Surfing in Bocas del ToroBest Surf Spots, Seasons and Where to Learn

Updated November 2026.

Bocas del Toro has a dozen surf breaks within half an hour of Bocas Town, from gentle peaks where kids take their first lessons to heavy reef barrels for experienced surfers. The main surf season runs from December to March, and a second, smaller season brings waves from June to August. Most breaks are a short water taxi ride away, so you can check two or three spots in a morning.

When is surf season in Bocas del Toro?

December to March is the main season. Winter swells line up along the islands, and December and January usually bring the biggest waves, with some days reaching double overhead. The surf often keeps going into April.

June to August is the second season. July can be as good as December, while June and August bring smaller, steady waves that suit learners and intermediate surfers.

From September to November the sea is usually flat, which makes it the time for snorkeling and boat trips instead. Our weather guide goes month by month.

The tide here only moves a little, so you can surf at any time of day.

Where to learn to surf

Isla Carenero is the place to start. It’s two minutes by water taxi from Bocas Town, and three of its breaks suit beginners:

• Black Rock, a slow, friendly reef wave with channels on both sides, so you paddle out without duck diving. Most surf schools in town teach here.
• Old Man’s, a small left point next to Black Rock, good for lessons and for surfers moving from beach breaks to reef.
• Bibi’s Break, knee-high whitewater right in front of Bibi’s on the Beach, perfect for young kids and first-timers. Parents can watch from the deck.

Bibi’s On the BeachIsla CareneroA Unique Culinary Experience in ParadiseSee listing

Wizard Beach on Isla Bastimentos is the other favorite for lessons: a sandy beach break with peaks for every level, best in the morning on an incoming tide. It’s very sensitive to wind and swell, so even an average swell can make it big.

All of these spots depend on the conditions that day. Black Rock can be big on a strong swell, and then it isn’t a beginner wave. Before you paddle out, ask local surfers or a surf school what the waves are doing.

Surf schools

These local schools teach every level, and most will take you to whichever spot has the right waves that day:

• Mono Loco Surf School: surf lessons and board rentals. Book on WhatsApp at +507 6716-9838.
• Bocas Surf Academy: a local surf school known for its instructors. Send them a message on Instagram to book.
• Escuela del Mar: a surf school and surf shop on Isla Carenero, next to Bibi’s on the Beach, which has the same owners. WhatsApp +507 6785-7984.

Best surf spots in Bocas del Toro

Map of the surf spots

Isla Carenero

Besides the beginner waves above, Carenero has Carenero Point, a long left point break that peels for up to 150 meters on a good east-southeast swell. It has an inside and an outside section, so the lineup spreads out. It’s the most popular wave close to town and the one most surfers check first.

Isla Colón

The breaks on Isla Colón line the road to Bluff, so you can reach them by taxi, bus or bike as well as by water taxi.

• Tiger’s Tail is a reef break with a black rock on the inside, at its best on small to medium swells and one of the emptiest waves on the island. The main wave is the right. There’s a left too, but it finishes right behind the black rock, so pick your lefts with care. The restaurant on the point is a good spot to watch it.
• Paunch is a reef with lefts and rights about 10 minutes from town. On small days it’s fun for intermediates; on bigger swells the left turns into a hollow barrel. Wear reef booties for the walk out.
• Dumpers is a fast, shallow left barrel just past Paunch, toward Bluff, a favorite with bodyboarders and experienced surfers. Go with a local guide the first time.
• Bluff Beach is a long, wild beach on the north side of the island, about 20 minutes from town, with powerful waves breaking close to shore. It’s a beach for advanced surfers, and on flat days it’s a beautiful place for a walk.

Isla Bastimentos

• Wizard Beach (also called First Beach) faces the open Caribbean and picks up swell when other spots are small. Take a water taxi to Old Bank and walk across the island, or go by boat.
• Red Frog Beach has small, playful waves that are great for bodysurfing and a first try on a board. Palmar Beach Lodge and Red Frog Beach Island Resort sit right on the beach, so you can be in the water before the first water taxis arrive.
• Silverbacks is the big one: a heavy right-hand reef that wakes up a few times a year on the biggest winter swells and draws professional surfers. If it’s breaking, a boat ride out to watch is worth it.
• Long Beach (Playa Larga), inside the Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, is a remote beach break with plenty of room to share.

Palmar Beach LodgeRed Frog BeachWhere jungle meets the CaribbeanSee listingRed Frog Beach Island ResortRed Frog BeachEnjoy Breathtaking Surroundings in PanamaSee listing

Flying in with your board

Both airlines that fly from Panama City’s Albrook airport to Bocas, Air Panama and FlyTrip, fly smaller planes, so ask the airline about bringing a surfboard when you book and check their length limit. Coming overland? Ask your shuttle about room for a board, and the water taxis from Almirante take boards on board. Our guide on how to get to Bocas del Toro has every route.

Air PanamaBocas TownOnly 50 minutes separates Bocas del Toro to Panama CitySee listingFlyTripBocas TownElevate Your AdventuresSee listing

Getting to the breaks

• Water taxis leave from the docks on Calle 3 in Bocas Town and carry boards. Carenero is two minutes away, Paunch and Tiger’s Tail about five, Wizard and Red Frog 20 to 25.
• By road, taxis and the Bluff bus run along Isla Colón to Paunch, Tiger’s Tail and Bluff Beach. Several companies in Bocas Town also rent ATVs, e-bikes and scooters with surfboard racks, or a bike with a board rack works too.
• Ask your captain to come back for you at a set time, and agree on the fare before you go.

Where to stay for surfers

Pick your base by the waves you want to ride.

• Bocas Town (Isla Colón): the most choice of places to stay, surf shops and water taxis on every corner, with Paunch and Tiger’s Tail a short ride away. Bambuda Bocas Town, Tropical Suites and Saigon Bay Bed & Breakfast are all in town.
• Isla Carenero: wake up next to Black Rock, Old Man’s and Carenero Point. Casa Acuario sits over the water on Carenero, and Bibi’s on the Beach is the place for lunch between sessions.
• Isla Bastimentos: stay right on Red Frog Beach at Palmar Beach Lodge or Red Frog Beach Island Resort, with Wizard Beach a walk away.

Bambuda Bocas TownBocas TownYour Home Away From HomeSee listingTropical SuitesBocas TownEscape. Relax. Enjoy.See listingSaigon Bay Bed & BreakfastSaigon BayCaribbean Over-the-Sea Bed & BreakfastSee listingCasa AcuarioIsla CareneroBoutique Hotel Over the Caribbean SeaSee listing

Our guide to where to stay in Bocas del Toro covers every island.

In the lineup

• Share the waves. The surfer closest to the peak has the wave; wait your turn and you’ll get plenty.
• Give lessons room. At Black Rock and Old Man’s, surf schools teach every day, so experienced surfers have Carenero Point just next door.
• Paddle out through the channels at the reef breaks, and ask a local surfer or your captain where they are the first time.
• Say hello. Bocas has a friendly surf community, and a smile in the water goes a long way.

Check the forecast

Swell comes and goes, so check the forecast before you plan your days. Surf-Forecast.com has forecasts for the area, and surf schools and guides in town know which break is working that morning.

What to bring

• Reef booties for the reef breaks
• A rash guard and reef-safe sunscreen; the Caribbean sun is strong
• Tropical wax for warm water
• Your own board, or rent one in town

Keep planning

• Best time to visit Bocas del Toro: weather month by month

Frequently asked questions