Out Of Harm’s Way

Don’t you know there’s a war on?…

Truth is, out at Los Islotes, when it all started to go to hell in Iran, we didn’t know.

Not that we aren’t plugged into the rest of the world out here but that evening nobody down at our beach bar, Panama Jack’s, was looking at their phones.

And, playing host as we were to some of our staff from Panama City and beyond, Kathleen and I were otherwise engaged.

I was manning the grill, starting a bonfire on the beach, and making sure the Irish guy three beers deep on an oversized surfboard didn’t underestimate the Pacific.

Kathleen was keeping the grandkids entertained with giant Jenga and horse rides while the bigger kids enjoyed darts, poker, and cuba libres…

As news trickled through we wondered if we had World War III on our hands. Out on our peaceful beach under a quiet, star-filled sky it seemed hard to even contemplate.

“They could drop the bomb and we wouldn’t know the difference,” someone mused.

Probably true.

Back in 2007 when I hacked my way into the jungle that had overtaken this 225-acre former finca on the western coast of Panama’s Azuero Peninsula people thought I was crazy.

They thought I was crazier still in 2008 when I bought it and along with Kathleen began to map out plans for our own private oceanside community, Los Islotes. Located four to six hours from Panama City—depending on who’s at the wheel—it’s an easy run on a good road but off the radar of nosy officials, HOA busybodies, and hopefully nuclear fallouts.

Not so crazy now, I guess.

And while our private corner of the world insulates us from far away chaos, here in Panama progress persists… and it’s been moving down this stretch of the Azuero Peninsula for years.

Some of our guests were staying on the property, others at the Bramador just a couple of minutes from our gate. It’s where you’ll find a bar, restaurant, swimming pool, gas station, and general store. Before it opened if you needed something from a store it meant a 40-minute drive to the town of Mariato.

Having the Bramador just outside the gates has made life at Los Islotes easier…

Today, life at Los Islotes is easier than ever before. We’re amidst beaches, jungle, and dramatic coastline—in fact, this is one of the few places in Panama where you can watch the sun set over the water—but we’re certainly not roughing it.

We have electricity. We have WiFi. We have offices. We have roads. We have stables. There’s a handful of houses built, including our own Founder’s Lodge.

Our Founder’s Lodge during construction and as it stands today…

Getting to this point hasn’t been easy—in fact, I think I broke my architect—but what good thing ever is?

Our vision for Los Islotes is a private world that will carry on for generations. Long-term plans include a town square with a church, a student center with a library, and a museum. Basically, a community. Ultimately, a legacy.

Build or buy a home here and you’ll be a part of that. But you need vision. If you don’t have that, this isn’t the spot for you.

But if you do and you want a true escape from an increasingly unpredictable world, then you owe it to yourself to come take a look.

Just give me a minute to check our latest guests are all cleared out. For some reason they didn’t want to leave…

Stay diversified,

Lief Simon
Editor, Offshore Living Letter