Playa Coronado

From the capital, this is the closest decent Central Pacific beach. Playa Coronado began to develop as a weekend destination for wealthy Panamanians decades ago, and today the coast is almost completely lined with condos and weekend homes, leaving very few spots for nonresidents to get onto the beach. The sand here is pale gray with swaths of fine black dirt running through it, which gives it a sort of marbled appearance, and though the beach gets some waves it is usually safe for swimming. The big attraction is an 18-hole golf course designed by Tom and George Fazio, which is part of the Hotel Coronado. One of the country's best golf destinations, the resort is not fancy but spacious, with plentiful green areas. It gets packed with Panamanian families on weekends and holidays, but is practically dead most weekdays. Foreign tourists are always a minority here, which makes it a good place to experience the real Panama.