I’ve seen Pacific coast beaches from Mexico to Peru, and I’ve SCUBA dived all along the Caribbean and Central American Atlantic coast. It takes a lot to impress me when it comes to beaches.

Panama has great beaches. Long, wide, sandy, gently sloping.

Beautiful. But the real estate options…ah, that really put the shine in our attendees’ eyes, including mine. I saw for myself the huge variety of properties on offer here during the optional real estate tours after our conference.

This wasn’t just a buffet. It was an incredible smorgasbord of beach-front and beach-view condos, ultra-modern downtown lofts, golf course villas overlooking lush fairways and greens, breezy home sites with vistas of sea and sand, custom houses of exotic hardwoods nestled on cool, wooded highland lots.

And many of these properties were pre-construction offers that included significant discounts for buying from plans.

It was enough to get a guy thinking…

I’ll give you some specific examples of the deals we saw in a moment, but first I want to confess…I came away from that conference without buying anything myself.

How, I don’t know. I guess I was working, hosting the conference, had other things on my mind. But my wife, Suzan, and I have been looking for something in Panama for a while now, and for some reason, I sat there during the optional real estate tours after that conference and watched deal after deal go by.

I’ve kicked myself several times in the following weeks. I’m happy to say, though, that now I can stop kicking and start planning again.

What others are saying about today’s Panama…

“While Costa Rica is a great success story, it is hardly an undiscovered gem. That description may apply more outside its southern border in Panama.” While Costa Rica is a great success story, it is hardly an undiscovered gem. That description may apply more outside its southern border in Panama." - London Financial Times

"Panama is the new Central American bargain, where the U.S. dollar – the market currency – goes a long way. The country ranks second only to Switzerland as a tax haven…” - Conde Nast Traveler

" Panama is the most beautiful destination in the world and almost undiscovered." - Harper's Bazaar

“…An undiscovered tourist paradise.” - Boston Globe

Like the snowboarders kept saying during the Winter Olympics…I’m stoked.

This event is going to be extraordinary, and I’m personally looking forward to it for several reasons.

First, few organizations are better qualified to mount a tour like this. International Living has been investigating, exploring, and writing about Panama for years now. We covered the story so closely in fact, that we decided to become part of it and open an office there.

Second, few people are more qualified to put on a tour like this--our on-the-ground staff in Panama know the place inside and out. You’d be hard pressed to find a crew of more knowledgeable, energetic resources, and everyone of them lives in Panama full time.

And third…I get to go back myself. I like Panama. And I’d like you to join me there for a focused, concentrated, first-hand look at some of the best real estate opportunities this amazing little country has to offer.

Here’s how it will go.

On May 4, we’ll get registered in the morning at the Intercontinental Miramar Hotel. Then we’ll spend the first day getting the straight facts about the legal and financial in’s and out’s of Panamanian real estate and expat benefits, including:

No-nonsense explanations of the several ways to structure property ownership in Panama--including through your own Panamanian corporation.

The personal advantages to you of Panama’s position as one of the leading, and most private, banking and financial centers in the world.

And that’s all we’ll do the first day. We won’t have breakout sessions or presentations on French leaseback schemes or How To Make A Million Dollars Selling Lawn Clippings On Ebay. Just opportunities in Panama, plain and simple.

(There will be a cocktail party that evening, but that’s in my contract.)

Then, bright and early the next day, we’ll hit the road.

For three days, we’ll steep ourselves in the real estate wonderland that is modern Panama. Three days of getting up-close and personal with some of the most attractive real estate in this very attractive market. Direct and to the point.

You can CLICK HERE right now to see the official itinerary and sign up for this unique event. But if you’re curious, I’ll give you just a few examples of the kinds of opportunities I saw last time I was in Panama.

(Here’s the caveat…to say Panama is an active market is like saying Tokyo is a big town. Some of these deals will have been snapped up by now. But there will almost certainly be just as many deals to replace them. On our upcoming tour, we’ll be on the ground and seeing a selection of the most current offerings in real time.)

Grand Bay Tower in Panama City. On Balboa Avenue, fronting Panama Bay, in the heart of the financial district, 1,291 square feet of ultra-modern condo with amenities including a rooftop swimming pool, covered terrace, sun deck, two bars, garden, exercise room, game room, dressing room and sauna and a reserved parking space starting at $250,000.

“Long overshadowed by eco-tourism heavyweights Costa Rica and Belize to the north, Bocas del Toro is starting to emerge as the newest star in the eco-tourism pantheon.” - Gannet News Service

“…a group of like-minded Americans, lured by cheap land and a government aware of the fragility of its natural resources, are creating a new version of the Gold Coast, a Riviera with an eco-friendly agenda…” - New York Times

"…blissfully pristine and low-key…It's a trip back in time." - Men's Journal

Tucan Country Club & Resort is just minutes from Panama City across the Canal, nestled in lush forests but with stunning views from high points of downtown. Tucan is anchored by a 72-hole championship PGA course designed by Jeffery Myers.

When completed, Tucan will feature 500 residences include luxury villas, town homes and terrace condominiums. Condos will start at $198,00 and villas will start at $342,000.

As I was sitting here writing this, it suddenly hit me. A tropical paradise that actually welcomes foreigners with tax and residency incentives. A world-class city with all the services, entertainment and living options imaginable. Miles and miles and miles of gorgeous beaches with more ownership opportunities than you can shake a stick at--all at a fraction of the cost of anything comparable on either coast in the U.S.

And the last time I was there, I didn’t buy a thing.

What was I thinking?

It’s not like Panama is an unknown or insecure market. The U.S. has had a major presence there for more than 100 years. International Living has already bought and remodeled and is running a business there. Expats taking advantage of the tax and residency perks are moving there from all over the world.