The very first night I spent at Vista Cañas, I wept…from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

I’d like to say it was from joy over the completion of a five year, sometimes body and soul-exhausting, project. No, my tears were caused by pounding club music…all…night…long.

Mind you, when I bought the lot where Vista Cañas now sits, there were only three other houses in this jungle beach community and Playa Venao (AKA Party Central) was on the other side of the mountain.

So, this was totally unexpected.

The dream of serenity…

During my research and early visits to Panama, its lush jungles, serene beaches, and stunning vistas thoroughly romanced me. Visions of hammock naps and meditative beach walks were constantly in my head while I awaited my official move date.

In mid-2021, I left my trendy urban San Diego neighborhood in search of the nature, peace and tranquility in Panama that I’d been dreaming about for nearly four years.

If you follow me at all on Instagram or Facebook, you know I’m all about telling the WHOLE story…not to hide reality behind beautiful pics, so that is the spirit in which the rest of this post is written.

Woken up by reality…

When I first arrived, I lived in the quaint town of Pedasí for a couple of months. It wasn’t more than a week after I arrived that I texted the local WhatsApp group and totally outed myself as a newbie.

“Uh, am I hearing gunshots???” 😳

This is the moment I learned of the Panamanians love affair with “fuego artificiales” (AKA “fireworks”), especially on (the many) holidays. (Have a listen.)

Over the next couple of months, it became clear they were equally passionate about ginormous portable speakers. These annoyances disturb many a conversation, nap or good night’s sleep at home, in fondas, even on the beaches. (Have a listen.)

After moving to a quaint little farmhouse (right on the main road) a couple months later, I learned about “jake brakes” on large trucks. They were the soundtrack to my daily life for the next year. (Have a listen.)

None of this concerned me in the least because my jungle refuge would be “MUY tranquilo”!

Hence, my tears that first night.

I’m thrilled to report that courtesy of partial moons and (eventually) electricity, Vista Cañas delivers us maximum peace and tranquility most of the time.

Turns out the club noise wasn’t coming from the constantly partying Playa Venao as I had feared…THANK GOD…but from a mountaintop up the road. After some R&D, I discovered that a local expat throws full moon ragers during the dry season. Once we got power (one year after that first night), air conditioning served as an effective muffler.

While exploring Panama…

While Ken and I explored Panama, staying in quaint cabins and beachfront bungalows and poking around other expat areas, we realized just how good we had it at Vista Cañas.

Air brakes, ATVs, blasting speakers, and fireworks are everywhere.

While viewing what we thought would be a tranquil hilltop lot overlooking the town of Torio and the ocean, one of those speakers blared music from a cantina below. This was the moment I realized that there are very few corners of Panama that are totally immune to some form of noise.

I recently ventured up to Valle de Anton to stay for a quiet solo getaway in a charming cabin. It looked the perfect spot to sleep late, read books on the front porch while simultaneously soaking up the stunning grounds, nap in the afternoon, and fall asleep to the sound of cicadas. Turns out the road in front of the cabin was a highway to somewhere...I never did find out where. Before the sun came up, the trucks were straining to climb the mountain or slow themselves coming down...and it didn't stop until the early evening. 

And, I recently read this from Newsroom Panama: 

"Boquete, a beautiful mountain village, is being shaken by a persistent nocturnal noise problem, triggered mainly by businesses in the central area of the district. Local residents have expressed their anguish over this growing problem affecting their rest and health. The noise, coming from bars, restaurants, vehicles with horns and trucks without silencers, has become a constant nuisance for the inhabitants of Boquete. During the Coffee and Flower Festival for about 10 days in January, the disco noise levels are extreme."  Click here to read more.

Do peace & tranquility exist in Panama?

Says Charlie M..."I visited a lovely casita...the hostess was prepared for her guests. She provided us with complimentary earplugs...made me realize that part of Panama life, the noisy part, is inevitable no matter how far from the city one escapes."

Perhaps, nestled deep within the mountains or jungle or far out on a deserted island, miles from civilization, lies the total sanctuary I initially fantasized about. However, as I’m no longer naïve, I understand that these remote locations would bring a whole host of other challenges.

Though there may be the occasional disruption of peace and tranquility at Vista Cañas, it definitely offers FAR more than every place I’ve visited here. PHEW, we got lucky!

My recommendation to anyone looking for property and peace and tranquility in Panama is the same one given to me by many…rent for at least one year. During this year, you’ll experience every holiday and many other possibilities for noise so your final decision will be educated!

Everyone is different…some will welcome the revelry, others will weep like me. It’s all about finding what works for YOU.