Rio Mar & the coast · Panama
Surfing Hawaiisito (Little Hawaii)
A beach break in Rio Mar & the coast, Panama, for beginner and intermediate surfers.
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.
When to surf
Hawaiisito (Little Hawaii)
Hawaiisito (Little Hawaii) is at its best from April to October. Conditions it likes: Swell S-SW.
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 Hawaiisito (Little Hawaii)
Rio Mar
under 1 kmRio Mar & the coast · Right Point · Intermediate
San Carlos Point (Jeffreys)
3 kmRio Mar & the coast · Right Point · Intermediate
Costa Esmeralda
6 kmRio Mar & the coast · Left & Right Reef · Intermediate
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: This coast is an easy 1-1.5h drive from Panama City down the Pan-American Highway, great bus and taxi links. Base at Rio Mar Surf Camp (on the point) or in Coronado/Gorgona for more choice. The road system is among Central America's best, so a rental car makes spot-hopping easy.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Rio Mar & the coast guide.
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