Fronting
two oceans, Panama offers a connoisseur’s choice of beaches,
both on the mainland and on islands just offshore.
PACIFIC
SIDE. Cross the Canal from Panama City, over the Bridge of
the Americas, onto the Pan American Highway and you are beachward
bound.
From Punta
Chame to Farrallon stretch 40 miles of sun-blessed Pacific beaches
for surfing, sunning, swimming snorkelling and senorita-watching.
The nearest of them —beaches, not senoritas — is 50 miles
up the Panamerican Highway from Panama City.
From that
point on, nothing but beaches. Mostly white sand, some sparkling ebony
black, shot with myriad colors in the ebbing waves. Punta Chame, Nueva
Gorgona, Playa Coronado, San Carlos, Turiscentro San Carlos, El Palmar,
Rio Mar, Santa Clara, Farallon all have facilities for stopping over.
Several
tour agencies run day trips from Panama City to beach resorts. Should
you (1) suffer a disinclination towards group tours, or (2) lack your
own or a rented car, low-fare minibuses swarm up the Pan American
Highway from a terminal in Curundu. They drop you near the Pacific
beach of your cholce. Surfboards get by as carry-on baggage. How much
carrying-on can be brought to fruition on a surfboard is a matter
that has long bemused this publication in its ceaseless striving for
balance
Closer
to the capital shimmer the shores of a couple of contrasting islands.
1.
CONTADORA. Is modern times complete with hotels, casino,
golf course, tennis courts, convention facilities and an air shuttle
from Paitilla.
2.
TABOGA. Remains the fragrant Island of Flowers with the pedestrian
width streets Pizarro knew. A regular launch service connects Taboga
with the mainland. Call Calypso Queen 264-6096 or Canal Bay Tours
314-1349
AZUERO.
Further afield in Panama are beaches that are shoreside shrines of
solitude. The Azuero peninsula from Chitre to Punta Mala and around
to Tonosi is girt by long, lovely strands where the horizon and all
of time are your private fief.
CHIRIQUI.
In the Indian tongue Chiriqui means Valley of the Moon but the Province
of Chiriqui is a coastal plain, bounded on one side by the Central
Cordillera. Visit Las Lajas, one hour’s drive from David.
ATLANTIC
SIDE. Maria Chiquita Turiscentro offers facilities to the
tourist. Isla Grande has two hotels.
