Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Gorgona
Six kilometers southwest of the turnoff for Punta Chame is the turnoff for Gorgona, a
small ocean-side community that fronts a curving beach of mostly black sand. Gorgona
is best accessed by car. Bring your sandals - it gets very hot.
noon-midnight Thu-Sun)
, which serves stem glasses of
ceviche
(seafood marinated in lem-
on or lime juice, garlic and seasonings) and authentic chicken Bocatoreño-style, curried
with coconut rice. You can sit outside at the leatherette booths and bide the wait chatting
with the owner or tapping along to the country tunes. It's run by a friendly US army retir-
ee and his Panamanian wife. Check for live rock weekend nights.
Playa Coronado
Four kilometers southwest of the turnoff for Gorgona is the turnoff for Playa Coronado,
an affluent beachside community that is a haven for water sport lovers. A newly built
mall and hospital confirms its growing status. The salt-and-pepper beach here is one of
the most developed strips of sand along the coast, extremely popular with Panama City
denizens on the up and up. For a chiller approach, check out the bird-watching trail near
the village gate.
If you're looking to live it up in unchecked luxury, then look no further than the
Coronado Golf & Beach Resort
( 264-3164;
www.coronadoresort.com
; d from US$149;
)
, the granddaddy of Pacific coast resorts. With 78 amenity-laden rooms, a top-
notch beachside golf course, swimming pools, tennis courts, equestrian center, casino,
day spa, gym, marina and a whole slew of bars and restaurants, you may not be able to
find the time to actually visit the beach. Kids get their own miniclub where they can play
Wii. Even if you're not staying here, the town's nightlife revolves around the hotel, so
dress smart and stop by the attached nightclub.
US$95; )
is a cute yellow house with smart air-conditioned rooms. The kicker
is a sumptuous patio breakfast with choices like cappuccino, crepes, waffles and juice.
The lovely French-speaking owner offers yoga and can arrange Spanish classes or kite-
surfing. It's in front of Coronado Golf & Beach Resort.
A good bet for lunch and dinner, chef-run
El Rincon del Chef
( 345-2072; mains
$7-16; 1-9pm Tue-Sun, 9am-9pm Fri-Sat)
serves grilled meats, pastas and Panamanian clas-
sics. It's located 300m from the Interamericana on the right.
