Beaches, Forest Parks and Historical Museums
Los Santos is located on the southeast of the Azuero peninsula, it is a province where its citizens preserve their traditions as an invaluable treasure. Here the Panamanian Pollera de Gala is made, as well as its jewelry, a dress considered the most beautiful in the world.
There are also many beautiful beaches where it is possible to wake up with a wonderful sun and enjoy incredible waves.
Pedasi
Pedasi is a town of about 2,500 inhabitants, in the center is the main plaza and in front of it the small Santa Catalina church, which is recommended to visit for its beauty. This town is full of picturesque houses with their traditional portals as well as streets with art murals.
In the District there are beautiful beaches such as Arenal, where boats set sail to the paradisiacal Isla Iguana. It also has other places such as Toro Beach, Venao Beach, Destiladeros Beach, and Cambutal, all along the coast of the Province of Los Santos.
Activities:
One of the most popular is to ride a bicycle in the town, its streets without hills are ideal for enjoying a walk. You can also go on bicycle to Playa Toro and El Arenal. In the town there are several places that rent bicycles for hours or days.
Where to stay:
Pedasi has a wide variety of lodging options, from hotels to hostels, places with ocean views to downtown locations. You will find places like Hotel Casa de Campo, Hostal Doña María, La Casa de Pucha, Hotel Reina, Villa Marina, among others.
Where to eat:
The town and its surroundings also have a wide range of restaurants with local and international food. Diners always find several places that they love. Restaurants like Smiley’s, Terry Desti Beach, Bistrot or Chichemito Pedasieño are several places where it is possible to enjoy the best national and international cuisine.
Curiosities:
Between the months of July and October, Pedasi becomes one of the most important places in the country for humpback whale watching.
How to get:
It can be reached by road from any part of the country as well as by plane with flights from Panama City to Justiniano Montenegro airport (50 minutes). By road, Pedasi is just over 1 hour from Chitre.
La Villa de Los Santos
It is a small, historic and well-preserved town known for its important role in the history of Panama. Here began the first actions towards the independence of Panama from Spain.
You can visit the Museum of Nationality, which tells the history of the region and where find a replica of the room where General Simon Bolivar wrote the letter requesting Panama to be part of Greater Colombia is replicated. There is also some pre-Columbian pottery and old Spanish swords on hand.
You can also walk to the Church of San Atanasio, declared a national monument in 1938, whose construction dates back to 1773, although the wooden altar and the large arch on display were erected in 1733.
Activities:
Here you can enjoy national activities such as Corpus Christi, a festival that is held every year and where you can enjoy music, actors and dances. A very colorful event of Catholic origin and that every visitor must witness once in his life.
Where to stay:
Although it is a small town, it has comfortable and accessible places to stay. La Villa Hotel, as well as the Paradise Resort Hotel, Hotel Kevin offer all the services and amenities of modern life that the visitor seeks in a destination. There are also hostels that are comfortable and accessible.
Where to eat:
This historic town offers a varied gastronomic offer, from traditional food such as the popular Fonda El Corotu, or the Parrillada y Marisqueria los Algarrobos restaurant.
Curiosities:
In Villa de Los Santos, the first cry for independence made by the mythical character Rufina Alfaro is commemorated, and every year they carry out a recreation of this event with special guests, music and a parade.
How to get:
It can be reached by plane from Panama City taking a 30-minute flight to Chitre City via Air Panama and driving by car for 15 minutes to Villa de Los Santos, you will save a lot of time. By road it takes about 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Cañas Island National Park
It is a terrestrial and marine national park located in Tonosi, Los Santos. Created to protect the nesting areas of the Pacific Azuerense sea turtles. Thousands of different species of sea turtles arrive each year to lay their eggs on this picturesque and beautiful 14 kilometers long island with 1,200 hectares of mangrove swamps of various species. Turtle watching season is between June and December. It also houses two archeological sites over 1,600 years old.
Activities:
The list of activities is varied: observation and identification of mangroves, responsible fishing, turtle observation, cart rides, fishing trips, night tour to observe wildlife, local gastronomy, kayaking, tour of the coasts by boat or simply walk on the beaches.
Curiosities:
Approximately 2,500 sea turtles of the Kemp’s ridley species arrive at Isla Cañas to spawn and deposit their eggs along the beach and guarantee the existence of the species. An event that occurs in few beaches around the world.
Where to stay:
In Isla Cañas you can find several lodging options, rooms for rent in family houses, or complete houses, all with a capacity of 1 to 7 people.
Where to eat:
In Isla Cañas there are three restaurants that offer exquisite menus full of options of dishes with traditional gastronomy of the community.
How to get:
From Pedasi, it takes 42 minutes along the central highway of Azuero to the town of Cañas. Upon arrival, you take a boat that in 10 minutes reaches the island
