| Directly across the street is a house selling | | | | roads to Pedasi are first-class and the sleepy village is |
| Panamanian arts and crafts. I can see clay pots | | | | probably one of the best maintained towns in |
| tinged with burnt orange and yellow precisely the | | | | Panama. New businesses are springing up to offer |
| shade of French's mustard. A white woven hammock | | | | fishing, snorkeling, and diving trips. There are unlimited |
| sways lazily in the light breeze, and the few people | | | | opportunities for small businesses and niches to be |
| on the street seem to be in no hurry. There are no | | | | filled. The town could use more restaurants, a fish |
| power-walkers this morning, no suit-and-ties rushing | | | | market, a deli or bakery, a bookstore, or a high-end |
| to work. | | | | internet café. |
| This is not a destination for rushing...or for shopping | | | | Local businesses are intent on making it easier for |
| or theater-going. If you need an active night life to | | | | everyone to get to know Pedasi. Expat entrepreneur |
| keep you happy, Pedasi may not be for you. But if | | | | Casey Halloran, who owns B&B Casita Margarita, is |
| you're looking to retire, relocate, or just buy a | | | | the area's most vocal supporter. After many months |
| second home in "the real Panama," this little beach | | | | of lobbying, he convinced local airline Aeroperlas to |
| town may be the answer. | | | | offer flights to Pedasi. Now instead of driving four |
| Pedasi is known as the "tuna coast," and it has been | | | | hours from Panama City, you can fly here in under an |
| a destination for sport fishermen for years (the town | | | | hour. |
| even hosts an annual fishing tournament). Here the | | | | Pedasi has long been a secret (though local |
| coastal shelf drops off suddenly to provide deep | | | | developers say celebrities like Mel Gibson began to |
| water fishing a short distance from shore. Yellow fin | | | | invest here long ago). Ask Panamanians for beach |
| tuna, sailfish, wahoo, and dorado are among the | | | | recommendations and they'll name Coronado, Bocas |
| regular catches. Expat Linda Mckee says: "In Pedasi, I | | | | del Toro, and San Blas...but hardly ever Pedasi. Five |
| am in seafood heaven...clams, conch, lobster, and | | | | years ago, Pedasi was hardly frequented by expats. |
| oysters are available daily." | | | | But with new hotels, restaurants, and now flights to |
| Within an hour's drive there are 11 different beaches, | | | | the area, growth seems to be accelerating and the |
| all clean and easily accessible. The sands vary from | | | | expat community is growing. Now is the time to visit... |
| deep bronze to the sparkling volcanic black. The | | | | |