Expert-verified surf spot database with detailed swell/wind parameters, hazards, and travel information
Santa Catalina is Panama's premier surf destination—a long right-hand point break in a remote fishing village on the Pacific coast. The wave wraps around a rocky headland, offering multiple sections that can connect for rides of 200+ meters on the right swell. Getting here is an adventure (5+ hours from Panama City), but the sleepy village vibe, consistent waves, and proximity to Coiba National Park (world-class diving) make it worth the journey. Panama's best-kept surf secret.
🇵🇦 Panama's best wave • 200m rights • Remote fishing village
Works best with swells from 200° (SSW). Workable range: 180°-240°.
Ideal size: 2.0m. Too small below 1m, too big (closeout) above 3m.
Needs at least 12s period. Ideal: 16s+ (long-period groundswell).
Offshore wind from 45° (NE). Offshore range: 0°-90°. Best window: morning.
Swell direction must be within the workable range AND within the spot's coastal orientation. A south-facing beach cannot receive north swells, no matter the size or period.
Offshore wind (blowing from land toward ocean) grooms the wave face. Onshore wind (blowing from ocean toward land) destroys wave quality. Wind tolerance varies by wave type.
Silverbacks is Bocas del Toro's heavy-hitting secret - a powerful right-hand reef break that comes alive when NE Caribbean swells push into Panama's island archipelago. Named for the gorilla-like power of its waves (and the bull sharks that occasionally patrol its waters), this is not a spot for the faint-hearted. When winter storms send energy through the Caribbean, Silverbacks transforms into a serious wave, demanding respect and rewarding commitment with thick, grinding barrels. The boat ride out adds to the adventure, passing through Bocas' reggae-tinged island paradise before arriving at something altogether more primal.
🦍 Caribbean power right • Shark territory • Bocas' best when on
Works best with swells from 45° (NE). Workable range: 20°-80°.
Needs at least 8s period. Ideal: 12s+ (long-period groundswell).
Offshore wind from 225° (SW). Offshore range: 190°-260°. Best window: morning.
November-March Caribbean swells. June-July can work.
Remote reef. Boat access. Sharks present.
Unknown minutes drive from BOC airport. Requires boat access ($50/day).
Playa Venao is Panama's surf capital—a consistent beach break on the Azuero Peninsula that has grown from sleepy fishing village to the country's most developed surf destination. The wave offers year-round consistency with southwest swells peaking through the rainy season, while the growing infrastructure of surf camps, hostels, and beach bars creates a complete travel experience. The six-hour drive from Panama City is worth it for surfers seeking warm water, uncrowded waves (by Costa Rican standards), and a scene that still maintains its laid-back character. This is Central American surf travel with Panamanian flair.
🇵🇦 Panama's surf capital • Azuero Peninsula • Growing scene
Works best with swells from 195° (SSW). Workable range: 170°-230°.
Ideal size: 1.6m. Too small below 0.6m, too big (closeout) above 2.5m.
Needs at least 10s period. Ideal: 14s+ (long-period groundswell).
Offshore wind from 30° (NNE). Offshore range: 350°-80°. Best window: morning.
Year-round waves. SW swells peak May-November.
Strong currents when big. Otherwise mellow.
6hr drive from Panama City. Growing beach town.
Cambutal is Panama's wild card—a remote beach break beyond Venao that attracts surfers seeking bigger waves and genuine solitude. The seven-hour drive from Panama City filters out casual visitors, leaving the lineup to dedicated travelers who appreciate eco-lodges over beach bars and empty peaks over convenience. The wave is more exposed than Venao, catching more swell and producing larger, more powerful surf. The remoteness demands commitment but delivers the kind of uncrowded experience that has become rare in Central America. This is where Panama's surf frontier begins.
🏕️ Wild Panama • Seven hours from city • Frontier surfing
Works best with swells from 200° (SSW). Workable range: 175°-235°.
Ideal size: 1.9m. Too small below 0.8m, too big (closeout) above 3m.
Offshore wind from 35° (NE). Offshore range: 350°-90°. Best window: morning.
SW swell season. More exposed than Venao.
7hr drive from Panama City. Off the beaten path.
Isla Grande is Panama's Caribbean secret—a reef break on the country's north coast that needs north swells to activate but rewards the right conditions with crystal-clear water and quality left-handers over shallow reef. Most visitors know this island as a weekend escape from Panama City for snorkeling and beaches, but a small community of surfers monitors winter swells from the North Atlantic. The boat ride from historic Portobelo adds adventure, while the island's laid-back atmosphere provides the perfect counterpoint to the Pacific coast's more consistent surf scene.
🏝️ Caribbean gem • North swell needed • Crystal clear
Works best with swells from 20° (NNE). Workable range: 350°-60°.
Ideal size: 1.8m. Too small below 1m, too big (closeout) above 2.5m.
Offshore wind from 180° (S). Offshore range: 140°-220°. Best window: morning.
120 minutes drive from PTY airport. Requires boat access ($30/day).
Boat from Portobelo. Weekend getaway from Panama City.
Bluff Beach is Panama's most powerful beach break—a heavy, hollow shorey that throws square pits onto the sand of Isla Colón. The wave has a reputation for snapping boards and delivering beatdowns, but also for producing some of the Caribbean's most photogenic barrels. Part of the Bocas del Toro archipelago, it's a tropical surf destination with consistent winter swell.
💥 Caribbean Supertubos • Heavy shorebreak • Bocas barrel factory
Ideal size: 2.1m. Too small below 1.2m, too big (closeout) above 3m.
Winter NE swells. Consistent beach break.
Strong rips. Occasional shark sightings.
Paunch is the wave that put Bocas del Toro on the surfing map. This versatile reef break offers something for everyone—hollow barrel sections for the chargers, long open walls for the cruisers. The wave breaks both ways with multiple takeoff zones, making it work through most tides and swell angles. A true Caribbean gem.
🌴 Bocas signature wave • Barrels to walls • Complete package
Ideal size: 2.5m. Too small below 1.2m, too big (closeout) above 3.7m.
Carnero Point on Isla Carenero is one of Bocas del Toro's most consistent waves—a quality right that breaks over reef in the channel between islands. A short boat ride from town, it offers reliable surf when other spots are too big or blown out. Classic Caribbean point surf.
🚤 Bocas' reliable right • Island point break • Boat access perfection
Ideal size: 1.6m. Too small below 0.8m, too big (closeout) above 2.5m.
Winter swells. Consistent quality right.
One of DR's most iconic. Consistent quality right over reef.
10 minutes drive from BOC airport. Requires boat access ($10/day).
Bocas del Toro. Short boat ride from main island.
Dumpees is Bocas del Toro's sucky tube machine—a wave originally discovered by bodysurfers but now ridden by stand-up surfers who can handle the thick, pitching barrels. The wave jacks up fast over shallow reef and spits hard. Technical but rewarding.
🫧 Bocas' sucky tubes • Bodysurfer origins • Technical barrels
Ideal size: 1.9m. Too small below 1.2m, too big (closeout) above 2.5m.
Winter swells. Bocas paradise but surfers score too.
BodySurfer's paradise but surfers score too. Sucky tubes.
Wizard Beach is a fun, all-around beach break on Isla Bastimentos in Bocas del Toro. Accessible by boat from town, it offers mellow waves suitable for all levels in a tropical paradise setting. A great option when the reef breaks are too intense.
🧙 Bocas beach magic • Fun for all levels • Boat access paradise
Ideal size: 1.4m. Too small below 0.8m, too big (closeout) above 2m.
30 minutes drive from BOC airport. Requires boat access ($15/day).
Isla Bastimentos. Boat access from Bocas town.
Tiger Tails is a quality reef break near Paunch on Isla Colón—offering an alternative when the main breaks are crowded. The wave delivers consistent surf with a mellow vibe and beautiful Bocas scenery.
🐯 Bocas reef alternative • Near Paunch • Mellow vibe