Friday (8th) we left El Valle and headed down the highway to our next adventure. We stopped at Penonome for a quick breakfast (McDonalds) then onwards and downwards we went. I've added a map of Panama so you can track our journey.
I was surprised to see these windmills along way.
We got into Pedasi in the early afternoon and found a room quite quickly in a nice hostel (Dona Maria). Pedasi, also known as the "Tuna coast" is a tiny fishing village about 4.5 hours from Panama City and is home to a handful of shops, cafes, small grocery stores and hotels. The first night we hunted down an Italian Restaurant. Last night we ate at "Smiley's" a typically American restaurant. In fact, it is the 'stomping ground' of the ex-pats in this area. On Tuesday and Friday nights there is a local band, comprised of ex-pats. 
We did the typical touristy things, visiting the beaches. The first was Playa Vanao, up the road about 45 minutes. The weather here was hot and very humid, so we looked for a shady spot and settled in for a while. The beach was quite rocky and we didn't swim in the water. BUT .....
Today we we took a boat to Isla Iguana. This is 'the' attraction here in Pedasi. Here our captan and his helpers are rolling the boat out to the ocean. The ride out to the island was quite choppy as we were fighting the waves all the way.
20 minutes or so later we were on the shores of this beautiful island.
Isla Iguana - an island jewel - is surrounded by 20 hectares of spectacular coral reef and holds 11 species of corals developed over many centuries. The surrounding waters host 542 species of fish making snorkelling awesome.
The island is also the home to more than 2,000 types of birds. Isla Iguana was declared a National Park in 1980. There are a few trails that all lead to the ocean.....
We thoroughly enjoyed the waters. We floated around for hours..... It's amazing how easy it is to 'float' in ocean waters.
Soon enough we had to go back. The ride back was much better than the ride there - it was like riding one big wave all the way - and only took half the time. Our plan is to leave tomorrow for other areas.
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