Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Santa Clara
With sparkling white sand and towering coconut palms, this is a great destination if you
want to lounge about for days without having to worry about someone stealing your
stretch of sand.
Santa Clara itself was once little more than a sparsely populated fishing village edging
between patches of dry tropical rainforest and the vast blue expanse of the Pacific.
Upscale beach villas now dot the landscape. However, there's plenty of local flavor here
to soak up in between beach sessions, making a nice change from some of the country's
more popular destinations.
DON'T MISS
THE BEST FESTIVALS OF COCLÉ
If you're looking for the best parties in the province, Antón celebrates its
patron
saint festival
from January 13 to 16 and folkloric festival
Toro Guapo
from October
13 to 15. On these dates, the whole of Coclé crowds into this ranching center for
music, parades and animated festivities.
Sleeping & Eating
If you go down the first turnoff for Santa Clara from the Interamericana for about 1km,
you'll see signs for Balneario Santa Clara and Las Veraneras.
Restaurante y Balneario Santa Clara
CAMPGROUND $
(campsite per person US$5; )
This popular campsite is a steal - for only a few bucks per
night you can get a private
rancho
(cabin) on the beach as well as access to clean toilet
and shower facilities. It's US$2 to use the facilities for day visits. Even if you're not
camping here, this is one of the few restaurants (meals US$5 to US$14) in the area, and
the catch of the day - whatever it is - tastes fantastic when served in front of a Pacific
sunset.
Restaurante y Cabañas Las Veraneras
CABIN $$$
(
993-3313;
www.aventuraspanama.com/lasveraneras
; 5-person cabin from US$76;
)
These
cabañas
on a slope set back from the beach come in different sizes and designs.
The loveliest are the split-level thatched cabins built on stilts, which overlook the crash-
