Daytrips
In Panama
Looking At Real Estate And Passing Through
Colon
Page One ~ By Matthew
Atlee
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| Chumico
It was a Sunday
and I hadn’t slept well the night before so my stomach was upset. My friend
Cef was scheduled to arrive at 8:00a.m. and he arrived on time. We were
heading to a place called Chumico to visit his friend Raphael who has a
wonderful little place by a private beach on Panama’s Pacific Coast. A
trip to the beach was a welcome respite: I needed some sun and sea air
to put a little life back into me after three-weeks of being trapped in
fumey Panama City. The neighborhood where I live is located almost directly
below the Bridge of Americas, the bridge that connects South America and
North America and spans across the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal,
so driving to the beach is a quick ride: about an hour to the west. We
drove over the bridge and began to pass the small-suburban towns of La
Chorrera and Arrijan; these towns, which are nothing to look at but have
life, have grown over the last few years as people from Panama City migrate
to the suburban areas where life is less expensive and the crowds and pollution
lighter. If you like fishing then you should pass through these towns and
find out where you can rent a boat to take you out on Lake Gatun. The lake
has some of the best fresh-water fishing in the world. If you find a boat-dock
on the lake you can normally hire someone to take you out fishing.
After passing
the suburban towns of western Panama, the excellent two-lane highway weaves
up through the hills of La Compana and down into the mangrove swamps that
end where the beaches begin. When you arrive in Panama City if you look
to the west beyond the Bridge of Americas you will see some high mountains;
this is La Compana National Park; it’s a great place to go hiking: the
hills are cool and the air fresh and it is only 30 minutes from the city.
This is a good place to see cool orchids and the famous golden frogs of
Panama. |
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| The entrance
to Raphael's house. The property has 9, 235 square-meters. |
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The first
beach you arrive to after crossing over the mountains of La Compana is
Punta Chame. Located on the point of a peninsula, the entrance for Punta
Chame is clearly marked: from the highway to the beach is another hour,
but the beaches on the point are some of the cleanest and least visited
in Panama. There is also an orchid plantation on the peninsula that should
be visited. In addition, there is a small island off Punta Chame known
as John Wayne Island or better known to the locals as Isla Taborcillo.
John Wayne liked Panama and bought the island of Taborcillo as a retreat.
The island has a little town with a sheriff station as a postal office
and the theme of the island is American Cowboy: interesting for a tropical
island. If you spend enough time in Panama you hear stories about John
Wayne: he liked to drink with General Omar Torrijos, he was involved in
a shrimp business, but what he did on his island seems to lie in shadows
and few people can tell you much about John Wayne in Panama.
| The house
has two-bedrooms, a large bathroom and large living and dining rooms and
back terrace. |
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The
drive to Chumico from Punta Chame was short and we arrived to Raphael's
house by late morning. The road leading into Raphael's house was about
a half a mile long and there were a few houses dotted along the dry landscape.
We arrived to Raphael's house and he and his wife Mimi met us in front
of the house and we sat down and had drinks and enjoyed the beauty of the
grounds. The beach is located in front of the property and can be reached
by walking down a steep flight of steps. The beach is open and very private
with few people: during the visit I saw only four or five people on the
beach. There are few houses along this stretch of coastline and the few
houses that do exist are set far back from the coast. Rapheal's property
stretches from the cliffs above to the beach below and at the bottom of
his property, near the ocean, there is a small woods that at one time was
located next to a river that ran along the back of the beach.
The house has
a beautiful view of the ocean and the back terrace has been done with stone
and tile. The terrace is large and the backyard which stretches out from
the terrace could be used to extend the house to the sea cliffs. The front
yard is also large and is planted with bamboo and tropical plants. The
property could be easily turned into a small resort or beach-front inn.
The house is small but has two nice-sized bedrooms, a full bathroom and
living and dining room areas. The kitchen is a walk in, but is certainly
large enough for the beach. The atmosphere at the house is very relaxed
and there is great privacy as the neighbors are located a great distance
from the property. The wildlife is wonderful: I saw a number of exotic
birds. Water and electricity are not a problem and there is telephone and
Direct T.V. Internet would be expensive here as you would have to pay for
the phone call, but I have heard that cheaper intenet connections will
be available in the near future.
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Not far from
Chumico there is a large modern supermarket, a couple of nightclubs, golf
course and other wonderful beaches to explore. The coastline on Panama's
Pacific Ocean has a number of unexplored beaches and this would be a good
spot from which to explore the surrounding area. .
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mountain town of El Valle is located near Chumico and is a nice place to
make a day trip to. El Valle has a small market where you can by goods
from the indian communities that live in the nearby hills. Also there are
a number of small inns and hotels in the town of El Valle and a Saturday
afternoon and Saturday night up in the mountains of El Valle is a healthy
experience. The air is cool at night and the town is a very nice place
to walk around and look at different exotic plants; the town also has a
small zoo which can be visited with no hassles. There is also a waterfall
and some locals have set up a canopy tour that takes you through the trees
near the waterfall. There are also thermal baths in the town and you can
go and relax in the warm waters. When you visit El Valle ask the locals
about the sleeping indian up on the mountain: the hills form what looks
to be a sleeping indian. The ride back to Chumico doesn't take long and
this contrast of sea side and mountains is nice and you feel well after
diving in the ocean, exploring the mountains and sleeping near the Pacific
Ocean, with its warm breezes.
I started to
feel better after our short stay in Chumico and was ready to return to
Panama City. The ride back was short and I felt tired, so I took my time.
The road to Chumico is excellent: a recently completed two-lane highway
which covers the entire distance from Panama City to Chumico. The ride
was about an hour long and we arrived to a light rain. Thinking back about
Chumico, I would recommend it to anyone who wants a hideaway where they
can work and create in private; the place feels like a getaway for those
who want to work without being bothered by the outside world. If you are
interested in buying the house write: Chumico7@excite.com
The next place
I was to visit did not have this feel: Colon. |
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