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The World’s Healthiest Places to Live (part 2)

Panama: Shangri-La Valley

“Live long and prosper.” In the famed Star Trek series, it was the typical Vulcan salute. And that brings Volcan to mind. What better place in Panama to seek long life and live off the grid?

Expat Patrick Greer, owner of the Lost and Found eco-lodge, says few places rival Volcan for green-highland scenery and low-cost living. But he and other expats are cottoning on to the health benefits of living here.

Check out the cemetery gravestones and you’ll note people in this region were living into their 80s and 90s when life expectancies elsewhere in Panama averaged 77 years or less. It’s a combination of the spring-like weather and the fresh produce here.

Often described as the “Shangri-La Valley,” Volcan’s attractions include thermal springs and berry stands. Just try to stress out here; it’s hard to do—the pace of life is so serene.

U.S. expat Paul Votava runs Restaurante Polineth in Volcan, which serves Thai fare. He lobbied organic farms to grow chilies for his dishes and grows many herbs in his own garden. Today, $10 gets you full of the tastes of Thailand—guilt-free, of course, thanks to the organic vegetables.

Patrick’s lodge is in a national park with dozens of hiking trails. “We are surrounded by tranquility,” he says. “Hordes of monkeys come through the trees…cacomistles appear every night at eight like clockwork.” His neighbors include an organic farmer who specializes in coffee and makes his own wine. You can sample both and have a farm-to-table lunch, then lose yourself under the green canopy of La Fortuna nature reserve.

Source: Internationalliving.com
Date of publication: 16th of July 2010
Remark: LEX posted only an abridged version of the article. For detailed information on this topic visit the mentioned source website

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