Panama

Where to surf in Panama

Panama deserves its nickname of 'The crossroads of the World'. This narrow strip of land not only makes the link between Central and South America, but also joins the mighty Pacific and Atlantic oceans via the Panama Canal. Panama feels like an uncrowded version of its neighbour, Costa Rica, where the torturously twisted coastline, pocked by islets and large estuaries, provides a wealth of surfing opportunities on both coasts, plus the added bonus of offshore islands to explore.

Chiriqui, Veraguas & Los Santos

From the Costa Rican Pacific border at Punta Burica lonely large lefts and rights expire on the extensive reef system which snakes into the west side of the swell protected Gulf of Chiriqui. South swells start hitting around Puerto Armuelles where a few rights line-up down sandbanks built up by river flow. Repetitive grey sand beachbreak that is either junky, onshore, shorebreak close-outs or tapered shoulders depending on the prevailing conditions, leads eastwards to the growing resorts at Playa Barqueta.

Southern Panama includes the Provinces of Chiriqui, Veraguas and Los Santos, which can draw in swell from due S to WNW onto a smorgasbord of points, reefs and impressively beautiful beaches and includes some remote offshore islands.

Panama's biggest offshore island, Coiba shadows the coast, absorbing the best of the swell at Manilla, a super-fun rivermouth left.

Further exploration will reveal a heaving bombora peak, a mellow righthand point on the east coast and miles of virgin beachbreak.

Islas Jicarita, Jicaron and Montuosa are not well-endowed with good surfing reefs, but are an amazing wilderness adventure in this huge marine sanctuary.

Panamá Oeste

Past the west-facing coast of Veraguas Province and the south coast of Los Santos, SW swells have trouble getting into the east-facing coast before Panamá Oeste Province, but there could be some good rights wrapping in on a big S.

Gulf of Panama

To the East of the Panama City breaks, in the middle of the Gulf of Panama, the Pearl Islands are surrounded by jagged reef and pillars of volcanic rock, but the surfing options are limited and a boat is essential. Even more of a mission is the swell exposed southeast coast of Darien province, famed for drug running and kidnapping, where apart from Playa Mouerto and the rivermouth at Jaque, it’s a jungle wilderness.

Caribbean Sea

Over on the Caribbean coast Bocas del Toro is now well-known.

Outside of this region there are vast tracts of inaccessible, un-navigable or simply unknown coastline – the provinces of Ngöbe Buglé and Kuna Yala are indigenous regions that are only just beginning to allow tourists to visit. Veraguas is deep in the Golfo de los Mosquitos and is the least exposed Carib shoreline, but neighbouring Colon province boasts numerous spots.