From City Lights to Ocean Song: An Idyllic "Double Life" in Panama

Retired early, with a home on the water and a pad in the city—that’s the dream. And at the age of 60, Pam Trezevant is living it.

You can see it in her smile… hear it when she describes the beauty of her morning walk on the beach, or her circle of found family in a vibrant new city.

Though a bit of a party scene on weekends, she often has the beach almost to herself. "Today, I was out just after sunrise for my two-mile walk on the sand. I only ran into one other person (who was also exercising), and I saw two surfers in the water."

If she’s not walking, then she’s on her balcony with a cup of coffee, enjoying the view and the mesmerizing rhythm of the sea. Sunshine on pale sands, aquamarine waves dissolving into white foam and spray, crashing onto the shore only to slip away and do it all over again.

Beachfront Bliss and City Life in Panama

Pam retired just shy of her 58th birthday, leaving behind corporate America and her home in Oregon for a new life in Panama. Alternating between an ocean-view apartment in the Pacific beach community of Playa Caracol—her "Zen place"—and the hip and bustling downtown of Panama City allows Pam to get her alone time and plenty of social time, too.

It’s a "best of both worlds" situation that suits her perfectly.

"This retired life is a wonderful thing," she says. "It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is." Mornings at the beach are tranquil, while the capital—a UNESCO-recognized foodie heaven—is a cornucopia of fun. "In the city, sometimes I have too much to do—way more than I ever did when I was living in Oregon. I’ve been here since November of 2021, and I already have a lot of friends. We’ve become like our own little family."

Playa Caracol offers peaceful walks, stunning views, and a slice of paradise.|©Real Estate Trend Alert

"I landed on Panama for so many reasons, but—and this is important—I’m a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and so that was a big part of my research, to make sure that I could feel welcome.

"International Living played a huge role—I was always in there looking up stuff, and Panama had the best benefits for retirees," she says. As she speaks, she mimes ticking boxes on a list:

"I learned the age for women to receive retiree discounts was 55—check!—and the US dollar was the currency"—another check. "That’s major. I don’t have to sit here worrying about conversions every day. My money is my money, it works the exact same way, and I don’t have to guess at what’s what."

Retiring Early: Lessons From My Mother

From a young age, Pam had a "retire early" mindset. "I had a competition with my mother," she says. "She retired at 61, but I beat her—I managed to leave corporate America a few months before my 58th birthday.

"In Oregon I watched prices go up and everything get crazy expensive. I knew my money could stretch further if I moved out of the country."

Pam came to Panama for an International Living event in 2017. After the conference, she took a tour with Ronan McMahon’s Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group to the site of what would be a new beach development called Playa Caracol. Impressed with the raw coastline and the master plan, Pam put a deposit down to buy. And she has no regrets…

"There’s nothing disappointing about my unit," she says. "It’s nearly 1,000 square feet, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large balcony." Pam wanted to be able to see and hear the waves, and at Playa Caracol she was able to make that dream come true. "Now when I wake up, I open my eyes and I’m looking at the ocean!" she beams.

Today, Playa Caracol is a private gated community popular with Panamanians. Many like Pam are city-dwellers with second homes here, but there’s a steady stream of seasonal and weekend renters, too. The location, just 55 miles west of the capital, makes it an easy, obvious choice.

Living by the Cinta Costera: A vibrant bayside promenade with endless recreation.

Pam spends about 25% of her time in Playa Caracol, 25% traveling, and 50% in Panama City. Her building in the city is in a highly coveted location just off the Cinta Costera, a stellar bayside promenade and recreation area with tennis courts, workout spaces, bike lanes, gardens, and more.

"I can see the ocean, the sAmador Causeway, and part of the Panama Canal from my apartment. I have a car, but I can also jump in an Uber and get to where I need to go without worrying about parking. There are so many activities, shows, restaurants, movie theaters… there’s just a lot of crazy, fun stuff in Panama City."

The avid traveler also has the Hub of the Americas at her doorstep—that’s Tocumen International, the region’s best and busiest airport. "I wanted to see the world like my mom—the woman went everywhere after she retired," says Pam.

"She went to Korea, she went swimming in the Dead Sea… for a Black woman from the South, born in 1928, to travel as much as she did… let’s just say I learned a lot from her. I enjoy walking in her footsteps and I do a lot of what I do to honor her." (Pam’s been to every continent save Antarctica, and has many more trips in store.)

With so many friends and loved ones coming down to visit, she’s always doing something new, whether it’s a bar crawl in Casco Viejo, the city’s nightlife district, a whale watching tour, or a road trip to the Caribbean district of Portobelo, home to Panama’s famous Black Christ statue.

Living by the Cinta Costera, staying healthy isn’t too much of a challenge. "I also have a trainer, and three days a week he makes me work out hard. He speaks very little English and I speak very little Spanish, but we’ve been working out successfully for two years. He’s a wonderful person—I love him like family and he loves me like family, too."

As an expat, Pam has truly made the most of her experience—spending time outdoors, exploring this beautiful country, and taking advantage of all it has to offer.

"My family and friends all want to come back," she says. "I turned 60 in January and had 32 friends and family members come from the US to help me celebrate. With my local friends, there were over 100 people at my party. My family was like ‘How do you know all of these people? You’ve only been here two years!’"

"There are so many groups you can join—on Facebook and Whatsapp—it’s been easy to connect. I’ve met people I think I’ll be friends with for the rest of my life."

LGBTQ+ Life in Panama: Challenges and Pride

Pam’s experience in Panama has been fantastic, but there are challenges when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights.

"I was in Panama City for its Pride celebration, and I really enjoyed watching the locals put on such a nice event… Still, Panamanians have a long road ahead. Gay marriage is not legal here, let’s just be honest about that. But I’m very out—it’s no secret—and I feel I can be myself," she says. "I feel safe here."

Building Wealth and a Legacy in Panama

"I have a great niece staying with me— she’s here writing her thesis on Afro-Panamanian culture, but we planned a fun getaway to Bocas del Toro. She’s 25 and enjoying spending time with her 60-year-old great-aunt. That’s amazing," says Pam.

"I’m so happy my relatives can come and experience this. It’s not just for me, it’s for them as well. I love that they can say, ‘We’re going to our beach place in Panama.’ My property here—it’s something I can pass on in terms of generational wealth. I hope it stays in the family."

Pam credits her dad with teaching her the importance of being financially savvy, and now she says she’s got a new reason to be excited about her property in Playa Caracol. The newest phase in the development will be a Margaritaville-branded community.

"That was a big surprise," she laughs. "I didn’t purchase my condo as an investment property—I meant for it to be my retirement home. But my mindset has shifted slightly. This is going to be a serious investment area. I’m happy for the investors and I’m happy for myself!"

Getting Residency: A Cautionary Tale (With a Happy Ending)

With RETA "members-only" pricing, Pam’s Playa Caracol apartment came in at just under $200,000. A great deal— but she did hit a snag because of it. She’d planned to get her Panama residence through the "Friendly Nations" program. There are several ways to qualify, but most require an investment of $200,000 minimum. Thankfully, Pam had the means to buy an apartment in Panama City too; one that met the investment requirement.

Note: You do not need to become a resident to buy property in Panama.