AUG 09

You can see our own trip report coverage on this at our issue of Atrevete a Vivir of November 2008 HERE



Beautiful people, Panama folklore, surfing, diving, nature, carnival, landscapes and some other distinctive features make Azuero area unique. I made a 4 days "quick trip" and I wish to come back. Here are some highlights of our trip: Isla Iguana National Park: a petit island 20 minutes in a 40hp motorboat is a paradise for snorkeling and bird observation or just for relaxing over its white sanded beach. Pedasi: a town that preserves the enchantment of Panama most representative culture in its building, people, and customs. Driving from Tonosi to Las Tablas: we drove at sun set and I just can regret not driving it at daylight. The little I saw was beautiful Playa Venao: One of surfers most reputable beach La Playita: Small beach resort with its own coral reef barrier. Beware of Ñu. Thoset big birds, relative of african ostrich, hit on us as the velociraptors ambushing their prey at Jurassic Park. You might like or dislike the place but visit it. Cambutal Beach: Great for diving, snorkeling or fishing. Many hotels being build nearby Isla Cañas: The place to see turtles laying eggs, from august to september Achiote Laboratory: The world´s only laboratory investigating how to breed yellow fin tuna fish. They had gone as far as been able to have new borns from trapped adult specimens but they don´t grow to a mature stageas yet. A tuna fish can weight up to 300 lbs. Whales Observation: I wanted to see whales in Panama. Everyone talked about it and I had never seem one. Therefore this was my more precious objective. And after basically daring everyone I met to proof the existance of the whales(everyone when approached would tell us that we just missed them) my dream became true the very last day. In our way back from Isla Iguana we saw a mother humpback whale with its calf heading our way. We turned off the motor and we were almost in collision course with the couple that came as close as 15 ft before the captain was forced to turned on the engine to get some distance because some people aboard his 20 ft long boat became shocked in panic due to the proximity of these huge mammals. Thanks to Marco Díaz, founder of Isla Iguana Foundation, for his invaluable assistance on planning this trip.

Whao ! 15 years ago the Chagres Challenge started. Who would be crazy enough to bring mules and horses as far from Volcan, Chiriqui to the small town of San Cristobal at Chagres National Park, make a road of 4-5 km of concrete tracks in order to get in 4x4 to San Cristobal, and to do the first reinforced trail in a National Park of Panama(about 5 km long): Aventuras Panama !

We are about to launch a site with online information about Panama and we are in search of original pictures that tells how beautiful our coutry is. They could be related to landscapes, people, flora and fauna or activities. If you wish to contribute send them to

. with Panama Picture in the Subject line. They will be considered donation and senders would agree to give up any future author claim on them.

We will give to "Atrevete a Vivir" members a free The Chagres Challenge T-shirt with every three new referral members that suscribes before October 2009. Just instruct your referrals to write down at the Notes field that shows up at the end of the online suscribtion processes "referred by" + "YOUR NAME". It all starts by writing his/her email at the provided field below the main title, August 2009, of this page.