Pedasi, Panama: What's it Like to Live There? Interview with 10+ year resident!

[@IGoPanama]

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[@spain1998]

We love Pedasi! We are building a house there...we bought our lot from Jonathan Clay from this video. He is definitely who you want to go to for real estate in and around Pedasi. There are alot of Americans, Canadians, and Europeans! Its a growing area and a great place to live! Its remote from Panama City but only a 30 minute flight. It has a great expat community...lots of cool expat restaurants and bars with live music! Pedasi is worth giving it a look!

[@seankruze8533]

I live in the city 1 year so far , I hear good things about Pedasi

[@mariocooke5463]

unfortunately, there's echo in that office and it is hard to understand with the cacophony in the background

[@karenk.3613]

Have been hoping for more on Pedasi area,thanks for this. Also looking for more info on Tonosi and Canas areas. Would love to rent a very small Panamanian type house and stay in that area for about 3 months. Thanks for Jonathon's info.

[@holgermessner851]

When I checked out the Pedasi area, I did drive to the Tonosi area too because there was a cheap property for sale. Even the real estate agent said: “Well you can check the property out. The key is ….. But honestly? It’s a waste of time. Nice area but you have no internet and no cellphone service.” - That’s a no no for me. And he was right. Half down the road, I lost cellphone service…. 😢

[@melissagarden9442]

Great help...thanks! Thinking now about flying into Chitra and then renting a car to see Pedasi and the area. Is there a good place to rent a car? We would be taking it beyond your area to Boquete and Boca as well. Thanks for any info.

[@PhoenixBeI]

Thank you for the video. Very informational. I'd like to ask for a favor. Next time, could you please be so kind as to ask for information about veterinarians? Thank you VERY much!

[@spain1998]

Pedasi has 2 veterinarians whose offices are right on the main drag going through the center of town. There may be others as well. There is also a doggie daycare/kennel in Pedasi.

[@PhoenixBeI]

@spain1998 thank you!

[@relicofgold]

The hospital in Pedasí cannot take an x-ray?

[@jray7949]

Thanks but work on sound quality. It’s not as good as your others. But this is CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, not hate!

[@IGoPanama]

Same camera we always use. We were in an office that had bad acoustics and fireworks were going off. Nothing I could do.

[@glenh4971]

Pedasi is known more as a tourist trap. Everything costs more in Pedasi. Its also a long way from a decent supermarket. If you are well off and can afford a good car and can afford to pay much more for your cost of living Pedasi is perfect. Pedasi is in the middle of no where. The beaches are pretty though. You should rent there before you buy to see if you can tolerate the isolated and over priced lifestyle. I think its over-rated.

[@buentaste]

Don't you see a good thing been in the middle of nowhere? Besides I agree with the overpriced statement but this is a characteristic of developing countries... I believe have to do with culture. In matter fact if you go to LI NY you could see the same particularly in hispanics delies food and goods are over priced and the customers hispanics in majority pay for...

[@holgermessner851]

@@buentaste overpriced is overpriced. And if you move to another country, do you really want to live only with Expats together and not with local people? And everyone else in Panama does know that where foreigners live, prices are mostly on the upper end. Especially when there are Americans who just don’t use their head. Sorry. I’m now 4 years in Panama. But use your common sense and knowledge if you settle down in Panama. If Americans wouldn’t pay that much for everything, prices would go down. Even in Pedasi. Locals don’t want to or can’t afford to pay this prices.

[@buentaste]

@@holgermessner851 Nice from you to reply my comment so I could learn from foreigners. Sorry I didn't mention I am panamanian but living in USA temporarily, and lived many years in developed countries. I definitely get what you mean of most of you have said . Things like a decent supermarket in as you said the middle of nowhere will not make sense to anyone in terms of profit, in my case, I do not like at all the city and way less living in panamanian neighborhoods either. The people culture of noise blasting music with those loud speakers as if they are competing each other... I can't stand that... I would definitely be afraid if those type of people moving or settle in places like pedasi so iam perfectly ok with the underdeveloped culture. I have a lot of admiration and at the same time surprised with people from developed countries living in latin America so i thank you for such a bold endeavor. Excuses please my English if necessary....

[@holgermessner851]

@@buentaste No problem. My English is not great either. I am originally from Germany. Lived 14 years in Canada until I got in Panama stranded. Yes. Plan a 5 month vacation and then you can’t fly back because of a pandemic. Who thought about that when you enjoyed the nice weather? - I know what you meant by the loud music. Living in Panama directly on a beach is a nightmare. From Friday to Sunday no sleep at all. 60-100 cars showing up and boosting music as loud as it gets! No thank you. My neighbors are okay. Birthdays or anniversary parties are a necessity for them. But this isn’t every weekend. What I can’t stand (besides big cities) are foreigners who think they own the place! I was shocked, when a local man said to me: “I will not sell you a beachfront property in my whole life, sir! Because you are using your head….” He then proceeded saying he likes Americans. “They don’t think. They just pay whatever we ask. Later they don’t like it and just leave..” - This is what I mean with totally overpriced! I got myself a small lot, away from the beaches in the San Carlos district. It was only a percentage of the asking prices for properties on the other side of the highway. Enjoy your property in Pedasi. The regular power outages are another reason that I moved away from Los Santos. Now that I am building my own house, I bought a generator that I later have for backup if needed. Still waiting for the power line to my property. It’s been only 2 years since I applied for it. But this year they said…. Welcome to Panama! ;-)

[@buentaste]

@@holgermessner851 Thanks for all these input. Funny that I am learning as a panamanian from a foreigner. I heard in a another youtube channel that indeed some grengos as we call them americans buy land in panama specifically in Boquete or Bocas del Toro but also Pedasi and leave for more than a year then when they decide to comeback they find out squarttes own they land they bought. So I clearly understand what is the problem. Thanks one more time for your input take care and blessing....

[@holgermessner851]

Pedasi is another place where North Americans buy property and leave. When I was looking for a place in Panama, I lived 10 months at Playa Uverito, around 30 minutes away from Pedasi. So yes. I was 4 times in Pedasi to check it out. But there isn’t anything much. It’s like Playa Uverito. On the plus side, compare to Playa Uverito, you have some restaurants, small local businesses and….. that’s it. You have to drive 30-40 minutes to get to a decent supermarket in Las Tablas. I’m not into water sports. And I do like supermarkets, shops and a little bit of civilization close by. But I hate big cities. But Pedasi is for my taste to far off civilization. I know some Americans who live in Panama City. If you only mention Pedasi - they cut you right off: “Why would anyone live there? Locals because they must. But a civilized person is not going to live there….” Well. They even don’t like the Coronado area much, where I live. 😊

[@TheSpudgarcia]

North America is also a place where North Americans buy property and leave. But I know that wasn't your point, was it? For every expat who buys property in Pedasi and leaves, there are maybe 3-4 who buy property and stay. Pedasi is not for everyone, as stated in the video. While it wasn't for you, it is for many others, most of them quite "civilized". We are realistic about what Pedasi is and what it isn't. Pedasi's population is not contracting, nor is it exploding. But it is growing steadily, as is the variety of goods and services available. And as for Coronado, outside of an emergency trip to the city in the middle of the night, 9 times out of 10 I can take a flight from Pedasi or Chitre and be bathed in the cool Multiplaza air conditioning, sipping on an overpriced espresso before you could arrive by car from Coronado. Ok, in fairness maybe we'd at least tie in arriving.

[@holgermessner851]

@@TheSpudgarcia Hahaha. You sounded like me, defending the place in Germany I bought to build a house, when friends and family told me that “YOU DON’T MOVE AWAY FROM WORK”! I had from my house a 25 minutes drive to work. But I honestly couldn’t afford a house or lot in the city! It was 10 times cheaper than the one available in the city. And if you take the bus from Coronado to Panama City, you actually “fly faster” than you guys from Pedasi.

[@buentaste]

I bought a nice piece of land in pedasi. I am from Panamá myself but lived in "developed" countries a reasonable time. I would like to meet people like you that could help me to improve Pedasi and make it more appealing to people.

[@angelstar7656]

I think I got your point. Pedasi is beautiful and a great place, seemingly the perfect antidote to the craziness of life in urban/suburban USA and Canada. BUT, once the honeymoon is over, Pedasi can be too small or laid back for some, lacking social and professional amenities people want and need. And some who move to Pedasi don't realize that it may not be where they want their home base to be until after they purchase property. And then it might be too late. That's something I've seen in other places. It is definitely something to think about!

[@below5287]

​@@buentasteI am Panamanian too and I feel you, I want to do that too.

[@amarie3309]

Fireworks hilarious, but maybe not on a daily basis

[@MuckoJumbie]

Horrible audio ! I bailed fast !