Friends leisurely walk along the sandy beach of Buenaventura

Beaches of Riviera Pacifica

Touring the Riviera Pacifica involves 25 miles (40 km) of coastline and more beach options than you can imagine. Just an hour and a half from Panamá City by car, it begins this sequence of beaches that will gladden the heart of anyone who enjoys the waves, boat rides or underwater life. Visit uninhabited beaches with huts, ranches, bars, and kiosks, or stay in luxury or all-inclusive accommodations. If there is one thing the Riviera Pacifica beaches have, it is options.

Friends riding horses at Farallon Beach, Cocle Province, Panamá

Your Ideal Beach

As for the landscape, the variety of colors is a sand sample you can collect. As you walk along them, you will see that some have patches of pearly black, golden, and white sand, which makes the visual effect of the sea change as well.

A girl diving from a boat named Outventure to the sea.

Get ready to see the Pacific in all its hues, from dark to crystal blue.

Among the most popular beaches of the Riviera Pacifica are Punta Chame, Malibu, Coronado, San Carlos, Rio Mar, Santa Clara, Playa Blanca and Farallon. The beaches are, on average, 2 miles (4 km) from the highway, but Rio Mar, the closest, is only 0.6 miles (1 km) away, and Punta Chame, the farthest, is 14 miles (23 km) away.

Choose the serenity and comfort of a beach like Coronado, enjoy bars on the sand in Farallon, or venture into the waves and winds in Chame and San Carlos. In Riviera Pacifica, you can practice sports such as surfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, and kayaking or do various activities in the sea such as jet skiing, banana boat, stand-up paddling, or even sport fishing.

When it comes to eating, there are also plenty of options. Although they vary according to the beach you choose, a good plate of fried fish with fried plantains, ceviche, and a national beer can be found in any of them. Remember that in many cases, you will have to go into town to eat, but the closer you get to the road, the wider the choice of restaurants.

A senior couple taking lunch near pool on a sunny day

Wake up with the Waves

Enjoy the tremendous development that has taken place in the Riviera Pacifica in recent years and enjoy it to the fullest, staying overnight.

Two companions trying their hand at surfing.

Stay in apartments and vacation homes, simple hotels very close to the sea, boutique hotels or resorts with golf courses, spas and others with all-inclusive plans and beach clubs. There are options for all tastes and budgets. Here, no one is left without a dose of beach.

With an average temperature of 25 ºC to 30 ºC (77 ºF to 86 ºF), enjoy the Riviera Pacifica throughout the year without problems. Just keep in mind that the months of December to March are known as the dry season with almost no rain, and that is when most visitors, locals and foreigners, enjoy the beach.

A group of friends walk towards the water of a beach with two boats behind, Golfo de Panamá.

Getting There

The most common way to get there is by road. The Riviera Pacifica begins in Chame, in the province of West Panama, and continues along the Panamerican Highway to Farallon, in the province of Cocle, two and a half hours from the city. Driving to them is easy, mainly because they are all well-signposted and appear on Google Maps. Another option is to choose a charter flight to the Scarlett Martinez International Airport in Rio Hato and schedule a pick-up with your hotel.

No one gets bored on the Riviera Pacifica. Its array of beaches is so different that their activities and lodging options seem endless. Enjoy this beach chain with different sand and watercolors, and such changing tides that the landscape transforms every 6 hours.