Thread: Twelve days in Pedasi

I have spent the last 12 days in Pedasi Panama and wanted to share my impressions. The town is small, quaint and has allot of charm. The people are warm and welcoming . When I arrived I was impressed with how clean the town is compared to other areas of Panama I had visited. The people here take pride in their community. I would say that Pedasi is the safest place that I stayed in Panama. The people tell me they don’t lock their houses or cars here. I saw a total of six policeman the whole time I was here and I was told they were imported for the festival. I would say the people of Pedasi are it’s greatest asset. I had 55 cent beers with the locals at the pub and they welcomed me like I had lived here my whole life. Like I said before they are really warm and friendly people . There were a couple of holidays while I visited and the locals had a nice festival That I also enjoyed. The beaches here offer good variety you can have crashing waves for surfing or calm and tranquil for snorkeling. Most are dark sand except for Isla Iguana which has a nice white sand beach. You need to hire a boat for the trip about $50.00. It is important to bring water, snacks etc with you because there is nothing on the island. I took a day trip to the small towns of Tonesi and Cambutal during my stay. The road to Tonesi from Canas is the most terrible road on the planet. Go in a truck as some of the holes could cripple a car (no joke). The town of Tonesi was just your average Panamanian small town, but Cambutal has a really nice beach and dining.
In terms of living or investing in Pedasi this what I was able to gather talking to locals and expats. It seems during the real estate bubble when the rest of the world was building and flipping houses, investors in the Pedasi area were buying farms, dividing them into lots and flipping them. There is allot of land for sale here but not much in the way of finished houses. You would need to find a lot (not a problem) and then go through the nightmare of building a house in Panama Problems with building in Panama. People here seem to still think that all this land is going to be developed in the near future so you should buy allot of it now LOL. Prices for land are still high and you can get a water view property in Florida for the price of a lot here. Some people here are in denial about what has happened to the worlds economy. The area is geographically beautiful but is very isolated. This area has to compete against allot of other nice areas closer to Panama city for ever decreasing investment dollars and I think some peoples expectations here are a little high. I saw little here in the way of construction and it appears some projects have ground to a halt. Retirees will probably opt for the convenience offered by similar communities much closer to the city.
There is a story I was told often about how about 35 Panamanian homes were bulldozed down on the beach to improve the view for a planned development. About 50 police officers showed and closed the roads without warning and the houses were destroyed and the people were unable to retrieve their belongings. I don’t know what development it is but There is bound to be a stigma associated with living there. Not the best way to endear themselves with the local population. Pedasi being 5 hours away from Panama city (maybe less with the road being widened) is another concern as there is not much in the way of medical care down here. They are supposed to build a new medical clinic here and there is allot of excitement about that. I was told the current system is they put you in an ambulance to take you to Las Tablas. Both people get into the front seat because they are not EMT’S. When you arrive in Las Tablas and they open the back if you are still alive they take you to the treatment side if not you are moved to the morgue LOL. This story did not install confidence. The best Medical care in the area is in Chitre. Cell phone service here is good in the town and is spotty on the outskirts. Don’t expect service out in the country. The Azuero has allot of farms that grow rice and corn. Like most farm areas the people are honest salt of the earth types who know the value of a hard days work. During harvest season (now) Semi truck trailers Park on the roads and the farmers bring and load their grain. This takes up both lanes and can block the road for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. I did not mind because I was not in a hurry but some people were blowing their horns. Also be aware the ranchers move their cattle on the main paved road. I almost ran into some tonight returning from Pedasi to my hotel. I rounded a curve in the road and there they were, about 8 of them. The ranchers use a horse and a red flag and I was told so long as they have the red flag you have to pay for any accident with their livestock. As for schools a local business woman told me the schools in Pedasi are terrible and that the kids often return home in the mornings because the teachers don’t show up for work. The solution I was told is to bus your child to Las Tablas. Las Tablas or Chitre is where you go if you need anything because Pedasi has very limited stores. I was told They are building a large mall in Chitre and that it has the best medical care in the area. I drove through Chitre to get to Pedasi but I am going to spend a day or two there and check it out.
Tourism is being promoted in Pedasi and I think that is more it’s niche. It is a great place to vacation. I can recommend the Isla Iguana Restaurant, Maudy’s café for smoothies and free wifi, Yeli’s Dulceria if you have a sweet tooth. The prices for lodging vary wildly here and using trip adviser or vrbo.com can save you allot of money. Not all lodging has hot water , air conditioning or wifi so you should ask if you need these things. Los Vientos De La Rosa is a charming Place with a good view and close to the beach. The Owners Roberto and Isabella are very gracious hosts. There are allot of small hostels and hotels between Pedasi and Canas. Sereia Do Mar has a great view and is a good value also. Hotel Casa Estrella sits adjacent to it. The weather was very wet during my stay but I am told it will be transitioning to dry in a couple of weeks. The onshore winds are reported to be very brisk here Feb-June and the seas offshore can be very rough.. This is important for those making plans for offshore fishing. One other thing , a car is a big plus here. There are cabs and a bus does come through but the way the beaches are spread out and to see more of the rural area a car is a big plus. These are a few of my impression of this charming little town and surrounding area . Others may have more to add to my observations and I will be happy to answer any of your questions if I am able.

Great report! Thanks for taking the time to do this.

Originally Posted by becky7474

Great report! Thanks for taking the time to do this.

It is my pleasure Becky. This is the least I can do to repay all of you who have contributed and helped me so much. From the video threads and tips I recieved from this forum my trip has been safe and successful. I will be returning to Panama in January to start my Pensionado paper work. I will share my experiences with that as well.

Thanks for the great report. You indicated a vehicle would be helpful in the area. Thrifty shows a rental agency in Chitre. Anyone have experience with them? Considering a plan of taking bus to Chitre then tour the southern part of Azeuro on our own.

Yes, Thanks Fleeted for the great report. I personally think that Pedasi will grow slowly but it will grow....I love the town and it's people.

hhunter...I have used Thrifty twice in the last year but rented at Tocumen. The "office" in Chitre apparently is only open for high season travel and the rates are far more expensive than Tocumen so I just rent there and drive out to the Azueros.

I have rented from Albrook with no problem in Panama. Just returned my car to Dollar rental and David without incidence of gouging or added charges. The only thing better than a rental car for Pedasi is a friend with a car LOL.

I agree with your good writeup. But I find that cars are $20/day to rent plus $18/day mandatory insurance (that doesn't cover anything). So I don't agree so much about "without gouging".

Originally Posted by jonr

I agree with your good writeup. But I find that cars are $20/day to rent plus $18/day mandatory insurance (that doesn't cover anything). So I don't agree so much about "without gouging".

You are correct cars are overpriced and so is the insurance. I expected some additional hidden charges or false claims about the car. When I actually paid the agreed upon price, that is what I meant about not gouging.