Fishing in Pedasi Panama

It was sunrise, all my equipment was ready, birds were starting to fly from their nests into the ocean and Captain Leonel was waiting for me at Arenal Beach for a day of fishing. The ocean was a bit rough, mainly because of the changes of currents that we have at this time of year, we were heading to Playa Lagarto because he had a tip that we could find 50 pound tuna around the area. Incredibly, a group of dolphins joined us on the way to the spot, there were about 5 of them, including two little ones that were just learning to glide next our boat.

We trolled around the area for a couple of hours and had no bites, so we decided to move down to Isla Iguana to see if we had better luck there. On our way we saw a couple of sting rays jump out from the water! This is something I had only heard of but had never seen before. It was quite impressive to see these massive animals that you usually see on Discovery channel, just jump out of the ocean right there within eyesight. It was a beautiful day, blue skies, wild life everywhere we looked and I almost forgot that I was fishing…until that magical sounding alarm, the reel, went off!

After a whole day of fishing, I finally got one Pacific Mackerel in my cooler. When we returned to the beach, some locals asked what I had brought back and when they saw my catch replied, “Sorry you didn’t do so well”. This response was interesting to me, because in a couple of hours I had seen dolphins, sting rays, birds and I even got to catch something!

When people ask me, “When is a good day to go fishing?” one phrase that I heard from a fisherman comes to mind: “Any day is good day for fishing, some days are just better than others.”

Pedasi Panama

Fishing in Pedasi

Captain Wishi Steers the Boat into the Pacific – Pedasi

I wanted to see what life was like for a local fisherman here in Pedasi, Panama. I asked Capitan Wishi if I could go aboard and spend a real day fishing, just like him. He agreed and we decided to meet at 5AM at the small marina here in town. When I got up, it was still dark out and there were stars in the sky. The whole town seemed to be asleep, that is, except for the twenty odd fisherman who were about to embark on their day of work.

From the marina we got all of the boats out through the river mouth. The tide was coming in and we were going out, so immediately we got drenched in cold water as waves hit the small pangas that are used for fishing. Once in the ocean, we headed north as someone had been tipped off that there were large schools of sardines that way to be used for bait. We rode for about twenty minutes until we were in such a large school of fish the ocean seemed alive. Small silver fish were jumping everywhere and pelicans and frigates dove all around us for their share. More than once they came close enough to hit me. With only three throws of the casting net we had filled up our bait for the day.After we were done we headed south to Los Frailes, two large rocks that stick out of the water and are known as a good fishing spot. This journey took about an hour and once we arrived all of the pangas anchored next to one another. I had been used to using fishing poles, but now all of the fisherman began hooking their sardines to hand lines. For protection the fishermen use rubber squares that have been stitched into finger guards.

You wouldn’t imagine that much could be caught this way, but during the following eight hours sitting out there at sea, the men caught anywhere from two pound red snapper to a nine foot hammer head shark! What impressed me most about fishing this way was that it was almost a floating community of sorts. All of the village men shared their lunch as mangoes and coconuts were passed from boat to boat. They laughed and told stories amongst each other. At the beginning of the day they made bets on how long I was going to last with them. The safest bet was that I wouldn’t make it past 10AM, but low and behold I made it until 4 PM, through the day! Little by little I earned their respect and by the end of the day they included me as though I had always been a part of their group.

The work was tough and for the next day my body felt unbalanced. It was definitely worth the amazing experience, but I couldn’t say I could hack it every day. I now have more respect for the work that goes into eating fish, but I’ve also become spoiled with all the fresh fish living here in Pedasi. At the end of the day the fishermen sell their catch to their respective Co-Ops (there are two large cooperatives in Pedasi) and then the fish is hauled off to the Co-Op buildings where it is taken to be processed and exported. If you’re a local you can go straight to the Co-Op and buy your fish. This is what I have been doing for Casita Margarita as I’m the new head chef here. I grill out on Saturday nights for guests and the public and can also prepare sushi or give sushi work shops.

Fishing in Pedasi

Pedasi's Pucha Garcia

Below is a list of seven reasons why I think Panama could fast be becoming the world’s new surfing hot spot:

1. Untouched waves - Panama is new on the tourism radar, so catching waves here is easy as cake. The beaches are never crowded save for holidays, but even then you won’t have to fight for waves. Just enjoy partying it up on the beach after surfing and turn your music up way too loud to blend right in with the locals.

2. US Dollar – Panama uses the dollar so you don’t need to worry about converting money or getting ripped off. Change here however will be given to you in “Balboas” which are the same monetary amounts as quarters, nickels and dimes and look surprisingly similar.

3. Easy Access – Getting around Panama is also a slice of pie as the roads here are multi-lane highways perfectly paved, unlike other countries in Central America. The public bus system is super easy and affordable

4. It’s cheap! – Panama hasn’t been hit yet by hoards of tourist so prices are still reasonable. I get a delicious chicken sandwich daily for a buck twenty five, take a cab ride around the city for a dollar and rent a 4 bedroom house at the beach for $400 dollars.

5. It’s safe! - Panama has a wonderful police force who are serious about keeping the riff raff out and the streets safe. While partying downtown you’ll often see police roaming about checking on things as well as helping tourists find their way around the city.

6. First World Benefits – Buy a cell phone while you’re here and pre-paid phone cards, enjoy first class hotels, medicine and shopping!

7. You can be a pioneer! – Explore untouched beaches and national parks to go where only few have gone before.

Cañas Boatman

By now, most sun worshipers are familiar with names like Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Manuel Antonio (Costa Rica), Puerta Plata (D.R.) and Negril (Jamaica), but if you rattle off “Azuero Peninsula” at a cocktail party, you’re likely to be met with wide eyed stares.

Panama is well known for it’s Canal, 80’s relic Manuel Noriega, and a bevy of big league baseball players. Until now, tourism hasn’t exactly been its strong suit, nor did the country seem to care.

When I first came to Panama over six years ago, I was surprised by how little tourism development existed outside the impressive capital city. Once crossing over the lovely Bridge of the Americas and into what is referred to as Panama’s “interior”, despite a lot of lovely locations rife with potential, there just wasn’t a whole lot to see or do.

Flash forward to 2008. Much has changed in Panama since my first visit. Once a country rarely mentioned in tourism or investment circles, Panama is now a hot spot for retirees, land bankers, surfers and other “early adopters”. The $5 billion dollar Canal expansion project has brought with it a massive wave of investment: city condos are going up at breakneck speed, commercial and industrial projects are all booming. Where there was once a blank canvas of off-white sandy coast, Panama’s Central Pacific area (Farallon, Santa Clara) is now dotted with cranes and billboards that portend numerous high rise beach condos.

Despite a massive amount of progress in recent years, the tourism industry really has not advanced much. And for those of us in the “sustainable tourism” camp, the growth hasn’t exactly been the type we’d hoped for. There is however, one section of the country that just might prove to be Panama’s saving grace: the Azuero Peninsula.

Azuero Peninsula

Azuero Peninsula Panama

The Azuero is the Southernmost section of Panama’s Pacific

Around 4 hours south east from Panama City, the Azuero Peninsula is the belly of land that extends southward into the big blue Pacific. Known mostly for cattle ranches and folkloric festivals, the people of the area are unique, humble and always up for a fiesta.

I was attracted to the area for a variety of reasons, most notably the weather, attractive beaches, good roads, and access to a local airports. The area is not shy on activities, including fantastic fishing, good scuba diving and quality surfing. For nature lovers, there are two island national parks within 30 minutes of each other. Isla Iguana is just a few minutes off the coast of Pedasi and is home to white sand beaches, turquoise waters frequented by migrating whales and thousands of frigate birds. Isla Cañas is closer to the popular surf spot, Playa Venao, and is a sanctuary for nesting turtles. These are two natural wonders that are still relatively unknown and sadly, undervalued by the local environmental authorities.

I fell in love with the small town of Pedasi, where a relaxed pace and friendly faces reminded me of Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province years ago. My parents and I decided to convert a house to a small Pedasi Panama hotel . We’re just about to open doors. To give you an idea of just how new the tourism industry is in the area, we’re the first lodging with hot water. There’s one dive shop, one breakfast joint and a pizza shop…and we love it.

Slowly but surely, other investors are trickling into the area. They come for different reasons: some to escape or unwind, others to invest before the herds arrive, or ride uncrowded waves. A few other small hotels, homes and other businesses are in construction, although given the pace of things here, it may be a while before they also open doors.

So, COULD the Azuero Peninsula be Panama’s Pacific beach paradise? I sure think so, but plenty of time, money and luck will be required to get there. Until then, I’m happy reside in a town whose main street shuts down at 9pm, I’ll remain content to eat pizza three times a week, and have no problem being the only person jogging the beach each morning.

Panamanian Public Holidays

Most people know that Los Carnavales (Panama’s version of Mardis Gras) is one of the biggest public holidays of the year. Here’s a complete list of 2009 holidays for your travel information:

1 Jan…………New Year’s Day

9 Jan…..…….National Martyrs’ Day

21-24 Feb….Carnival

10 Apr……..Good Friday

1 May………Labour Day

15 Aug…….Old Panama City Day

3 Nov………Independence Day (from Colombia)

5 Nov………Independence Day (Colón City only)

10 Nov…….Call for Independence from Spain

28 Nov…….Independence Day (from Spain)

8 Dec………..Mothers’ Day

25 Dec…….Christmas Day

Isla Cañas

Isla de Canas, about 40 kilometers from Pedasi on the Azuero Peninsula, is the most important nesting sight for turtles on Panama’s Pacific coast. Five species come here to lay between 20,000 and 30,000 eggs in the waves each year. No one knows the best time to come to see the turtles…it can be as late as September and November or it can begin as early as April or May.

We left Pedasi and drove for about an hour before we started to wonder if we had missed the turn to Isla de Canas. We asked some people on horseback, (the only people around) and they assured us that it was just down the road. It was on the left with an old wooden sign, so don’t worry, if you are looking, you won’t miss it. We drove down a rocky dirt road that ended at a little swamp stream. We were told that if no one was around, just hit the “gong” (a rusty metal circle) and someone will hopefully come to take you to the island. Thankfully a tough looking tour guide girl was sitting around and charged us fifty cents a person.

Because it was low tide we had to wade through mud to get to the boat, about fifty feet away. Although the men with us trudged through happily, I can always be counted on to dress inappropriately, so in a white skirt and flip flops (and Katie in a white tube dress) the mud became a labyrinth of quicksand and booby traps. Our flip flips got stuck in the mud every step, and terrified of a rumored crocodile we read about in “Lonely Planet”, we started to panic and scream like little girls. The rumor turned out to be true : we asked a local kid if such a crocodile existed, and he nodded his head ominously.

When we finally reached the safety of the little boat and drove out into the stream, it was a great trip. The trees hung low over the river and it was magical driving through the swampy rainforest area. Everybody started saying stuff like “I’m glad we came!” and “This is worth the ride!” etc.
Approaching the island was also gorgeous, and as we docked the tour guide asked us when we wanted to meet her back at the boat. We said two hours which turned out to be plenty of time. A little boy lead us to the beach across the island and we walked by cane houses and local people sitting on their porches. The population of Isla Canas is 900 and the community has been there since the 1920s, brought from local towns to protect the turtles and the eggs.

The pristine beach was 100% deserted from people and alas, sea turtles. We jumped in the waves, went for a long walk and found about thirty sand dollars between us girls, some as big as a saucers! An hour and a half was a perfect amount of time on the beach, and we were running out of supplies and provisions, so we ventured to the bar near the boat dock and drank beer under a cane roof with the jukebox blasting.
We rode back, with an eye out for the crocs, after a great day, although turtle-less, at Isla de Canas.

Pristine Isla Iguana

Isla Iguana is my favorite place on the Azuero Peninsula. We hopped on a motorboat called “Taiwan Panama” but it should have been called “Hawaii Panama” because that is where I felt transported to.

The beautiful beaches on the mainland have mostly brown and black sand and dark blue ocean, but Isla Iguana has bright white sand and bright blue clear water. I’ll never back down: there is nothing like a white sand beach.

When first approaching the island we were surprise by how many birds were circling overhead and we learned later that there is a bird sanctuary there (which we tried to find but were scared off, fearing for our lives in a Hitchcock kind of way by the random scattering of purple crab claws and the overpowering smell of bird poop) but maybe you will have better luck with braver people (not four girls walking in the woods in their bikinis).

We rented snorkel equipment in town which was ten dollars per pair of snorkel and flippers and ventured out into the reef. If you swim out a bit from the beach there is tons of different coral and surprisingly a lot of fish. There were big polka dotted fish, little striped fish and an electric blue fish with big scary teeth that sent us swimming in the other direction.

Relaxing on the gorgeous beach to the tinkling sound of the waves lapping on the coral sand was delicious. Pack a lunch and stay for a while, it costs $50 dollars to hire a local driver with a boat and ten dollars per person to hang out on the island. The price is worth it, all the way. Grab the whole family and pretend like it’s your private island…because it will be.

Pedasi Carnival

Below is a list of festivals and holidays near Pedasi, located in the Azuero Peninsula:

February- Carnaval-
parades. Read a review of Begins the Friday before Ash Wendesday and lasts until the following Tuesday. It’s a national event, but the Los Santos province is known for it’s festive party. Las Tablas and Pedasi have two of the largest Carnaval celebrations. Read a first hand review of Pedasi’s Carnaval.

March/April- Semana Santa-
Enjoy this celebration in the nearby towns of La Villa de Los Santos and Guarare.

Late April- Feria Internacional del Azuero-
Located in La Villa de Los Santos, this country fair features everything you’d expect of one in rural PA, minus Bingo; food booths, animal displays and heavy drinking are enjoyed by all.

June- Festival Corpus Christi-
Also located in La Villa de Los Santos, la festival is a two week festival where men dance in devil masks. This tradition is a must see!

July 20-22- Festival Patronales de La Virgen de Santa Librada-
This festival happens in the nearby town of Las Tablas. Expect to see (link) the traditional Panamanian dress “La Pollera” on display. To top the celebration off, on June 22 the year’s Queen of the Pollera is crowned.

September 24- Festival de la Mejorana-
This famous national holiday takes place in Guarare, where hundreds of singers, dancers and musicians join together in celebration.

October 19- Fundacion del Distrito de Chitre-
Translated literally, this celebration honors the foundation of Chitre, in Chitre.

November 10- Grito de la Villa-
Also translated the “cry of independence” holiday takes place in Villa de Los Santos and commemorates Panama’s national independence day.

Mountains of Azuero Peninsula

You have to admit, there’s something magical about being first. I’m not talking about finishing first, as a type A first-class sore loser, that’s understood. I’m talking about doing something, finding something or arriving somewhere before anybody else. Whether it’s a rock band you knew before they got big or enjoying a struggling chef’s food before he got all Food Network on ya, the delicious feeling of staking your claim before the herd arrived is difficult to describe.

That’s just one of the reasons I love Pedasi, the sleepy little fishing town at the Southeast tip of Panama’s Azuero Peninsula. I can’t even begin to claim that I’m first, a whole string of investors and pioneers got there long before me. But for those expats who have ventured into this one-horse town and are attempting to actually DO something, there’s a genuine sense of excitement that we could perhaps be part of something special.

What’s special about Pedasi? Well, on the surface, not a whole lot. It’s a quiet little village with a small population. It isn’t right ON the beach. It’s relatively flat. It doesn’t have much going on in terms of tourism attractions. But it does have two of the major components required to become a major attraction: fishing & surfing.

Besides the fact that I foresee tourists flocking to the region within the decade, Pedasi is just a simply neat place to BE. People are incredibly friendly. Life is slow and extremely affordable (fifty cent beer!) and the weather is amazing. I’m from a tiny town in Pennsylvania, so the slow pace and kind neighbors remind me a lot of my childhood.

These days, while I struggle to complete what should be the first mid-class hotel in downtown Pedasi, I spend mostly weekends there. But each time I return to the bustle of Panama City, I find myself wishing I could spend more and more time there. Perhaps I’m returning to my roots or maybe I’m just ready for a slower way of life. Any way I look at it, I’m just glad I found Pedasi when I did.

Los Santos Province, Panama

This province, Panama’s third largest, is predominantly known for its stunning coastline and rural rolling hills: a 200 kilometer mountainous stretch of white sand beaches, surfer-approved crashing waves, and lush forested terrain.

A trip along the coast will reveal a handful of charming towns and postcard-worthy scenic overlooks. Watching a seductive sunset over the ocean is a must-do, however road tripping through the picturesque landscape isn’t too hard on the eyes either. As you follow the coast southwards, you’ll meet the adorable towns of Las Tablas, Pocri, Pedasi, and Tonosi: rural Panama at its best.

This region is known for its sancocho, a flavorful soup regarded as one of the national dishes.

Take the time to appreciate the Los Santos province today, because by the time the secret gets out, it might be too late.

By Aliza Elbert and Justin Gould