In Playa Venao, I struggled to connect with the tourists and the tight-knit community of locals. So, I relocated to a small coastal town called Playa Venao, which is about 200 miles and a five-hour drive from Panama City. Kiersten BrownAlthough Playa Venao is now more developed, at the time I lived there, it was primarily a handful of hotels, hostels, and homes scattered along the shoreline. Only a few hundred people called Playa Venao their full-time home. helivideo/Getty ImagesI struggled to find my place in a community that felt largely split between locals and tourists.

Source: CNN December 20, 2025 16:48 UTC