February 13–23, 2024 · Panama City and Pedasí, Panama
We went to Panama for my friend Leigh’s 30th birthday. Their dad lives full time in Pedasí, a little beach town on the Azuero Peninsula, so the plan was two nights in Panama City and then a week at his house with friends.
Tiny plane rides, coconut missions, a birthday on a deserted island, fresh-caught red snapper, our very first surf waves, and more pool time than I can count. Here’s how it all went down.
Two nights in Panama City (for $10)
We flew Copa nonstop from JFK for about $600 each, leaving February 13 and landing in Panama City around 5 or 6 a.m. on Valentine’s Day. A direct flight to Central America? Love.
Our first two nights were at the Waldorf Astoria Panama, and this is where one of my favorite travel hacks comes in. I booked the first night in December 2023 and the second night in January 2024 through Amex Travel. Each night was $205, and because the bookings landed in two different calendar years, each one got the $200 Platinum hotel credit. Our entire two-night stay came to $10. Basically free!
After booking the second night, I emailed the hotel, explained we had two back-to-back reservations, and asked them to keep us in the same room. They made it easy. Each reservation also came with a $100 hotel credit, so we had $200 to spend on property and put it toward dinner. On top of that we got free breakfast, late checkout, and an upgrade with an amazing view.
Side quest: the full breakdown of how we did this, and how the Amex hotel credit works now (it’s changed since our trip), lives in our Amex Fine Hotels hack guide (coming soon).
The breakfast buffet was SO good. The pool, bar, restaurant and breakfast area are all on the upper floors, so you’re eating with a view of the skyline.
I worked the day we arrived. Our room wasn’t ready until around noon, so I started in the hotel’s little business center and moved upstairs once we checked in. Jake hung out at the pool and got some cool drone footage. That night we had dinner at the hotel restaurant.
I worked the next day too, and then Leigh arrived! We went out to dinner at Casa Alejandro and the food was so good. We started with crispy croquetas and a little dipping sauce, then a huge seafood paella loaded with shrimp, whole prawns, mussels and calamari, which our server portioned out right at the table. They even surprised Leigh with an early birthday dessert: a lava cake with vanilla ice cream, a candle, and “Feliz cumpleaños” piped in chocolate around the plate.
Jake had never met Leigh before, but they got along right away. Thank God, because they were about to spend eight days together lol.
Casco Viejo before the tiny plane
The next morning (February 16) we had one more amazing breakfast and used our late checkout to explore Casco Viejo, Panama City’s old town and a UNESCO World Heritage site. We decided to walk there from the hotel.
On the way, Jake made a friend. We met a man in a wheelchair who had just gotten a brand-new chair, and Jake offered to push the new one for him. The two of them rolled side by side all the way to the bus stop. Honestly one of my favorite moments of the whole trip.
Of course we had to stop at the big colorful PANAMA letters on the water for the classic Panama City photo, with Jake perched right on top of the middle A.
Casco Viejo is all bright yellow buildings, iron balconies, string lights and brick streets. We stopped for coffee at Undo Coffee Roasters, wandered past the old stone church ruins, and ducked into shops. Jake tried on an embroidered shirt in a fitting room with the best cactus mural I’ve ever seen. Down by the water at Plaza de Francia, a local artist was selling watercolors of the old town, and Jake stopped to flip through them.
Then we rented electric scooters and rode them along the waterfront, which was SO fun.
After that we grabbed a taxi back to the hotel for our bags and headed to Albrook, the smaller domestic airport, for our flight to Chitré.
A tiny plane, a toothless taxi driver, and a coconut mission
We flew Air Panama from Albrook to Chitré, a 4:00 p.m. flight that landed at 4:30. Now, this plane was SMALL. I was genuinely scared, but the other option was a four-to-five-hour bus ride to Pedasí. The 30-minute flight ended up being great.
In Chitré we grabbed a taxi for the last 45 minutes to an hour. I remember looking out the window at a truck with a horse just standing in the back. Our driver had about three teeth and was really, really nice. It was one of those rides where you’re soaking in everything because you know you’re somewhere new.
When we pulled up to the house, Jake had to get a photo with him. They’re both grinning like old friends.
Leigh’s dad had been building the house back when we were in university, so finally seeing it was really special. It’s right on the water: white walls, a terracotta tile roof, bougainvillea spilling over the pergola out front, and an infinity pool that looks straight out at the ocean. Inside it’s one huge open room with vaulted wood-beamed ceilings, a kitchen island big enough for all of us to gather around, and glass doors that fold all the way open to the patio. We had that first afternoon, all of February 17, and the morning of the 18th with just the three of us before Charly and Simon arrived.
The beach right in front of the house is Playa La Garita. A rusty green sign covered in surf-shop stickers marks the dirt path from the road down to the water, and it became our go-to for sunrise walks.
First stop: the shop in town everyone calls the “China store” for dinner supplies and drinks. Then home, into the pool, and showers.
Around dusk we went looking for coconuts. We spotted some down the road and proceeded to fail spectacularly at getting them down. At one point Leigh was on Jake’s shoulders trying to reach them. Zero coconuts, amazing photos.
After watching us struggle for about 30 minutes, a neighbor finally came outside and offered his ladder and some of his own coconuts. Lol. We carried them home and decided opening them was tomorrow’s problem. Dinner was something simple from the pantry (I think Leigh made tacos).
Tomorrow’s problem turned out to be a machete on the lawn. Leigh hacked away at the coconuts while Jake filmed, and by the end the grass was covered in shaggy husks. We earned that coconut water.
One thing we learned fast: Pedasí is absolutely beautiful, but there isn’t a ton to do besides figure out your next meal. Honestly? That worked out pretty well for us.
Of course we had to do the classic photo at the big colorful PEDASÍ letters in front of the town hall. Mid-jump, everyone.
Pool days, conch shells, and the crew arrives
On the 17th, Jake and I got up early for sunrise and walked the beach. He found the coolest conch shell, and of course he immediately held it up to his ear to see if he could hear the ocean (we were standing next to the ocean). It came home with us.
Later Leigh and I hit the local bakery, Le Panier Panadería, for the most delicious treats. The glass case was packed with croissants, pain au chocolat, brioche and little fruit pastries, with fresh loaves stacked on top. Then we all drove back to Chitré to stock up at the big grocery store for the week.
It was over 100 degrees, so the days with just the three of us were mostly spent in the pool. We went to the beach, but I think we only got in the ocean once those first few days. Otherwise it was grocery runs, cooking, and hanging out. Jake grilled cheeseburgers for lunch with local watermelon and salad (Leigh makes the best Greek salad), and dinner was grilled chicken thighs, salad and rice, followed by more Ted Lasso. We were eating very well.
Once Charly and Simon arrived, pool days got even better. A whole fleet of donut floats came out, and Jake’s drone shot from above of all of us drifting around is one of my favorite photos from the trip. Lunch was a spread on the patio table by the pool: little taco cups, guacamole, slaw, chips, veggies, a huge plate of watermelon, and frothy drinks in turquoise goblets. We toasted to absolutely nothing in particular.
By the 18th we were SO ready for Charly and Simon to get here from the Netherlands. That last morning of waiting felt so slow, and it was probably the hottest day yet. Pool again. We all had our usual spots by then.
They came up by bus that afternoon (from Costa Rica, I think!) and we picked them up in town. Having everyone together finally was the best!
Charly and Simon both kitesurf, so that evening we drove over to Playa El Arenal to watch them, and Jake and Leigh got some lessons too.
This became our evening ritual. The wind picks up in the late afternoon, so every evening we’d drive over to Playa El Arenal (the same beach the Isla Iguana boats leave from) and stay while the sun went down. Charly was out there throwing shakas mid-ride, Simon stood in the waves with Jake coaching him through the kite controls, and Jake came walking back up the sand with his board looking very pleased with himself. The rest of us camped out on our towels and watched. The best part was the sky: a giant orange kite floating next to the moon, pink clouds, and the whole beach turning pastel.
That night Jake and I snuck out of bed in the middle of the night to decorate the kitchen island for Leigh’s birthday: balloons, little decorations, and a few gifts, all waiting as a surprise for the morning.
Leigh’s 30th on Isla Iguana
February 19, the actual birthday! We woke up early and headed back to the beach from the night before, Playa El Arenal, where little blue fishing boats take people out to Isla Iguana for the day.
I had never gotten into a boat quite like this. They sit right on the sand, so everyone helps push them into the water through the waves. Once ours was far enough out, some of us climbed in while the boys kept pushing, then the engine started and off we went.
The boats wait on the sand right below a little beachfront restaurant, with frigate birds circling overhead. Everyone pitched in hauling dry bags, the cooler and even a gas can down to the water.
The ride was only about 15 minutes. Isla Iguana is a protected wildlife refuge ringed by coral reef, with a white sand beach, gorgeous water, iguanas everywhere, and SO many hermit crabs. There’s no hotel or restaurant on the island, just benches and a shaded area, so it’s strictly a day trip.
We brought a cooler with lunch, snacks and drinks and spent a few hours snorkeling, swimming, taking photos and exploring. Such a fun way to spend a 30th.
We claimed a spot under the palm trees next to the thatched umbrellas, and the water was that unreal shade of turquoise you think only exists in edited photos. Of course we had to get a group photo against the palm tree.
The ride back was extra fun after a few drinks, but the real surprise was the landing. Remember how we pushed the boat out through the waves? Coming back, they told us to hold on and drove it straight up onto the beach. Craziest experience. We survived and it was great.
There’s a little open-air snack shack on the beach where we grabbed food afterward. While we were there, fishermen came in with their catch and we bought fresh red snapper for Leigh’s birthday dinner. Literally straight out of the water.
We walked away with four red snapper in a metal bucket, which made for a very proud photo op.
Back home: pool, a few extra dinner supplies, and more Panama Light. Prepping the fish was a lot of work. Thank God the boys handled the scaling, and Charly did a lot of the heavy lifting too. It turned out really good and made for such a special birthday dinner.
The kitchen turned into a full fish station: scaling in the sink, seasoning on a bright patterned platter, all under the Happy Birthday banner. The finished snapper came out steamed with ginger, piled with scallions, and finished with sizzling hot oil and soy sauce. So good.
Side quest: the recipe is my Paw Paw’s (my grandma), and it’s SO delicious. Here’s how to make her steamed red snapper at home.
Good to know: boats leave from the beach a few minutes outside Pedasí town, and you hire a local captain right there. Bring water shoes or sturdy sandals, a hat, and everything you’ll want to eat and drink.
First waves (and the worst sunburn of my life) at Playa Venao
On February 20 we drove about 45 minutes to Playa Venao for a beach and surf day. Leigh had to work, so it was Charly, Simon, Jake and me. Venao is the best-known surf beach in the area, a long sandy bay with consistent beginner-friendly waves.
The boys rode in the back of the pickup in matching blue sun hoodies, which is honestly the most Panama way to travel.
We hung out at the Selina there, which was super cute: a really nice bar, a pool table and ping pong. Selina was a big chain of social surf-and-cowork hotels popular with backpackers and digital nomads. A few months after our trip, in July 2024, the company announced it couldn’t avoid insolvency, and that August its assets were sold to a Singapore-based hotel group. Some Selina locations have since closed. The Venao one still shows up on booking sites, but double-check it’s open before you plan around it.
We got our boards from a surf school right on the beach: a thatched-roof hut with a hand-painted signpost out front pointing to tours, rentals, surf, fishing, kitesurf, lessons and, of course, good vibes. Jake had to pose with it. Then we all lined up with our boards for a photo before heading into the water.
Jake was the only one of us who had surfed before, but somehow we ALL caught our very first wave. It was so funny and such a good start. Personally, I didn’t catch another one after that, but I’m counting the first one as a success.
Jake, meanwhile, was out there actually surfing, carving down glassy green waves with a sailboat bobbing in the background like it was a photo shoot.
Charly and I were scared of sharks, so we kept our legs up on our boards instead of letting them dangle. Jake pushed us into waves and we spent hours out there.
Unfortunately, our booties were absolutely roasting and we had no idea. In the water you don’t feel how burnt you’re getting. Thank God they gave us surf shirts, or our backs would have been just as bad. I don’t think I’d ever been that sunburnt.
Between sessions we parked ourselves at the beach bar: Adirondack chairs under the shade sails and string lights, a palm tree leaning over the deck, and the waves right in front of us. Orange spritzes and cold beers all around, feet up on the table. Not a bad way to recover from getting tossed around by the ocean.
The pool table at the Selina sits right under the thatched roof, so Simon took on the table while Jake and Charly cheered him on with a beer and a spritz.
Afterward we went home to check on Leigh and then out to Playa El Arenal for evening kitesurfing. A local family had brought a horse down to the sand and ran it along the beach and into the water to cool off, with the sunset right behind it. Such a beautiful sight. Then home for another taco night, and we finished Ted Lasso.
The horse came right up to us afterward, and of course we all had to give him some pets. Then Jake and I walked the beach while the sky went pink and peach behind us.
Further down the beach we found a giant bleached driftwood tree and all piled on for a group photo against the golden sky. Jake, naturally, hung upside down. It’s one of my favorite photos from the whole trip. Afterward everyone huddled around his camera to scroll through the shots while a rider trotted his horse along the waterline behind us.
Charly and I were so burnt that February 21 had to be a quiet day. I spent most of it hiding from the sun, and after days of that heat the shade felt amazing. Charly made delicious bruschetta, and we took it easy until evening kitesurfing.
On the 22nd we went back to Playa Venao, this time with Leigh! The boys rented motorcycles and we had another fabulous day. Getting home was a little adventure: Simon’s motorcycle died on the way, so it rode home in the back of the truck lol. We went out to dinner for our last night in Pedasí, very used to our routine of pool, beach, cooking together, and planning the next meal.
The boys picked up their bikes from a little rental shop in town and spent the morning cruising Pedasí’s colorful main street. At Venao we ended the day at the beach bar with its giant red Ron Abuelo Adirondack chair, which of course we all climbed into for golden-hour photos.
Let me be clear: Panamá is not for the pale. The sun there is SO intense, and we went through a ridiculous amount of sunscreen. Even so, by the end of the week Simon’s nose was so red we were all convinced it was going to fall off.
Tip: wear a long surf shirt AND sunscreen everywhere, including the backs of your legs. The water hides the burn.
Heading home
The motorcycle adventures weren’t quite over. On the morning of February 23, Jake’s ran out of gas, so the two of us walked it to the gas station.
Then we packed up and drove to Chitré for our 4:45 p.m. Air Panama flight back to Albrook. We said goodbye to Leigh there, since their girlfriend and more friends were flying in for another week.
Back at the smaller Panama City airport, there was a bag screening I’d never seen before. They lined up all the luggage and had dogs walk along the bags while everyone waited. If a dog flagged a bag, the owner had to step up and claim it. Ours weren’t picked, so I never saw what happened next.
Then a taxi to the main international airport and a very sad goodbye to Charly and Simon before heading home. On the flight I sat next to someone who needed a seatbelt extender (I hadn’t known those existed!). I’m petite, so sharing the space was no problem.
Tiny plane rides, coconut missions, pool days, a birthday on an island, fresh fish, surfing, kitesurfing, and a lot of really good meals together. Such a fun trip with our friends.
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