Our trip: February 13–23, 2024 · Last updated: October 29, 2026
Pedasí is a little beach town on the Azuero Peninsula, about four to five hours from Panama City by road. It’s absolutely beautiful, and there isn’t a ton to do besides figure out your next meal, which is exactly why it makes such a good week. This is how we’d plan it again: two nights in Panama City, then a week of pool, beach, surf and sunsets.
The quick version
- Fly into Panama City (we flew Copa nonstop from JFK, about $600 each).
- Spend two nights in the city. Explore Casco Viejo, eat well, recover from the red-eye.
- Take the tiny plane from Albrook to Chitré, then a taxi to Pedasí.
- Spend the week between the pool, Playa El Arenal at sunset, Isla Iguana, and Playa Venao.
Getting there
Flying into Panama City
Copa flies nonstop from JFK. We left February 13 and landed around 5 or 6 a.m. on Valentine’s Day. Plan for a slow first day, or (like me) a working one: our room wasn’t ready until about noon.
Panama City to Pedasí
You have two options:
- Fly Air Panama from Albrook to Chitré. Albrook is the smaller domestic airport in the city. Our flight was 30 minutes (4:00 to 4:30 p.m.). The plane is SMALL. I was genuinely scared, and it ended up being great.
- Take the bus. It’s about four to five hours to Pedasí. Our friends came up by bus and it worked fine for them.
From Chitré, a taxi to Pedasí takes 45 minutes to an hour. Our driver was one of the nicest people we met all week.
On the way home, Albrook had a luggage screening I’d never seen before: dogs walk the lineup of bags while everyone waits. If you’re connecting to an international flight, you’ll need a taxi from Albrook to Tocumen, the main airport, so leave time for it.
Where to stay
- Panama City: the Waldorf Astoria Panama. With the Amex Platinum hotel credit, our two nights came to $10. See our Waldorf review for exactly how.
- Pedasí: we stayed with our friend’s dad, in a house right on Playa La Garita, so we can’t send you to our exact spot. Look for a rental with a pool. It was over 100 degrees and the pool is where we spent most of our time.
Getting around Pedasí
You’ll want a car. The beaches are a short drive from town, and Playa Venao is about 45 minutes away. The boys also rented motorcycles from a little shop in town for a day, which was a fun way to see Pedasí’s colorful main street. (One died on the way home and rode back in the truck. Another ran out of gas. Fill up.)
Food and groceries
Plan to cook a lot. That was honestly one of the best parts.
- The “China store” in town for everyday supplies and drinks.
- The big grocery store in Chitré for a proper week-long stock-up.
- Le Panier Panadería for pastries and bread.
- The fishermen at Playa El Arenal for fresh fish. We bought red snapper straight off the boat.
How we’d spend the week
- Day 1: Arrive, grocery run, pool, sunset.
- Day 2: Sunrise walk on Playa La Garita, Le Panier, pool. Evening at Playa El Arenal for kitesurfing and sunset.
- Day 3: Isla Iguana day trip. Buy fish when you get back and cook it for dinner.
- Day 4: Playa Venao for surf lessons and the beach bar.
- Day 5: Rest day (you’ll need it after Venao). Evening at El Arenal.
- Day 6: Back to Venao, or rent motorcycles and cruise town.
- Day 7: Dinner out for your last night.
Good to know
- The sun is no joke. Panamá is not for the pale. Wear a long surf shirt AND sunscreen everywhere, including the backs of your legs. The water hides the burn.
- The wind picks up late afternoon, which is why El Arenal fills up with kitesurfers around sunset.
- February is hot. Over 100 degrees most days we were there.
- Isla Iguana has no food or shade beyond a few benches. Bring everything you’ll eat and drink.