Family bed and breakfast
Casa Lajagua
Family-run bed and breakfast at the entrance to Pedasi
The Azuero Peninsula: Pedasí, Playa Venao and Cambutal
Pedasí, Playa Venao, Cambutal and Isla Cañas sit at the southern end of the Azuero Peninsula on the Pacific: surf, whales, nesting turtles and small towns.
At a glance
- Fly into
- Tocumen (PTY), then by road
- Pedasí also has a small airstrip (PDM). We confirm the flight schedule when we plan your trip.
- Best weather
- December to April
- The dry season on the Pacific side. The rains start in May.
- Pairs with
- Santa Catalina
- Another Pacific surf town. One popular route runs Santa Catalina, Playa Venao and Pedasí, then on to Boquete.
Why go
Why go to the Azuero Peninsula
The Azuero Peninsula pushes south into the Pacific between the Gulf of Panama and the Gulf of Chiriquí. The part we send people to is its southern end, in Los Santos Province: Pedasí, Playa Venao, Cambutal and Isla Cañas. The reason to come is the coast. Playa Venao is a horseshoe-shaped bay with a sandy bottom and separate sections for beginner, intermediate and advanced surfers, and it hosted the 2022 Pan American Surf Games. Cambutal, near the end of the road, has seven surf spots and black sand, and it sits at the edge of Cerro Hoya National Park. Off Pedasí, humpback whales come to give birth to their calves, and boats leave from El Arenal beach for the Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge. Isla Cañas is the most important sea turtle nesting site on Panama's Pacific coast. Between the beaches the road runs through cattle country and small colonial towns, and Pedasí is a working Panamanian town with no high-rise resorts. Visitors usually plan on three nights and many stay longer. One travel guide suggests three to five days.
SurfPlaya Venao has sections for beginners through advanced surfers, and Cambutal has seven surf spots and is rarely crowded.
WildlifeHumpback whales off Pedasí in the wetter months, and olive ridley turtles nesting on Isla Cañas.
Small townsPedasí has a central avenue and a plaza, and the road in passes cattle country and colonial towns.
Places to know
- PedasíA town with a central avenue and a plaza, a little over three kilometres from the coast, and the base for boats to Isla Iguana.
- Playa VenaoA horseshoe-shaped surf bay with a sandy bottom, warm water and surf schools.
- CambutalA small village at the southern tip of the peninsula, with black sand, seven surf spots and deep-sea fishing for tuna, snapper, dorado, wahoo and roosterfish.
- Isla CañasA wildlife refuge in the Tonosí district and the most important sea turtle nesting site on Panama's Pacific coast, with mass nestings of olive ridleys.
- Isla IguanaA wildlife refuge off Pedasí for snorkelling and, in season, humpback whale watching. Boats leave from El Arenal beach.
Hotels we book in the Azuero Peninsula
Each hotel below has its own page: what it is like, where it sits and how to get there.
Beachfront boutique hotel
El Sitio Hotel de Playa Venao
Hand-decorated units on the sand of Playa Venao
Beachfront boutique hotel
Hotel Playa Cambutal
Ten ocean-facing rooms on the black sand of Cambutal
Beachfront surf and yoga resort
Sansara Surf & Yoga Resort
Thirteen cabanas on a Pacific beach, with surf, yoga and a spa
When to go
When to go
The Pacific side has a dry season from December to April, which is the easiest time for beach days and the best for beginner surfers. The rains start in May, and the bigger swells that advanced surfers look for come in the wet season. Humpback whales and nesting turtles also belong to the wetter months, so a green-season trip has its own reasons.
Getting to the Azuero Peninsula
From Panama City (Tocumen, PTY)Several hours by roadInternational flights arrive at Tocumen. From there you drive the Pan-American Highway to Divisa and on through Chitré and Las Tablas to Pedasí. We confirm the timing when we plan your route.
From Panama City (Albrook, PAC)Confirm before bookingPedasí has a small airstrip (PDM) with domestic flights listed from Albrook, but sources disagree on the current schedule. We check it for you.
From Pedasí to Playa VenaoA short driveThe usual order is Pedasí first, then Playa Venao, then Cambutal.
From Playa Venao to CambutalAbout 1 hourBy road. The route continues to the end of the peninsula.
To Isla CañasA short boat rideA boat from the port of Cañas crosses the mangroves, usually with a guide, for turtle watching.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How long should we stay on the Azuero Peninsula?
Visitors usually plan on three nights, and a good number extend. One travel guide suggests three to five days for surf or rest. If you want Pedasí, Playa Venao and Cambutal in one trip, take the longer end, since Playa Venao to Cambutal is about 1 hour by road.
When is the best time to go?
The dry season runs from December to April and is the most reliable for sun. The rains start in May. Beginner and intermediate surfers do best in the dry season, while advanced surfers find bigger waves in the wet season. If you want whales or turtles, you will be travelling in the wetter months.
Do we have to surf to enjoy it?
No. Boats from El Arenal beach in Pedasí go to the Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge for snorkelling and, in season, whale watching. Cambutal has deep-sea fishing for tuna, snapper, dorado, wahoo and roosterfish. Isla Cañas offers turtle watching with a guide, and Playa Venao has surf schools for first-timers.
When can we see whales and turtles?
Both fall in the wet season. Published month ranges for whale watching and for turtle nesting differ from one source to the next, so we confirm the dates for your travel week when we plan the trip. Humpbacks come to give birth to their calves, and at Isla Cañas thousands of olive ridley turtles can arrive on the same night.
How do we get there, and is there a flight?
International flights arrive at Tocumen, and you continue by road through Divisa, Chitré and Las Tablas. Pedasí has a small airstrip (PDM) with domestic flights listed from Albrook, but sources disagree on the current schedule, so we check before we book.
Is the Azuero Peninsula safe?
The U.S. Embassy in Panama posted that the Department of State renewed its Panama Travel Advisory on August 19, 2026 at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, due to crime (https://pa.usembassy.gov/travel-advisory-panama-august-19-2026/). The same notice names the Mosquito Gulf and the Darién Region as areas where U.S. government employees need special authorization. It does not name the Azuero Peninsula. Read the full advisory before you travel.
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