Whale watching in the Gulf of Chiriqui

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A humpback whale cavorting in the Gulf of Chiriqui.
Photo by Amble. For a larger version click here

A special niche in a tough market

The real estate bubble burst some time ago, even if a lot of properties haven't come down in price as quickly and as much as people used to other markets might expect.

But still, there are foreigners coming here to live, for various reasons. Most are looking for a warm and pleasant place to retire, others are fleeing from various places for their various reasons, and many just want to have fun. It turns out that while the possibility of a quick and handsome profit from a condo flip no longer sells much real estate here, proximity to the fun is one of the things that still does sell.

All kinds of people have all sorts of different ideas about what's fun. For those who go for the urban entertainment scenes, there is and will be for a long time a glut on the market. For those attracted to nature, Panama offers a lot of choices, but a lot of these are about the wanton destruction of nature by developers who don't get it, and some niches are better than others.

There are some places in Panama, however, where creatures bigger than ourselves come to visit for several months every year, and for many people, these are the fun attractions. The Gulf of Chiriqui, for example, is calving waters for humpback whales and thus a mecca of sorts for whale watchers. A house overlooking the waters where whales play is set in a special niche unlike most of the other houses that people are trying to sell. At least, that's the bet that the promoters of Isla Palenque and other real estate on the Gulf of Chiriqui are making.

We have many species of whales and dolphins that inhabit Panamanian waters for part or all of each year, including the huge blue whales that migrate by the Perlas Archipelago.

Recently there was a report about a pod of orcas off of Colon province, and if it was accurate it may say something about how climate change is affecting whale migrations. But regardless of unpredictable changes, the presence of whales and dolphins in the oceans off of Panama is predictable enough that it supports a small but thriving ecotourist industry, and makes a home from whence one might watch the whales with a pair of binoculars from the comfort of a shady balcony a piece of prime real estate.

Also in this section:
Whale watching in the Gulf of Chiriqui
Zombie Walk on October 30
José Ponce's Panama scenes
Catching dinner
An insect visitor
National Police, Embera community give their last farewells to a fallen cop
Lemon-Aid: Phil Edmonston's automotive consumer column
Rainy season over Punta Pacifica
Bucanero's: relaxed and elegant dining on Isla Flamenco

Panama Vacations
Tankless Water Heaters --- http://www.eztankless.com/
Panama Hotel: Luxury apartment rentals in Casco Viejo, Panama City
Panama Real Estate: Original travel and investment articles on The Panama Report
Make the Executive Hotel your headquarters in Panama City
Find the boat of your dreams through Ever Find the boat of your dreams through Evermarine

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