Is Volcan and Cerro Punta, Chiriqui Province, Panama safe?

Unless you are foolish, the Volcán and Cerro Punta region of Panamá is perfectly safe for gringos. With extremely rare exceptions, the only people who have crime issues are either stupidly involved with illegal drugs or weapons or foolishly are ostentatious about how relatively "wealthy" they are in comparison to the Panamanians. If you live as Panamanians do, being friendly and respectful, and not leaving anything you cherish in plain sight, you ought to be just...

Unless you are foolish, the Volcán and Cerro Punta region of Panamá is perfectly safe for gringos. With extremely rare exceptions, the only people who have crime issues are either stupidly involved with illegal drugs or weapons or foolishly are ostentatious about how relatively "wealthy" they are in comparison to the Panamanians. If you live as Panamanians do, being friendly and respectful, and not leaving anything you cherish in plain sight, you ought to be just fine.
 

Compared to other areas, Volcan and Cerro Punta in Panama are very safe.

 

The only thing about safety that you really have to be aware of is the rule is that you shouldn't leave your house alone for more than 3 days in a row, because it can happen that thieves will break into a home that they notice that no one has been to for several days.

 

However, you won't get bothered or in any way attacked in the streets if you...

Compared to other areas, Volcan and Cerro Punta in Panama are very safe.

 

The only thing about safety that you really have to be aware of is the rule is that you shouldn't leave your house alone for more than 3 days in a row, because it can happen that thieves will break into a home that they notice that no one has been to for several days.

 

However, you won't get bothered or in any way attacked in the streets if you are walking or going out of your car. Since both Volcan and Cerro Punta are very little towns, it is very easy for everyone (including expats living here even for just a few months) to notice when somebody new is the neighborhood.  This is one of the reasons why we don't have that many thieves-- they get to be known very fast!

Asking whether any place is "safe" is an open-ended and sometimes frustrating question.  Rather than inquiring as to crime statistics or actual community trends, it tends to question more how one might feel in an area as opposed to a realistic relative threat that someone might be subject to.

 

A few months ago, two young Dutch travelers disappeared in nearby Boquete, releasing a torrent of rumors and speculations about all manner of terrible criminal...

Asking whether any place is "safe" is an open-ended and sometimes frustrating question.  Rather than inquiring as to crime statistics or actual community trends, it tends to question more how one might feel in an area as opposed to a realistic relative threat that someone might be subject to.

 

A few months ago, two young Dutch travelers disappeared in nearby Boquete, releasing a torrent of rumors and speculations about all manner of terrible criminal enterprise that might have led to their demise.  Tragically, their remains have recently been discovered and it appears that it was simply a manner of two hikers that became lost in the mountains and perished.  Yet now, without the intrigue of international human trafficking rings and organ harvesting no longer an option, the rumor mill continues to turn and has resorted to outlandish reports of lost, savage tribes in the mountains that must have cannibalized these poor helpless foreigners.  Especially when it comes to the question of safety, beware of sensationalism and always take into account the level of fear that an individual is experiencing in their own life when they provide their opinion of what is safe and what is not.  Fear is a powerful emotion and is very often disproportionate to the reality of risk.

 

With all that said, Volcan and Cerro Punta have historically experienced very low rates of crime of any sort.  As in much of Panama, theft is the most common crime and is typically a result of opportunity and chance.  Physical assaults, robberies committed by force or threat are beyond rare and sexual assaults are almost unheard of anywhere in the area.  The region is serene and populated primarily by hard-working locals who support the healthy agricultural industry as well as expats who tend to form strong bonds or have sought out a life of peace and solitude.

 

After having spent a good bit of time in a variety of areas in Panama, including in close proximity to some of the more violent and crime-ridden ones, I would have to say that the Volcan-Cerro Punta-Boquete region is likely the most peaceful and "safe" area in all of Panama.