Southern Panama

Southern Panama surf travel guide

Southwest Panama feels like an uncrowded version of neighbouring Costa Rica with the added bonus of offshore islands to explore. In the heart of the swell season, surfers are treated to P-Land's long peeling lefts or Nestles short explosive rights on opposite sides of the small offshore island Silva de Afuera. Serviced by boat from a surf camp nearby, where there are some rivermouth rollers that will appeal to improvers and cruisers. This zone gets classic when it's on, but the lack of easy access and accommodation options keeps crowds down.

Veraguas is the the best surfing province in the heart of Southwest Panama, home to the long-established surf settlement at Santa Catalina. The righthander (and short left) at the point is long, strong and attracts a throng since it is so reliable and consistent, with lovely workable walls, fanned by regular offshores. Confident surfers will love the pitching peak, while intermediates can pick up easier rides further down the line. It could easily be viewed as a one wave zone, but there are other waves where the quality might not be as high, but neither is the crowd. Standard beachbreak is also on tap for beginners on either side of the point, sandwiched between a couple of moody, radical, tide-dependant reefbreaks.

Veraguas Province continues down the western side of the large Azuero peninsula into the district of Mariato, where the coast faces westwards, then due south. Lots of potential for lefthanders as the swell wraps around the west coast and there's a low crowd factor from the few surf camps in the area that access at least half a dozen decent spots including a longer left point and rivermouth.

The bulk of the Azuero peninsula's south coast is in Los Santos province, which is bounded by the La Villa river in the north and the sierra de Azuero mountain range to the west. The dark sands of Playa Cambutal and Playa Venao host the bulk of the accommodation along with reliable peaks for all abilities and offer a jump-off point for the more interesting righthanders nearby. This province definitely has some quality spots, but they can be a bit fickle, unlike the weather which is drier on the coast and eastern parts.