Hotel Río Mar

Panamá Province

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A right turn on the road in from the Interamericana, this hostel at the Panama Surfing Academy offers seven bargain-rate rooms that are pleasant and sit on immaculate green grounds with a pea-sized pool. There are basic offerings from the onsite restaurant. The attached surfing academy offers surf lessons and advanced coaching. Two-hour lessons cost US$45.

It also rents surf boards (per half/full day US$20/30) and stand-up paddle boards (US$25/40). Call ahead to reserve; weekends are busier. The beach is a short distance behind the hostel.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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    Butterfly Haven

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    One of El Valle's top attractions allows you to walk among up to 250 butterflies as they flutter by in a screened 'flight house.' Learn more about these…

  • Chorro El Macho

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    The most famous waterfall in the El Valle region is 35m-high Chorro El Macho, one of four cascades located about 2km north of town; it's a 15-minute walk…

  • Zoológico El Níspero

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    About 1km north of Av Central, this zoo set in the forest is home to everything from tapirs and capuchin monkeys to jaguars and more than 50 species of…

  • Aprovaca

    Aprovaca

    14.19 MILES

    For the largest selection of orquídeas (orchids) in the region, visit this idyllic, not-for-profit garden east of the center, run by the local association…

  • La Piedra Pintada

    La Piedra Pintada

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    Located in the northwestern corner of the valley, La Piedra Pintada is a huge boulder adorned with pre-Columbian carvings. Locals sometimes fill in the…

  • Square-Trunk Trees

    Square-Trunk Trees

    14.47 MILES

    El Valle’s peculiar árboles cuadrados (square-trunk trees) are located northeast of the Hotel Campestre. After a 30-minute hike through the forest and…

  • Museo Histórico Padre José Noto

    Museo Histórico Padre José Noto

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    The most interesting exhibits in this small, very central museum divided into seven sections are the ones focusing on petroglyphs and ceramics produced by…

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Nearby Panamá Province attractions

1. Aprovaca

14.19 MILES

For the largest selection of orquídeas (orchids) in the region, visit this idyllic, not-for-profit garden east of the center, run by the local association…

2. Square-Trunk Trees

14.47 MILES

El Valle’s peculiar árboles cuadrados (square-trunk trees) are located northeast of the Hotel Campestre. After a 30-minute hike through the forest and…

3. Museo Victoriano Lorenzo

14.51 MILES

The exhibits in the three rooms of this small museum east of the center focus on local history and the eponymous mestizo national hero. The most…

4. Butterfly Haven

14.59 MILES

One of El Valle's top attractions allows you to walk among up to 250 butterflies as they flutter by in a screened 'flight house.' Learn more about these…

6. Zoológico El Níspero

14.95 MILES

About 1km north of Av Central, this zoo set in the forest is home to everything from tapirs and capuchin monkeys to jaguars and more than 50 species of…

7. Museo Histórico Padre José Noto

15.09 MILES

The most interesting exhibits in this small, very central museum divided into seven sections are the ones focusing on petroglyphs and ceramics produced by…

8. Chorro Las Mozas

15.22 MILES

The most accessible of the waterfalls around El Valle is Chorro Las Mozas, located about 2km southwest of town; you can reach it on foot from the center…