Santa Catalina is one of Panama's surfing surprises
Known for years among surfers, Panama's Coiba National Park and its islands, Santa Catalina and Isla Coiba, offer some of the best surfing in Panama that you will find. If you plan your trip to this area from August to February, you will find two- to nine-meter rollers coming in at you. If you plan to stay at Rancho Estero they will also help you find the best waves, or they will arrange a boat ride so you can find the perfect rollers.
You probably wonder why you have never heard of this tropical and surfing paradise, and the reason is simple – the surfing community tried to keep this area a secret so they would not have to compete with others. That has changed since the establishment of the national park, and the fact that the word has gone out to surfers the world over that Santa Catalina Island features the Punta Break. Indeed, locals indicate that it has become like a traffic jam as you wait your turn. That's why it's important to have access to the helpful local staff of Rancho Estero, because they know where the breaks are, even if they are not marked on a map.
Surfing in Panama may seem like a surprising development, but it isn't. The locals have known about the Punta Break on Santa Catalina for years, and now the rest of the world is just finding out about the great surfing in and around the island.