Las Tablas

The provincial capital of Los Santos famous for hosting Panama's most spectacular Carnival and for its rich folkloric traditions. Visitors come for the festivals, the polleras (traditional dress) and a taste of authentic interior culture.

Things to do

• Carnival de Las Tablas — Experience Panama's most famous Carnival with the legendary rivalry between the Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo streets battling with floats, music, and water tanks.
• Iglesia Santa Librada — Visit the beautiful colonial church with its ornate gold-leaf altar, patron of the town's July festival.
• Museo Belisario Porras — Tour the home-museum of three-time Panamanian president Belisario Porras, a native son of Las Tablas.
• Festival de la Pollera — Attend the July celebration honoring the pollera, Panama's intricate national dress, with parades and competitions.
• Visit a pollera workshop — See artisans hand-embroider the elaborate polleras that can take a year and cost thousands of dollars to make.
• Playa El Uverito — Relax on a nearby stretch of beach a short drive from town for a break from the festivals.
• Fiesta de Santa Librada — Join the town's patron saint festival each July combining religious processions with folkloric celebration.

Food to try

• Tamal de olla — Hearty corn-based tamale cooked in a pot with chicken or pork, a staple of interior festivities.
• Sancocho — Panama's beloved chicken and root vegetable soup seasoned with culantro, ideal for a hangover after Carnival.
• Chicheme — Sweet, thick drink made from cracked corn, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla sold at festivals.
• Carimañola — Deep-fried yuca fritter stuffed with seasoned ground meat, a popular street snack.
• Seco de coco — Chicken stewed in coconut milk, a signature dish of Panama's Azuero region.
• Raspao — Shaved ice topped with fruit syrup and condensed milk to cool off during the hot Carnival days.

Local customs & good to know

• Book far ahead for Carnival — Hotels in and around Las Tablas fill up months before the pre-Lenten Carnival, so reserve early or stay in Chitre.
• Respect the street rivalry — Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo take their friendly competition seriously, so enjoy the spectacle without picking sides too loudly.
• Expect to get wet — During Carnival culecos, water trucks spray the crowds, so wear clothes and protect phones you don't mind getting soaked.
• Dress respectfully at church events — Religious processions and church visits call for modest clothing despite the festive atmosphere.

Nearby

• Guararé — 6 km
• Chitré — 28 km
• La Arena — 29 km
• Iguana Island Wildlife Refuge — 36 km