Panama surf guide
Surfing Panama City breaks
The surreal urban waves beneath Casco Viejo
- Spots5
- LevelsAdvanced, Beginner, Intermediate
- Best seasonApr-Oct
- RegionWest Panamá Province
The waves at Panama City breaks
Las Bóvedas (Casco Viejo)
- Point Break
- Intermediate
- 2-6 ft
- Apr-Oct
- Crowd 2/5
Right in the middle of the Casco Viejo (Old Quarter), Las Bóvedas is a rock-bottomed pointbreak with good lefts ending on a large rock. Such a location ensures maximum crowds and minimum safety, pollution and thievery are part of the deal, but the novelty of surfing beneath the colonial ramparts of Panama City's old town, skyscrapers glinting across the bay, is hard to beat.
It needs a big south swell to get over the sheltering Gulf of Panama, so it's an occasional wave rather than a reliable one, breaking left along the rock ledge when the size arrives.
Come on a large south swell, keep your wits about you with your gear and the pollution, and enjoy one of surfing's more surreal urban settings. Las Bóvedas is more curiosity than quality, a rock-bottom left in the heart of the historic city, but for a wave surfed against a backdrop of 16th-century walls and a modern skyline, it's a one-of-a-kind session.
8.95, -79.53 · Swell S grande
Panamá La Vieja
- Beach Break
- Beginner
- 1-4 ft
- Apr-Oct
- Crowd 1/5
Panamá la Vieja is a rare case of 'mudbreak', since most of the sand that was previously there was used for construction. Highway pilings block the swell, and even on the biggest days with the biggest tide it's nothing but a mushy wave, a marginal spot listed more for completeness than for its quality.
Set beside the ruins of the original 16th-century city, it's a curiosity for the surf-historian rather than a session to plan around, breaking soft and slow when a big south swell and high tide combine.
Come only if you're exploring the city breaks on a big day and want to tick it off; otherwise the Rio Mar coast has far better waves a short drive west. Panamá la Vieja is the marginal end of the city's surf, a mushy mudbreak by the old ruins, included here for the record, but not a wave anyone travels for. Enjoy the history; surf elsewhere.
9, -79.48 · Swell S grande, marea alta
La Zurda
- Reef Break
- Advanced
- 3-6 ft
- Apr-Oct
- Crowd 1/5
La Zurda is a large, ledgy, barreling left-hander breaking only on the highest tides. It's a heavy, demanding city wave that throws a thick barrel over a ledge when a big south swell coincides with a full tide, a rare and serious set-up for experienced surfers who know the spot and can handle its consequence.
Being a Panama City break, it comes with the usual caveats of crowds when it's on, pollution and general insecurity in the neighbourhood, so it's a wave that rewards local knowledge and caution as much as skill.
Come only on a big south swell at the highest tide, board up for a ledging left barrel and take care with your surroundings. La Zurda is the heaviest of the capital's waves, a rare, high-tide-only keg for confident surfers, a world away from the mellow Rio Mar points, and strictly one for those who understand its narrow window and its urban risks.
8.98, -79.5 · Swell S grande, marea muy alta
Nuevo Loco
- Reef Break
- Intermediate / Advanced
- 2-6 ft
- Apr-Oct
- Crowd 1/5
Nuevo Loco is a fickle right breaking next to a large protruding rock in the Panama City surf zone. When a south swell arrives it can offer a fun, punchy right, but its inconsistency and the urban setting mean it's a spot for locals and the patient rather than a reliable session, and you should be aware of localism and general insecurity in this neighbourhood.
Like the other city breaks, it needs enough south swell to get into the sheltered Gulf of Panama, so it's an occasional wave that rewards being in the right place at the right time.
Come on a decent south swell, keep an eye on your gear and the surroundings, and treat it as a bonus if it's working. Nuevo Loco is one of the capital's cluster of city waves, a fickle right by a landmark rock, best surfed with local company and a bit of street awareness, and worth a look only if you're already exploring Panama City's surf on the right swell.
8.98, -79.5 · Swell S
Mojon Beach
- Beach Break
- Beginner / Intermediate
- 2-5 ft
- Apr-Oct
- Crowd 2/5
Mojon Beach offers a choice of three peaks, with Las Piedras and Nuevo Ride breaking around high tide, while La Lama is a low-tide break. These are OK breaks if confined to the city, giving Panama City surfers a handy, tide-flexible option close to home, but none are really worth facing the crowd and pollution for if you have the choice.
The three peaks between them cover most tides, which is the main appeal: there's usually one of them working whenever a south swell reaches the sheltered city coast.
Come on a south swell, pick the peak that suits the tide, and take the usual city-surf precautions with your gear and the water quality. Mojon Beach is a convenient urban option rather than a destination, three modest peaks for locals and those staying in the capital, but for a genuine surf trip, the points and beachbreaks of the Rio Mar coast an hour west are a far better use of your time.
8.97, -79.51 · Swell S, todas las mareas
Where to stay near Panama City breaks
- Casco Viejo boutique hotels — Boutique Hotel: Stylish colonial-quarter stays with rooftop bars, steps from the Las Bóvedas point and the old-town scene.
- Panama City hostels — Hostel: Budget hostels in and around Casco Viejo for exploring the city breaks and the canal.
Beyond the surf
- Casco Viejo: Panama City's UNESCO colonial old town, cobbled plazas, rooftop bars and history, right by the Las Bóvedas wave.
- Panama Canal (Miraflores): Watch ships transit the locks of the world-famous canal, a short trip from the city breaks.
- Panamá Viejo ruins: The ruins of the original 16th-century city beside the mushy Panamá la Vieja break, a UNESCO site.
Best time to surf Panama City breaks
Panama City breaks works best around Apr-Oct. See the full month-by-month breakdown for Panama.
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