The western Azuero coastline know as the Azuero Sunset Coast is located one hour south of the city of Santiago. Lush mountains descent to scenic beaches. Plenty of wildlife inhabits the area. The land is sparsely populated, and locals make a living with cattle ranching, agriculture and fishing. Travelers are slowly discovering the hidden treasures of the western Azuero. Pristine beaches, rivers, waterfalls & mountains greet the visitor.
Fishing off the western Azuero is great! Tuna, dorado [mahi-mahi], wahoo, sailfish, marlin, yellow tail and many other game fish are plentiful. Dolphins and whales regularly visit the waters. Sea turtles come to shore to lay their eggs. Residents of the fishing village of Malena are devoted to their protection and conservation.
A growing number of American and European expats have made the coastal area around Torio their home. Several residential developments are sprouting up along the coast. South of Torio the road leads up to the highest point above Pt. Duarte allowing fantastic views of the coastline in all directions. Cebaco Island, Pt. Duarte, Playa Morrillo, Monkey Island, Las Isolotes and the mountain range of Cerro Hoya National Park all can be seen here. On clear days the Coiba Island group comes into view.
Heliconia Bed & Breakfast is located just north of the small fishing village Malena. Heliconia B&B is run by a dutch biologist couple, devoted to nature preservation and reforestation and they provide guided tours to both Coiba Island Tours & Cerro Hoya National Park Guided Hikes.
Torio and the surrounding area has several restaurants & acommodations. Furthermore a nice selection of Vacation Rentals can be found here. Torio beach is safe for swimming and favored by locals from Santiago on weekends and during summer vacations. Panama’s summer lasts from December to April during the dry season. This is the hottest time of the year with daytime temps in the low 90s, tempered by trade winds and cooling to the 70s at night.
Morrillo Beach, 5 miles south of Torio has been ‘discovered’ by the surfing crowd a few years ago and is becoming a popular surf spot with one of the most consistent waves in Panama. An annual surf tournament is held here in February.
Discover the Azuero Sunset Coast • Panama
Provided by John Korte & Panama Relocation Tours
Cerro Hoya National Park is located at the south western end of the Azuero peninsula. Covered with virgin rain forest it is home to many endangered species and wildlife. Loes & Kees at Tanager Ecotours can arrange hiking tours into Cerro Hoya, guide by a multilingual biologist who knows the park intimately.
Just a few miles offshore is Cebaco island and further out 50 miles away Coiba Island National Park, which used to be a penal colony under Noriega, but now is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Heliconia B&B offers guided overnight tours to Coiba Island.