The Azuero Peninsula and Veraguas Places

Playa Venao (Playa Venado)

Long a mecca for surfers, the 2-mi-long pale-brown Playa Venao, in a deep, half-moon bay surrounded by largely deforested hills, has some of Panama's most consistent surf, and what could be the country's best beach break. The center of the beach is consistently pounded by surf, creating dangerous swimming conditions, but the western and eastern extremes are protected within the curved ends of the bay and thus have calm water, especially the eastern end. Other outdoor options include snorkeling, horseback riding, fishing, or a trip to the turtle-nesting beaches of Isla Cañas (most hotels can arrange trips here).

Playa Venao is off the beaten track, with no stores, ATMs, or phone lines (and limited cell-phone coverage)—which means you need to leave messages or e-mail reservations well ahead of time—and only one hotel accepts credit cards. All services are in Pedasí. About a mile west of the beach's first entrance is the main entrance, next to a colorful bus stop, which is where you'll find the surf break and an open-air restaurant, Jardín Vista Hermosa. On holidays and dry-season weekends there is usually a small tent city on the beach near the surf break. Campers use the restaurant's bathrooms and showers for a small fee. If there are waves, this area can develop dangerous rip currents, so don't swim there if the sea is rough. There is another, steep entrance to the beach on Playa Venao's western end, a safe place to swim. A few kilometers to the west of Playa Madroño, which itself is west of Playa Venao, is the town of Cañas, where boats embark to cross the estuary to Isla Cañas.