Hello everyone.... New guy here, and Thanx for all the previously read posts.... great info! OK then... Arriving PTY Feb. 15th for about 17-20 days. Our plan is something like this: 2-3 days in PC... then work our way up the Pacific coast via buses (3-4 hour max each time) Spend 2-3-4 days in an area ie., Santa Clara, Playa Blanca, San Carlos.Our goal is just to see what's there.... maybe a little diving if it looks cool...body surfing, hanging out, hiking around, waterfalls, nothing in particular.... other than just being there and taking it all in. Then head up the PanAmerican InterAmericana Hwy ( let's call that PCH Pacfic Coast Hwy). So far that sounds fine and easy... Then it gets tricky, and need local advice... Not much info on Azuero peninsula .. but it looks like we can take Hwy 2 south along the coast and then work back up to PCH (Hwy 1) But... that's a lot of bus miles.... or just take Hwy.2 south to somewhere and then back north to Hwy 1 ???.
Ok... off towards Santiago/David... it looks like Santa Catalina looks cool....via Sona road.. but again... lots of miles south and then it looks like we have to backtrack..is that right?
Ok.. El Valle De Anton looks cool too... possible plan could be to anchor down there and take daily, early buses to differant beaches from there for 2-3 days. Is that reasonable?
Ok.. then do Boca Brava/Boca Chica area for a while.... what's that all about? Beaches, diving, long walks on the beaches? Sound like maybe 4-5-6 days around there, eh?
Original plan was to make the big counter-clockwise trek and end up in Bocas... might be changing my mind about Bocas... although flying back to PC from there could save a lot of time not backtracking.
We normally get a car and just wing it along the coasts.... but this time the towns aren't that far apart and the buses are fun and cheap, and don't have worry about the rental. We really like the mid-range hostals....20 to 40 bucks private room.... privatley ran, ... they have so much cool character.
Ok then.... thanx in advance for any info....... I'll be here a lot over the next few weeks. From MPLS, MN USA
Hi there,
The main thing you need to realize about getting around in Panama is that the PanAmerican Highway is the main/only highway in the country. No matter where you go, you will always have to backtrack to the main highway.
The Azuero peninsula is a great place to visit. You need to turn off the main highway in Divisa and go south. You will go through Chitre, Las Tablas and then get to Pedasi. There are tons of nice beaches in this area. Best bet for a cheap hotel is Las Tablas or Pedasi. From either of those places you can travel throughout the region. Take a trip as far down as Cambutal. Great surfing, as with Playa Venao.
From personal experience (have been living in Panama for 3 years), you will probably want to spend more time in the Azuero peninsula than in Boca Chica. Way more to do in Azuero.
El Valle de Anton is only worth a day visit. You're better off staying in the beach area of Santa Clara/San Carlos/Playa Blanca and do a day trip to El Valle. Sounds like you prefer the beach anyway.
You can find out more about some of these areas at www.panamatravels.com.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rebecca
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