P. 22 - LA PLAYA
JUNE / JUNIO 2014
WWW.PLAYACOMMUNITY.COM
Puerto Armuelles, Panama
offices stand out. To continue on to
Puerto Armuelles, take the last left
before the border. Follow this road into
the town of Puerto Armuelles.
P
anama’s Pacific coastline is
ripe with secluded tropical
beauty. While much of the coast
remains hidden due to a lack of road
access, destinations are revived as
new roads are built. Puerto Armuelles,
located in the western province of
Chiriquí has always had a road, but a
new four-lane highway has recently
created some hype for the region.
After years of economic depression,
caused by the closure of the Chiquita
Banana plantation over a decade ago,
the community of Puerto Armuelles is
noticing a revival. New businesses
opening up, real estate developers are
breaking ground, and expats are
moving in.
In 2012, the Martinelli administration
allocated money to widen the road
from the Costa Rican boarder to
Puerto Armuelles. The reason for
doing so is to service three future
projects: a deep-water container port,
a cruise ship port, and a marina. The
construction plans are also aimed
towards connecting Puerto Armuelles
to Chiriquí Grande on the Caribbean
coast, creating what the previous
government had dubbed a dry canal
route across the isthmus.
While we are unsure when or if work
will begin in the future on these
projects, we can say that the new road
to Puerto Armuelles is well on its way.
With the road project moving along
quickly, Puerto Armuelles has seen
some economic recovery. The cost of
property is on the rise and more jobs
are being created. As the town sees
growth, more tourists and expats are
setting out to see what the tropical
paradise nestled on the border of
Costa Rica has to offer.
How to get there
Puerto Armuelles is a 6.5-hour drive
from Coronado. To get there, follow
the Pan American Highway past David
until you reach the Costa Rican border.
The town of Puerto Armuelles is
approximately 1 hour past David. You
will start to see billboards about 20
minutes before you reach the border
town of Paso Canoas. It will not be
hard to tell when you have reached
Paso Canoas, as the border patrol
The town of Puerto Armuelles
The town still holds its tropical colonial
charm. From narrow streets to the
wooden houses standing high on stilts,
there is an old world feeling lingering
here. While it may feel like the past,
compared to Pacific coast beach
towns like Santa Catalina and Playa
Venao, Puerto Armuelles offers a lot of
amenities. The town has two
well-stocked grocery stores, a couple
of restaurants, and local shops. There
are handful of guesthouses for rent in
town and a beachfront inn near the
heart of town.
What to Do
Puerto Armuelles is the perfect place
for the adventurer at heart. Whether
you enjoy fishing, surfing or exploring
nature’s greatest wonders, this is a
great place to do it.
Fishing
Puerto Armuelles offers excellent
fishing close to shore. With a
300-meter drop in depth minutes from
the coast you don’t have to travel far to
catch a trophy fish. There are several
fishing options in Puerto Armuelles,
you can hire a boat from a local, or fish
right off the pier in town. If the purpose
of your trip is to give deep water fishing
a try, Hooked on Panama offers the full
To Advertise / Para Publicidad: [email protected]
deep-sea experience.
Hooked on Panama is located on
Punta Burica just 20 minutes from
town. Their ocean lodge is located on
several hectares of lush tropical land.
They have three fully equipped fishing
boats, ready to troll for trophy marlin or
monster sailfish. June is the heart of
yellow-fin tuna season. Anglers at
Hooked on Panama have been reeling
in giant tuna weighing up to 250 lbs!
For $150 - $250, you can also spend
the day on a local’s panga, a smalle