The Azuero Peninsula is Panama’s folkloric heartland, the dry, cattle-ranching region southwest of Panama City that Panamanians call the soul of the country. It’s where you’ll find colonial towns like Chitré, La Villa de Los Santos and Las Tablas, Panama’s biggest Carnaval, devil-dancer festivals, and quiet Pacific beaches and surf spots such as Playa Venao and Cambutal. Chitré is about 4 hours by car or bus from Panama City, and Pedasí about 5.
Important, October 2026: a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the region on October 9, 2026, with its epicenter about 39 km northwest of Tonosí in Los Santos. Thousands of homes were damaged in Los Santos, Herrera and Veraguas, along with churches, roads, bridges and some hotels. As of mid-October, the bridge over the Río Oria near Pedasí, on the road to Playa Venao, was closed to vehicles. If you’re planning a trip in the coming months, confirm that your hotel is open and check road conditions before you go. Visiting businesses that have reopened is one of the best ways to help the region recover.
Azuero at a glance
| Provinces | Herrera, Los Santos and the western side in Veraguas |
| Main towns | Chitré (largest), La Villa de Los Santos, Las Tablas, Pedasí, Tonosí |
| Getting there | About 4 hours to Chitré by car or bus from Panama City, 5 to Pedasí |
| Climate | The driest part of Panama. Very hot in the dry season (December to April) |
| Best for | Festivals, colonial towns, crafts, surfing and quiet beaches |
Towns to visit
Chitré
The capital of Herrera and the largest town on the peninsula is the practical base for exploring, with hotels, restaurants, banks and bus connections. Its motto is la ciudad donde nadie es forastero, “the city where no one is a stranger.” See the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista and the Herrera museum, and take day trips to the pottery village of La Arena and to Parita, one of Panama’s best-preserved colonial villages. More in our Chitré guide.
La Villa de Los Santos
Just across the La Villa River from Chitré, this is where Panama’s first call for independence from Spain was made, the Grito de La Villa, on November 10, 1821. Its Iglesia de San Atanasio, with its gilded 18th-century baroque altars, is one of the finest colonial churches in Panama. The October 2026 earthquake partly collapsed the top of its bell tower. In late October the Ministry of Culture removed unstable pinnacles, and the tower still needs to be stabilized and restored, so check whether the church is open before visiting. The town is also famous for its Corpus Christi celebrations with devil dancers.
Las Tablas
The capital of Los Santos province is famous across Panama for its Carnaval, with the rivalry between Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo. It’s also a center for the pollera, Panama’s elaborate national dress. See our Las Tablas Carnaval guide.
Guararé
A small town near Las Tablas that hosts the National Mejorana Festival every September, Panama’s biggest folk music and dance festival.
Pedasí
A small, laid-back town near the southeastern tip of the peninsula and the base for Isla Iguana, Playa Venao and sportfishing trips. Many hotels and guesthouses here were damaged in the earthquake, so check before booking. See our Pedasí guide.
Best beaches on the Azuero Peninsula
- Playa Venao: a curving gray-sand bay with consistent waves for all levels, surf schools, hostels and beach bars. Note the Río Oria bridge closure mentioned above.
- Playa Cambutal: farther southwest near Tonosí, more remote, with good surf and wildlife nearby.
- Playa El Toro and Playa La Garita: calm beaches close to Pedasí.
- Isla Iguana: a wildlife refuge island off Pedasí with white sand, clear water and coral reefs. Boats leave from Playa El Arenal, and the crossing takes about 20–30 minutes in calm seas. See the Isla Iguana guide.
Nature and wildlife
- Isla Cañas: one of the most important nesting beaches for olive ridley sea turtles in the region, with nesting mostly from about July to November. The local community runs a turtle hatchery and guided night visits. The earthquake hit Isla Cañas hard, with evacuations because of rising sea levels and a large ground fracture, so check whether visits have restarted.
- Humpback whales: from roughly July to October, humpbacks pass along the Pacific coast, and boat trips leave from Pedasí.
- Sarigua National Park: an unusual desert-like landscape near Parita, created by erosion. It’s also an archaeological site with some of the oldest traces of human settlement in Panama.
- Cerro Hoya National Park: remote mountains and forest on the southwestern tip, rarely visited.
Festivals in Azuero
| Festival | Where | When |
|---|---|---|
| Carnaval | Las Tablas (and most towns) | The four days before Ash Wednesday. In 2027, Saturday, February 6 to Tuesday, February 9 |
| Feria Internacional de Azuero | La Villa de Los Santos | Usually April |
| Corpus Christi (devil dancers) | La Villa de Los Santos, Parita | May or June (in 2027, the week of May 27) |
| Festival Nacional de la Mejorana | Guararé | Late September |
| Grito de La Villa | La Villa de Los Santos | November 10 |
After the earthquake, Las Tablas’ traditional “Toponazo” on November 3, 2026 was canceled in solidarity with those affected. As of late October 2026, no decision had been announced on Carnaval 2027, although the queens of Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo had already been chosen. Check local news before planning a trip around a festival.
Crafts, food and drink
- Polleras: the national dress, with hand-embroidered and appliquéd designs. A fine one can take months to make. Santa Librada (near Las Tablas) and La Enea (Guararé) are known for them.
- Devil masks: colorful papier-mâché masks for the Corpus Christi dancers.
- Pottery: La Arena, near Chitré, is known for its pre-Columbian-style ceramics.
- Seco: Panama’s sugarcane spirit. The Varela Hermanos distillery in Pesé (Herrera) makes Seco Herrerano and Panamanian rums, and it has offered tours by reservation. Check whether tours are running.
- Food: try tasajo (dried, smoked beef), bollos, chicheme and fresh fish. See our guide to Panamanian food.
Getting to and around Azuero
- By bus: frequent buses run from the Albrook terminal in Panama City to Chitré and Las Tablas, taking about 4–5 hours. From there, local buses and minibuses connect the smaller towns.
- By car: take the Pan-American Highway west to Divisa, then south on the Carretera Nacional. A car is the easiest way to see the beaches and villages. See renting a car in Panama.
- By air: Chitré has a small airport, but service is limited. Check current flights.
Sample 3-day Azuero itinerary
- Day 1: drive or bus to Chitré. Visit Parita, La Arena and La Villa de Los Santos.
- Day 2: continue to Las Tablas and Guararé, then on to Pedasí.
- Day 3: boat trip to Isla Iguana, then an afternoon at Playa Venao or El Toro.
Azuero Peninsula FAQ
Is it safe to visit Azuero after the October 2026 earthquake?
Many areas are recovering, but some roads, bridges, churches and hotels were damaged and aftershocks continued in the following weeks. Check with your hotel and the local authorities before traveling. The national state of emergency declared on October 10, 2026 was still in force in late October.
When is the best time to visit Azuero?
For festivals, February (Carnaval) and September (Mejorana). For beaches and sunny weather, the dry season from December to April. For turtles and whales, the second half of the year.
Is Azuero good for surfing?
Yes. Playa Venao has waves for beginners and intermediate surfers year-round, and Cambutal is good for more experienced surfers.
More ideas for your trip: the best things to do in Panama.