Playa Los Destiladeros

This beach in the Azuero Peninsula's southeast corner isn't the region's nicest, given its dark sand and abundant rocks, but it has the peninsula's two best hotels. It is an attractive enough spot, with a swath of brown sand backed by hills covered with a mix of pastures, patches of forest, and scattered vacation homes. Rough seas often make for dangerous swimming here at high tide, but at low tide offshore rocks tend to break the force of the waves, creating some small pools for safe swimming. The best beach for swimming in the area is Puerto Escondido, a few miles north. Los Destiladeros is the most comfortable and expensive base for trips to Isla Iguana and Playa Venao, thanks to the two good hotels. The surrounding countryside is excellent for walking or horseback riding.