Relaxing living for water-loving upstate Newyorkers
When Mike and Susan decided to make the move to Panama after several years of visiting the country, they knew exactly which area they wanted to call home.
Mike speaks to us from his new two-bedroom home in Hermosa Bay, Boca Chica, with views stretching out towards the ocean and swaying palms.
“We toured many areas of Panama that we had heard about or that looked interesting to us,” Mike explains, “but in the end, we kept coming back to the Boca Chica area because we felt it had everything we wanted.”
A winter escape that works with the day job
Jon is an independent-minded, financial professional who picked his ideal oceanside lot at Hermosa Bay in late 2024. Based in Florida, Jon also spends time in Michigan and has now added Panama to the list of places he calls home.
“I got a good feeling about the people behind Hermosa Bay,” said Jon. He found the team easy to work with and supportive, adding suggestions at every stage and taking much of the effort away for somebody who was not on-site during the construction of the home he selected. .”
Relaxing living for water-loving upstate Newyorkers
Mike and Susan got to know a huge swath of the country before making their choice, initially falling in love with Panama, while exploring freestyle.
“Boca Chica came out top”
“Boca Chica came out on top,” they explain. Bocas del Toro wasn’t accessible enough for them, and Boquete, in the highlands just 90 minutes from oceanfront Boca Chica, didn’t appeal to them because of the “congestion” and cooler off-season temperatures and higher rainfall. Boca Chica was drier and offered more consistently warm temperatures. It was also nothing like the “built-up” beach strips nearer Panama City.
What’s more, Mike and Susan are true water lovers, having run a marina together in upstate New York on the Hudson River. Here in Boca Chica and the Gulf of Chiriquí, the couple, who recently made the decision to retire here, say, “The beauty of the outlying Pacific islands off Boca Chica captivates us.” They enjoy the variety of coves and diversity of mooring spaces.
Lifestyle destination
Mike speaks fondly of retirement and what it has brought him. “I am enjoying not having to chase my way through the day,” he smiles.
Now settled in Hermosa Bay, Mike and Susan are thrilled with their new lifestyle. Speaking of the community they now form part of Mike says, “I am a big fan of supporting this place,” and is excited to see this neighborhood, centered around nature and the ocean, develop into a lifestyle destination.
Hotel Bocas del Mar link
One of the big reasons the couple chose Hermosa Bay is that it is a project associated with nearby Hotel Bocas del Mar, one of Panama’s highest-rated oceanfront boutique hotels.
Over several stays, they found that the hotel was “very well kept and operated”, and the same staff consistently welcomed them back every year, a sign of solid management, giving them peace of mind. It was therefore a natural step when Hotel Bocas del Mar opened its Hermosa Bay development for Mike and Sue to take an interest.
Enjoying the process
How was the buying and construction process for these upstate New Yorkers?
Once Susan and Mike had chosen and purchased their lot, they were supported throughout the home construction process. They had a plan for their dream home. Working with the in-house architect on ideas and adjustments they came up with a design that had all of the features they wanted that fitted the lot dimensions.
“We were extremely happy with the process,” Mike says. “We took a design idea that we liked and worked with the team to reshape it to match the lot. Everything went smoothly, especially since we were not on-site often. The Hermosa Bay construction manager, Alberto, sent us weekly photos and updates and discussed any minor changes or improvements with us.”
In short, everything moved quickly, with smooth communication during what could otherwise have been a stressful time.
“We wanted relaxed, open-plan living to enjoy the view, and we are pleased to have much of the outside area providing soothing shade.”
Quick and efficient
The whole timeline was quicker than they had imagined, with the couple moving in before Christmas last year after breaking ground earlier that same year.
Now Mike and Susan are making the most of the area. They have even had a boat shipped over from the U.S. to enjoy the marine national park, as they are passionate fishing fans. The area has some of the best inshore and offshore fishing grounds in the Americas on the doorstep.
The neighbors are friendly but discreet with a WhatsApp group and events organized for those who want to get involved and respect for those who value their privacy.
They also enjoy having the maintenance and support team from Hermosa Bay available for the routine things that crop up in daily life.
After-sales attention
“The after-sale attention that we received with the usual minor ‘new-house issues’ has been very prompt and satisfying, often addressed by the team the very same day,” they add.
What advice would Mike and Susan give people thinking of making the move to Panama?
First visiting in 2015, they found Panama is an easy place to navigate and explore. Legal and immigration contacts in Chiriquí and David City are simple to find if needed.
Mike and Susan used a lawyer in David, as well as a fixer to help handle paperwork in Panama City, through the contacts they had built up and found online.
“Visit Panama and discover your happy place,” says Mike. “Panama is such a varied country. Do your research, and like us, you’ll find your spot.”
Scroll on for more real-life experience of buying in Hermosa Bay or contact us for more information or a viewing.
A winter escape that works with the day job
“I chose a slightly raised ocean-front lot,” explained Jon, saying it worked perfectly for what he was looking for and offered “the balance of privacy and ocean”.
Recommendation
Like so many others, Hermosa Bay in Boca Chica was his chosen place to buy after extensive research.
Jon had tried different places throughout Central America, including spending time in Boquete in the highlands of Panama. However, it was a recommendation from a bar manager in Boquete to try nearby oceanside Boca Chica for its drier, warmer climate that led him to stay at Hotel Bocas del Mar in Boca Chica.
“Incredible” experience
Very happy with the location of his lot, Jon also chose to contract the developers of Hermosa Bay to build his dream property, although he could have opted for his own designers and contractors. As he had never been involved in building his own property before, he tells us he was “blown away” by the “incredible” experience of constructing his home through the Hermosa Bay team.
Originally, he thought about building a two-story home, which would have been possible on his lot, but in the end he chose a single-story design facing the ocean, as his other homes already involved quite a few stairs, with two bedrooms and a flexible study space, as well as a huge ocean-facing lounge and kitchen space.
“On-time and at the price agreed”
Everything came together smoothly, with the team doing “everything they said they would do, on time and at the price agreed”. It is a project that, had he done it himself, would have taken years, he claims. In the end, with the Hermosa Bay team, it took just several months.
Jon was living full time in his home from January through March and says he appreciated the convenience of having David City so nearby, around 45 minutes away, for international-level amenities and services.
Multi-national folks
As for the community, Jon is thrilled to own in such a multi-national and diverse environment, with neighbors from Panama, North America, and Europe — “all nationalities, backgrounds, and outlooks,” he emphasizes.
One important factor for Jon was the security of the area. “Around here feels safer than the U.S.,” he describes. He also advises people to take care in choosing the right builder and project manager.
Jon would recommend anyone to consider Panama, and especially the Boca Chica and Chiriquí Province areas. “I would tell anybody not to believe any misconceptions about the country they get from social media. Yes, some things can be a bit more challenging than back home in North America, but once you make all the connections, life is good,” says Jon.
Interested in Hermosa Bay, one of Panama’s most exciting new communities?; contact us for more information or a viewing.
Interviews by Neil Hesketh.