For many people Christmas time consists of drinking hot apple cider by the fireplace and singing carols. During these winter months is a great time to think about taking a surf trip with friends or family and getting away from the cold gloomy weather. During the wintertime most surf travelers only think about the north shore of Hawaii where there is warm water, consistent waves and crowded surf! Why would you want to surf crowded waves and have to deal with a bunch of agro guys trying to get the next photo spread in a magazine? How would you like to travel to a surf destination with warm water, consistent surf and uncrowded line-ups?
The Bocas del Toro Archipelago region of Panama consists of nine lush islands, 52 keys and some 200 tiny islets. The largest and most developed island is Colón Island and where the town of Bocas del Toro is located. Being only 1,000 miles from Florida and about 2,500 miles from southern California, this surf filled region becomes very appealing for an easy surf trip destination. Taking a surf trip to Bocas del Toro over the Maldives or Mentawai and you’ll save yourself maybe two to three days of travel that it takes to get to the other side of the world and back. Just a short flight from Panama City gets you into the Bocas Del Toro region and short trips via panga boats allow surfers to experience the many reef breaks and beach breaks which surround the islands.
The best surf months in Panama are from December through early April when the cyclones moving north through the Atlantic send pumping swells west to numerous reefs and beach breaks which surround the islands of Bocas Del Toro. Conditions in Panama are tropical with warm water year around, no wetsuits and offshore breezes coming out of the jungle. Air temperatures remain in the mid 70’s to high 80’s year round, with water temperatures staying close to 80 degrees! So what are you waiting for, there are some great resorts that cater to surf travelers and adventurists alike.