For years, Jorge Fonseca has been promoting the characteristics that make the province of Cocle one of the most cherished places for tourism and retirement. We talked with him about the area and its charm.
“Lifestyle in Cocle is very peaceful, calm, and healthy. You can see your neighbors working out at the beach without a care in the world, others in their hammocks enjoying the news while they drink their cup of coffee. Here you live and breathe quality of life and freedom.”
This is how Jorge describes life in Cocle. Through his platform @coclelotienetodo, he consistently spreads knowledge about the zone for those who do not normally visit.
¿What makes Cocle such a special place?
We wanted to talk to Jorge so he could give us more information about the secrets of the area that has become a favorite for tourism amongst Panamanians and foreigners alike, especially those that are retired.
PL: Why Cocle?
JF: Cocle is the perfect place to have a balance between work and leisure. It is a spectacular place because at dawn you can go walk on the beach and afterward you can work online and in the afternoon you can go hiking or to the river to return home to finish any pending work tasks or Zoom calls.
PL: What makes Cocle a special place for the retired person?
JF: The Cocle province is a great place for somebody that is retired. First of all, the weather is very sunny during summer – our summer is very long – while in the winter time we get very little rain and we still get a lot of sun to enjoy outdoor activities.
Food is another topic; it is very low cost and you can find fresh food all over. We have amazing roads, supermarkets, pharmacies, an international airport and high speed internet.
I believe that an important aspect is that many high quality real estate projects are being developed for all types of budgets and options.
PL: What services can a foreigner find in Cocle?
JF: They have multiple benefits. Tax, investment, cost of living way lower than in any other Latin American countries, discounts, high quality medical access, short distance to the city. This area is a great place to set up as a homebase.
PL: What are the best areas to live in and why?
JF: I would say it would be the hotel and residential area that extends between Bijao and Buenaventura because it has a little bit of everything. Luxury hotels, restaurants, international airport, spas, supermarkets, golf course, touristic environment and beach.
In my personal opinion, today the best investment would be to buy in Buenaventura and have all the necessary amenities, security, extracurricular activities and still be close to the city.
PL: Three unique things about Cocle and that a foreigner has to experience.
JF: The first thing is its amazing weather. The renowned Dry Arch that extends from Cocle to Los Santos, Herrera and Veraguas, is the area that gets the least amount of rain in the country allowing for multiple outdoor activities such as running, swimming, playing golf, cycling, fishing, soccer, yoga, surfing and more.
Fifteen minutes away, you can find beaches in Panama Oeste that have great waves for those who enjoy surfing and paddle.
Another thing to highlight without a doubt is the different environments that can be found in Cocle. Just 1-hour away you have Anton Valley where you can enjoy cooler weather and hike or bathe under a waterfall.
PL: What is the gastronomy like around the area?
JF: The gastronomy is interesting because you can find all types of options from restaurants with a great beachfront vibe up to sushi, seafood and luxury restaurants.
Jorge continues to work to show what the area can offer both locals and foreigners. His goal is for people to discover the best kept secrets of Cocle, the province that went from being considered a second home and is quickly becoming the place to live due to it being so close to the city.
