World-Class Surfing in Panamá

The beach town is located across from Coiba National Park, and it has one of the longest beach breaks in Central America. It also has clear waters and an abundance of exotic marine life, as well as spectacular views. Surfers can catch waves year-round, but for prime swells, we recommend visiting from March through October.

In Santa Catalina, at la Punta, waves can reach 20–30 feet. This is a point break with strong, long waves that break both right and left. The surf is best during medium or high tide. The bottom here is rocky, so we recommend wearing booties. For beginners, there is a sandy beach break close by where the waves break both right and left.

A 30-minute walk northeast of Santa Catalina, visitors can visit Punta Roca, a large point break where the waves can only be ridden during medium or low tide. On the opposite end, a 30-minute walk southeast, Punta Brava boasts left-hand waves that can get twice as big as Santa Catalina. 

For an island surf with similar-sized wave breaks, Cebaco Island is accessible by boat. The island has both a beach break and a point break, and its waves break both left and right.

Try Playa Estero if you’re new to the sport since the waves are smaller, plus the area is home to surfing schools if you need a few pointers. 

Depending on what beach you visit, the car or bus ride from the capital could take an hour or over two. Check out Chame and Malibu for a beach break with perfect A-frames or El Palmar, some of the more popular surf beaches along the Pacific with long rides and stellar tubes. Playa El Palmar has three breaks (Frente Palmar, Punta Palmar, and Hawaiisito) that offer a varied sampling of waves for every type of surfer. Surfers can expect right-hand and left-hand options and swells from the west, southwest, and south. The waves are best during medium to high tide. 

There is a surf school at Playa El Palmar that’s good for beginners. Surfboards can be rented here. Home to top-class golf courses, white-sand beaches, restaurants, and hotels, Riviera Pacifica is where the action is, on and off the water.

Part mainland and part archipelago, Bocas has over 300 islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. Three of the islands are prime surfing spots -- Isla Colon, Bastimentos, and Carenero. Start your surfing excursion on Isla Colon, the most populated Bocas Del Toro island, where dozens of restaurants, bars, accommodations, and boat tour companies reside. Isla Colon’s Boca Town is home to the most surf schools and gear rentals in the area, so if you’re a beginner, sign up for a class there. 

Paunch, Dumpers, and Bluff are some of the favorite local surf spots with long waves. Paunch Beach is the closest surf spot to Bocas Town and is known for its stellar surf breaks and long waves suitable for all experience levels. Paunch breaks both right and left. When the swell is big, the left side has big, powerful barrels. Playa Paunch is located on the way to the island’s other popular surf spots, Dumpers, and Playa Bluff. 

Dumpers is an exposed reef break that has a consistent surf. There is a left-hand reef break, and surfers should watch out for rips, rocks, and reefs. Playa Bluff is a long and beautiful beach at the end of Isla Colon. An exposed, northeast-facing beach break, it boasts powerful, fast-breaking waves only suitable for experienced surfers as it can be a tough feat.