Decameron Panama: Beaches, Golf and Casinos Outside of Panama City

Decameron Panama, or The Royal Decameron Resort, Golf and Casino, is located just outside of Panama City in Farallon. This all inclusive resort has received mixed reviews from many visitors which leads me back

 to the issue of expectations when traveling Panama. When visiting this resort you should expect the typical Panamanian treatment and service. Your drink may not arrive at warp speeds, but you will get it. Your room may not be the most lavish nor will the hot water work 24 hours a day, but the staff won’t really care.
What you can expect in the Decameron Panama all inclusive resort is a great deal on food, drinks, fun and sun a short distance from the city. This place would be ideal for a family side trip when visiting panama because of the cheap rates and loads of pools for the kids. The Decameron panama will only set you back around $90 a night for one person and you’ll never have to dip into your wallet during your stay. The Decameron is only about an hour outside of Panama City so getting there is a short bus, taxi or van ride. The grounds of the Decameron are stunning. The ocean views are breathtaking and the culture is completely Panama.  The best way to enjoy this all inclusive is to relax, and once again remember that you aren’t in Kansas anymore. Take it as it comes and enjoy.

http://www.uncoverpanama.com/ For places to stay in Decameron, Playa Blanca, Miramar.


 http://panamapulse.com/browser/?onsurl=%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F~r%2FThePanamaGringo%2F~3%2F1gN45gkmoJQ%2F

Monkey Island Tours • Panama Canal Adventure

Monkey Island is located at Gatun Lake in the valley of the Chagres river between Panama and Colon Provinces in the Republic of Panama.

 

 

Its surface area is 164 square miles. Gatun lake is the second largest artificial man-made lake in the world. This lake was created in 1907 and took 6 years to flood. It was created to help the transit of ships across the isthmus. This lake is the reservoir of water needed for the operation of the Panama Canal. It is surrounded by nature and history everywhere – the flora and fauna makes this place a must-see while visiting Panama.

You can take a boat tour through the Panama Canal into secret waterways to find hidden islands where Capuchin and Howler monkeys can be seen leaping in the trees above. Occasionally, they become curious of visitors and venture down to take a closer look.
A Panama Canal tour provides a unique opportunity for viewing wild monkeys in their natural habitat. Other animals you might spot on this tour includes Two and Three-toed Sloths, Crocodiles, and turtles that are native to Gatun Lake.

The boat ride to and from the island passes through the Panama Canal, giving you the chance to spot huge container ships during their passage across the world.

The World's 8 Best Places to Retire in 2014

By Kathleen Peddicord December 31, 2013 10:42 AM

 

If you could retire anywhere in the world, where would you go? As we find ourselves at the beginning of a brand new year, that's a question worth asking. The very good news is that we are living in a time when it's not only possible, but easier than ever to launch the retirement adventure of your fondest day dreams almost anywhere on earth that appeals to you.

Specifically, here are the best, most comfortable, affordable, convenient and rewarding spots worldwide for retirement in 2014. Which one is calling your name?

1. Coronado, Panama

Monthly budget: $1,800

Monthly rent: $600

Panama caters to foreign retirees like no other country in the world. Day-to-day living is affordable, the approach to taxation is favorable and property prices remain a bargain outside the capital city. The country boasts perhaps the world's most generous incentive program for retirees and uses the U.S. dollar as its currency, meaning no exchange-rate risk for retirees whose retirement income is also denominated in greenbacks.

Panama City is being remade in real time right now thanks to a myriad of public works projects, including the expansion of the Panama Canal. Panama also offers some of the most advanced medical care facilities in the region. Many Panamanian doctors are U.S.-trained, and Panama City's hospitals are first-rate.

My top recommendation for retirement in Panama in 2014 is Coronado, a beach community on the country's Pacific coast about an hour outside the capital. Life here could be comfortable, convenient and turn-key, as this area is home to one of this country's most established communities of foreign retirees.

http://news.yahoo.com/world-39-8-best-places-retire-2014-154245784.html

For more hot retirement countries.

http://panamavacationrentals.co/

For vacation rentals and real estate investment.

First flight of Air France at Tocumen International Airport • Panama

Air France highlights "tremendous potential" of Panama and optimistic future glimpsed in its operations. Monday, November 25, was held at the Tocumen International Airport (TIA), the arrival of the inaugural flight of the French airline Air France, marking the beginning of his frequently Paris - Panama, offering three weekly flights and adding a connectivity more directly to the heart of Europe, thus crystallizing the efforts of President Ricardo Martinelli to benefit the country as a positive impact on the Panamanian economy.

 During the welcome ceremony of the French flight, President Martinelli said that the new route of Air France is the result of the trip he took to France in May this year. He said that "personally" he dealt with the negotiations in France, where the company expressed a desire to establish an Air France direct flight between Panama and Paris.

He added that the load factor of the Air France flights to and from France is pre-selling until April.   "I'm sure seeing the Panamanian company potential, within a year could be making a daily basis, enabling more European tourists visit the destination Panama," the visibly moved President.

The Boeing B777-200 aircraft with capacity for 309 passengers, was received with the traditional baptism of fire Tocumen International Airport. The President of the Republic of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, Ambassador of France, airport authorities, journalists, special guests with airline executives also welcomed the first flight, which is part of the expansion of Air France Latin America.

Its executives reported that Air France started with three flights a week linking the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris with Tocumen Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, a frequency that provides 900 seats per week from the European market.

The Boeing B777-200 offers three classes, with 35 Business seats are completely bed, semi Premium Economy and Economy reclining seats with individual screen for each passenger.

Directors of Air France stressed during reception at Tocumen International Airport, the "tremendous potential" of its new route between Paris and Panama, from Monday connected to two of the "hub" or distribution centers passengers more dynamic in the world. "Expectations for the future are quite optimistic," said executive vice president of international Air France, Patrick Alexandre, noting that the airline aims to increase as soon as the frequency of its flights possible.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Copa Airlines, Pedro Heilbron said that Copa is a strategic partner that has an excellent hub connections, and "makes connecting passengers and Air France to reach Copa Panama that can connect to both routes. This new stage will be ideal for the connectivity offered Tocumen International Airport, which allows the plug between the two airlines. "

Panama attracts the French for business and investment, with an economy that exceeds 8% annual growth for its major infrastructure, its parks, its history and for being a destination for sun and beach safety. In addition to its golf courses, and cruises.

Translation provided by Google.

http://www.tocumenpanama.aero/index.php?cccpage=comunicados_detail&set_z_comunicados=649 

Panama Real Estate • Can you find the Hot Deals?

Written by Matt

Wednesday, 22 May 2013 19:15

I saw the boom for high-end luxury real estate in Panama begin (in earnest) in 2006, when the market was made up of almost entirely foreign buyers from the US, Canada, Venezuela, and Spain.  At the time, most were buying up pre-construction condos in areas like Punta Pacifica, Balboa Avenue, and Costa del Este.  Inventory was readily available, easy to find, and was being widely promoted by developers via trade expos, magazines, and online campaigns. This period is now widely known as Panama’s boom period and agents like me were selling properties to everyone and their sister. But today, accessing the market’s true offering is growing increasingly difficult for foreigners trying to search on their own for high-end real estate. Why? Because Panamanians have begun to re-establish this place as a very closed and homogenous playing field. As challenging as it is to say, local Panamanians with their inside connections, high-level government contacts, connected attorneys, and local affiliations like church and synagogue groups are at a noticeable advantage in 2013 when it comes to getting access to what is truly on the market. Many of my clients have commented on Panama’s fragmented real estate listing environment which makes things very difficult for an uninformed buyer to find top properties in upscale locations.  Why? Because these properties rarely make it on the market.  Rather, they are being sold through an elite and oftentimes closed network of real estate agents, attorneys, developers, and private connections. Nowadays I canvas buildings (and in fact entire neighborhoods) which are controlled by a small group of families. It’s in these circles that the only way to have access to the best properties in these areas is to “know someone who knows someone.”  In this sense, most foreigners are out of luck. Furthering the difficulty for foreigners, I’ve seen a number of luxury property sales of unlisted properties close via private transactions, meaning there is no transparent system in place to identify a true market value. Going along with the theme, high-end listings that do make it to the open market usually have very few pictures because the sellers don’t want their neighbors to know the property is for sale, putting the overseas buyer attempting to research online at an even bigger disadvantage. Nonetheless, properties are still moving under the current conditions.  It isn’t so much that investing in real estate in Panama is difficult. But to get the special stuff — the real estate that’s usually sold below the radar — what’s clear is that you need to be working with the right team. Rafael Mas, Commercial Director with Grupo Corcione in a brokers-only sales meeting revealed that over 70% of their 3500 – 4000 square foot units in the ultra-luxury Valery Point development (located in the new Santa Maria Golf Course Community) have already been sold.  More than 90% of the buyers have been local, with price points averaging over $900,000 per unit according to Mas. This is amazing! Some foreigners are still wiggling their way into the elite end of the Panamanian real estate market, as evidenced by another developer’s comments, who preferred to stay off the record: “Europeans have been interested in our product” which happens to be two-per-floor 500-meter oceanfront condos ranging in the $1-2 million dollar mark. “But this year, it’s been Panamanians who have bought the most.  We don’t do much marketing and generally tend to fly below the radar, so they are really finding us. This year, Panamanians have been number one.” So in order to dig a little further, I did some research and tapped my good friend, the Director of CompreAlquile.com, a popular online listing portal. According to his exclusive statistics, it appears at first glance that there is plenty of published inventory: In Punta Pacifica alone, for instance, there are currently 54 condos for sale listed at over $1,000,000. But what we quickly determined was that because of the nature of the market (one in which sellers who choose to list their properties may use multiple listing agents), many of these listings are either duplicate listings, sold properties, or bait-and-switch units used to bring in captive buyers. This cements the fact that there is plenty to choose from online, but what you will find is not necessarily an accurate or complete representation of what is actually on the market. I’ve decided that it isn’t so much that investing in real estate in Panama is difficult. But to get the special stuff — the real estate that’s usually sold below the radar — you need to be working with the right team who can leverage local connections and turn over stones that may be covering that truly special, one of a kind property that is in fact for sale. While foreign buyers still have the same rights and protections under Panamanian law as their local competition, it’s become increasingly important to become aligned with a trusted, informed, and most importantly connected property agent. http://www.thepanamareport.com/real-estate/investment/are-foreigners-disadvantaged-in-panama-real-estate.html

Theatre of Panama

Panama and Coclé Theatre

Panama and Coclé Theatre is a new community theatre created in 2012 in the interior of Panama by T Rob Brown, Artistic Director, and his wife Yolanda Van Der Kolk.

The company is made up of local residents, many of which have never performed on stage before joining PaCT. Specializing in murder mystery musicals, the company performs dinner-theatre style shows in local area restaurants.

The first show was presented in June 2012 by Picasso Bar + Restaurant in Coronado, performing two sold out shows of "Pinchin' de Picasso" written by Yolanda Van Der Kolk. The second show "Dancing with the Dictator, Eh" , a hilarious spoof on Newfies and on Canadians, written by Rob Brown finished a run at Cami-Es Restaurant in Farallon in early March.

The next show is a murder mystery musical with all original music, story by Yolanda and music by Tara Van Der Kolk. "Lucky 13" is set in the 1920's and will include an art show and storybook set, painted by Yolanda Van Der Kolk. 

Dates and location TBA - see www.retirementdetectives.com for more information.

Contact: roberto@retirementdetectives.com

Theatre Guild of Ancon

The Theatre Guild of Ancon was founded in 1950 by a group of Panamanian and American citizens who were interested in developing English language theatre in Panama. Our productions run the gamut of the theatrical spectrum – from modern, controversial dramas, to comedies and family entertainment, to musicals. Our stage has been the first step for performers such as Robert Loggia and Ruben Blades, and for successful directors such as Bruce Quinn.

The Theatre Guild of Ancon is the only voluntary working theatre of its kind in Panama. We provide a training ground for the future performers and technicians in the theatre arts, a place for everyone to exercise their creative muscles, and a place for those who seek quality theatre in the English language, to enjoy. It is our intention to provide a creative avenue for all.

Here’s our exciting line up for 2013:
Improv8 directed by Danielle Miles  – Now taking reservations!
Point Break Live Panama! directed by Giancarlo Benedetti / Rob Gettman
Deep Fried Comedy III directed by DFC Troupe
Rocky Horror Picture Show directed by Melanie Lee
Project 1984 directed by Matthew Addis
http://anconguild.com/

 Boquete Community Players

Boquete Community Players are a talented bunch of people living in Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama in the Highlands near the border of Costa Rica, who enjoy live theatre and events produced, directed and performed by people from all around the globe who have decided to make this mountain community their home.

BCP's own facility includes a 112 seat theatre, a lobby/lounge, a party room and a wraparound patio on the river in downtown Boquete. We welcome new members and are always looking for more volunteers, so come and join the fun!

We hold a number of recurring events to which we welcome all, no matter from where you hail, and no matter what your mindset. There is something for everyone at the BCP Theatre and Event Center.
Today, the BCP Theatre & Events Center is the hub of the ExPat community’s entertainment life. The Tuesday Morning Meeting is now held there….a weekly meeting that presents speakers who are authorities on subjects of interest to ExPats that provide vital information to make living in our new home town even better. There is also a period where announcements are made about new businesses, activities and services that share information with us all. The TMM is held every Tuesday at the BCP Events Center beginning at 10:30 am and ends around 12 noon.

2013 Theatre Line-Up

May   22nd - 26th Bench Warmers New One Act Plays  A series of new one act plays, whose authors are winners of the BCP Bench Warmer New play contest.  Last year we had entrants from the United States and many home grown right here in Panama.
“A delightful and fun filled evening.”     
July   31st - Aug 4th Proof by David Auburn Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best Play. Proof combines elements of mystery and surprise with old-fashioned storytelling to provide a compelling evening of theatre.    
October   16th - 20th  Hank Williams: Lost Highway

Music & Lyrics by Hank Williams, Sr. by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik

“Exhilarating! Serves up classic country with the edges raw and the energy hot.” – Rolling Stone

In the span of his short life, Hank Williams changed the landscape of American popular music forever.

Lost Highway follows Williams from his roots in Alabama to his meteoric rise to stardom on the stage of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry. This toe-tapping musical tribute showcases what Williams did best: performing, and features over 20 of Williams's best loved songs, performed live by Hank and the Drifting Cowboys, including timeless classics such as “Move It On Over”, “Jambalaya”, and “Your Cheatin' Heart”.

A humorous and heartfelt tribute, Hank Williams: Lost Highway reveals an intimate portrait of the passionate and troubled man behind the music.

http://www.bcpboquete.com/index.html

Grocery Stores in Panama

Penonomé, Coclé Province, Panamá
www.UncoverPanama.com

Whoa!  Why is someone writing a blog about grocery stores on a travel site?  What a mundane topic.  We all look forward to a fun filled tropical, sunny vacation, what do grocery stores have to do with any of the enjoyable plans we have?

 

As with most people we wonder what our rooms will be like, what is the beach like, what adventures can we have.  After the first day or two enjoying the beautiful beaches, great surf and a few Pina Coladas, our attention turns to more mundane matters.  After all, there is a practical side to every vacation.  If you are not staying in an ‘All Inclusive’ a very logical question is ‘Where do we buy food?’

As with most people we wonder what our rooms will be like, what is the beach like, what adventures can we have. 

After the first day or two enjoying the beautiful beaches, great surf and a few Pina Coladas, our attention turns to more mundane matters.  After all, there is a practical side to every vacation.  If you are not staying in an ‘All Inclusive’ a very logical question is ‘Where do we buy food?’

Several of our friends Stateside have had many questions to ask of us about Panama and often asked are questions like  ‘’Does Panama have ‘Real’ grocery stores?’’  “Can you get fresh fruit and vegetables”  etc. 

The answer is a resounding YES!!!

When we first came to this tropical paradise, we found ‘El Rey’ in Coronado approximately 30 kilometres to the East of us.  At the time, it was the only grocery store around.   Equidistant from us in the opposite direction is Penonome which had no large grocery stores but did have a smaller store called Machetazo.  Nowadays however, it is a very different story and Coronado boasts three good sized modern shopping centres, each with a grocery store.
 
f you need groceries, medications, suntan lotions, and / or just about any kind of general necessity you don’t have to look very hard. A large Super 99 is close by while a brand new shopping centre has been built on the other side of the highway with a large Machetazo which occupies three floors. It not only sells wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables, boasts a butcher’s, baker’s and a well stocked deli counter, but it also sells all kinds of household goods, electronics, clothes and hardware.

While there are numerous wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants in Coronado, tucked away in a corner of Machetazo is a little cafeteria we visit every time we shop there.  Here you can have a really great, inexpensive lunch cafeteria style, including an excellent choice of main courses, salads and desserts.

Penonome has its own Machetazo store just on its eastern outskirts, not quite as large as the newer one in Coronado but amply stocked with the same types of items, and there is a very large, 24 hour, Super 99 across the other side of town.  In between you will find all kinds of shops selling everything you could possibly imagine.  Apart from all of this, in Penonome there is  a bustling fresh produce and meat market, numerous  pharmacies, a casino, a brand new movie theatre, university, hospital, clinics, many wonderful restaurants and bars and it seems like there is a bank on almost every corner.

So when you come here on vacation, there is no need to worry about food shopping, supplies for the BBQ or suchlike. It is all here in spades. Come and enjoy yourself, take in all that is on offer here in this wonderful part of the world and hopefully this ‘Grocery’ blog will enlighten you to the resources available for your shopping pleasure.

Incredible Culinary Experience at Miraflores Locks Restaurant

Story by Tamara Rowe
Photos by Tamara Rowe
www.UncoverPanama.com

Almost every visitor to Panamá will take in one of the great Wonders of the World, the Panamá Canal.  Between the Bridge of the Americas and The Centenary Bridge sits Miraflores Locks, the most visited of all the locks.  This is also the location of the current expansion where two new locks are being constructed.

 Although I have visited Miraflores locks many times proudly touring friends and family as part of their Panamá experience, I was not aware of the elegant restaurant located on the second floor.    

Our friends and lifelong residents of Panamá, Luz and Jorge Patton, asked if we ever had the pleasure of dining at the Miraflores Restaurant & Bar.  They told us this is one of the finest restaurants in Panamá and where they frequently enjoy dining.  Luz was happy to make the necessary reservation for the four of us for the following week.

Upon entering this beautiful restaurant we were given the opportunity to either sit outside on the veranda and watch the ships as they pass through the canal or to dine indoors.  We choose indoor dining enabling us to more appreciate the charm and ambience of this lovely restaurant.  We were easily distracted as we passed by the huge buffet displaying a multitude of mouth watering main dishes, salads and deserts.  Putting imaginary blinders on, we made it to our seats.

No sooner seated and we were warmly greeted by Executive Chef Diego Garcia Vela and to our delight, he informed us he had personally prepared a five course meal for us to enjoy.
Our dining experience began with a lovely glass of white wine accompanied by the most delicious garlic bread.  I could have eaten the entire basket but managed to refrain knowing there were five courses to come.  Our first course was a wanton consume followed by Chef Diego and staff delivering a dazzling display of Tatacki Tuna, ever so lightly seared and accompanied by salsa Nikkei.  An explosion of flavours melting in your mouth!  Next, octopus with a sour tamarind sauce; simply delightful.  Our main course was a clever combination of beef, Serrano ham and feta cheese rolled and presented in a bed of pea puree.  As soon as our coffee and tea orders were taken dessert arrived; a lovely chocolate crêpe Suzette with grapes flambé.  This was an absolutely deliciously memorable dining experience!

Originally from Lima, Peru, the land of the Incas, Chef Diego has always been curious in the culinary arts.  As a young boy, his parents took him to dine in the finest restaurants of Peru and other countries enabling him to experience new and different cuisines.  After completing his education in Peru at the Ibero-American School of Hospitality and Tourism, he followed with several internships at some of the finest restaurants in Lima to gain more knowledge and experience.  He attained a position at Iquitos Fitzcarraldo Restaurant & Bar in the jungles of Peru which afforded him the opportunity to experiment with different techniques using exotic products such as lizard, ostrich and camu camu, a fruit found only in the Amazon, creating new dishes.

Chef Diego joined Miraflores Restaurant & Bar just a little over one year ago and “wants people to come to Miraflores not only to visit the Canal, but to visit also for the cuisine of the restaurant and to have an amazing experience where they can use all of their senses”.

The Miraflores Restaurant & Bar is operated by one of Panamá’s most exquisite hotels, the El Panamá Hotel.  To ensure seating, please make reservations by telephoning either 232-3120 or 232-3122 or visit their website:  www.elpanama.com.

Thank you Miraflores Restaurant & Bar for the warm ambience, flawless service, a wonderful dining experience and thank you Chef Diego for the deliciously brilliant meal, simply stunning in every way.

Whether you are a long term resident or simply a one time visitor to Panamá, I highly recommend that you experience the Miraflores Restaurant & Bar.

Natá - Explore This Historical Church With Us

Natá, Coclé Province, Panamá, S.A.
Story by Wendy Brausam & Tamara Rowe
Photos by Wendy Brausam
www.UncoverPanama.com

On a pleasant half day adventure from Penonomé, (the halfway point in Panamá, S.A. between Costa Rica to the northwest and Columbia to the southeast), our first stop is a visit to the famous Inglesia de Natá, one of the oldest churches in Panamá.

The town of Natá, named after an indigenous chief, is located approximately 36 km (map). southwest of Penonomé on the Interamerican highway and was one of the earliest settlements in Panamá.  The church was originally completed in 1522 and has undergone extensive restorations.  A surprising discovery in 1995, while restoring the floor, was the remains of three people. Their identities remain a mystery. 

The present day structure still contains the original columns that support the church’s roof made of hardwood from the níspero tree found in Bocus del Toro Province.  One thing to look for when visiting the church is the hand carving at the Altar of the Virgin which details fruit, leaves and feathered serpents.

If you like a challenge, cautiously climb the steep, narrow stairs that open out into the steeple.  Watch out for the pigeons!  The view is fantastic but quite breezy.   Make sure you bring your camera because the view is truly worth the climb. 

Providing employment for many locals is the Nestlé plant located in the west end of town beside the Interamerican highway.  Unlike the car filled company parking lots in North America, the lot at Nestlé is filled mainly with bicycles.

If you’re travelling through Coclé Province in Panamá, it’s definitely worth a visit to this example of Panamanian history.

Thanks for sharing our adventure.  Now, let’s see, where to next?
Tamara & Wendy
www.UncoverPanama.com

Luxurious Retirement for a Fraction of the Cost

Written by Christian Busnardo
www.UncoverPanama.com

Depends on whom you ask . . . most retireesare after year-round sunshine, a comfortable lifestyle and theexcitement of living abroad . . . getting all of these things andcutting your cost of living by half makes retiring in Panama a smartchoice, especially in today’s economy. Who doesn’t like a bargain!
 

Living for less in Panama is a hot topic.Ever wonder what it cost to live in Panama City? Learn about safe andaffordable locations, such as Bethania, El Cangrejo, San Francisco, LaLoma, and Hato Pintado, within Panama City at International Living’s “Live Large for Less in Panama City” IL Postcard.

Beach and golf getaways are no longer forthe Panama elite. Over the last decade, Panama has become a popularNorth American relocation destination!

No destination is more popularthan the beachfront golfing community of Costa Blanca, at the RoyalDecameron Resort; a great place to spend weekends, escape cold NorthAmerican winters or live fulltime and enjoy year-round sunshine. CoastBlanca offers beautiful golf-course views, access to several swimmingpools, private beach club and restaurant with a stretch of privatebeach.

The Royal Decameron Golf, Villa’s & Beach Resort

Written by Kevin Rowe www.UncoverPanama.com Say the word “Panama” and most people immediately think of the “Panama Canal.” But, just one visit is all it takes to make pristine beaches; lush rainforest; fantastic weather and a high standard of living also come to mind.  Welcome to The Royal Decameron, a modern, thriving, Panama’s international destination that offers you an incredible beach, golf course and spa resort. Check out Royal Decameron Real Estate & Vacation Rentals! The Royal Decameron Golf Course is as inspiring as the natural beauty that surrounds it with lakes, immaculate landscaping and majestic distant mountain views, - it’s a golfer’s paradise and a nature lover’s retreat.  You’re sure to enjoy the elegant golf Clubhouse and Pro Shop which features a wide variety of stylish golf wear and state-of-the-art clubs and accessories. The Royal Decameron’s golf course, formally Mantaraya golf course, is the most challenging course in Panama.  This 18 hole, Par 72 course stretches for 7,091 yards with a slope of 139 from the black tees, whites at 6,656 yards with a 130 slope, senior tees at 6,031 with a 124 slope and finally the ladies at 5,508 with a 129 slope.  The course was designed by the internationally renowned designer Randall Thompson, in association with the American Golf Course Design Company.  This course is extremely well guarded by 85 bunkers and water comes into play on 12 holes. The incredibly beautiful fairways of the front nine are lined with mature landscaping, townhouses, golf villas and nature views.  The front nine has many challenging holes that require pin point accuracy.  Holes 3, 5, 6, and 9 require more precision ball placement off the tee than distance. Score well on the first 12 holes because the last 6 are very long and difficult.  Starting with hole 13, this 445 yard Par 4 has water on both the left and right and 3 fairway bunkers.  This then brings us to 14, a 232 yard Par 3, the longest Par 3 on the course.  This is also the most difficult two tiered green.  No relief in sight on 15, it's up hill all the way on this Par 4, 456 yard challenge.  I personally consider hole 16 the toughest at 465 yards; it requires a long and accurate drive over the first water hazard but short of the second water hazard, leaving you with a long second shot averaging about 200 yards to an elevated green.   Bogie is a “good score” and Par feels like a “birdie”.  This takes you to hole 17, a downhill 411 yards.  Finally 18, a 596 yard Par 5, this hole is a true 3 shot hole….because of the water hazard in front of the green that spreads across the entire width of the fairway.  Get on in 3, take your Par and head to the Clubhouse for a cold beverage. The Royal Decameron Golf, Villa’s & BeachResort features a host of fun-filled amenities including an all inclusive hotel, casino, disco, sports bar, and live entertainment.  Great fishing, water sports, horseback riding, nature and outdoor tours are also available. The Royal Decameron Golf Course is located just 90 minutes from Panama City in the town of Farallón, Coclé on Panama’s beautiful Pacific Coast.  This course is playable year round due to the area’s micro-climate.  Royal Decameron Golf Course is open to the public and meets the demands of serious golfers as well as weekend warriors.  For more information: www.decameron.com