The rain came and went this morning like a shy guest, and by the time I walked out of my room the streets of Pedasí were already steaming. You know that smell — wet pavement, salt, the faint sweetness of tropical flowers. Day four here, and the town is starting to feel less like a destination and more like a rhythm. The roosters are on schedule. The plaza is waking up. And I've got a full day ahead.
I decided to start at the Mercado de Pedasí, which is exactly the kind of place that makes me wish I had a kitchen. Stalls of plantain, piles of mango, tomatoes so red they almost glow. There's a woman frying carimañolas — those yuca pockets stuffed with meat or cheese — and she hands me one warm, wrapped in paper. That's maybe a balboa or two. I eat it standing up, watching the morning trade. There's a certain kindness here. Nobody rushes you. Just a nod, a smile, and the sounds of the market doing what it's always done.
After breakfast I met a local guy, a fisherman, and we got to talking about the season. He told me the whales have been close — humpbacks everywhere these days. July to October is the prime window, and he said a few boats went out yesterday and came back with stories. I'm thinking hard about booking a charter from Pedasí itself. The tuna coast, they call it. Sport fishing out here is big, but even if you're not chasing a marlin, just being on the water when a humpback breaches is something you don't forget.
I walked over to the Plaza Mayor de Pedasí after that. It's the heart of the town, with its tile-roofed gazebo and this bronze bust of Mireya Moscoso, Panama's first female president. She's from here, you know. The plaza is quiet in the morning — a few older men setting up dominoes at a shaded table, pigeons doing their rounds. I sat on a bench for a while, just soaking it in. There's a calm here that's hard to find in the city. A sense that the day will unfold at its own pace.
Around ten, I headed to the tourist office — the ATP visitor center, right at the town entrance on the road to Playa Arenal. I wanted to ask about the turtle nesting nights on Isla Cañas. The woman inside, who was clearly used to questions, pulled out a map and showed me the routes. The season's going strong, she said. Saw turtles last night. I love that — the idea that these ancient creatures are hauling themselves up on the sand within a few kilometres of where I'm sipping coffee. She also mentioned the lunar eclipse. That's right — I'd read about it before I came: on the night of August 27-28, there's supposed to be a partial lunar eclipse visible from here, with the partial phase starting around 21:34 local time. Maximum around 23:13. I'll definitely be out for that.
For lunch I went to Smiley's Restaurant. It's one of those local places that's been around forever — plastic tables, a ceiling fan spinning lazily, and the smell of garlic and fried fish. I ordered pescado frito entero — whole fried fish with sides — and it came out golden, crispy, with rice and salad. That'll cost you maybe eight to twelve balboas, which feels like a steal. I ate slowly, watching the street life roll by through the open front. A motorcycle, a delivery truck, a woman in a bright dress carrying a bag of vegetables.
The afternoon was grey and heavy. The kind of sky that makes you want a hammock and a nap. Instead, I walked out to Playa Venao — about a 30-minute drive from town, though I hitched a ride with a friendly shopkeeper who was heading that way to drop off supplies. He was curious why someone would come to Pedasí in the green season. I told him about the whales and the turtles, and he nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. That's enough reason, he said.
Playa Venao is Panama's most famous surf beach. Even in the off-season, there's a rhythm to it — surfers paddling out in long lines, their boards slicing through the whitewash. The beach bars are quiet but not closed. I stopped at one and had a cold beer — about 1.25 balboas for a local draft. The surf was shoulder-high, maybe a bit more. I watched a kid, maybe seventeen, drop into a wave with total ease, and I felt that familiar pang of wanting to paddle out myself. But today was about watching. Tomorrow, maybe, if the swell holds.
Walking back along the sand, I thought about how quiet this season feels. August is the heart of the green months — the town is calm, the roads are empty, and the stars at night are absurd because there's so little light pollution. I checked the weather forecast on my phone — highs around 30 degrees, and it feels hotter, like 37 with the humidity. There were light showers again — about seven millimetres spread across the afternoon. But they're brief. Bright. The kind of rain that makes everything glow.
I made it back to town in time to check out the local bank situation, because I know listeners are thinking about the practical stuff. Banco Nacional de Panamá has a branch right in Pedasí — it's the only bank in town. I went in to see about opening an account, and the woman at the counter was actually helpful. Panama runs on the US dollar, with the balboa pegged one-to-one, so if you're American you don't have to think about exchange rates. Rent for a modest one-bedroom flat runs about 350 to 500 balboas a month. A meal at an inexpensive local place is eight to ten. So a single person could live reasonably on 1,500 to 2,000 balboas a month, though rents are definitely creeping up.
On the visa front, I keep circling back to the Friendly Nations visa — that's one of the residency pathways for people who want to stay longer than the 180-day tourist stamp. The process involves, from what I've gathered and what I've been told by expats, proving a stable income, passing a background check, and working with a lawyer. The whole thing can take a few months and a few thousand dollars in fees. But it's a path. And there's the pensionado visa for retirees, which requires showing a monthly pension of about 1,000 dollars. It all feels very manageable compared to other countries.
I also picked up a local SIM card from a dealer in town — Movistar and Tigo are the main carriers here, and you can get a prepaid SIM with data for not much money. The reception has been solid, which surprised me given how rural this area feels. I even managed to stream a podcast while walking the beach earlier, which says something.
Dinner was at a place I'd been keen to try — Peruvel fusion, The Black Pearl. It's a tiny spot, but the ceviche is the real deal. I had a bowl of ceviche de corvina with patacones — crispy fried plantain slices — which costs maybe six to nine balboas. It was fresh, bright, with just the right amount of lime and heat. I sat at the counter, watched the chef work, and thought about how this town has become more than a stop on the road. There's an authenticity here that's easy to miss if you're only passing through. The fisherman's pier, the wind in the palms, the old men playing dominoes in the plaza — it feels like a place that holds its own.
Later, I walked down to El Arenal, the fishermen's base, just as the sun was dipping. The boats were coming in, their hulls heavy with the day's catch. Men were hosing down decks, laughing, slapping each other on the back. One old guy, weathered like driftwood, pointed at the sky and said there's a storm coming. I looked up. The clouds were bruising. But I'd heard the forecast — it would pass quickly. Everything here feels like that: intense, brief, and then the sky opens up again.
Back at my room, I looked up the eclipse details once more. August 27-28, partial phase starts around 21:34, maximum at 23:13. It's been a while since I've seen a lunar eclipse — they always feel like a gift, a reminder that the universe is still doing its slow, steady dance. I plan to watch it from the beach, maybe with a thermos of coffee. I'll have to check if any local groups are doing something on the plaza.
That's it for today. Pedasí is treating me well, even in the rain. It's a place that rewards slowing down. Tomorrow, I'm thinking about booking that whale-watching trip and maybe a sport fishing day. If you want to know where I stayed, what I ate, or how to get in touch with the ATP visitor center, everything's in the episode notes. Hasta pronto.
One more thing before I go: if you're coming to Panama for a while, don't forget to book a transfer or rent a car ahead of time. I always grab a data eSIM before I land so I'm not scrambling. And for anyone thinking about the visa or opening a bank account, the process is doable. Just start early. That's the name of the game here. Now I'm off to sleep. The roosters start early, and I plan to be awake for them.