement Benefits

Click here for Round 2: Climate

Click here for Round 4: Things To Do

Round 3: People and Culture

If you are going to relocate, either as an expat or retiree, its important to know what your neighbors will be like.  Considering that most prospective expats and retirees don’t want to live in a country full of jerks, this article takes a look at the culture and people in both countries and determines a winner.  Round 3, begin!

Note: These are generalizations and not meant to include every citizen.  Also, food will be covered in another article.
Costa Rica

The oft-repeated generalization is that Costa Rica, in fact, has no culture.  This is impossible; even a land of brain-eating zombies have a culture of, well, eating brains.  The Ticos certainly do have a culture, albeit not as impressive as the Mayan-rich countries to the north.  And if culture is defined by recent social and political instability, then I think most Costa Ricans would be more than happy to have little of it.

CR is definitely the whiter of the two countries, with 97% of the population classifying themselves as white or mestizo.  Some Ticos will claim that there isn’t racism in the country, which is easy to say when you never really see Afro-Caribbeans or pure indigenous people.  In fact, Afro-Caribbeans were not allowed to leave the Limón province until 1949 (however, the U.S. had some pretty draconian racial laws at this time as well).  But alas it is the 21st century and for the most part all is well.

Ticos are generally conservative people who for the most part shun the weird and bizarre.  Additionally, they shy away from debate in an almost offensive manner as to, ironically, not offend anyone.  Perhaps that is the Central American key to political stability: don’t talk about politics, don’t stir the pot.  They will, however, do whatever they can to impress their guests and are extremely amiable.

Religiously, Costa Rica is a dominantly Catholic country.  However, the church does not have the kind of power or influence it does with CR’s neighbors; many Ticos claim to be Catholic but practice it more as a tradition than a lifestyle.  A crucial part of the country’s culture is its strong middle class, something of an oddity in Latin America.  It acts as a sort of homogenizing ease between the poor (yes, Costa Rica has poor people despite claims to the contrary) and the rich elite, smoothing over tensions by giving the poor an feasible economic ladder to climb.  Thus, coupled by the fact that the country has no army and no military budget, is the reason why the school, medical, and road systems are developed.

Summing up, Ticos are smart, kind people who wish to leave a good impression on visitors.  While this makes for a great vacation and you know your neighbors will be peaceful folks who invite you over for sunset dinners, the general disdain for healthy debate takes some of the spark out of conversation

Panama

Panamanians must be split up into two groups: those living in the capital, and everyone else.  Just about every city-dweller in the world makes fun of, looks down on, or thinks less of the hicks, rednecks, countryfolk, farmboys, etc etc that live outside the metropolis’ limits.  But the inhabitants of Panama City seem to have an indignation, nearly reaching hatred status, of everyone else in the country.  Once, when telling a Panama City friend of mine that I was going to go to the rainforests to the west of the city, he became perplexed and responded simply with “Why would you want to go there?”.  PCity is the place to be; if you don’t live there, then you haven’t made it to the top yet.  Thus the snobbish attitude that many capital residents have and the reason why two groups must be made when looking at the people and culture of the country.

Whereas Costa Rica is very, very white, Panama is a melting pot of races and cultures.  A healthy population of Afro-Panamanians, as well as several indigenous communities, inject a good deal of diversity into the country.  Additionally, the canal project and subsequent international trade has brought sizable enclaves of Chinese, Koreans, and Indians to the capital.  The diverse crowd, along with prosperous economic times, makes racism a mute point, although it does exist.

The Panamanian attitude, especially in the capital, is a combination of New Orleans’ “let the good times roll” and Las Vegas extravagance. The new found wealth that the canal and international banking have brought has fostered a forward-thinking capitalistic society that could care less about the past; in fact, I had a Panamanian history and culture professor in Panama City tell me that history is pretty much irrelevant and can even be a hindrance.Panamanians can be a bit more closed off than their Tico counterparts, but once the initial ice is broken they are as inviting as any culture.  They love to talk about anything, which is perhaps a vestige from their Colombian roots.  However, the wealthy elite, who are growing in number, can be a bit prudish and flashy.

Round 3 Winner: TIE.  While their timidity and political disassociation can get a bit annoying at times, the Tico’s welcoming vibes are irresistible and definitely add to the charm of the country.  Also, their predominately European heritage makes them unique in Central America.  Panamanians love a good party and are cool people, but the initial closed circles and penchant for the uber-rich to flash money around is a turnoff.  But the diverse racial mix of the country, including several indigenous groups and the Afro-Panamanians on the Caribbean coast, make up for any big-spending showboaters.

The second in a series of articles comparing Central America’s two leading expat and retiree destinations.  Costa Rica is the more established of the two, but Panama is the upstart new kid on the block with a full head of steam and a pocket full of dollars.  Who will come out on top? Read more and find out.

Click here for Round 1: Retirement Benefits

Click here for Round 3: People and Culture

Click here for Round 4: Things To Do

Round 2: Climate

A major consideration for any prospective retiree or expat wanting to relocate to Central America is climate.  No where in the U.S. or Europe does the climate change so rapidly, even within an hour or two by car.  Let’s take a look at the climates in each country and see who comes out on top.  Round 2, begin!

Panama

What happens when decide to build your capital city in the rainforest?  A metropolis that is hot as hell.  That’s precisely what Panama (well, the Spaniards) did and the result is a swealtering, humid city where it is impossible to stay dry, especially if you are a gringo.  That, coupled with the Panama City penchant for always wearing collared shirts and suits, and it is nearly impossible not to sweat out every toxin in your body.  I lived there, and needed a shower after my walk to the university at 7:30 in the morning.

Outside of the city things change dramatically.  The coasts, especially the Pacific, enjoy a nice ocean breeze that keeps things comfortable, and this is where many foreigners spend much of their time.  The rainforest – and Panama certainly has a lot of it – is hot, muggy, and wet (duh) but I found it to actually be cooler than the burning concrete of the capital.  Conversely, the awesome Azuero Peninsula is much like southern Spain: hot and arid.

The mountains, of course, are much more temperate.  Thus the reason Boquete feels like a suburb of a U.S. city.  El Valle de Anton is also a quaint mountain hamlet within striking distance of Panama City  But Panama just doesn’t have the mountains that Costa Rica does.

Costa Rica

There is a reason Costa Rica has been the expat and retiree haven for 30 years.  The climate is quite incredible, extremely diverse, and for the most part predictable.  The rainforests are hot and sticky, which of course is what makes them rainforests.  The central mountains (including San Jose) are cool year round (60′s and 70′s) with moderate rainfall, providing the climate needed to produce the famous coffee.  The nights are cool here and light jackets are fashionable.  The beaches, like Panama’s, benefit from the seabreeze; however, the Caribbean can get sweltering and it can rain like hell.

Round Two Winner: Costa Rica.  While Panama City may rule in terms of nightlife, diversity, and commerce, its like an oven.  An oven with a rainforest in it.  San Jose’s mild climate and close proximity to rainforests and beaches gives it the edge in terms of climate.  The mere fact that Costa Rica has more mountains, thus a milder climate, makes it the winner in round two.

Voice your opinion below.  Agree, disagree, or have additional info thats been left out?  We want to hear from you…