Panama · Azuero Peninsula: Pedasí, Las Tablas & Chitré
Dry Arc nature
Arid land, dry forest, mangroves and protected coastline. For Sarigua, the dry season and an early start are best because of the heat.
4 places
1
NatureOpen
Sarigua National Park
Parita district, Herrera, north of Chitré. Visitor center off the Belisario Porras road.73.6 km from the centre
Entry
$5
Hours
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
About 8,000 ha of arid land on the Herrera coast, described by Visit Panamá as the driest point in the country. It has dunes, volcanic rocks, petrified trees and the La Mula archaeological site.
Foreigners US$5; nationals US$2; students and retirees US$1; under 12 free (Visit Panamá, 2026). A TVN feature quotes B/.7 for foreigners and B/.4 for nationals.
Hours
Daily, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Visit Panamá, 2026).
Booking
Three marked trails: Las Dunas (archaeological), Armadillo (paved and accessible) and Piedras de Gato (the longest). You can ask for a guide at the visitor center.
Tip: Midday can reach 40 °C: go early and bring water, a hat and sunscreen. By bus, take the Albrook–Chitré bus, get off at Parita and continue by taxi (Visit Panamá).
Gulf of Panama, off the Pedasí coast (Los Santos). Reached only by boat from Playa El Arenal.11.4 km from the centre
Entry
Foreign visitor B/.10
Hours
Not confirmed
Booking
Not stated
Island off Pedasí with white-sand beaches, dry forest and coral reefs. It is a MiAmbiente protected area: you pay the entry fee online and alcohol is not allowed.
Entry according to MiAmbiente (notice of 30 Jan 2025, Resolution DM-0013-2024): foreigners B/.10; nationals and residents under 57 (women) or 62 (men) B/.4; B/.2 for national students, university and foreign students, and for national retirees, pensioners, national and foreign seniors and older residents. Next to the national-student fee, the notice says that minors up to 12 do not pay. The boat from El Arenal is extra: US$15–25 per person depending on group size (The Lost and Found hostel blog, March 2026).
Hours
Fixed hours not confirmed by an official source at the time of review; the press reports access usually ends around 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. depending on the season (2025).
Booking
Mandatory online payment: the 'Pago de admisión áreas protegidas' menu on miambiente.gob.pa leads to the reservasap.miambiente.gob.pa portal (checked October 2026). In January 2025 MiAmbiente stated payment by Clave card, Visa or Mastercard; check the accepted methods when paying. Show the e-receipt to the ranger. In January 2025 MiAmbiente announced permanent staff and a satellite connection (Starlink) at the SINAPROC checkpoint on Playa El Arenal to make it easier to pay before departure; check that it is still available. The island has a limited daily capacity (MiAmbiente, 2025).
Time needed
About 20–25 minutes by boat from El Arenal and 3–4 hours on the island (The Lost and Found hostel blog, March 2026).
Tip: Bring water and food: nothing is sold on the island. Rangers check coolers to keep alcohol out. MiAmbiente closes access in strong winds and rough seas, as in November 2024.
Tonosí district (Los Santos). You cross the mangrove by boat from the Sigua dock or from Cañas village on the mainland.36 km from the centre
Entry
Not confirmed
Hours
Not stated
Booking
Not stated
Wildlife refuge where thousands of olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) come ashore to nest at once. It is one of Panama's two arribada beaches, along with La Marinera. The community asked that all turtle-watching guides be islanders.
Turtles nest from July to December, with mass arribadas mostly from September to November (press, 2025–2026). Night tours run until 15 December according to the operator Libélulas, whose page gives two different start dates (1 or 15 July): confirm the dates with the operator. The rest of the year there are daytime mangrove trips.
Official entry and tour fees not confirmed by an official source at the time of review.
Booking
With guides from the Isla Cañas community. The night tour described by the Libélulas Pedasí hostel includes the boat crossing, dinner and a carriage ride to the beach (July 2024).
Tip: Keep your distance, stay quiet and do not use flash (press, 2026). At very low tide the boat cannot cross the mud. Bring long trousers, a rain jacket, closed shoes and repellent. Law 371 of 2023 penalizes trading and taking turtle eggs.
Cerro Hoya coast and waterfall by boat from Cambutal
South-west of the peninsula, between Tonosí (Los Santos) and Montijo (Veraguas) districts. Departure from the Cambutal fishing port.79.3 km from the centre
Entry
Not confirmed
Hours
Not stated
Booking
Not stated
Cerro Hoya National Park (32,552 ha, created in 1984) protects forests with more than 30 endemic plants in south-western Azuero. From Cambutal you travel its remote coast by boat and walk upriver to a waterfall with a pool.
The Cambutal operator runs this trip only from June to early December. The rest of the year, surf or do yoga in Cambutal.
Tour price and park fee not confirmed by an official source at the time of review.
Booking
With a local operator; includes hotel pickup, a bilingual guide and lunch (Azuero Adventures). Whether the route enters the national park is not confirmed by an official source at the time of review.
Time needed
About 50 minutes by boat along the coast; the full tour takes 5 to 6.5 hours according to the operator's pages.
Tip: Bring closed shoes that can get wet, long sleeves, a hat and reef-safe sunscreen.
Azuero's marine life depends on the season: whales from July to October and turtle arribadas from July to December. Isla Iguana is open year-round, with online payment to MiAmbiente in advance.
From Pedasí to Cambutal there are more than ten surf spots. Venao has the most services; big waves arrive from May to August. There are usually no lifeguards.
Azuero hosts Panama's best-known traditional festivals: Carnival in February, Corpus Christi in May or June, the Pollera in July and the Mejorana in September.
