Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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The southern coast
At the flat southeastern tip of the peninsula, the tiny, quaint colonial town of
Pedasí
, 40km
down from Las Tablas, is becoming the centre of an unlikely development boom, attracting
tourists and luxury real estate developers in equal measure though as yet, its character re-
mains relatively intact. The nearby wildlife refuges of
Isla Iguana
and
Isla de Cañas
draw
wildlife enthusiasts while the waves that batter the headland and southern coastline act as
magnets for surfers. As the main road turns southwest, beyond Pedasí, skirting the golden arc
of Playa Venao and mangrove-lined bay encircling Isla de Cañas, the farmland becomes hil-
lier and more rugged, eventually arriving in
Tonosí
, the peninsula's last main town, nestled
in a valley. Heading south from there, the road deteriorates before petering out at the remote
coastal community of
Cambutal
, halfway along the coast. To the west, the Azuero's western
massif looms, containing its highest peaks, which top 1500m and crown the little-explored
Parque Nacional Cerro Hoya
. With a dearth of public transport connections and poor roads,
this corner of the peninsula sees few visitors.
Pedasí
Near the southeastern corner of the peninsula lies the town of
PEDASÍ
. A former small fish-
ing village, it was catapulted into the national consciousness in 1999 when it became known
as the birthplace of Panama's first female president,
Mireya Moscoso
(see
Manuel Noriega
and the US invasion
)
, a fact that immediately hits you on arrival: a vast billboard shows a
photo of the woman herself, complete with presidential sash, with a bronze bust in the main
square a further reminder, if you needed one. There's nothing to really see or do in Pedasí,
once you've glanced around the plaza, but it is a tranquil place to hang out, and it provides a
solid base for trips to Isla Iguana and Isla de Cañas, as well as being within easy reach of a
string of great
surfing beaches
. Other
activities
that can be organized in town, depending on
the time of year, include snorkelling, kayaking, horseriding and turtle watching.
