Las Tablas Panama

Whether you are looking for a new place to retire or a new vacation home, Las Tablas Panama is a great choice!

The city of Las Tablas, which was founded in 1671, is the capital of Los Santos Province. Located on the Azuero Peninsula, it is located 3.5 hours driving from Panama City on the Pan American Highway or a quick 35 minute flight to Chitre and then 15 minutes by car.

Las Tablas has the feel of a small town with a central square.  However, there is a branch of the University of Panama and a nice hospital in the area as well. It has a very safe police presence and good communication infrastructure.

Las Tablas is most popular for its many cultural celebrations and carnivals. It is in the heart of the folklore region of the country, where traditions are kept alive, friendly people gather, great weather is prominent and the Spanish culture is very prevalent.

It is also the economic center for this agricultural region where residents from the neighboring districts and small towns go to do business or go shopping. In the town, you will find a variety of banks, supermarkets, hardware stores, clinics, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, internet, laundromats and many other services. The last census in 2000 reported approximately 25,000 residents in the Las Tablas area.

The town is located a few kilometers from various Pacific Ocean beaches, which combined with the exceptional weather makes for a beach lovers paradise. It is also located about 35 minutes from Cerro Canajagua, which has an elevation of 2700 feet above sea level and a very nice cool climate. Canajagua and Nuario mountain areas are being discovered as one of the hidden jewels of the Azuero peninsula due to its climate, accessibility, and incredible views of the Pacific and the peninsula.

You don't move to the little beach town of Las Tablas on the eastern coast of Panama's Azuero Peninsula to enjoy the trappings of luxury. You come to Las Tablas to relax, to slow down, and to plug into a simpler way of living.

Once you do that, you won't believe how little your new life in this beach area can cost. Neither will your friends back home, especially when you tell them you're renting a comfortable house within a few minutes drive to the water for US $250 to $400 per month, for example.

"You could easily live on $750 USD per month in Las Tablas," says the editor of Living and Investing Overseas Kathleen Petticord. "That would  leave you around $400 USD per month, which, in this rural town, would go a long way. You could even afford a full-time maid if you wanted one."

• What would your life in Las Tablas be like?
• How would living in a place like this really feel?
• What would you do with your time in a place like Las Tablas?

It is calm, peaceful, comfortable, safe, and has all the immenities needed that provide many -  just the kind of environment retirees or vacationers are looking for.

Carnival in Panama is a celebration that takes place in just about every town in the country in some way. You might be familiar with carnival of Rio de Janeiro or Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and the carnival in Panama, is celebrated on the same dates and in a very similar fashion. The celebration is always 40 days before the christian holly week.

This celebration is a huge party - yes - that describes it exactly!  In fact it is the most famous of all the parties and celebrations in Panama and the most famous of all towns for carnival is Las Tablas, located in the middle of the country.  Panama City, the capital, and Penonome are also places to celebrate it in all its glamor.

A few lessor known facts about Panama are very interesting as well.  For example the country is well regarded for its excellent medical care, and is drawing many travelers to consider combining medical procedures into their their time in the country - providing very good financial benefits.

Panama has one of the most advanced telecommunications systems in Latin America. This is due to the fact that most major submarine fiber cables cross the Panama Canal, either by land or water. Calls to the USA and Europe are between 4 and 10 cents a minute. One way to make international calls from Panama is to buy prepaid telephone cards that are sold at every corner. The popular TeleChip cards work from everywhere including the USA, Mexico, Europe, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, etc. You can also get a MajicJack connected to your Internet service with unlimited calling for less than $30 per year. There are so many options these days, which you are probably already familiar with - they work in Las Tablas too!

Panama's country code is 507. All cellular numbers start with the number 6 and have 8 digits. Land line phone numbers have 7 digits.

If you have any questions on Las Tablas or Panama, feel free to contact their Good Will Ambassador Tim Rhodes at:

• (802) 779-0288 (US phone)
• Tim.Rhodes44 (Skype)
• TimRhodes (Twitter)
• trhodes (Google Talk)

Also, take a quick look at the coveted Pensianodo Program, provided by the Panamanian government to retirees looking for a primary or secondary home!