Bocas del Toro Problems: the real deal

(Sometimes a beautiful place ... but also ... crashing real estate prices, sand flies [chitras], mozzies, pollution, garbage, scams, real estate sharks, endless rain, poverty, burglary, crime, serial killers ... )

I was shocked over the garbage that was spewed all over the beach; March 10, 2012

This is what a Mr Robb White emailed us the other day: "I recently came back from Bocas del Toro and probably won’t be back now. I found the restaurant food prices way too expensive (comparing to Panama City)...$4.00 for a scoop of natural ice-cream!! After spending $50 at one restaurant, they were charging us $.25 to use their washroom. Also, when I visit Zapatilla Island through a boat tour, I was shocked over the garbage that was spewed all over the beach for about one or two kilometers. The two park officials came out of the shaded trees charging $10 per person for a day-pass. There was every kind of garbage you can find, even boards with nails floating around in the water. I was thoroughly disgusted. The Bocas town was also polluted with garbage all over the streets, however, slightly improved from three years ago with my first trip to the area. I now won’t invest my tourism dollars in Panama. Rather Cuba or another place that manages garbage better and doesn’t take advantage of tourists with better service and smiles. "

Panama-Guide not covering Land Disputes in Bocas del Toro anymore (because there are so many!); August 02, 2011

Here is what Don Winner of the Panama-Guide.com says: "You Would Have To Be Nuts": ... "My standing advice to anyone who is considering investing in land in Bocas del Toro is "run like hell." There are dozens and dozens of horror stories, and I simply don't want to hear them anymore. Let me know when there's a final court decision and I'll report on that. ... Bocas is a pretty place, and it's just too bad everyone who lives there has to constantly fear some dude with a fat checkbook and a willingness to pay bribes might come to try to take it all away someday, knowing the legal system (such as it is) would probably let it happen. Scary shit. And even if you have never had a problem yet, you still might have one tomorrow. Wake me up when it's fixed."
Don Winner lives and breathes Panama, so he should know.

Judge accused of corruption (Bocas Land Deal Gone Bad); May 28, 2011

Judge accused of corruption (Bocas Land Deal Gone Bad) ... "A criminal complaint against the the First Circuit Criminal Court judge Rolando Quezada, was filed with the Public Ministry by lawyer Miguel Batista, representing the companies Natural Corporation Inc., a shareholder of Sunset Point Inc., and Alto Volcan." The tragedy of Sunset Point seems to be set to run and run; the latest is this article in the Panama Guide. Interesting comment by a guy on this article, who seems to feel that it is the (unnamed) man in the photo who is the problem, not the judge. Does anyone have more information on this guy - his name?

Update: August 5, 2011 ... we just had an email from a certain Michael Stephenson, apparently identifying the man in this photo: "The unnamed man in the photo is Mathew Whant. He is a Brit who moved to Panama and was the former self proclaimed CEO of Sunset Point ... Mathew Whant, along with his attorneys Miguel Batista (named in photo) and son Alvaro Batista and associate partner Ciro Ortega have filed more than a dozen claims against the development company, specific individuals, attorneys, and since none of that worked, they are now pursuing judges. They have lost 11 of those cases they filed ...". From doing a little checking around, it would appear that this is a certain Mathew Whant, lately of the (seemingly cursed) Sunset Point Bocas development: See this Letter to Shareholders from the new Directors of Sunset Point Bocas on Ripoff report which also has a photograph.

Increasing cases of leishmaniasis in Bocas del Toro: June 2011

"Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by an insect known as the chitra ... Itza Mosca, the Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Health confirmed during an interview on the channel 2 TVN morning news broadcast that there are outbreaks of leishmaniasis in the Western part of the Province on Panama, in Bocas del Toro, Cocle, San Miguelito and Colon".

Bocas del Toro Serial killer arrested in Nicaragua

William 'Wild Bill' Cortez killed at least three people in Bocas del Toro: "WARNING! William Cortez is always armed with a sidearm. Two months ago the DIJ in Panama issued him a personal weapons permit, and at this point he will almost certainly be carrying some kind of weapon. He is known to own an AK-47 as well. He is suspected of having murdered at least three people, maybe more. DO NOT APPROACH this person on your own under any circumstances. If you see him and / or his wife, or if you know where they are, notify law enforcement officials immediately. See here for the full article."

"Construction Negligence to my lot #40 at Sunset Point!"

Sunset Point Bocas: Another sorry tale: We came across this online article recently by Gary Moore: "I have documented a photo log and diary of the damage to my lot at Sunset Point, Bocas del Toro created by the negligent deposit of wet excavation material onto my lot #40 during the construction of the canal. ... The developer, Sunset Point Inc., continues to fail to address in a fair and equitable manner the situation created by their construction negligence."

Sunset Point Bocas: from Paradise to Paradise Lost in one long slide

Sunset Point Bocas: OUCH!!! Need an outstanding current example of what can go horribly wrong when buying property in Panama? Look no further than Sunset Point Bocas, a premier development just outside Bocas del Toro town. What an epic disaster this turned into: It had everything - 200 fully titled acres, two miles of custom-built canals, reef frontage, boat berths with the bigger lots, 11 million dollars poured in ... a really enthusiastic sales team (but aren't they all) only too happy to take you round on a boat tour of what would shortly be your piece of Paradise, nice big website to show it all off ... and now ... all the money has gone (disappeared, along with the paperwork, the accounts, the emails ...), the office is closed and court cases are flying around thicker than Bocas-sand-flies round sweating ex-pats. Just see what the new Directors have to say about it all in a Letter to Shareholders, as featured on the infamous Ripoff Report.

The reality of everyday life in Bocas del Toro, Panama: without the sugar coating

Bocas del Toro is an archipelago on the Caribbean side of Panama. Having got to know Isla Colon and Bocas del Toro pretty well, the the thing that sticks in my mind is the relentlessly upbeat tone of the real estate agents I've met, (the realtors): and I began to see the damage that this was causing: people were coming to Panama and Bocas del Toro full of the spirit of adventure, wanting to believe the rhetoric about it being a "tropical paradise" and maybe looking to retire here ... and this left them peculiarly vulnerable to being sold a dream, which, in the cold light of day, just didn't stand up to scrutiny. I felt strongly that people weren't by any means getting the whole story, that they were being taken advantage of - so much so that it was enough for me to start this website in order to help them make the right decision

Bocas del Toro is nearly always described by these realtors as a "tropical paradise" (it isn't, it's always hot, humid, raining 2 days out of 3 and often dirty ... and most of the people are very poor), the reefs are always "amazing" (they aren't, the area of San Blas has far superior reefs), the food is enthusiastically portrayed as "world class" (let's be honest, it's standard Panamanian fare) and the bugs are, at most, "a minor inconvenience" (they're actually world-class, affect-your-day - every day, pains in the ass). The purpose of this website is to give visitors genuine, relevant information, supported by simple facts - which is information they will probably never hear from those with a vested interest in promoting Bocas del Toro in a positive light - and everyone in Bocas has a vested interest ...

Is Ecuador the new Panama?

"When I suggest Ecuador as a place for living and investing, most people give me the same blank stares I received when I suggested Panama for the same reasons back in 1999". Interesting article in the Expat Daily News.

TEN Reasons NOT to buy a lot in an over-hyped gated community

In our time spent in Panama, the honest advice we received regarding buying a place to live in Panama was always this: find a local Panamanian you can trust to identify, and to communicate with, the Panamanian owners, live in the community for up to a year first, and be very careful about buying a lot in a "luxury" gated community (especially from ex-pats whose only loyalty is to their shareholders). Often these gated-community realtors appeal to our fear ("gated communities are much safer") and our greed ("you can make a killing on your investment if you get in now"). See our Ten Reasons NOT to buy gated-community Lots.

Petty Crime on the beach

"I have traveled the world and the only placed I have ever been robbed was in Bocas."

Breaking News: Bocas del Toro realty has the biggest price drop per square meter!

Well, it looks like people are finally realising that the sun is about to set on Bocas del Toro's real estate. Everyone in Panama knows how, in the last year, there has been little (no) movement with real estate, but this survey by the Panama Report is a strong indicator that prices may soon plummet. The article (written by Matt Landau June 1, 2009) says that in Bocas del Toro some prices are dropping by 50% overnight as desperate foreigners seek to cut their losses and get out.

Boris Métraux, CEO of the Encuentra24 , one of Panama's top classified websites, sees prices in Panama City real estate listings about to drop and efforts from desperate sellers increasing. "We are getting a lot more paid listings as well as more individual users (as opposed to developers or agencies) from abroad," Métraux said, signifying a distressed bunch of foreigners who once bought in Panama (for second home use or investment purposes) and are now looking to get out.(Panama Prices Dropping: The Panama Report)

And from the same article, they quote Paul McBride in Boquete: "Property in Panama (city, beach, mountains) has become more expensive than property in the US, Canada, and Europe."

And this, from Don King of Bocas del Toro Realty Services Inc, "The ones reducing their prices for quick-sale in Bocas are 99% foreigners, who were affected by the market and need their money now. There have been isolated incidents where people have cut their asking price (which was in the hundreds of thousands) by half in one day. Other foreigners are slowly lowering (or re-adjusting) their prices as the months pass and probably will continue to do so until either the financial situation becomes better or their prices reach a level where buyers are willing to purchase again."

REMEMBER: Rent For One Year BEFORE You Buy and don't pay more than $6.00 per sq.m!

There are hundreds of real estate projects in Panama, and thousands of homes/Lots/Fincas for sale - the place is awash with them. So you don't have to rush into anything ... don't be taken in by "Special" offers, or, "I can only offer you this deal now". Instead, be wise, Rent For One Year BEFORE You Buy Anything and $6.00 USD per square meter is the kind of price Lots should be selling for - NOT $100 USD per square meter! Do the math.

Bluff Beach sand taken by real estate developers?

We heard a rumor that some developers wanted a beach on their development - but didn't want to actually pay to have sand shipped over from the mainland because of the cost of transporting it, so what was their solution? Apparently, according to the rumor, they made a deal with a local high-up official (who got a kickback per truckload of sand) and decided to remove it from one of the main Bocas del Toro beaches instead: Bluff Beach, where the turtles go (went?). We came across this article the other day supporting this claim. Here is an excerpt: "Forty truckloads of sand from Bluff Beach are being carted away daily to make a beach at a development on the southwest side of Isla Colon. Let’s hope the sea turtles – whose ancestors have nested on Bluff Beach for centuries – can find the the way to their new nesting grounds. Don’t count on it." And we came across this article - Panamanian Paradise Bocas Del Toro In Danger) - as well. So who are the greedy, thieving bastards doing this? More information would be welcome.

Environmental Problems with the planned Harbor of the Americas

Don Winner wrote this troubling article in January 2009 because he was worried about the massive negative impact this project would have on the under-developed infastructure in Bocas del Toro. The article also explains the problems of raw sewage and rubbish around Bocas del Toro (see "Typical Bay of Saigon Shitter System" and the "Bocas del Toro Beach Dump" images/articles. Here is an excerpt: "What About Garbage Disposal? Another concern raised by residents is the additional impact this mega marina and the huge yachts tied to the slips would create in terms of trash and garbage disposal. Right now the Municipality of Bocas Town on Isla Colon collects about 16 truckloads of garbage every day, which is hauled out to "dumpers" and literally thrown onto the beach. There is an ongoing controversy over the land which has been used for more that 20 years as a dump. Apparently the municipality has been renting that land to use as a dump, and if you can believe it or not someone bought it for $4.5 million dollars. They immediately informed the city government that they would no longer be accepting the city's garbage, canceled the rental contract with the city, and fenced the property. What was Mayor's Binns' response? He just ordered the trucks to start dumping the tons of garbage right onto the beach in front of the land (sending a very nice "fuck you, buddy" message to the new landowner...) There was a public march and demonstration in the middle of town held and organized by the surfing community. Apparently anyone who goes into the water near the dump, and there are some fantastic surfing beaches in the area, comes out covered with boils and sores ..."

Send us your feedback!

We value your experiences: Bocas del Toro has had a really checkered past when it comes to real estate - many people have been caught out in dodgy land deals ... and many of the real estate developers will tell you this is a thing of the past and then wax lyrical about the amazing benefits of purchasing a Lot at their dream development. Do not be taken in by these claims: Bocas del Toro does have a lot of problems, Panamanains still seem to regard fighting over land as one of the great ways to spend your life ... and the real estate guys are only going to show you the good stuff, feed your dreams, make you feel like their best buddy etc., whilst they have their hands on you ... so, if you've had a negative experience in Bocas del Toro we want to hear about it. If you bought some real estate that you now realise wasn't what you were led to believe it was, if you've had a problem of any kind (socially, financially, physically, illness, crime etc.,) then we want to hear about it.

Bocas del Toro Realtors: remember why they are there

Bocas del Toro real estate developers have one overriding interest, and you, if you're thinking of purchasing property there, really need to remember it when you're listening to the umpteenth enthusiastic description of the "Tropical Paradise" that is Bocas del Toro: they are here to sell property - to you - before you leave. They are not interested in making the world a better place, they are not building their huge developments to improve the environment, they are not employing locals for any other reason than that they are cheap and available (if often inexperienced) labor. So, if you think their apparent generosity and enthusiasm to show you a great time over a few days in Bocas del Toro is becuase they actually want to be best mates with you, then all I can say is: "Wake Up, Smell the Coffee!". However, if you are determined to purchase property in Bocas del Toro, then my advice is that FIRST you find a little place to rent, for 6-12 months, and you live whilst renting in Bocas del Toro, sort between the multitude of offers (everything is basically for sale here, it's just a matter of fixing a price), deal with the bugs and the bullshit on a daily basis, and then make a decision. If you buy impulsively, and it is SO easy to do, you could spend years trapped in a development you hate, surrounded by a very different culture - in a country you no longer actually want to be in at all. I met a number of ex-pats who moved here (because the USA was becoming too expensive for them to retire comfortably) who are, after a couple of years, bored shitless here, desperate for social contact - and they cannot sell their property, because no one is buying .. so they're trapped.

No-See-Ums in Bocas are No Joke!

Sand flies (no-see-ums, chitras, biting midges) are a major holiday-destroying experience in Bocas del Toro. The real estate developers in Bocas del Toro glibly describe this as a minor-, and occasional, irritation ... something you just "forget about after a couple of days". I was in Panama for many months and every month it was more of a problem ( in all coastal areas, but particularly Bocas del Toro). Sometimes I had ten bites a day, sometimes 30 ... and God help you if you itched them.

Are Bocas del Toro Prices Through the Roof?

Everything in Bocas del Toro costs more (a lot more): You know, I found out that many Panamanians have never been to Bocas, as it is renowned for being expensive: whether it's the taxi rides (they routinely charge per person) or the food (double the price of the mainland, at least) or the real estate (crazy prices - $300,000, $400,000 just for a small-but-over-hyped Lot), or the cost of building a house (remember, everything has to be brought over from the mainland on the ferry). You can quite easily be sold a $400,000 "dream Lot" on some "high end, luxury, world-class ... yawn" development, that is then going to cost you another $200,000 - $400,000 to build a house on. That's $800,000! (what could you have bought in the States for that?), and that's without the monthly management fees, the taxes, the problems with the rubbish-but-expensive internet, or trying to get something repaired ...

Fancy rain for your entire holiday? Come to Bocas del Toro.

It rains an average of two out of three days in Bocas del Toro, and while downpours are often over in a matter of hours, an entire week of rain isn't out of the question. So, outside of March, September and October, don't book your entire vacation here.