Surfing Rio Mar & the coast

Right Point · Best Apr-Oct · 2-6 ft · Crowd 3/5

S-SW swell, low tide

Rio Mar is a beach on the West Panamá coast, about an hour and a half from Panama City. A fun right breaks along a long rock ledge at low tide, a good walk from the beach access. At higher tides, try the beach breaks next to it.

It has hosted contests, though the waves tend to close out on bigger days. Rio Mar Surf Camp is on the beach, and it's a common base for surfing the rest of this coast.

The season runs from April to October, with the best swells usually from July to September. The beach is a popular weekend trip from Panama City, so weekdays are much quieter.

Right Point · Best Apr-Oct · 3-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

Big S-SW swell, high tide

Punta Palmar is a right point on the coast west of Panama City, near Rio Mar. It only breaks on a big south-west swell at high tide, and then it throws fast, powerful rights.

Because it doesn't work often, it's usually empty. It's a step up from the softer points nearby and suits confident surfers.

Rio Mar, nearby, is the easier option on smaller days.

Beach Break · Best Apr-Oct · 2-5 ft · Crowd 2/5

Swell S-SW

Hawaiisito, or Little Hawaii, is a beach and reef set-up near Rio Mar with mostly lefts. Despite the name, it's a mellow wave: easy to reach, good for improvers, and it doesn't handle swell above head height.

It's a good option on small days or when the points are closing out. The beach break between the points is often used for contests.

It's at its best on a south-west swell from April to October, and it's a good place for improvers. Rio Mar, nearby, has a surf camp and places to stay.

Right Point · Best Apr-Oct · 2-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

S-SW swell, low tide

San Carlos Point, known locally as Jeffreys, is a right point at the fishing town of San Carlos, about 1.5 hours west of Panama City. At lower tides it gives long, fast rides down a point of rock and sand.

It works on a south-west swell and suits intermediate surfers. The sand moves, so the shape changes from one session to the next. It's an easy day trip from the city and a common stop on the West Panamá coast.

It's at its best at lower tides on a south-west swell, from April to October. San Carlos is a small fishing town with a few places to eat, and it's an easy day trip from Panama City.

Left & Right Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 2-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

S-SW swell, high tide

Costa Esmeralda has reef peaks with both rights and lefts, on the Rio Mar coast about an hour from Panama City. The quality depends on how the sand sits on the reef: some days it's soft and mushy, other days it has decent shape.

Check it around high tide on a south-west swell. It's an easy, uncrowded option for intermediates, not a wave to travel for.

It's best at high tide on a south-west swell, from April to October. It's close to Panama City, so weekends are busier. Rio Mar, nearby, is a good alternative.

Right Point · Best Apr-Oct · 2-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

Swell S-SW

Punta Teta, on the West Panamá coast, has rights off the point that run into beach breaks shaped by the Teta River. Further along there's an A-frame peak and some fast lefts over rock and sand.

With the point, the river banks and the peak, there's usually something working on a south-west swell. It's a favourite with local surfers from Panama City.

It's at its best on a south-west swell from April to October. Punta Teta is a quiet stretch with a few beach houses, and Rio Mar is a short drive away.

Right Point · Best Apr-Oct · 3-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

Big S-SW swell

Rinconsito, or Little Rincon, is a right point on the West Panamá coast named after the Californian wave. It needs a big south-west swell to work and is small or flat most of the time.

When the size arrives it wraps around the point and peels for a long way. Because it's so inconsistent, there are rarely many people out.

It only works on a big south-west swell, a few times each green season. When it does, it can be one of the best rights on this coast. On other days, Rio Mar and Playa Malibú are the options.

Right Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 2-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

S-SW swell, the right size

Rocky Point, at Punta Barco between Teta and Coronado, is mostly rights with a few lefts over rock. It only works on a medium south-west swell: too small and it doesn't break, too big and it closes out.

Because of that narrow window, it's inconsistent and usually uncrowded.

It's best on a medium south-west swell from April to October. The rocks make it a wave for confident surfers. Coronado, a few minutes away, has hotels and restaurants.

Right Point · Best Apr-Oct · 2-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

S-SW swell, low tide

Playa Serena is a right point at Coronado. It starts hollow at the takeoff and then turns into a long, easy wall that suits longboards.

It's best at low tide and depends on how the sand sits, so it doesn't work often. Coronado is a weekend escape from Panama City, so expect people when it's on, but the long wall spreads them out.

It suits longboarders, and Coronado has hotels, shops and restaurants.

Beach Break · Best Apr-Oct · 2-8 ft · Crowd 3/5

S-SW swell, all tides

Playa Malibú is a rivermouth beach break near Gorgona, on the coast west of Panama City. It picks up more swell than the beaches around it and works at all tides. When the Chame River shapes the sand well, the waves are fast and hollow.

There are submerged trees at the rivermouth, so ask local surfers before paddling out. It's a popular day trip from Panama City and suits intermediate surfers.

The season runs from April to October, and Gorgona and Coronado nearby have hotels and restaurants.