There are just so many wonderful places to visit on the Azuero Peninsula that we needed to talk about it again this week. This time the subject is Cerro Hoya National Park, covering 200,000 acres of untouched nature along the southern coastline.
Velvet green mountains will be the backdrop for your photos, dropping off into rivers, waterfalls, ponds and eventually the ocean itself. Of course there is a wide variety of wildlife here, such as jaguar, puma and many species of monkeys. There are over 150 species of birds in the area, so any bird watcher will have plenty to see.
Depending on your level of adventure, you could take a drive through the park, or venture along some hiking paths to reach sites not visible from the road. For the highly adventuresome, overnight camping is permitted, but it’s completely roughing it, no electricity, no plumbing, not even a cell phone signal. Just you and the stars and the rivers and the animal species that have been living here since time indefinite.
Sansara
If you’re not into roughing it, there are nearby lodging options such as the beautiful Sansara Surf and Yoga Resort in Cambutal. Sansara offers you the choice of nine private cabanas on the beach, varying in size depending on the number of people in your party. Because it’s a small resort, we recommend making reservations to assure you get the accommodations best suited to your visit. The resort offers many items complimentary to enhance your stay such as beach towels, bicycles, breakfast, wifi, and purified drinking water.
Sansara is owned and operated by Canadians Mike and Jane, so if you aren’t yet comfortable with your level of Spanish, no worries. They offer surfing classes as well as yoga, but they are completely optional. Even if you’ve never tried yoga, you may want to check it out. The morning yoga group will guide you through the basics and you’ll be surprised at how energized you feel afterward. You’ll be ready for another day exploring Cerro Hoya and the Azuero Peninsula.