Rio Mar & the coast · Panama
Surfing Playa Serena
A right point in Rio Mar & the coast, Panama, for intermediate and advanced surfers.
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.
When to surf
Playa Serena
Playa Serena is at its best from April to October. Conditions it likes: S-SW swell, low 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 Playa Serena
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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