It wasn't long ago that Bocas del Toro was thought of as the best kept surf secret of Central America. But, like most "secrets" in the surf world, by the time people started calling it a secret the secret was out. With frequent comparisons to Indo or Tahiti it's no surprise, really, that this archipelago would become somewhat of a haven for traveling surfers.
Located off the Caribbean coast of Panama, this group of nearly a dozen islands has been a favorite spot of travelers for years. It wasn't until relatively recently that people started taking note of the surf potential.
December through March sees the most size and consistency as storms funnel swell through the southern Caribbean and straight towards the reefs of Bocas. Surf is common throughout the year though with August seeing the least amount of swell.
The water stays warm in Bocas all year long so the thought of a wetsuit can stay buried in your subconscious. The tide range here is small so you don't need to worry about waiting out the tides.
Though there are at least ten islands in the chain, not all of them face the open ocean. You're best chance for surf is going to be on the three main islands. Isla Colon, Bastimentos, and Carenero. If you want any kind of a scene aside from surfing it'd be a good idea to stay in close proximity to Bocas town on Isla Colon. It's a relatively small town but it's the biggest you're going to find on these islands. Located in Bocas Town is the local airstrip as well as a number of hotels, hostels, restaurants and bars with enough variety to cater to nearly everyone. Isla Colon also boasts the only roads on the islands. The only other island that comes close is Bastimentos with paved walkways that snakes through much of the island. Roads aren't a huge concern though because getting to the breaks is much easier and cheaper if you hop in a water taxi as opposed to a auto taxi. The main breaks on Isla Colon are as follows:
Bluff Beach: Well outside of Bocas town. It'll cost you around $25US each way to get here by car and you'll be lucky to find a taxi driver that'll take you out here. The road out to Bluff is a somewhat treacherous dirt road that can be impassable at times during the rainy season. You're much more likely to find a water taxi willing to take you out there. Once you're there you'll find a virtually secluded white sand beach. The surf here isn't as good as some of nearby spots so unless you're planning on spending most of your time on the sand it may not be worth the trip.
La Curba / The Curve:
Headed back towards town from Bluff you'll pass by the Bluff Beach Eco Lodge. Below the lodge sits La Curba. This is a short, heavy slab / beach break that goes both ways and starts to show when it's over 3 feet. If you're looking to get away from the small crowds at some of the better known breaks this might be your spot. A lot of days you can have it to yourself. When its real good you may have to share it with, say, three or four other guys.
Dumpers / The Dump:
The next spot of note on your way back into town is Dumpers. Aptly named both because of the power of this hollow lefthand reef break and the fact that there's a garbage dump just behind the trees that line the beach here. If you happen to be walking the road to Dumpers keep in mind that you will go right through the garbage dump so wear shoes keep your eyes out for vultures. They have a tendency to drop things from the trees. Carnivorous winged creatures aside, if you hit Dumpers on the right day you'll be rewarded with some of the best freight-train lefts in the archipelago. Dumpers breaks off a reef headland. The drops are steep and the barrels are big. This is a well known spot but it's rarely crowded. If you take a water taxi to Dumpers or beyond it's a good idea to make arrangements for the boat driver to come back and get you at a specific time. It may also be advantageous to pay for both the initial trip and the return trip AFTER the taxi has come back to get you. Otherwise they may forget you and it's a long walk back to town when the sun starts getting low.
Punch or Paunch (depending on who you ask and where their accent is from): Paunch is one of the only spots in Bocas where crowds can be a factor. However, with a little respect and a mellow attitude you can still get plenty of waves to yourself. It's not far from Dumpers and it's not as critical a wave but it's very rippable (think Trestles). It's a reef break that breaks both right and left with the right being steeper and faster while the left is much longer. 100 yard lefts aren't uncommon. The left also kicks you into the channel and makes the paddle out much easier. Its not a bad idea to set up a return trip taxi if you're out at Paunch but if you don't it's not a big deal. Since it's one of the better known spots a lot of times water taxis will wait in the channel or you can catch a ride with a group that did make arrangements. If you get here via the beach it's a good idea to have something on your feet. The same goes for Dumpers but if you jump in off a boat the reef's deep enough that you don't have to worry about stepping on it unless you really get slammed.
Carenero:
The island of Carenero is much smaller than Isla Colon but still gets some great surf. The main break is on the northeastern tip of the island. If you're staying on Carenero and you are feeling extremely adventurous you could walk to the breaks but a water taxi is much safer. Once you're there you'll see a succession of left-hand point breaks that fire off the reef. There are a number of take off spots so even when there's a small crowd you wouldn't notice. When the swell is big Carenero will connect for some really long rides with some heavy tube sections.
Silverbacks:
An open ocean spot located between Carenero and Bastimientos. Silverbacks has been called by some the biggest, heaviest wave in the Caribbean. This Hawaiin-esque big wave spot doesn't start to show until it's over ten feet and its ridable with well over 20 foot faces. It's mainly a big, steep right with a huge barrel. The origin of the name of this spot is up for debate. Some say that it got the name because of the way the sun reflected off the back of the giant breakers. Another legend has it that Silverbacks gained it's moniker in an homage to a local Bocas woman who bares a striking resemblance to a silver back gorilla. It's said that a bad wipeout over the reef here will leave you looking like you've had an run-in with this lovely lady who is said to challenge anyone who questions her status as Queen of the Caribbean. If you're lucky enough to hit this spot when it's firing you can decide which is more fitting... but we doubt you'll care. Experienced surfers only.
Bastimentos: The island of Bastimentos has a number of surfable spots. One of the better known breaks is Wizards or First Beach. This is a beach back with fast powerful rights and lefts. Many days you can have the entire beach all to your self. When taking a boat to any of the beaches on Bastimentos make sure your boat driver knows these beaches because the only way to get a boat the the beach is through the narrow reef passages which can be very tricky to navigate especially when there's swell
Check out this clip of Silverbacks on a medium size day
