Panama City breaks · Panama
Surfing Panamá La Vieja
A beach break in Panama City breaks, Panama, for beginner surfers.
Panamá La Vieja is the beach next to the ruins of the original 16th-century city, in Panama City. Most of the sand was taken for construction long ago, and the highway pilings block the swell, so it's a slow, mushy wave over mud even on the biggest days.
It only breaks on a big south swell at high tide. Come for the ruins; for surfing, the Rio Mar coast an hour or so west is much better.
It's mostly a quick session for local surfers who live in the city.
When to surf
Panamá La Vieja
Panamá La Vieja is at its best from April to October. Conditions it likes: Big S swell, high tide.
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 Panamá La Vieja
Mojon Beach
1 kmPanama City breaks · Beach Break · Beginner / Intermediate
Nuevo Loco
2 kmPanama City breaks · Right Reef · Intermediate / Advanced
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.
Panama City breaks surf guideSurf it often and something here is wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.