Anyone reading this has probably heard of Boquete, and the many accolades it has received from one of several publications proclaiming Boquete as one of, if not THE world’s best places to retire. This might be true, but that viewpoint is only half of the big picture. Boquete is NOT exclusively a haven for retired foreigners.
I just celebrated my eighth year of living full time in Boquete, Panamá, and I have witnessed a lot of changes. You see, I do not fit into the typical demographic of foreign retirees....When I arrived those eight years ago with nothing but a backpack and a laptop with no intention of calling Boquete home for as long as I have, I initially felt a little out of place within the demographic of foreigners who were mainly North American, European, and Latino retirees. As a person between the ages of 30 and 45, I am far from being retired. Still, I made many friends with retired foreigners, as well as Panamánians of all ages, and the odd foreigner here and there that happened to be close to my age and with similar interests.
In the past few years, my clientele has very noticeably changed. Right now, roughly 50% of people I meet with who are investigating the possibility of investing in, and/or relocating to Boquete and its surrounding areas are under the age of 55.
Many of our clients have discovered that they are able to work remotely thanks to ever-increasing technological advances. Others have created self-sustainable lifestyles that include entire families living and working their own farms. Young families are more prevalent as well, and I have some friends who choose home-schooling, and others who send their kids to bilingual schools.
Boquete is a paradise for those who enjoy the outdoors as well, and with the younger crowd, activities such as rock climbing or white river rafting are easy to access and enjoy…I realize I need to be a little careful with my assessment of age-related activity, since it was pointed out to me on my zip-line adventure a few weeks ago that the oldest person to take the tour was a 97 year old man!
So, Boquete has something for everyone regardless of age, economic status, country of origin, level of physical activity, etc. Boquete is NOT exclusively a retiree town. I am proud to call Boquete my home, and I enjoy all of the friends I have made here, from 3 years of age up to 90!
Feel free to contact me for questions about living in Boquete, Panamá at Boquetepanamarealestate1@gmail.com.
Photo credits: All rock climbing and slack lining photos by Christian Schriefer of Monolight (www.christianschriefer.com) featuring Cesar A. Melendez, Boquete’s local professional rock climbing guide (www.panamarockclimbing.com). Rafting photo courtesy of Boquete Outdoor Adventures.