5 things to do in Coronado and surrounding areas

visiting Coronado Panama? There are some great things to do around Coronado, that you might not find on TripAdvisor.

Here is some local advice on what to do in Coronado Panama. These activities and day trips from Coronado are all less than 45 mins from Panama’s fastest-growing beach town. 


1) Learn to surf 




Coronado Panama is one of the best places to learn how to surf in Panama. There are some great instructors in the area and schools are also offering camps & lessons making the sport even more accessible.

The best beaches to learn how to surf near Coronado

Playa Serena (Playa Coronado) 

Playa Serena is located within the gated community of Coronado, Panama. To access this beach you need to enter Coronado and follow the main road Calle Roberto Eisenmann until you reach Calle Punta Prieta make a left (at this corner you will see a restaurant and a small store with a bus station in front of it) Follow this road till the end where you will see the public beach access. 

El Palmar (San Carlos) 

El Palmar is just 10km past Coronado Panama. To get to El Palmar take the Pan-American highway, past the town of San Carlos, you will pass under a walking bridge over the highway. There will be a police station on the left hand side and then a Texaco gas station. 500 meters after the gas station is the entrance to El Palmar on the left hand side of the road. Across the highway there a couple of hardware stores. It is illegal to make the left turn into El Palmar, it is best to drive past the entrance to the returno and travel back to make the right hand turn into the town.

Want to learn to surf in Coronado Read this article to connect with a surf instructor near Coronado. 

2) Fishing in Coronado  

While you can go deep sea fishing with outfits out of Vista Mar Marina, in San Carlos about 10 minutes from Coronado Panama, it’s live up to with world-record fishing in places like Hanibal Bank and Isla Ladrones. That is not to say you will not catch fish, and a day on the water is always a great day. Tip: Ask your captain to go to El Otoque Island, you will likely have better luck fishing and probably see whales from August - December. 

Avid Deep sea fishermen and women in Panama should check out deep sea fishing outfits that have close access to deeper waters. What you will catch depends on the season and if you choose to fish inshore or offshore.

 Here is an article written last year during Tuna Season with contact info for two local fishing outfits out of Cambutal and Playa Venao. 


From Coronado Panama, the best fishing experience that will ensure a good time and some fish in the boat is  Fishing in Arenosa. Arenosa is a small town on the west end of Lake Gatun, only 70 km from Coronado approximately 45 minutes. The cost for a 1/2 day of fishing, bait, and gear is about $250.00 for 8 people. The boat is a pontoon, so there is room for the whole crew to sit comfortably in the shade. Read more about fishing in freshwater fishing in Panama on Lake Gatun from Arenosa here. Book a trip through Dennis by calling (507) 6792-8027 or by email at dgmelton@gmail.com Dennis speaks English and Spanish.


3) Golfing in Coronado Panama 



There are 2 great 18-hole courses to play Golf within 30 minutes of Coronado Panama. The first is located right in the heart of Coronado at the Coronado Luxury Suites Hotel. Designed by Tom Fazio, the course has a lot of old growth, and some great water features. TIP: The course also offers the best walking tour of the Coronado Community if you’re looking to get to know the residential area. Coronado is a private course so to book a tee time you need to be a resident of Coronado or a guest at the hotel. 



20 minutes from Coronado in the Vista Mar, Marina & oceanfront community, is an 18-hole course designed by J. Michael Poellot. What’s nice about this course is that it is very well maintained and you can see the Pacific Ocean from several holes. TIP: There is a twilight option as the course is lit in the evenings, that’s also cheaper. 


4) The Coronado Dry Forest walking trail 


Coronado Panama is home to a section of untouched dry forest. In all of Latin America, only 40% of dry forests remain, the rest have been lost to development. So, to have this important ecosystem in our community is a gift. The access to the Coronado Dry Forest trail is behind the Coronado Residency association office just before the turn for Boulevard road. 

5) The mountains are calling

 
There are several day trips from Coronado that can offer a change of climate and scenery a short drive from Coronado. It’s approx. 45 mins to the foothills of Mount Picacho sitting 850 meters above sea level in La Laguna de San Carlos. From here there are several options for hiking with various levels, camping, and a restaurant.  El Valle de Antón sits at an altitude of 600m with the highest point of the caldera reaching 880m. The mountain town is now a large community with a grocery store, restaurants, and marketplace. El Valle is also part of Panama’s first national preserve created in 1966. There are waterfalls, hiking trails, and an abundance of tourist attractions. The Altos de Campana National Park is another great place to hike, however, it is recommended to use a guide in this area as not all trails are well marked.

For travel & tourism guides contacts and info on Panama’s National Parks read our article on 16 national parks you can visit in Panama