Family beach all-inclusive
Gran Evenia Bijao
A family all-inclusive with a water park on Bijao Beach
The Pacific Riviera, Panama
Beaches on one side of the Pan-American Highway, mountains on the other, and an airport at Río Hato that serves the resorts of Playa Blanca, Buenaventura and Santa Clara.
At a glance
- Fly into
- Río Hato (RIH) or Panama City (PTY)
- Scarlett Martínez International Airport at Río Hato takes charter flights and sits a short drive from the resorts; the alternative is Panama City and a road transfer.
- Best weather
- December to April
- The dry season, with clear skies on the Pacific side. Showers from May tend to arrive in the afternoon or evening.
- Pairs with
- Panama City and El Valle de Antón
- Begin in the capital before the road west, or add the mountain side of the highway, with its trails and waterfalls.
Why go
Why choose the Pacific Riviera
The Pacific Riviera follows the Pan-American Highway from Chame, in West Panama, to Farallon, in the province of Coclé. Beaches lie on the ocean side of the road and mountains on the other, so one stay can hold both sand and cooler trails. The sand changes along the way. Coronado has deep black sand, while the beaches beside the resorts at Bijao, Playa Blanca and Buenaventura are golden. The coast belongs to the dry arc of Panama, and the Pacific side sees weeks with barely a drop of rain from December to April. Scarlett Martínez International Airport at Río Hato lies close to the resorts, with a tunnel that links it to the highway. Buenaventura has an 18-hole, par 72 course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Gran Evenia Bijao, in Santa Clara, is all-inclusive and has a water park and a kids club. It suits the beach stop that closes a trip, with one day set aside for a boat out to Isla Farallón or a drive up to El Valle de Antón.
Two kinds of sandCoronado has deep black sand, and the beaches beside the resorts at Bijao, Playa Blanca and Buenaventura are golden.
Golf and resort daysBuenaventura has a Jack Nicklaus course, and Gran Evenia Bijao has a water park and a kids club.
Sea and mountainsBoats go to Isla Farallón for snorkelling, and the mountain side of the highway has trails and waterfalls.
Places to know
- CoronadoBlack sand, hotels, convenience stores and many restaurants, in a beach town that is very popular with Panamanians.
- Santa Clara (Playa Bijao)The golden beach beside Gran Evenia Bijao, with the Bijao Golf Club nearby.
- BuenaventuraA private beach and golf community in Río Hato, home to The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama, Autograph Collection and its Nicklaus course.
- Playa BlancaResorts and beach bars next to Buenaventura, one kilometre before Río Hato.
- FarallonBars on the sand, on a beach next to Playa Blanca.
- Río HatoThe town and the Scarlett Martínez airport, on the Pacific coast of Coclé.
The map
Where the hotels we book are
2 hotels, numbered. Each one has its own page.
Hotels we book in the Pacific Riviera
Each hotel below has its own page: what it is like, where it sits and how to get there.
Beach and golf resort
The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama, Autograph Collection
Nicklaus golf, a beach club and a spa on the Riviera Pacifica
When to go
When to go
The dry season runs from December to April, and the Pacific lowlands see weeks with barely a drop of rain. From May the green season brings sunny starts to the day and heavy showers in the afternoon or evening, and October and November are usually the wettest months. Coronado and Buenaventura both sit in the dry arc, and the dry season there often runs a little longer than in the capital.
Getting to the Pacific Riviera
From Río Hato airport (RIH) to Playa Blanca10 to 15 minutesBy road, with a pick-up arranged in advance through your hotel.
From Río Hato airport (RIH) to Coronado25 to 30 minutesBy road.
From Panama CityVaries with trafficBy road on the Pan-American Highway, or by bus from the Albrook terminal. Published drive times differ, so we confirm the current time when we plan your transfer.
From Coronado to the mountainsWithin a 20 minute driveBy road, to the cooler trails and waterfalls on the mountain side of the highway.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Which airport do I fly into?
Scarlett Martínez International Airport (RIH) at Río Hato is the airport for the resorts, and Tourism Panama points to charter flights as one way to reach it. Otherwise you fly into Panama City (PTY) and continue by road. A tunnel at the airport links it to the Pan-American Highway.
How long does the drive from Panama City take?
Published times differ, and traffic on the Pan-American Highway is a large part of the reason. We therefore give no single figure here. When we plan your trip we confirm the current time for your resort and build the transfer around it.
What is there to do besides the beach?
Water sports include surfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, kayaking and stand-up paddling, and the Pacific off Río Hato is good fishing water. Golfers have the Nicklaus course at Buenaventura. Boat days go to Isla Farallón, where snorkelling is popular.
Can I combine the Pacific Riviera with the mountains?
Yes. Tourism Panama lists El Valle de Antón among the places to plan around this coast, and the mountain side of the highway has trails and waterfalls in a cooler climate. We arrange the road transfer and can suggest how many days the detour deserves.
Which hotels do you use here?
Gran Evenia Bijao in Santa Clara, an all-inclusive resort on Playa Bijao, and The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama, Autograph Collection, in Buenaventura, next to Playa Blanca and Río Hato.
What does the U.S. government advise for Panama?
The U.S. Department of State renewed its Travel Advisory for Panama on August 19, 2026 (https://pa.usembassy.gov/travel-advisory-panama-august-19-2026/). The page gives Panama as Level 2: exercise increased caution due to crime, and names Mosquito Gulf and parts of the Darién Region as Level 4: do not travel. Please read the full advisory before you book.
Plan your trip to Pacific Riviera
Tell us your dates and who is coming, and we will plan Pacific Riviera into a trip shaped around you.
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