We planned to move to Panama a few years ago and decided to visit it first to check things out. We were able to contact a few people via Facebook and learn a little more about the country and the two areas. Like most expats moving to Panama, we had planned to move to Boquete, as that was really the only area we had heard about.
My husband and his dad took an initial trip in February of 2016 to look at the area. They visited many houses in Cerro Punta, Volcan, Boquete and everywhere in between. While he was there, nothing really struck him like a neighborhood he stayed in one night. Upon returning home, he told me about it and then let me know it was in Volcan. I was shocked, as I figured “everyone” was in Boquete!
We then took our entire family in April of 2016 to get our temporary visas and tour around. We spent the majority of our time in Boquete and David, but also made our way over to Volcan for a few days. There is quite a difference in the two towns, and I was very happy with our final decision to choose Volcan. Continue reading to see the differences in the two and see which town might be right for you, too!
Expats
Volcan also has a nice population of expats. We are happy to be a part of the younger crowd of expats in the area, including our 5 young children. There are expat families here that we are very close to. When we are in town, we can see any age range of expats.
The expat community is very large in Boquete. You can also see a lot of expats walking and driving around. You will see a variety of ages represented in Boquete, but the majority of the expats are older, retirement age. There are also a lot of backpackers that you will be able to see in Boquete. Some residents of Boquete are known to be controlling, similar to a HOA or country club mentality, which some expats equate with more inter-personal drama at times.
Markets
Volcan hosts a Friday International Market. It is a great meeting place for expats and a welcome location to buy local produce and expat products. There are around 15 local expat vendors at this market. We also have a fresh, organic vegetable market held on Fridays at noon and run by local expats.
Boquete’s Tuesday Market is a great place to meet other expats, buy local products, and do a lot of souvenir shopping in one location. This is a large market with many booths. During the market, they also host Tuesday talks. The local expats organize different speakers to share information about their specialty – snakes, gardening, volcanic activity, etc.
Places to eat
I was recently told that Volcan is turning into a foodie’s paradise. Dos Rios is one of our favorite restaurants to go to for pizza (and lemonade), in a magnificent setting. Burricos is a great location for Mexican food. Another great place we enjoy going for dates is Terrace Bistro. Two of us recently shared a large 3 meat plate for $22 with two sides. It was plenty of food for two and so tasty! La Carbonera is a great Italian restaurant in town. Cerro Brujo is a gourmet restaurant run by award winning Chef Patricia Miranda, that we have yet to try, but we have heard great things about. The Wandering Sloth is also a new favorite for hamburgers and French fries for around $5 in a pub-style setting. There are plenty of other options as well, but these are some of my favorites. If none of those sound good, head up the road 20 minutes to Cerro Punta and have some street food!
Boquete also has quite a few restaurants to choose from. You will find bakeries, such as Morton’s Bakery or Sugar and Spice. There are also hamburger joints like Big Daddy’s. I have heard good things about Mike’s Global Grill and many others in town. There are a few good pizza locations as well.
Stores
Volcan has around 10 grocery stores, including Super Berard, Romero, and many other locally owned grocery stores. The options for shopping are very good. There are also many Ropa Americana stores in town which carry clothing, like a thrift store in the USA. Volcan has an amazing quilt shop with fabric imported from the USA as well as a large quilting machine. Hardware stores, a tourist shopping area, veterinary and farm supplies, and specialty shops are among the many stores that line Volcan’s streets.
Romero and Super Baru are the two large grocery stores in Boquete. There are many tourist shops, as well as specialty shops. There is an Organica in town with healthy grocery type options. Walking around town, I am sure there are more shops to discover around every corner!
Homeschooling
We moved to Volcan as a homeschooling family. We knew that there would not be a great selection of books in English for the local homeschool community, so we brought thousands of books to open a homeschool lending library. There are regularly people getting books to use for homeschooling and personal purposes. We are a part of a group here that takes various field trips to local farms and educational sites. We have also done some local park clean up time. The homeschool community regularly has meet ups here in Volcan.
When we moved to Volcan, there were a few homeschool families that we knew of in Boquete, but most of them have since moved. I am unsure of the homeschooling situation in Boquete at this time.
Other Considerations
Volcan generally has cheaper land and rental rates than other expat locations in Panama. The culture is more family, farming, ranching, and work oriented. There is much less traffic and noise in Volcan than many of the other local towns. Tourist activities in Volcan can include Raquel’s Ark animal sanctuary, hiking trails, Barriles archeological site, coffee and flower farms, horseback riding, zip-lines, as well as other activities. Bilingual churches as well as a few small English-speaking churches are available. We feel safe in Volcan and enjoy being a part of Panamanian, as well as, expat life.
Boquete is closer to David with a new four lane highway, making the drive quicker and more convenient. It also has more gated community options. The culture is more focused on tourism and retirement. There are many tourist activities in Boquete, like Los Ladrillos, waterfalls, Mi Jardin es Su Jardin, zip-lines, skating rink, library, and others – fun to visit along with the other tourists. There are a few English church options in Boquete. It is often noisy and crowded in Boquete on the weekends, and currently ongoing traffic and road construction during the week as well. Also English is more commonly spoken throughout Boquete.
In Conclusion
Volcan and Boquete are two mountain towns in Panama. Each boasts year-round spring-like weather and a great location to retire. Many believe that Boquete might be the only option of expat living in the mountains of Panama, but Volcan is also a great option. If you are looking for somewhere to move, be sure to add Volcan to your list of places to check out! We would love to meet you!
All photos taken by me in Volcan, Panama.
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