Playa Kobbe (Playa Bonita)

With 2 km (1 mi) of beige sand washed by relatively clear waters and surrounded by tropical forest, Playa Kobbe is a lovely spot. It is also the closest beach to Panama City, a mere 20 minutes from downtown by car, which could be a problem considering that all the city's sewage goes straight into the sea. Nevertheless, the water off Kobbe Beach looks clean, and the Intercontinental hotel management claims that lab tests have deemed the water perfectly safe for swimming. Its proximity to Panama City means it should be a popular weekend spot for the capital's residents, but since 2006, it has been dominated by the massive Intercontinental Playa Bonita Resort & Spa. Since the resort owns all the land around the beach and restricts access to it, it is for all practical purposes private, even though under Panamanian law all beaches are public property. The name Playa Bonita (beautiful beach) is a PR invention, but given the resort's stature and plans for a housing development there, it will probably replace Playa Kobbe, named for the one-time U.S. military base here, as the beach's official moniker.