The Azuero Peninsula
Oct 20th, 2008 by admin
Located in the south of Panama, the Azuero Peninsula has the Pacific Ocean to the south and west and the Gulf of Panama east. The peninsula speaks of the traditional folklore of Panama, mostly of Spanish descent but diversified by the influence of other subsequent cultures. The main towns located on the Peninsula include Las Tablas, Chitre and Pedasi all located on the eastern side of the peninsula. There are many villages scattered throughout the peninsula and offer the traveler the opportunity of purchasing unique arts and crafts.
For the tourist the main inland area of the peninsula is most farming and grazing land, which is still focused on the old way traditions and methods. The coastline however offers a wide variety of beaches for swimming, fishing and surfing – some of the best waves are known to be at Venao and Catalina beaches. The scuba and diving hot spots are said to be at Isla Iguana – an island just off the coast near Pedasi. It is said that the coral reef is home to over 200 species of fish and 13 eastern coral species, all viewable at the 35 acres of coral reefs. For more island adventure one can view thousands of sea turtles nesting and laying their eggs at Isla de Canas.
Chitre is home to several museums and cathedrals, with the beautiful Iglesia San Juan Batista located at the town square. Just outside of Chitre is the town of La Villa de los Santos, which is home to the Iglesia de San Atanasio – a church with origins dating back to 1773, although the altar with predates the church by 40 years. Towns for the handmade crafts include La Arena, Parita and Ocu – the origin of the Panama Hat, originally only handmade by women.
Las Tablas seems to be the carnival and fair centre with 9 events throughout the year, where various and sometimes all regions participate in the celebrations and proceedings.
The peninsula is almost like taking a step back in time, where tourism is still in its infancy, well worth a visit to immerse yourself in a diverse and vibrant historical culture.
