Panama City breaks · Panama
Surfing Mojon Beach
A beach break in Panama City breaks, Panama, for beginner and intermediate surfers.
Mojon Beach in Panama City has three peaks. Las Piedras and Nuevo Ride work around high tide and La Lama at low tide, so on a south swell there's usually one of them breaking.
The waves are average, the water is polluted and it gets crowded with local surfers after work. It's fine if you're stuck in the city. Otherwise the beaches and points of the Rio Mar coast, about an hour west, are much better.
It's the most reliable surf spot inside Panama City, and a good place for a quick session.
When to surf
Mojon Beach
Mojon Beach is at its best from April to October. Conditions it likes: S swell, all tides.
April to June: Good
S-SW swell building; the narrow window means it's smaller than Santa Catalina
July to September: Prime
Peak S-SW season, best NZ lows send the optimum ~210° swell; onshore afternoons
October to November: Good
Onshore south winds increasingly dominate late in the season
December to March: Quiet
Dry season, offshore northerlies, but swells are unreliable and often flat
The year across West Panamá Province
Waves near Mojon Beach
Nuevo Loco
under 1 kmPanama City breaks · Right Reef · Intermediate / Advanced
Panamá La Vieja
1 kmPanama City breaks · Beach Break · Beginner
La Zurda
3 kmPanama City breaks · Left Reef · Advanced
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: The city breaks are novelties surfed against a colonial-and-skyline backdrop, but suffer from pollution, crowds and localised insecurity, surf the SW coast (Rio Mar) for real quality. Stay in Casco Viejo for atmosphere and the Las Bóvedas wave, but keep valuables secure and avoid dodgy areas at night.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Panama City breaks guide.
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