The powerful swells and hollow reef breaks off the Pacific and Caribbean coasts make Panama the destination for a surfin' safari. The water's warm, the waves are uncrowded, and surfing here is consistent year-round, with the largest swells between April and October in the Pacific, and December to March in the Caribbean. If you're a beginner or need tips on technique, a couple of camps specialize in surfing instruction.
Bocas del Toro is often compared to Tahiti or Hawaii for its huge swells -- from December to March, and June and July -- and monster waves such as Dumpers and Silverbacks, the latter a right-hand, reef-bottom point break comparable to Backdoor Pipeline in Oahu. Waves in Bocas range between 1.2 to 7.6m (4-25 ft.), and can be powerful beach breaks, big waves, reef point breaks, and spitting tubes. Isla Grande has powerful reef breaks and is a good bet if you want to surf the Caribbean but don't want to go as far as Bocas.
In the Chiriquí Gulf, the surf meccas are at Morro Negrito , and Santa Catalina, internationally renowned among surfers and located straight across the bay from Isla Coiba, in the Pacific. Santa Catalina is a scruffy town, but the surfing is epic, with a consistent easy-to-line-up, rock-bottom point break that averages 1.5 to 6.1m (5-20 ft.). Farther east on the Azuero Peninsula is Cambutal, Punta Negra, Dinosaurios, and Horcones, other reliable spots for consistent breaks, including beach, point, and reef-bottom breaks that are sometimes even better than at Santa Catalina, and less crowded. The up-and-coming Playa Venado, near Pedasí, is a long beach break with lefts and rights and swells that can be as little as 1.5m (5 ft.) or as high as 4.6m (15 ft.). The Pacific beaches that lie between 1 and 2 hours from Panama City are beach breaks and point breaks.
If you just don't want to waste time planning your surf trip, or if you want a local's insider information on the best breaks, check Panama Surf Tours (tel. 6671-7777; www.panamasurftours.com), a respected company with flexible 5- to 8-day tours that run from economical to luxury. There's also Panama Surf Expeditions (tel. 6582-0402; www.panamasurfexpeditions.com), run by a group of Santa Catalina locals who build custom surf tours for travelers.
Morro Negrito Surf Camp (tel. 760/632-8014 in the U.S.; www.surferparadise.com) is located in an out-of-the-way region of the Chiriquí Gulf, about halfway between Santiago and David, on an island 3.2km (2 miles) off the coast. Guests are limited to 25, and with 10 different breaks (averaging 1.2-2.4m/4-8 ft.), you've pretty much got the whole wave to yourself here. Accommodations are one step above camping -- the focus here is on waves, not luxury lodging. The camp has surf guides and lessons.
Río Mar Surf Camp (tel. 240-9128; www.riomarsurf.com) is just 1 1/2 hours from Panama City, near San Carlos on the Pacific Coast. The camp has simple rooms (two have air-conditioning) that can accommodate three guests, and surf lessons can be booked on an hourly basis. It's a good spot at which to brush up on your technique when you don't have much time in Panama.
Casablanca Surf Resort (tel. 226-3786; no website) is one of the oldest surf camps in Panama, founded by a Panamanian surf pioneer who has been riding Central American waves since the 1960s. The camp is on a bluff overlooking the ocean, with basic rooms in lovely surroundings, and they have classes and can arrange surf excursions. Unfortunately, their lack of website and e-mail address makes them difficult to contact.
