Veraguas is home to more than 50 islands, among them the National Park of Coiba in Panama, one of the best diving sites. Coiba Island is the biggest in Central America. Then there is Cebaco Island in the Gulf of Montijo, Isla Gobernadora, and many more.
Tourists can also find a great variety of flora and fauna, as well as many traditions, customs, and legends. Veraguas also offers abundant nature, forests, mountains, beaches, and more than 200 varieties of orchids.
Visitors can also spot more than 400 species of birds, and mammals, reptiles, and insects. Surfers will especially be delighted with beaches such as Playa Catalina, Mariato, Malena, and Torio.
You should also know the famous Gulf of Montijo, declared a RAMSAR site with its unparalleled natural wealth, especially for bird watching and sport fishing.
Don’t miss the Cerro Hoya National Park, a remote and difficult-to-reach National Park that protects 30 endemic plant species and hosts animals such as white-tailed deer, howler monkeys, pheasant, Scarlet Macaw, and crested eagles.
On Coiba Island, you will find primary forests, beaches, mangroves, and coral reefs. The waters surrounding Coiba Island are full of fish and marine animals and the island is surrounded by one of the largest Pacific coral reefs of the Americas, making it one of the best destinations of the Americas to dive.
If you like cooler temperatures you should not miss Santa Fe, a small town in the mountains and home to many orchids. You can reach Santa Fe in just about one hour from Santiago and will have a superb view of the lands of Veraguas and the Gulf of Montijo.
The small town of Atalaya is about 15 miles from Santiago and famous for Religion Tourism. Every year in February a pilgrim leads to the Basilica Menor San Miguel Arcangel which is a Historic Monument.
Pedasi is a former fishing village, located on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula, which is home to a big and growing community of ex-pats, retirees, and second-home owners from around the world.
The big draw is the unspoiled Pacific coast. Playa Venao is famous for its surfing and the venue for international surf competitions. Pedasi is also a sport fisherman’s dream.
Just offshore, the continental shelf drops off dramatically, creating what’s known in fishing circles as the Tuna Coast. This is also one of the best places to see the annual migration of humpback whales.
Pedasí has every public service you need, including a public health clinic, two banks, a public library, and a small shop selling surf and beachwear, but has a village atmosphere and remains relatively undeveloped.