How much ceviche is too much ceviche? We asked ourselves on day five, insisting it was okay to eat the delicious raw fish marinated in citrus juices and coconut milk on a daily basis. After all, we were trying to complete the very important task—to no one but ourselves—of determining who had the best ceviche in town. Mercury schmercury.
The setting of our ceviche survey was a small surfer’s paradise called Playa Venao, idyllically situated in an isolated beach cove on the Azuero Peninsula along Panama’s Pacific coast. I first heard about this little slice of heaven in a travel magazine article back in 2018. I’d never been to Panama, but I was planning a mother–daughter trip with close friends and the seclusion and undeveloped nature of Playa Venao really spoke to us so we went for it. One year later, my parents went back with two other friends, and three years after that my parents, a friend, and I were back for a third time. So I guess you could say we like it there.
It has definitely grown in popularity since we first went, but it remains well off the beaten path given the solid five-hour drive—or $2,000 helicopter ride if you’re fancy like that—required to get there from Panama City. We were in a hurry to reach the beach this time so we only did a quick stopover, but we left a few days on either end the first time around to explore the city, which I do recommend if you have time! There’s the canal, of course, and we love the charming Casco Viejo full of market stalls, seafood restaurants, gelato, Panama hats, street cats (also fans of the seafood), and coffee shops. It’s nice to walk along the waterfront promenade too and visit the colorful Biomuseo, designed by Frank Gehry—the mind behind the Guggenheim Museum, among others.
Once you’ve seen enough of the city to avoid feeling like you went all that way only to miss Panama’s main “sights to see,” you can hop in a rented car or shuttle bus and start your journey to the beach.
While the scenery along the way is beautiful, it can feel like a painfully slow drive with lower speed limits than we’re used to in the U.S. and a polizia speed trap every 500 feet to keep you honest. One thing you don’t want to miss on the drive though is Quesos Chela aka the best empanadas you’ve ever had. It’s on the right side when you’re driving out, about an hour from the city, and there is always a line, so plan accordingly. Pre-COVID-19, you had to elbow your way through the queue to order, but the pandemic has necessitated lines and individual turns at the counter so it feels a little less overwhelming as a foreigner. Most of the staff don’t speak English so be prepared to brush off your high school Spanglish and miming skills if you’re not fluent. Our approach was to just order one or two of everything—chicken, beef, cheese, pineapple, and guava–cheese, which sounded unappealing to me but is actually delicious. There’s also some cute handicrafts, coffee shops, and a grocery store in Pedasí, the last major town before Playa Venao.
When we finally pulled into Blue Venao, where we rented a three-bedroom condo for the week, I could feel my body instantly relax. The crash of waves in the not-too-far distance. The sight of birds flitting between the palm trees and cats meandering beneath the bougainvillea on the walkways. The steady pulse of reggae music from the nearby beach hostel. And that irreplaceable warmth of the tropical sun. Paradise.
Most people would probably go for a walkabout, unpack a little, get settled in, maybe grab a snack upon arrival, but not my dad. We had to head straight for the surf shop and get directly in the water. After all, you don’t waste good waves when the sun is out! In under an hour, we’d checked in, rented boards for the week, and jumped in the water for a pre-dinner sunset session. My dad proceeded to go out three or four times a day to surf, swim, or bodysurf, while my friend and I stuck to one surf a day and a few light swims to cool off. I would’ve surfed more often, but unfortunately I consider being able to lift my arms an essential part of getting through each day. As it was, my daily sessions tired me out, but I had a blast playing in the water and getting back in shape (trying anyway).
Other than surfing, there’s not too much to do in Playa Venao, which is why we like it so much. Well, to be fair, there are some companies that will take you on fishing or other boat trips, horseback rides, or a visit to Isla Iguana, and you can go for various short jungle-y walks to see waterfalls or monkeys nearby so I suppose there are some other activities. But generally we prefer the eat–sleep–surf–repeat model.
I spent most mornings waking up early to stretch and watch the sun rise. One of my favorite things about the area is that the beach cove faces south, so you’ve got a gorgeous view of both sunrise and sunset every day from left to right. Once the sun came up, my dad would check the waves and we’d either head out for a pre-breakfast surf or go straight for an empanada, a croissant, or a smoothie bowl. Each day, we’d lay out with a book, play in the water, and hit repeat until it was time for ceviche, guac, and sunset drinks. Then do it all over again the next day. What more could you ask for?
Occasionally, the beach fills up when there’s a special event or party going on, but generally it’s pretty empty, which is another thing we love about it. The view isn’t obscured by beach chairs and umbrellas and you don’t have to pick your way through crowds or discarded bottles to go for a walk. Which is probably why I never blogged about this spot before. I’d love for it to remain a well-kept secret! I think the cat’s out of the bag now with more and more money being poured into the place, but they seem to be doing a good job of maintaining its character in the process. Besides, that five-hour drive ensures it stays relatively off the grid. I both want to shout from the rooftops about how amazing this place is and keep it all to myself as if it’s a secret that only belongs to me. It doesn’t, of course. So I suppose I might as well spread the love. Some recommendations below on where to stay, eat, and play. I hope you love it as much as me and my friends and family do if you get the chance to go. It’s worth the long journey!
Where to Stay: One of the wonderful things about Playa Venao is there are no high-rise hotel chains lining the beach, obscuring the view (and hopefully it stays that way). There’s just boutique hotels, hostels, and one- or two-story villas for rent.
I recommend a room with a balcony at El Sitio or one of the villas at Blue Venao, where you’ll have access to their beach club. If you’re of a younger demographic and are looking to party with other young people, check out Selina. I stood at the bar for about 30 seconds before being hit on (*facepalm*) so it’s definitely a place for singles and social types. They’ve also got yoga classes and some of the loudest speakers on the beach.
The surfing was best in front of El Sitio or down the beach toward Surf Dojo, but it’s not a far walk from Blue Venao or Selina if you’re staying up that way. And if you’re a beginner, the waves are smaller and more manageable near Blue Venao.
Where to Gear Up: Safari Surf is the best place to get all your surfing needs! If you’re looking to rent a board, grab a rash guard, get some lessons, or go on some other fun adventures in the area, swing by Safari Surf in the Wao Venao plaza on the beach and ask for Trico. He’ll take great care of you!
Where to Eat: There’s so many great restaurants in Playa Venao—one of the many reasons we love it. We’ve never had a bad or even mediocre meal there. Everything is fresh and local, and it’s all on outdoor patios so you’re not stuck inside in such a beautiful location. The smaller businesses are always changing given continued development, pandemic-related changes, etc. but these are some of our favorite spots (in no particular order) that were open in February/March 2022.
- La Casa Quincha de Venao: Great patio with delicious food, including grilled fish and coconut rice. Good drinks selection. Fantastic desserts—dark chocolate mousse and a tropical fruit mousse. On the main road in Playa Venao next to some of the other shops and restaurants.
- Coleos: Seafood and Southwest Asian food on the main road in Playa Venao next to an awesome bakery that I can’t remember the name of, but where you’ll find croissants, empanadas, and smoothies.
- Blue Venao: The best tuna tartare and in the top three for breakfast. Great spot right on the beach so you’ve got a nice view of the ocean. The bar/restaurant is next to the Blue Venao beach club if you’re staying in the villas there. Tied for best sunset drinks spot.
- El Sitio: My other favorite sunset drinks spot with a great location right on the beach. Also one of our favorite dinner spots by far. And we did eventually decide that El Sitio had the best ceviche so our daily diet wasn’t for nothing! Besides the ceviche, they also had great guacamole with freshly baked chips, spicy tuna, grilled fish, and other non-fish dishes that I didn’t care about because #beachvacation. Oh, and their desserts were incredible! Southwest Asian-inspired plates like a dark chocolate brownie with halva and black sesame paste and local twists like the passion fruit crème brûlée.
- Wao Venao: Beach plaza with lots of little food and drink spots and a patio with tables and chairs. Natural Venao for smoothies and smoothie bowls. Rico’s Coffee for, well, coffee. Also matcha. Beach Bums for a fantastic breakfast (egg sandwich on a croissant or pita, anyone?). Taco Flow for fish tacos.
Handstands & Hostels 