La Valle de Antón
A few hours’ drive into the hills, we arrived just after dark at what would be our crazy campsite for the night—perched on the edge of a steep dirt road. iOverlander led us here, where several other travelers had braved the same precarious spot before us. Oh, the lengths people go to for a cooler night’s sleep! The struggle against the heat is real.
Tim maneuvered the truck into the most level position we could manage, wedged big rocks in front of the tires, and that was it—our home for the night, balanced on the outside corner of a steep road. Thankfully, it was quiet, and the night passed without incident.
March 7th – Tim’s Birthday!
Awake at the ridiculous hour of 4 AM, I lay there listening to the stillness outside, grateful that the truck was still in place and sneaked in some writing time before dozing off again. Two hours later, the sound of locals chatting as they walked past woke me. They must have been wondering, what the heck is this truck doing here—and how did it even get here?
La Valle turned out to be a charming hill town, with beautifully manicured properties and colorful gardens. We treated Tim to a birthday breakfast at a local café, wandered through the village, and then dropped the kids off at the Snake Sanctuary for their fill of slithering reptiles.
While there, a WhatsApp message from our shipping agent popped up—our shipping date had been moved up a week. Instead of the 20th, we were now set to ship out on the 13th. Just like that, our plans shifted, walking straight back to the truck, we pointed Bruce back toward the coast, bound for Punta Chame.
Kiteboarding in punta chame
Feb 7-9th. So much for a full week of kiting before leaving Panama—but that’s just how it goes with shipping and wind.
Punta Chame is a narrow, sandy peninsula on the Pacific coast, about 1.5 hours west of Panama City. Home to a community of fishermen, and a quiet, off-the-beaten-path destination, it’s known for its long, windswept beaches. Shallow waters, and steady winds, make it one of the best kiteboarding spots in Central America.
We’re here at the tail end of the windy season, and with the intense daytime heat, the wind shuts down between 10 AM and 5 PM. That leaves only small windows for kiting in the morning and evening. The kites here are huge—mostly 13.5 to 15 meters. Our biggest is only a 9m, which, in this light, humid wind, just doesn’t have the power it should. My guess it’s due to the humidity.
For three nights, we camped at the lovely Playa Soleil, a kite resort owned by a young German who came here to learn kiting 12 years ago, fell in love with the sport (and the place), and never left. He’s done an incredible job creating a laid-back oasis: a palapa-canopied restaurant and bar, stylish cabanas and glamping tents, a pool for the kids, a trampoline, a volleyball court, and a lush grass launch area with an air compressor hose ready to inflate the massive kites.
The wind is smooth but on shore, which isn’t ideal—side-onshore would be better. The water is flat, warm enough for just shorts and a sun top, but you have to watch out for stingrays basking in the shallows. The secret is to shuffle your feet, If you stand on one, pinning it down, their tail whips up delivering a very nasty 8 hour sting, only relieved by very hot water.
Unfortunately, the wind forecast wasn’t great for our three days. Tim managed to sneak in a one-hour session on the 9m, but that was about it. Not quite the kiting finale we’d hoped for in Panama, but that’s just how it goes sometimes.
