Bocas del Toro Surf Guide {New for 2023}

Curious about the Bocas del Toro surf scene? You’ve come to the right place! 

The mesmerizing Bocas del Toro surf, with its quintessential clear blue ocean, expansive white sandy beaches, charming wooden houses painted in vibrant colors, abundant wildlife, and lush nature, coupled with the characteristic good vibes of the Caribbean, make this paradise a must-visit for any surf trip.

“Welcome to paradise!’ These were the first words I heard when I arrived at the airport off Bocas del Toro. And no lies were told since it truly is a tropical paradise on the Caribbean side of Panama. Here is everything you need to know about surfing in Bocas del Toro:

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Bocas del Toro surf overview

The Bocas del Toro surf features some of the best surf of the Caribbean. Sometimes, you’ll even be treated to surprisingly empty, perfect waves. This archipelago has many surf spots for all level surfers and is a perfect spot to dive in the surf culture. 

The different Bocas del Toro surf breaks

Here’s a breakdown of all the different places to surf in Bocas del Toro:

Bluff Beach

• Island: Isla Colόn
• Skill Level: advanced
• Bottom: sand

How to get there: Bluff beach is located on the main island of Bocas del Toro, you can get there by public bus for $1.50. 

The road to bluff beach is a sandy road so the bus ride can be a bit wobbly. It is also possible to take a big truck taxi which is a little more comfortable. 

The taxi is also shared so you pay around $5 per person to get to Bluff beach.

 For around $10 a day you can also rent a banana bike. It is a 30–40-minute bike ride to Bluff beach. The bike ride gives you a chance to enjoy nature and if you look up in the trees there is a big chance you spot a sloth. 

After surfing you can relax at Bom Bom Beach bar and enjoy a drink and some good food. The bar is a really relaxing place, with good vibes right on the beach.

The surf:

Bluff beach is a long-stretched beach with a fast and hollow wave that breaks very close to the shore and can hold a swell up to 6 feet. 

The waves do tend to close out a lot but if you take the right one you will experience a quick barrel before it closes out. 

I definitely recommend a short board for this surf spot. Because of its power, Bluff Beach is known for snapping some boards from time to time. 

Dumpers

• Island: Isla Colόn
• Skill Level: advanced
• Bottom: dry reef

How to get there: 

Dumpers is located on the main island of Bocas del Toro; you can get there by public bus for $1.50 or you can take a big truck taxi. The taxi is also shared so you pay around $5 per person to get to Dumpers. 

For around $10 a day you can also rent a banana bike. It is a 15–20-minute bike to Dumpers beach from the center of the main island. 

The surf:

Dumpers has a super-fast hollow wave that ends on a dry reef, so this is definitely a wave for the more advanced surfer. 

This Bocas del Toro surf spot can hold a swell up to 10 feet. On the big days this wave gives a more mellow ride on the inside. 

For the smaller days I recommend a short board, on the bigger days a bigger board for the inside section is also a good option. Because of the sharp reef, I recommend wearing a good pair of reef booties! 

Paunch Reef

• Island: Isla Colόn
• Skill Level: intermediate and advanced
• Bottom: uneven reef

How to get there: Paunch reef is located on the main island of Bocas del Toro; you can get there by public bus for $1.50 or you can take a big truck taxi. The taxi is also shared so you pay around $5 per person to get to Paunch. 

For around $10 a day you can also rent a banana bike. It is a 15-minute bike ride to Paunch from the center of the main island. 

The surf:

Paunch has a consistent peak, where the left starts off as a fast-barreling wave but will wrap up into a more surfable wall type of wave. While most people focus on the slightly nicer quality left, the right works too. 

Paunch can hold up a swell up to 8 feet and if it is big it will turn in a fast-barreling sucky wave, which is best surfed with a shortboard. 

I surfed here off season with some locals, and they were very friendly and happy to share waves. Because of the sharp reef here, and bring along some reef booties! 

Tiger Tails

• Island: Isla Colόn
• Skill Level: advanced
• Bottom: reef

How to get there: You can get there by public bus for $1.50 or you can take a big truck taxi. The taxi is also shared so you pay around $3 per person to get to Tiger Tails beach. 

For around $10 a day you can also rent a banana bike. It is a 10–15-minute bike to Tiger Tails beach from the center of the main island.

The surf:

Tiger tails is a hollow fast wave that has a left and a right. It can hold a swell up to 8 feet and with a big swell it turns in a fast, barreling wave. 

Watch out for the rock in the water if you surf the left, it can be hard to spot when it is high tide. This wave is best surfed with a short board and reef shoes are recommended because of the sharp and also slippery reef. 

Waikiki

• Island: Isla Colόn
• Skill Level: beginner, intermediate
• Bottom: sand

How to get there: 

You can take a taxi there and it will cost you around $2 per person if you share the taxi. 

For around $10 a day you can also rent a banana bike. It is a 10-minute bike ride to Playa El Istmito from the center of the main island or if you are in for a walk, it is about 30 minutes walking distance from Bocas Town. 

The surf:

Waikiki is the closest surf spot to Bocas Town on the main Island and it is perfect for beginners. It has small mellow waves which are perfect for longboarding and learning how to surf.

Carenero Point

• Island: Isla Carenero
• Skill Level: intermediate and advanced
• Bottom: uneven reef and sand

How to get there: 

For around $1-2 you can take a boat taxi from the main Island Colon to Carenero point. They can drop you off on the island or you can jump from the boat in the water. 

You can also paddle from the main island to the south side of the island and then walk to the point break. However, it can be a bit dangerous to paddle there becuase of all the water taxis, so I wouldn’t recommend that paddle. 

The surf:

Carenero point has a very consistent wave with a left point break that can hold a swell up to 10 feet. 

On the big days you can get a long ride in, about 600 feet, with sucky sections and some mellow walls to get your turns in. 

It can get a bit crowded here, as it is one of Bocas del Toro’s most popular spots, but this wave can have both inside and outside sections working so you will have several take off spots. If you want to surf this wave more on the inside, I recommend a shortboard or a fish, the outside gives more of a wall so this is also suitable for longboarding. 

Old Mans

• Island: Isla Carenero
• Skill Level: beginner and intermediate
• Bottom: reef and sand

How to get there: 

For around $1-2 you can take a boat taxi from the main island Colon to Old Mans. They can drop you off on the island or you can jump from the boat in the water. 

It will take you 5 minutes to get there by boat. 

The surf:

Old Mans only works with a big swell and produces a mellow left point break also suitable for beginners. It is a perfect spot to have a more mellow surf away from the crowds of Carenero point. This is a perfect wave to get some longboarding in. 

Black Rock

• Island: Isla Carenero
• Skill Level: beginner and intermediate
• Bottom: reef

How to get there: By water taxi it will take around 5 minutes to get there from the main island, and you will pay between $1-2. 

The surf:

Black rock is the perfect spot to learn how to surf, but because of that it can get a bit crowded with surf classes and beginners. It breaks over a deep reef and it is pretty easy to paddle to the line-up. This spot is perfect for a longboard, and one of the best Bocas del Toro surf spots for beginners. 

Bibi’s Break

• Island: Isla Carenero
• Skill Level: beginner and intermediate
• Bottom: sand

How to get there: By water taxi it will take around 3 minutes to get there from the main island, and you will pay between $1-2. 

The surf:

Bibi’s break is a popular spot to learn how to surf and for kids. With a bigger swell, a nice left point break appears which is perfect for the intermediate surfer. 

After surfing you can enjoy a cold beer and some pizza or fish tacos at Coquitos or enjoy the beaches of Isla Carenero.

Silverbacks

• Island: Isla Bastimentos
• Skill Level: Professional 
• Bottom: reef 

How to get there: It will take you around 20 minutes with the boat taxi from the main island and you will pay between $3-5 they drop you off in the water as far as they can go. You can paddle out from Isla Bastimentos, but I do not recommend it because of the currents all around. For this spot it may be best to hire a surf guide, who will stay close with the boat during your session. 

The surf:

This is a world-famous big wave spot that is only for proffesionals! 

This wave can get to 20 feet or higher and has a fast barreling right. The wave breaks over a dangerous reef and with a big swell the currents here are very strong. 

Wizard Beach

• Island: Isla Bastimentos
• Skill Level: beginner, intermediate and advanced
• Bottom: sand

How to get there: You can take the water taxi to this spot, and it will take around 25 minutes. Or 15 minutes if you get off at Old Banks and do a 30-minute walk through the jungle to Wizard beach. 

It is not recommended to do this walk alone and in raining season it can get real muddy and slippery, but I still enjoyed doing the walk myself.  If you do not want to do the jungle walk it is worth it to walk around the Island and see the bright colored houses and enjoy a nice meal in one of the local restaurants. 

The surf:

Wizard beach is a nice beach break and a popular surf spot in Bocas del Toro for surf schools. But other than that, there are no crowds there, especially if you go in the morning when the wind is mostly offshore. It can hold a swell up to 5 feet. It is a nice wave for a longboard on the smaller days. 

Red Frog Beach

• Island: Isla Bastimentos
• Skill Level: beginner, intermediate and advanced
• Bottom: sand 

How to get there: You can take a boat directly to Red Frog Beach and it takes about 25 minutes from Bocas Town. Or you can take a 15-minute boat ride to Old Banks, and it will cost you between $3-5.

Make sure to ask the boat driver to pick you up around a certain time because it can be hard to get a boat back. From the dock it is a 10-minute walk to the beach. 

You have to pay $5 to get to the beach because you are crossing private property. You can also take a boat taxi around the island to Red Frog Beach and that will take about 30 minutes from Bocas town and will cost $5-7.

The surf:

This beautiful beach is named after the little bright red frogs you can find on the beach. 

Red Frog beach is a beginner’s spot, but there can be some strong currents, and it can sometimes be dangerous to swim there. 

The waves here are best when they’re between 3-5 feet, and the bottom creates a fast wave that does tend to close out.

At the end of the beach there is also a reef break that works on bigger swells. 

If you don’t have a board with you, there is aboard rental place and surf lessons available on the beach. 

You can rent cabanas to get out of the sun and there are a couple of places where you can enjoy a fish taco or a cold drink.   

Long Beach

• Island: Isla Bastimentos
• Skill Level: beginner, intermediate and advanced
• Bottom: sand

How to get there: It is a 30-minute boat ride to Long beach, and this will cost between $10-15. The price per person depends a little bit on how many people are on the boat. If you go alone, you will likely pay more. 

The surf:

Long Beach, or Playa Larga in Spanish is definitely worth a visit! It is located in a National Marine Park, and you will often find yourself alone on the beach or surfing the clear, surprisingly warm water. 

Due to the location of the island Long Beach gets more direct swell then the other surf spots. There are many peaks, and some good little waves for beginners. 

The main wave is fast and hollow and produces long rides with barrels and walls to get your turns in. 

Because of the clear water you can see a lot of wildlife like sea turtles. Because this is a National Park, this beach has no buildings or restaurants so bring your own food and drinks.  

Best swell for Bocas del Toro:

The best swell for Bocas del Toro is North to Northwest. In the season from December until March there is mostly a Northeast swell. 

Bocas del Toro surf seasons

The best season for Bocas del Toro surf is from December until March. These months give a consistent swell and offshore winds. Bocas del Toro is one of the best places in the world to surf in January!

The weather is also best around this time because of the dry season the temperature is between a high of 80°F (27°C) to a low of 75°F (24°C) with a nice cooling breeze, especially in the evenings. 

The water temperature is around 85°F (29°C) There are also some good swells between June and August with July as the most consistent month. 

There is more chance of rain between the months April and November, but it is mostly short heavy rain that doesn’t  last for long. 

Outside the surf seasons there are a few spots that always work, especially for beginners, but other than that it is pretty flat outside the main surf seasons. 

Curious about other places to surf in Panama? Check out our guide to the surf in Santa Catalina!

Bocas del Toro FAQ’s

How do I get to Bocas del Toro?

You can get a direct flight to Bocas del Toro from Panama City, David and San Jose (Costa Rica). 

Or you can take a bus ride from David, Panama City or Puerto Viejo (Costa Rica) to Almirante and take a water taxi from there. 

The water taxi from Almirante will take around 35 minutes to Isla Colon and will cost around $10.

If you’re in Costa Rica, it’s also super easy to get here from Puerto Viejo, a popular surf destination in Costa Rica.

Is Bocas del Toro safe?

Isla Colon is a safe island but at night it is best to take a taxi if you are alone and not staying downtown. 

Power outages on the island are common so if you go out at night be sure to have a flashlight. 

It is not recommended to walk the jungle from Old Bank to Wizard beach on Isla Bastimentos by yourself, because there have been some muggings. 

But overall, Bocas del Toro is safe.  

Is Bocas del Toro good for surfing?

Because of its many surf spots and consistent swell in the dry season, Bocas del Toro is perfect for surfing. 

There are many beginner spots in Bocas del Toro as well.

Isla Bastimentos has several intermediate spots and for the advanced surfers there is Bluff beach, Dumpers, Silverbacks and many more. 

Is it expensive in Bocas del Toro?

Bocas del Toro may be a bit more expensive than the mainland of Panama. But still affordable, and you can definitely find good places to stay and eat on a budget. 

Is Bocas del Toro a good surf town for beginners?

Yes! Bocas del Toro has many beginner spots where people can learn how to surf. 

A couple of beginner spots are in deep water, so you do not have to worry about a shallow shore break or the reef underneath you. There are many professional surf schools and many options for surf camps.

Other tips for Bocas del Toro surf

If you want to experience the Bocas del Toro surf away from the crowds, it is a good idea to hire a surf guide to take you on a boat taxi and show you on the search for the perfect empty wave around the archipelago. A surf guiding tour of three hours by boat will cost around $60. 

Beaches like Wizard Beach and Red Frog beach may not be the most consistent surf spots, especially for the more experienced surfer. However, these beautiful beaches are definitely worth a visit! So just take your board in case and you might find yourself some surprisingly fun, good waves. 

Bocas del Toro surf guide- final thoughts

On the flat days you can find yourself doing other water activities, such as, diving, fishing or snorkeling. Take a boat ride to the beautiful Isla Zapatilla or spot some dolphins and enjoy lots of wildlife! For the party people there is Filthy Fridays, which is an Island Hopping day party.

The Bocas del Toro surf is definitely worth a visit and perfect for a surf trip! Getting around by the water taxis is an amazing experience. There is always a wave to surf, and surfing some perfect empty waves with just my friends was an unexpected surprise!