I spent a night in Panama's richest neighborhood, often called a 'little Dubai' or the 'Miami of Latin America'

The author in the pool at the JW Marriott Panama.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

• Punta Pacifica is Panama City's most expensive neighborhood.
• The neighborhood has man-made islands, private marinas, and penthouses worth $5 million.

Duncan McGowan describes Panama City's Ocean Reef Islands as "perfection."

The landscaping is manicured flawlessly, never a leaf or branch out of place. You'd have to hunt to find trash anywhere on the islands, and instead, you're more likely to notice bird songs filling the air.

Looking one way, all you see is the endless ocean. Turn around, and there's a stunning cityscape behind you, McGowan, the president of Punta Pacifica Realty, told Business Insider.

The Ocean Reef Islands are part of Panama's Punta Pacifica neighborhood, and that perfection is exactly what Panama's wealthiest residents seek.

On a recent trip to the country, I saw the opulence that residents chase across Punta Pacifica, Panama's wealthiest neighborhood.