The wild drive to Volcan and then on to Cerro Punta, Panama
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- čas přidán 23. 04. 2023
- A real untouched up view of Panama's next big retirement areas. Volcan & Cerro Punta. You'll see more than enough to have a great feel for what this area looks like and whether it's a place you can see yourself living in.
- Jak na to + styl
The only thing better than watching your drive to Volcan and Cerro Punta is driving there myself. Loved the commentary, keep those driving videos coming!
Thanks Will. Glad you liked it.
I love the driving. I tend to be anxious and would rather "test drive" behind a screen than go all out like you guys! Thanks for putting the time in for us!❤
Thanks Sharice. Super great to know for other videos. It's always tough to know what people like until you do a few. So...there'll be more.
I like the drive with you both ❤😅
Thanks Marcela. We'll see if most others feel the same. So far...running 50/50 with email.
Great video. Thank you. I loved the drive. It was a relaxing way to enjoy the beauty of that area remotely.
I'm retiring this year. I'm planning a month long vacation through that area and Bocas Del Toro late this year. The volcan area looks amazing. I love the vivid green color of that vegeration. I would probably end up falling in love with a few acres in the Volcan region to call a second home.
I've been interested in Panama for about 3 years now and watching these videos really makes me want to visit...or even retire there. Seems like an easy place to fall in love with.
It is. Tough part is where to settle. Lots of choices. Thanks for watching.
My husband and I enjoyed ridding with you . Very helpful being able to see all the roads and scenery and of course the action .
Thanks Angela. We're finding that many like the drives and seeing a lot of area to get a 'feel' for thiongs.
Thank you , for the nice video. 😊🌼🙏🌹
Thank you for watching.
So, so professionally done. The commentary was really interesting. Thanks for taking a ho hum topic and making it interesting and enlightening.
Hi. Thank you for watching and your kind comment. 😃 We appreciate you.
The 10 year transformation of Volcan is amazing. It really is a magical place. If you go , make sure you go to the Daracula orchid estate. At the end of the road in Cerro Punta
Thanks. We will next time 😁
8:05 time stamp, my Dad and step Mom's old house. Haven't been there since 2010 so it was nice to see again.
Wow! 🤩 that’s awesome!
Like the drive❤
Thanks for making this video!
It's exactly what i wanted to see to rule in / out these towns.
We were thinking the same way. A few more still to come.
We are so thankful for your video ❤very informative🙏🏼
I love the sidewalks. Looks like a great place to bike.
Enjoyable video from Volcan to Cerro Punta. Thank you for the narrative and perspective. We stopped at the BBQ place in Volcan too. There are livestock in the barn/pens behind the restaurant/butcher shop!🐴🐂🐖
Hi Ann. Glad you enjoyed it! We missed the livestock. 🤪
You turned left just before getting to the touristy part of Cerro Punta (Guadalupe). There are a lot of little shops in a small, walkable area. When you were driving through the neighborhood off the main stretch in Volcán, you drove right past our house. That was kind of neat to see. You can get from Boquete to Volcán by going through David. It’s a longer route with traffic in the city, but considerably less treacherous.
Wish we knew that before hand. Thanks for alerting everyone else..So funny that we went by your home.
Hi. Bummer. 😢 The driver doesn’t always heed the navigator. And the navigator wanted to make the right turn there. Next time.
you can take the cut off about 7 km from david on the david / boquete road.
you don't have to go all the way to david if your going from boquete to volcan.
@@user-mw6re2wu8n Thanks. Great to know.
You have known any home for rent in al vaja. My I am in Canada like to move to Panama? Can have your contact information
Omg I was shocked to see Volcan! Thank you for the drive. It's back on my list
Our pleasure. You might like our newest video on Costa del Este too. 😊👍🏻
Very much enjoyed the real time driving as we are in the process of deciding where we will live in Panama'.
Great video! Thanks ❤
You are so welcome!
This was great thank you! Panama scouting trip is in ‘24. Excited about Bouquette and Volcan for the climate so it was really nice to see the entire drive.
Sounds great! hi TJ 😁 youre Smart to use climate as a Guide to choosing your place. There are many micro climates. have a great adventure !
Great video! Very informative.
Thanks Andy. We made it for you 😁. If you like the driving parts you might enjoy the fun we had within the Woodstock video. Cheers.
Vivi & Pat
Hi again Andy. You might like our newest video on Costa del Este too.
Nice place covered by so green environment so so natural house! So good for live here to enjoy this place for some time permanent for some time for health and mind ❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉
So nice road house and green blue environment ❤ display so nicely 🎉
So natural place same to others green and blue environment ❤
So nice place for mind so plain place of green and blue environment place of national beauti❤ so nice display
Wow! Thanx for your tour. I live in Alto Boquete. $550 a month for my efficiency cabin.. Looks like Volcan is a lot more walker friendly than Boquete. If that falls through I may give Volcan a go. I live behind Boquete Frames shop. Maggie is my beloved dueña.
Thanks for writing and watching William.
Our pleasure. You might like our newest video on Costa del Este too. 😊
My wife and I stayed in Boquete for 4 months and we made the trip to Volcan, I guess I would say, the back way. It is a very interesting drive with lots of mountains, sharp bends, and beautiful views. We were driving a Nissan Qashqai (not sure of the spelling) and there were a few steep grades we weren't sure it was going to make it to the top. Honestly, we didn't think much of Volcan. I think we just liked the drive. Driving from Volcan to David is a pretty drive as well, not so mountainous but very pretty.
Both drives are great and it allows you to see some fantastic scenery in Panama.
I lived in Panama for five years when my dad worked for US Army Tropic Test Center in Corozal. Volcan and Cerro Punta were always my favorite places to visit. Is the horse farm still in Cerro Punta? I will say I have mixed emotions about the improvements in Volcan since I always liked the simplicity of the town and its residents.
El problema en Boquete es que poco a poco se va llenando de población, les sugieron areas aledañas, por ejemplo Bugaba, La Concepción (donde vivo) aunque no hablemos inglés, pero estaria cerca de la carretera Interamericana, también pueden por areas antes de Boquete, como Dolega, Gualaca 😅
Gracias Erika. Buen consejo.
Interesting. I just came bsck from that drive earlier this afternoon. I've made that drive hundreds and hundreds of times in the past 23 years that I have lived in Volcan. But I have never made a video of it.
Lot of people like your drive. Lucky you.
The two workers ploughing by hand may be planting seeds or young plants as the soil is already tilled.
Good point. BIG field to do.
Hey guys hello, you miss some nice places to go, hope you can visit it again and actually they guys you think we’re plowing they’re actually sowing with that machine.
Great to know. Thanks. It did seem sort of crazy for them to be plowing
I taught a crazy nicaraguan girl to drive at the Volcan air strip, they don't let you drive around the strip anymore. she told me a few weeks later in Managua that she passed the test but the official told her she needed more practice. that was the understatement of the year.
LOL....great story. But hey, she passed!
This road would be heaven for a bike in the 750cc and up range, lol
Hi Greg. YES! Absolutely 👍🏻. Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing 😁
Great video. Volcan looks too much like a typical U.S. city.
Hi guys, thank you so very much for the video. Really got to see how it is all laid out. Volcan looks a lot better than I imagined it.
Hoping to visit in the next few months.
What months would you recommend.
Best regards from Orlando, Florida.
Hey...we snowbird in Orlando out by Disney Springs. So...neighbors sort of. Glad you liked the video. Realistically anytime is nice in Panama. But...there is a rainy season. Kind of like Florida with rain every day for a short time. But having seen both, when it REALLY rains in Panama, it makes FL rain look like little showers. But that's not really a problem. It's just a thing. Best times are after rainy season. January - May for a visit. We've been there in August & Sept in the middle of rainy season and truthfully it wasn't that big of deal to either of us. Possibly because we were already used to FL.
@@laptopseniors Same here.
Hi...great video, I have visited Panama but not north of Panama city. Very nice area, i will have to visit there next time. The best part was no garbage on the side of the road. Like near Colon and Portobello. Why is that, don't they have garbage collection in that area? That was my only negative thing i saw there! Love your videos!
Thanks Lloyd. Volcan & Cerro Punta were both very tidy. Actually most of the cities we filmed in were pretty well kept also. I'm assuming Colon/Portobello must have been really bad given what you wrote.
@@laptopseniors yes...not good for tourism in the area. Two truck loads of garbage on the side of the road and just left there. Certain areas, garbage everywhere!
@@lloydbrown9327 Maybe because of the protests shutting things down for a while?
@@laptopseniors This was in 2018, before the protest!
@@lloydbrown9327that’s sad. I wish we had an answer for you. Check our latest video on Costa del Este to see a clean neighborhood 😊.
felt like I was sitting in the back seat with you!
Lol I hope you had your seatbelt on. 😁
Yes, Nice video. Really nice paved roads.
Where might I find more info about the pesticides and "other farm chemicals"?
I sometimes have adverse reactions to certain "farm chemicals"
Then Cerro Punta is not for you, it's heavily contaminated with Malathion, DDT and many other pesticides. So stay away from heavily farmed areas such as Cerro Punta. I think that Boquete would be a good alternative if you are looking for a cool climate. I hope this helps...
Hi. Thank you for watching and your question. 😃 We are interested in learning more about it too and very careful about the sources of info. Unfortunately it’s a slippery slope. If you find any good info please share.
@@laptopseniors my response is based on my personal experience haven lived in the area of Volcan and Cerro Punta years ago, and knowing some of the farm owners in the area. In 2003 and 2006 I visited tomato farms there and saw and smelled the barrels of chemicals being sprayed on the plants. Volcan & Cerro Punta are my favorite areas in Panama because of thee climate. I am not making this up, I'm just replying to the OP's concerns about sensitivity to farming chemicals.
@@CarlosEBernal Thanks Carlos. We ran into an Organic farm owner in Boquete who explained how prevalent pesticides are for asparagus and other veggies in Panama. It's too bad. On the other hand it seemed to us like every lettuce head was hydroponic. So at least that was better.
@@laptopseniors yes, the indiscriminate use of pesticides in the agricultural areas around Volcan Baru since the 1940-50's have for years leached/leaked into the soil, so one way to grow organic vegetables is to use hydroponics. Many of the indigenous people that work in the area suffer from chronic health problems due to the exposure to pesticides and other chemicals. My dream was to retire to Volcan or Cerro Punta and grow my own organic vegetable garden for my own consumption but I don't know if that is a realistic goal given the situation there.
Enjoyed the vid much. Perhaps, stop at a roadside stand and check it out
Nice vid, but I noticed everyone seemed to be speeding? 🤔I saw signs for 60 Kilometers (not miles) which equals only less than 40 miles. And just like in the US, drivers are supposed to yield to pedestrians on or near crosswalks!
Like everywhere, people speed. It's only a little bit in Panama though. Seems like if it's a 60 zone....people will go to 70 but that's it. Not like in the US where it could be up to 90 usually.
Just found you guys! Awesome videos! The roads seem better overall than in Costa Rica. Have you been to Costa Rica so you can comment? Or anyone else comment? I'm trying to decide on the 2 countries. I don't like hot, I am from BC and have Irish blood, so prefer the cooler mountain temps. I am all for growing your own food and living close to food and water and away from gov't rules etc. Want to just live in peace with others and nature. Esp. if there are more lockdowns etc in the future.
Hi! We’re happy you found us. 😁 It’s just our opinion, but we believe Panama to be safer and more affordable. The expat community was also very welcoming here.
They don't call Costa Rica Costa Lotta for nothing! Very expensive...don't move there to save. I have residency and travel to Panama periodically. If you stay out of Panama City, Boquette and Coronado you can still find affordable places to both rent or purchase. I will only rent. It is not like the states in terms of resales. It could take years to get out of a purchase and usually at a loss. Hope that helps.
@@NoMoreInfo4You We've heard that a lot about cost there. And...if you could answer this question....many say that they've been robbed a lot in Costa Rica. Breakin's etc. Nothing dangerous, but someone taking their stuff. True?
I notice a distinct Lack of scooters and motorcycles. In other countries half the vehicles are two wheeled. Do you have any information about that.
I didn't notice a lot of scooters but there certainly were/are a lot of smaller motorcycles. Not a lot of bikes though. Definitely less than other countries in general but then Panama seems to me (other than Panama City) to be a country where you need a car or truck a lot. Lot of spread out area.
Many areas around cities like Boquete the paths and roadways can have dangerous potholes and broken areas so 2 wheels can be dangerous.
El problema del agro-pesticida en Panamá, osea en Chiriqui, esta afectando la salud de muchos coterrranos Como a extranjeros o Forahidos, que visitan especialmente a Chiriqui el cual les encanta esta Provincia por su belleza Y demás, pero les preocupa el alto nivel de pesticidas en alimentos, que obviamente afecta la salud - por la misma razón es que yo tampoco ni compro esos alimentos, porque al observarlo me doy cuenta por el nivel de pesticida, como igual en Otros Países hacen lo mismo, con el tiempo afectará la salud y la vida Propia te la acorta, es una locura el saber del efecto que produce a la salud pública ese veneno, se sigue utilizando no solo en Panamá sino en el resto del Mundo, como es posible que se permita, afecta a propios y extraños, es un Mundo Raro...... hoy día se come para morir en ves para vivir, esa es la impresión que se me ocurre.. el quineo que tanto me gustaba desde niño, ya no los como con solo verlo.
Sí, tuvimos una larga discusión sobre pesticidas en Boquete con un hombre que dirigía una granja orgánica. Básicamente dijo lo mismo que tú.
I so agree. There are so many times eating fresh salads that I feel they are toxic. It’s a tragedy.
Panama. Where stop signs are only a suggestion. ;oD
True....where there even are stop signs.
Did we say that in the video lol? 😂
Lol
Nice video, but STOP signs (as you failed at 28:38, as an example) are not suggestions!
I lived there. the row crops are not organic.. the best part of cerro punta is at the end of the road.. dragon orcid nursery.
its called Daracula Orchid Its been 10 years since I was there .
a definite must see It had a mystical feel. . its a special place
Hey. Thanks for your comment. The pesticide use is a concern to me. Wish we had made that last part of the drive 🤪
Waiting to find out what road you're on?
Love the video but the audio is very low...can't hear a lot of it.
Yes...we were talking as we were driving but it's low. There's basically two audio streams. That low one which we knew was hard to hear, and the real one that's loud and purposefully done over the video. This and a few other earlier driving videos were a learning experience to us for how not....to leave the low audio in. But instead just do the talking over the videos.
Drive up to Volcan in video is misleading, they shot from two different roads and edited out of order.. But still good
Wow...a Canadian who knows where Woodstock is...🎉
😃. I know huh? I grew up just down the thruway. Spent many a weekend in Woodstock in the 60's growing up.
Come on. Every (hippie) teenager in 1969 knows where Woodstock is lol 😂
@@laptopseniors I grew up across the river from West Point. Been all over the Catskills, Woodstock, Kingston, Newburgh etc. So glad I left in 1979. Would never go back even to visit. Won't get into why but just look at NYC.
@@NoMoreInfo4You NYS and leaving. Lot of that going around.
you never know who you will meet.. I met , ate and had a long conversation with major general albert stublebine at his restaurant at Volcan. the head guy at the super solider project. ever hear of , They stare at goats don't they. ? there was only one Bert.
the restaurant was named ; Valley of the Moon
Yes....I at least know the movie with George Clooney playing him. I think.
That poor dog. If it's the same as Yelapa (in Mexico), the reason he's so well behaved is if he or any other stray is not, the city poisons them. To me, it's heartbreaking that no one adopts or gives them the real care they need!! Curious, after that salty meat, did she have access to water ? I can't live in those places because of their stray dogs issue. Horrible.
How much did it cost to rent your Rav? We’ve heard horror stories about the amount of the hold on your credit card when you rent.
$1300 - 30 days, full insurance. $836 with just basic insurance. We went into all the major car rentals and a few of the smaller independent ones. They were all 1800-2200. Cheapest we found was Budget, on Av. Central Espana just a small walk west from the El Carmen Metro stop. English spoken, nice people.
@@laptopseniors Thank you so much. Was there a hold amount later refunded? That’s how it works in the States.
@@sharonwilliams8794 The hold on my Amex was $2000. That seemed to be the general number with all but one of them ($400). Odd thing is when looking at my statements, the hold was never put on the card. Just done in the office/signed etc. but not executed. Or there's some way that Amex maybe records it only if it's executed, not when it's just a hold. Not sure.
Thank you. This is more helpful than the online information we were getting.
Sharon, have you seen our video on car rental?
interesting how telephone poles are all different colors. on way to Volcan
Wow...never noticed that.
Maybe the black pick up truck driver ate too much spicy food.