It’s been unusually hot and humid. And despite being the rainy season, the area is in the middle of a drought. So finding ways to pass the time during the day are few and far between if you don’t want to risk heat stroke!
Thankfully we did find a place that we could visit where we could get out of Pedasi, escape the heat, and actually enjoy doing something physical during the day.
And in our case, this meant making day trips to Playa Venao – a surfer’s paradise in Panama!
It wasn’t easy to find concrete information on how to get to Playa Venao by local transportation, or what to do once we got there.
But we did a good job finding the sweet spots of Playa Venao to pass the time, and it ended up being one of our favorite places on the Azuero Peninsula of Panama.
Why Go To Playa Venao?
For anyone who enjoys the beach, Playa Venao is one of the best you will find on the Pacific coast of Panama.
Surfers in particular like the place.
The long, flat tidal ranges ensure that waves will crest for an extended period before crashing on the shore. This makes it an ideal place to surf, and there are several surfing schools to help you hang ten.
Surf is up!
But surfing aside, the beaches are absolutely pristine.
If you know where to go, there are areas along the shore with great shade and mild waves, making swimming and lounging a fantastic option. And the beaches aren’t crowded, so you may very well have your section of the beach all to yourself like we did!
The actual town of Playa Venao is actually quite small, with the native population being well under 1000 people I’d guess.
The local businesses and beach are all interconnected by a network of dirt roads. And the town is extremely walkable.
All manner of hipster businesses (in cabana-style buildings, or retrofitted cargo carriers) are present, and you might be surprised what you can find for sale here.
But despite its small size, Playa Venao has become extremely gentrified. There are very few affordable housing options here (search “Playa Venao” rental prices on Airbnb!) and food prices are astronomical, even in the markets.
We were shocked to see $5 USD packs of pasta in the local supermarket.
It is so expensive that locals have to drive to Pedasi to find groceries even close to affordable. I feel very bad for them, as this is a clear case of gentrification having a negative local impact. But still, money flows into the local economy so perhaps it balances out for everyone.
Getting to Playa Venao from Padasi
Playa Venao is so popular that there are direct shuttles that take you there from Panama City! But they are expensive (~$60 USD one way per person) and unless you are staying there for an extended period, probably aren’t worth the cost. If this is of interest to you, the My Pink Bus company can hook you up.
But for us, we needed to figure out how to get to Playa Venao from Pedasi.
And this was harder than expected!
Although local collectivo vans service Playa Venao, there is no publically available route schedule! But after asking locals and expats in the area we finally figured it out the basics.
To get to Playa Venao, you have to pick up the collectivo van heading to Cañas at the corner where the Agrovet Feed Store is at 7:15 AM:
Usually, the collectivo arrives at around 7:30 am, but the punctuality of the schedule can be”flexible”. So best to arrive a little early.
You’ll probably see some locals gathering at this spot, so you’ll know you are in the right place. Or if you know some Spanish, you can just ask them!
Tell the driver you want to be dropped off at Playa Venao, which is on the way.
It costs $2.50 USD one way per person, and the ride takes about 45 minutes.
Be sure to ask the driver when you are dropped off when the last collectivo returns to Pedasi!
Getting to know the locals a little better!
The last ride to Pedasi usually leaves at 3:30 pm. But make sure you verify this with the driver when you are dropped off in Playa Venao!
Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with a taxi ride back to Pedasi that could be $20 or more.
Here is the intersection where you pick up the collectivo that heads back to Pedasi. Show up 30 minutes before the pickup time to account for schedule irregularities!
If you leave for Playa Venao at 7:30 am and return at 3:30 pm, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the area, including picking up lunch!
Enjoying Playa Venao – Beach Option 1
Playa Venao is absolutely gorgeous!
And all of the beaches near Playa Venao are pristine.
Nice!
Hostels, apartments, and restaurants line the beachfront. And the restaurants, in particular, provide shaded areas to sit and eat, or just hang out if you want to sip a beer or coffee.
Lots of places to check out for drinks and snacks! But note the lack of shade on the beach.
But if you want to get even closer to the water and lounge in the shade, there aren’t many options!
However, if you walk to the far western edge of Playa Venao you’ll see a cluster of mangrove trees that provide absolutely perfect shade!
Just perfect.
We recommend hanging out there unless high tide forces you out!
This is what we did the first time we visited Playa Venao. We brought beach chairs and an umbrella with us, and frankly hauling all of that stuff around was a pain. We didn’t need the umbrella since we found a shaded area and beach towels would have probably been more comfortable than the chairs we brought.
And be aware that the waves at Playa Venao can be a little rough.
At the shaded area we found the waves were more manageable, but you will have to mind your surroundings (and the currents) if you want to take a dip.
So when we were planning a second trip to Playa Venao, we decided to keep all of that stuff at home.
Enjoying Playa Venao – Beach Option 2 (La Playita Resort)
We also heard of another great place to hang out on Playa Venao.
It was at a resort with its own private beach where you pay an entrance fee but have access to all of their facilities!
It is calledLa Playita Resort, and it is located directly east east of Playa Venao.
Here is a map of its location:
You can get there easily on foot from where the collectivo drops you off.
Or alternatively, you can access it from a footpath connecting the resort to the eastern edge of Playa Venao, which is what we did.
Here is where you pick up the trail to La Playita Resort from Playa Venao:
It is a wide and well-maintained path, so it is easy to find. If the lack of detail on Google Maps troubles you, the trail is marked on the Maps.me app.
But don’t go this way at high tide unless you are willing to get your feet wet. The beach leading up to the trail will be completely submerged!
The path leading to La Playita Resort from Playa Venao. Note the break in the sand where the water at high tide reaches.
The entrance to La Playita Resort.
There is a $5 USD fee to use La Playita Resort on a weekday, which goes up to $7 USD on the weekends. And be aware of the $10 USD cooler fee should you decide to bring one!
Worth the entrance fee.
There are also kayak rentals ($10 USD) and paddleboard rentals ($20 USD), should that tickle your fancy.
We arrived at La Playita Resort at around 9 am and it was pretty sleepy. There may have been only 5 other visitors besides ourselves, and most of them didn’t use the beach for long!
The grounds are interesting with an entire complex of residence and office buildings, as well as a restaurant and outdoor bars. There are also bathrooms and outdoor showers available.
Where guests stay.
Might be more rooms or office space.
There be dinosaurs!
Tile mosaics were scattered throughout the property.
When we went during the low season, the restaurant was open but the bar areas were closed, at least during the day.
The beach area is perfect for non-surfers!
The ocean inlet to La Playita has a natural rock formation spanning it. This buffers the waves at high tide and almost completely blocks them at low tide.
It is the perfect place to swim, so we did!
You can see the barrier rocks in the distance.
And there are multiple cabana huts with tables and chairs underneath, all available for use. Having great shade and seating so close to the water was a real luxury, compared to the beaches of Pedasi.
Shade is awesome!
We even had a surprise visitor.
We loved this beach. It is one of the best beaches we have ever visited in our travels!
Well worth the $5 USD entrance fee for sure.
Our Favorite Lunch Option – Pizza Gavilan
We would always enjoy the beach until around 1 pm, and then find a place to eat lunch.
But as mentioned, the prices at restaurants in Playa Venao are pretty crazy!
But we did find one restaurant that has a lovely ocean view, excellent quality food, and prices that were less horrible than its competitors – Pizza Gavilan.
Easy to find from Playa Venao.
Taken at peak lunchtime (low season). Plenty of seating.
Generally, entrees range from $10 – $20 USD, depending on what you get. More if you go for some of the more exotic options.
But we found some great dishes!
My personal Hawaiian pizza (suitable for 2) cost $13 USD.
Rhonda’s chickpea curry dish cost $12 USD.
Sure, they were a bit on the pricey side. But the quality, portion sizes and ocean view made it easy for us to give them money.
We always took our time over lunch, enjoying the views and hydrating. There were never many customers, so we were never pressured to stop enjoying the shaded views.
This is just fine!
So we just hang out here until it is time to head back to Pedasi.
Closing Thoughts
Playa Venao was a great place to take day trips and allowed us to have fun even during the hottest parts of the day.
We strongly recommend that anyone in the area visit, and following our instructions you can do so without having to rent a car!
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