wife , Camilla . `` The area reminded us of Tuscany , '' says St.-Gilles , who landscaped the estate with fragrant jasmine , plumeria , and hibiscus . In 2005 , the couple opened their place as a hotel , and last fall they added 20 new seaside duplex lofts . As stylish as they are family-friendly , the setups come with full-size kitchens , extra guest beds , and mosaic-tile flooring . An in-house stable is ready for shoreline horseback rides , and you can sign up for snorkeling trips to nearby Isla Cañas , a palm-fringed refuge where thousands of leatherback turtles converge to build nests . Farther inland , the center of Pedasí has a cow-town vibe : Picture low-slung cottages painted bright green and yellow , and ranchers wearing handmade Panama hats . Yellow is also the color of choice at the new Casita Margarita . This five-room B&B comes with locally crafted cocobolo furniture and a wraparound veranda overlooking Pedasí 's main street . Perhaps best of all , it 's within walking distance of local hangout Mano Surf Community , a pro shop that does double duty as a café and juice bar
-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- Even the most sophisticated traveler could be forgiven for thinking that there 's little more to Panama than its iconic canal , seaside capital , and snorkeler-packed Bocas del Toro islands . The Los Santos region of Panama has spectacular rolling farmlands and blissfully empty beaches . But there 's a more secret and equally spectacular side to the country about a five-hour drive west from Panama City : the Pacific coast region of Los Santos . Here , rolling farmlands and stands of mahogany and cocobolo trees hug an azure coastline , luring surfers , nature buffs , and , increasingly , travelers and second-home owners from all over . Although roadside real-estate billboards suggest a far more developed future , Los Santos has managed to stay blessedly free of resorts . In their place are a handful of low-key -- and far more affordable -- boutique hotels . The most stylish is the seven-room Villa Camilla , just outside the fishing village of Pedasí . The red-tiled hideaway , located on an 800-acre parcel of the Azuero Peninsula , started out as a private escape for French interior designer Gilles St.-Gilles and his