Over 30 years ago the story of one of the best beach communities in the region began to develop.
One that has grown along with the needs of its residents and that today, without a doubt, is the most complete amenity based community in the country. “My father ends up buying the farm from a North American. He did not see the value of the ocean. It was an area with highly dense vegetation and had two kilometers of beach front. At the beginning, the idea to buy was to divide the area in seven lots and find hoteliers.
For this reason, a company was created under the name Corporación Turística del Pacífico. With this idea: build hotels”.
This is the way that Diego Vallarino starts the story, CEO of Grupo VerdeAzul (GVA), one of the biggest real estate groups in Panama and developer of Buenaventura.
Since the beginning, the group studied what had been developed in the country and looked to adapt best practices of important international projects, importing the best human talent available at an international level for this purpose.
Buenaventura would be planned and grounded around the best world standards.
“Not because Panama does not offer talent, but because the ‘know how’ of these types of projects did not exist”, explained Diego.
Due to this, from the start, it was planned as an organized space, with clear design guidelines and where it would always have views of bodies of water, be it sea or lake.
If there is something that distinguishes each and every one of the projects that have GVA’s signature, is its respectful relationship with nature. For example, in Buenaventura you build around nature. Therefore, the initial infrastructure was developed and sales began. Making some decisions that at the time appeared to be risky, but that today are the pillars of the evolution of the Buenaventura community.
Probably the most important thing was not selling all the land in front of the ocean, allowing for wide opening of approximately 80 meters each. In Buenaventura, everybody feels at the beach thanks to this ‘wise’ decision.
The first real estate development
The first real estate development in Buenaventura was Los Portales and it is the foundation piece of the community. This began an evolution and specialization for the group in community developments that bring value to its residents.
Their work can be found in Buenaventura, Santa Maria and other renown projects in the country. Community is a theme that is in their DNA. Elevating the standards for each of their businesses in which they are involved. And real estate is one of them.
“We started to understand the value in creating a community with amenities. Because for a community to integrate, you need things to do and spaces to meet up. And then the design for the hotel starts. Initially with 26 rooms (today it has 118), some commerce and amenities for the community to enjoy”, mentions Diego.
The birth of the Amenity-Based Community
The hotel is what sets the starting point for Buenaventura’s new phase. Keeping the tradition of history – reflected in various amenities such as the zoo and Las Cuadras, the equestrian center that cherishes the times when the residents would peruse freely on horse and not in a golf cart – and in constant feedback with the community. “With the hotel, the group injects a significant capital into Buenaventura. We expanded the Beach Club, channeled the river, made important infrastructure adjustments to plant the seed for future developments.
Once we finished the Hotel and the Villas, Buenaventura gets on the map because more people have access to discover it. Before you would go to somebody’s house. Now, you have more weddings and it becomes trendy. And afterwards, start the comments by the residents about the new amenities”, points out Vallarino.
Since the start of the hotel to today, there have been a little less than 10 years. From those 100 resident families to today having 700. Panamanians, foreign residents or foreigners that have found here the best place to spend a season. Most of them are proud to belong to the best community in the country.
“To me Buenaventura signifies a first class community that satisfies all your needs, environment, service and extracurricular activities”.
Gerald & Yeira
But something was missing.
More amenities that would allow the community to have fun. Furthermore, amenities that would elevate the capital gain of the residents.
“To create a community you need many things beyond having differentiating elements. Here you realized that these things are not available in Panama. Respect for nature; when you are in Buenaventura you say ‘wow’.
To have architectural harmony and for this we used design parameters and our development has a colonial architecture component”, mentions Ana María Vallarino, VP of Real Estate for GVA.
But when you fly over the property you realize that these details are incomparable. Houses are hidden. We always plant a lot, landscaping holds an important place.
So the Masterplan was reformulated, redefining the areas destined for constructions and green areas.
Thinking about the new amenity: the Golf Course
Over time, the Buenaventura team began to visit specialized companies.
The click with Nicklaus Design was almost immediate, beyond the talent and prestige of the firm of one of the best golf players in history.
The world has a little over 300 golf courses designed by the company, and all of them give the players something to talk about. The result was amazing.
First, because the course has been selected on multiple occasions as the best in Panama by some of the most important publications in the world.
18 holes, Par 72, with a 7,383 yards course and where the wind can play a fundamental role when playing the game.
Second, because it elevated Buenaventura to a unique pedestal, unequaled. But it also developed the signature for which GVA is known: taste.
Our philosophy
“Our users know that the philosophy of the group is to do things right, not cut down on resources so that our properties fully comply with the expectations they are sold with. And those that have looked at us for projects, have done so because of this. Because they know we understand the luxury market,” added Ana María. “The community has grown a lot and Buenaventura became ‘hot’. People started to move in. But the innovation process is constant. We are attentive as to what the community wants and what is on trend.
In the design process we are always coming up with ideas, and we adjust them according to time and needs. Mainly because the amenities also need to evolve,” expressed the CEO.
Diego Vallarino, CEO
Mostly because the philosophy and specialization of the group is in its ‘Amenity Based Community’, a concept which centers around the resident, with whom it is necessary to create and build an ecosystem. A virtuous circle of amenities, where the main challenge is maintaining attractions levels with them”.
“With 12 years of experience we have learned to develop communities through this project. Things that we did at the beginning and those that we do today are completely different. But we have never lost the ability to innovate nor the tenacity to take risks and develop”, mentioned Diego.
In this continuous and constant process of receiving feedback from its community, the Buenaventura team sent a survey asking its residents:
What are you missing?
Most of them replied ‘water activities’.
Generic, but once again it opened the door for the opportunity to innovate and transform Buenaventura into one of the best communities in the Pacific, using as reference one of the most beautiful but least used assets: the sea.
The birth of the Marina
“We studied the option of building a marina years ago, but when we brought experts, they told us that the bay was very dry and that a significantly longer jetty needed to be built.
That was over 10 years ago. After the survey, we continued to think that we needed a facility that allowed people to set sail. And then we thought about the fact that we are a community that is giving its back to the sea.
Amenities are not relatively close to the sea. You do not see people in the sea and the sea is a beauty. You can set sail and go on an adventure,” Diego highlighted.
It took over three years for the design. As the CEO says, “the brainstorming hours that went into the marina, the engineering, we have not done for any other project. The marina appears simple in form and logic, but it went through many studies.
We evolved and in the end the way the marina operates is through tides.”
With the Marina, Buenaventura acquired a new dimension that locates it at the height of other beach communities in the region and probably the world.
“Consider this dream. The logic is that you leave here around 5 or 6 in the morning for the whole day, and instead of coming back to the city, you come back to your beach house with the fish you caught. Or you consider this as a pit stop to rest after a trip around the Pacific coast. The sea opens up so many possibilities for the resident to fulfill their fantasies. What we want to develop are unique experiences that you cannot find in any other beach community,” expressed Vallarino.
For Ana María Vallarino, VP of Real Estate of GVA, Buenaventura is unrepeatable in Panama.
“There is no project that can compete, both in cost and time. The sense of community that has been created amongst the owners that live in the project is noticeable.
And incredible things have come from them. For example, Martini Beach which was a meeting point at the beach and now has foodtrucks.
Foreign residents would gather to have martinis and watch the sunset here. For New Year’s Eve, we had a DJ and this is how this gathering point was born”.
“Buenaventura has something for all ages and interests. Golf, marina, equestrian club, world class sports club, zoo, museum, gastronomical offer, spa, hotel, deli and wine store. And surely, new and better amenities will come.”
Ana Maria Vallarino
Live, Work & Play
If in 100 years the world evolved in an unforeseen way, what will happen in the next five or ten years is complex. The truth is that the CEO of Grupo Verde Azul has one thing clear: “we want to be the best permanent residential community”.
It is part of the group’s DNA: develop pioneer projects with high impact and Buenaventura is a clear example of a world class project that has located Panama in the international tourism map. Amenities: everything you are looking for in one place”.
Buenaventura can be one of the best investment decisions in Panama’s real estate market. By being a consolidated beach community in constant growth and incorporating new amenities (Golf, Marina and others in the future), the investment assures capital gain in short, medium and long term with an exclusive housing density.
Buenaventura Hotel
The luxury hotel in Buenaventura is not only a space for visitors. Residents can find a wide range of amenities that go from the Beach Club, to restaurants and a complete spa inspired in local indigenous traditions, that will allow them to relax and level out their energies.
The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort of the Autograph Collection also rescues and exhibits the rich cultural tradition of the area, incorporating pieces developed by local artisans in their decoration, thus allowing the visitor to learn about the history of the zone.
Golf Course
The acclaimed Buenaventura golf course has been selected on various occasions as the best in Panama by specialized publications around the world. Furthermore, it was the first designed by Jack Nicklaus and since its inauguration it has become a favorite for sports fans.
Par 72, with 7,383 yardas integrated within a luxury complex. The wind in Buenaventura can play a fundamental role when playing the game.
Marina
This Marina complies with the highest standards, providing a wide range of services with capacitated personnel willing to provide all the required attention.
Location
8°20.99´N y 80°9.783´W
Technical Specs
Drystack
40 spaces in the first phase for boats of up to 35 feet
Floating Docks
59 slips for boats of up to 60 feet
Sports Club
Currently, Buenaventura is host to one of the most modern sports clubs in the country and it regulates under the highest world standards.
With a gymnasium that has the best technology, the Sports Club has fields for sport activities such as soccer, tennis, squash, racquetball, basketball, softball (second phase) and a lap pool, that will allow the resident to enjoy sports that are at the highest level.
A space longed for by any sports fan.
Wine Store & Deli
Leave Buenaventura? There is no need to, because the community has the amenities to enjoy the space without worry.
Commerce options such as the Wine Store, where residents can find a wide variety of strains and vineyards around the world, cheeses, a range of options of ham and delicatessens for demanding palates to enjoy a gathering with friends at sunset.
Gastronomy
What would be of a community without a decent gastronomical offer? Within the community you can find eight different options to enjoy a moment with family or friends.
La Ermita
One of the community’s meeting points. Under the shade of the Corotú in the Central Plaza, families gather every Sunday after the celebration of mass to share and converse.
But it is also the ideal setting for weddings. You can take advantage of this beautiful natural setting to give the celebration that unique touch that is only found in Buenaventura.
Las Cuadras
Prior to becoming the great beach community it is today, Buenaventura was a farm where people used horses to move around the plantations, nurseries and even the beach. Over time, residents have adopted the use of golf carts as their mode of transportation.
Thus, Las Cuadras rescues the equine tradition that for years was present in Buenaventura, allowing the resident to enjoy tours and horse rides within the complex and at the beach.
Buenaventura Zoo
Concerned about the conservation of flora and fauna of the region, the Buenaventura zoo is a rehabilitation center and at the same time a space to learn about and have a closer relationship with nature.
In it, you can find diverse species of monkeys (native to the area), peccaries, raccoons, pheasants, macaws and other species that allow the resident to have a learning and awareness experience about the area in which they live.
MUA MUA
Ancient traditions that are passed on from generation to generation. Cultural gestures that make up a part of Panama’s personality. Crafts that tell stories about the area full of beautiful traditions.
With the objective of preserving and transmitting the importance of these gestures, a permanent exhibition center was erected with a space to guard the traditions and celebrate the idiosyncrasy of the country.
Communities
Buenaventura is an exclusive community carefully designed to preserve the natural environment and its investment over time.
Every detail has been taken into account to guarantee that Buenaventura be a sublime experience. From the architectural design to landscaping to leisure infrastructure, all have been considered for your complete satisfaction.
Puntarena
To mention Puntarena is to talk about a community at the foot of the Pacific Ocean and the entry channel towards the new Buenaventura Marina. However, beyond its beauty and European architecture inspired in Colonial America, its highlight is the social life that happens here.
During the summer season, Puntarena becomes the gathering point for all of the community of Buenaventura. Music festivals, wine and gastronomy events join the residents who wish to take advantage of the weather and share unique moments with friends and family.
In Puntarena you can find ample apartments from 2 to 4 rooms and with total areas of square 158 m2.
Marina Village
The architectural inspiration comes from the sea and the tropics, with views toward the Marina and the horizon that are one of a kind.
With a slightly tropical architectural design by the renowned Panamanian firm George Moreno & Partners, the community will host twelve buildings with apartments of 1, 2, 3 or 4 rooms starting from 98 m2, with luxurious finishes, appliances and AA.
Marina Village will have a commercial plaza and its own beach at the skirts of the Marina with restaurant and bar service for residents to enjoy exceptional moments, becoming an ideal place to start an adventure at sea or have a good time relaxing.
Laguna
Beach life is completely compatible with nature. This is how we would summarize life at Laguna.
The landscape design and the architectural concept of the international firm Hart Howerton were inspired by the views of the lake as well as the sounds of nature, creating a unique condominium which is the pride of its residents. Along its streets and paths, one can usually spot birds and squirrels common to the Buenaventura fauna. Laguna has family amenities that are unique in Buenaventura.
A weather haven just 90 minutes from the city
One of GVA’s main commitments – which is part of their DNA – is to develop pioneer projects that positively impact surrounding areas. Buenaventura is a clear example of a world class project that has located Panama, specifically Coclé, in the international tourism map. The area, just 90 minutes away from the city, perfectly combines beach and mountain. Thus transforming it into the perfect scenery for those looking for adventure as well as relaxation. You can exchange the heat of the beach for the cooler weather of the mountain in only a few minutes. Buenaventura is located in the so called Pacific Riviera, home to a vaierty of full service touristic complexes, golf courses, water sports and proximity to the touristic and volcanic destination of El Valle. The average weather in the Pacific Rivieras is of 24-26º C and it is called the Dry Arch of Panama because precipitation is few and far between which allows one thing for sure: golf all 365 days of the year. Furthermore, Panama does not present natural disasters such as earthquakes or hurricanes. This last piece is what differentiates it from other countries in the region, and it happens because the country is outside of the boundaries of the known “Hurricane Highway”.
Services available
Despite it being only 90 minutes away from the city through the Panamerican Highway, the area has all the services necessary for residents.
- Supermarkets
- Markets
- Medicine
- General
- Specialty
- Bilingual Education
- Primary School
- High School
- College (coming soon)
- Commerce
- Movie theaters
- Internet
Given its privileged geographical location and with one of the best airports in the region, Panama is not far from anywhere. It counts with the presence of most major airlines that connect it to the world.
From Buenaventura to Panamá
Panama is a paradise to discover. The country offers so much and from here you are close to everything. Imagine this. Only 40 minutes away is El Valle de Antón, one of the biggest inhabited volcano craters in the world. Explore nature in its purest state, full of untouched areas, where birds are the melody of each morning. Activities such as green tourism are its main attractions.
El Valle de Antón attracts its visitors with its cool and pleasant weather. Discover its beautiful mountains and its infamous “India Dormida” while you enjoy other outdoor activities such as: hiking, climbing, canopy, mountaineering, horseback rides and bird watching.
Here are some of the many activities that you can partake in here:
- El Níspero Zoo
- Chorro del Macho (Canopy y natural pool)
- India Dormida (river and waterfalls)
- Piedras Pintadas (Painted Stones)
- Craft market
- Serpentarium
- Orchid Garden(Aprovaca)
- Thermal waters
- Natural Monument Cerro Gaital
- Squared trees
- Chorro de las Mosas
From Panama to the world
Panama is close to everything. From here you can find flights to all of America. Twenty nine commercial airlines operate in the country with over 400 flights on a daily basis to over 89 destinations in 39 countries in America, Europe and Asia and with a movement surpassing the 16 million people that transit the Tocumen airport daily.
