| The history of beach towns along the Pacific Coast in | | | | by local police Veracruz now rates as a high-crime |
| Panama is coupled to the history of the Panama | | | | area. |
| Canal. Most of the population that settled these | | | | Veracruz, is nestled between the beautiful Pacific |
| Pacific beaches came from small villages that now are | | | | Ocean and the base of lush green mountains. The |
| under the waters of the Panama Canal. They were | | | | drive is about thirty minutes to downtown Panama, |
| relocated from their hometowns and settled along | | | | and only fifteen to twenty minutes to get to Balboa, |
| the coast so that their villages could be flooded over | | | | Panama which has just about everything one could |
| and turned into the floor of Lake Gatun. | | | | need or want for everyday living. |
| The major problem with the beaches in the area of | | | | The former US Howard Airforce Base which is |
| the canal and just past the canal area is the debris | | | | located just in front of the area of Veracruz, and |
| that washes up on the beaches. Part of the debris is | | | | former Rodman Naval Station recently received |
| from the city itself and another contributing factor | | | | approved legislation to become a free trade zone for |
| are the ships waiting to transit the canal. Recently | | | | the Pacific making this another area to watch for |
| Panama City began a clean up project for Panama | | | | growth explosion. |
| Bay which will include a new water treatment plant | | | | Playa Chumical |
| and sewage system for the city. Of course, the | | | | Veracruz, flows into Veracruz de Chumical. Chumical, |
| problem wasn't recreated overnight and it won't be | | | | has a sand and volcanic rock beach that is cleaner |
| fixed overnight, but at least we begin. This should cut | | | | than Veracruz, the homes are larger and better |
| down on some of the debris that washes ashore. | | | | maintained. In this town are fishermen and residents |
| However, unless stricter ordinances are put in place | | | | that work in the city. Chumical is the cleanest of the |
| and imposed with consistency on the residents and | | | | public access beaches since leaving Panama City. |
| the vessel in the bay the beaches will continue to be | | | | Entrance to the beach can be gained by the various |
| trashy. | | | | paths the allow access between the houses. There is |
| Panama's FarFan Beach | | | | nothing but open water and islands to be viewed |
| Across the bridge of the Americas in first position is | | | | from the coast in Chumical. There are no concessions |
| Panama's Farfan Beach. The roads are a little rough, | | | | or commerce on this stretch of beach. |
| similar to a forgotten county road in the US, rough | | | | The day I visited I found a delightful sight. Three |
| road patches and peppered with a some potholes. | | | | children playing in a tide pool whiling away the hours in |
| Even with the road conditions, once you've crossed | | | | the Panama sun. They stopped long enough to allow |
| the bridge it is only a two minute drive to the | | | | me to take their pictures. Their presence definitely |
| entrance of Farfan Beach. The first thing you will | | | | added to the beauty of the scenery. |
| notice is the barricade that blocks the paved road's | | | | Playita Vacamonte and Vacamonte Port (Vaco |
| approach to the abandoned beach area. The second | | | | Monte) |
| thing of notice is Panama's Balboa Gun Club positioned | | | | Playita Vacamonte, Panama sits just outside the |
| directly next to the barricade. The third thing you | | | | official entrance to the Vacamonte Port. It is the |
| should notice is the alternate off road paths that | | | | smallest of the public access beaches since leaving |
| have been created to access the beach. | | | | Panama City. Like Panama's Playa Bonita, this area is a |
| Panama's now forgotten Farfan Beach was once a | | | | little rustic since it set road side and you have to |
| hot spot as is evidenced by the abandon concrete | | | | descend a steep hill to reach the beach area. Parking |
| concession stand that was once complete with toilets | | | | is minimal but the view is breath taking. The waters |
| facilities. Farfan is a canal beach, from the concession | | | | here are clean and the Vacamonte Port area is well |
| area you can look out to the left and see Panama's | | | | maintained free from the normal roadside debris. |
| Amador Causeway with a clear view of Naos Island | | | | The Vacamonte Port of Panama is an international |
| and the Smithsonian Institute's Culebra Island. Looking | | | | port. You will need to show your passport to the |
| straight ahead you can view large and small vessels | | | | guard and enter the area. |
| anchored just outside the Panama Canal waiting for | | | | Vacamonte Port consists of a few small building and |
| permission to begin their transit and since the canal is | | | | a port of industrial fishing. The port has two wharves |
| operational twenty four hours day, seven days a | | | | and a pier. In the port are all manner of fishing boats |
| week, you are sure to see a vessels at the beginning | | | | whose main commodities are shrimp, shark, tuna, and |
| of its transit. | | | | various local fish. The fish are sold to the general |
| Since Farfan is no longer managed, tall grass now | | | | public from 8:00 until 2:00. There's a bank and a |
| covers some areas of the once popular beach, from | | | | restaurant in the port. Shop early if you want small |
| the well worn grooves made by vehicles that drive | | | | fish for your home, the small fish sell out early. |
| out to the beach area it is evident that Panama's | | | | From Vacamonte International Port seafood is |
| Farfan Beach still receives it's share of visitors. Even if | | | | shipped all over the world. |
| you choose not to drive off road, it only a short | | | | Peurto Caimito |
| blocks walk past the barricade on the paved road to | | | | Peurto Caimito, Panama is home to Mariano Rivera, |
| the beach area. | | | | relief pitcher for the New York Yankees. Mariano has |
| It's important to note, being a Florida transplant; the | | | | a large home just outside of Peurto Camito, and with |
| beach here is not sandy but mostly volcanic rock. | | | | residents like this it is hard to list Peurto Caimito |
| However, it is well worth the time to drive out and | | | | among the forgotten beaches of Panama, but we |
| see the canal area from this prospective; spend a | | | | can definitely call it off the beaten path. Puerto |
| little time imagining this area in its glory day. I hope | | | | Caimito is situated at the mouth of the Caimito River, |
| there are better days to come for this forgotten | | | | and is a commercial fishing town with a fish meal |
| recreational area. | | | | processing plant and is an old pirate village |
| Panama's Playa Bonita/Playa Kobbe | | | | Of all the places previously listed Peurto Caimito |
| Panama's Playa Bonita is also a beach on the canal, it | | | | caught my attention and begged me to stay a while. |
| is a little rustic in location. It sits beside the road with | | | | It's hard to say if it was the signs that hang from |
| just a little pull off spot along an old bridge. The area | | | | the homes along the beach front road that entice |
| never had a concession or toilet facilities and the | | | | you with promises of fresh fish for sale. Or maybe |
| beach area is a steep drop from the road. From | | | | it's the thought of the fishing boat moored behind |
| under the old bridge a river empties into the canal. | | | | the house that go out on the rising tide, when the |
| Many of the beach areas in Panama are fed sand and | | | | water has sufficiently covered the vast expanse of |
| water from Panama's rivers. This is note worthy to | | | | beach and brings the day's catch to vendors living in |
| swimmers who might encounter the whirlpools they | | | | the houses. I was also struck by it was the |
| create as the rivers empty their content into the | | | | fishermen tending to net repairs and daily |
| larger body of water. | | | | maintenance of their outboard fishing boat on the |
| From Playa Bonita you can see the bridge of the | | | | beach. And rusty vessels in the port and as well as |
| America's and the hill the old Howard Air Force Base | | | | the few rusted past use on the far end of town |
| is on. The beach was a mix of sand and volcanic rock | | | | where the road ended at the ship yard. The child in |
| and was from a Florida transplant perspective, a bit | | | | me came out saw I watched a town's child climbing in |
| trashy. | | | | and out of the rushed out boat hull on the beach. I |
| A four star resort area has been built on the road to | | | | could have spent the day climbing, exploring, poking, |
| Playa Bonita, InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort & | | | | and turning things over. |
| Spa. About ten minutes from the actual area of | | | | Peurto Caimito, residents are mostly descendants of |
| Majagual, fourty Minutes from Panama City's | | | | the island peoples and a lower socioeconomic class |
| International Airport Tocumen. | | | | level that live off the sea. They catch sardines or |
| Panama's Playa Veracruz - the local beach | | | | anchovies, they have no refrigeration, so the boats |
| Panama's Play Veracruz is still a busy local beach. | | | | all smell and are sealed with a slime of fish oil. |
| There are roughly twelve rancho style concessions | | | | There is a couple of large ranchitos on the beach |
| along the beach where you can enjoy entire fried | | | | with patios facing the beach, music blaring loudly. The |
| sea bass for three to five dollars and beers for sixty | | | | beach was easily accessible and was mostly sand. |
| cents. Playa Veracruz flows all the way into the | | | | We didn't see anyone swimming or lounging, but was |
| beach town of Veracruz. | | | | week day and from the positions of the ranchitos I |
| Veracruz, Panama is located approximately twenty | | | | would wager to say to some extent the weekends |
| five minutes from Panama City and known for its | | | | bring pleasure seekers to the area. The smell of |
| various fish markets, it is a small fishing village that is | | | | wood cook stoves and signs selling carbon add to |
| made up mostly of lower socioeconomic class level. | | | | experience that was hard to leave behind as my day |
| . | | | | ended. |
| Veracruz, once was an attractive area in front of US | | | | If leaving with locals and cheap land with ocean front |
| Howard Airforce base. It's city park once had a | | | | property appeals to you, it will probably also appeal |
| concrete concession stand complete with toilets | | | | to you to know that El Chorrera is only fifteen |
| facilities, swimming pools, and sheltered picnic tables. | | | | minutes back up the road and has practically |
| The abandoned structures are still standing in the | | | | everything necessary for living a comfortable life in |
| park area. A small fee was paid to gain entrance to | | | | Puerto Caimita. |
| the park. But based upon recent reported incidents | | | | |