There is a an old-school tropical chic about the Playa Venao beach area. A place where surfers can ride excellent waves, and scuba divers can choose from multiple dive sites, including the nearby Frailes Islands. Long a mecca for surfers, the 2-mile long crescent shaped bay surrounded by rolling forested hills and farms, is one of the most consistent surf spots in Panama. A very high quality beach break, it has waves all year around, that break both right and left over a sand bottom. The surf is focused in the center of the bay, with calmer more protected waters at the far ends of the bay. Nearby you will also find horseback riding, fishing, and Isla Cañas.

There are 2 open-air bar/restaurants with a very cool vibe and atmosphere, a surf shop, and multiple hotels right there on the beach. El Sitio, Eco Venao, Villa Marina, and La Playita Resort are some of the more popular from which to choose.

Nearby Playa Venao you will find a small neighborhood of fisherman called El Ciruelo. Another interesting attraction nearby is the Laboratorio Achotines, a research center where biologists are studying the reproductive cycles of yellowfin tuna. It is one of the few research facilities in the world designed specifically for studies of the early life history of tropical tunas. As tunas are pelagic (open-ocean) fish they are difficult to study in their natural habitat.