7 Reaons Why Panama is the new Surfing Mecca

After living in Costa Rica and seeing the influx of surfers and tourists over the last decade, it’s a neat change to now live in Panama where I constantly feel like Cousteau while exploring the beaches and parks.

Playa Venao surfing

Below is a list of reasons why I think Panama could be the new surf hot spot:

Untouched waves- Panama is new on the tourism radar, so catching waves here is easy as cake. The beaches are never crowded save for holidays, but even then you won’t have to fight for waves. Just enjoy partying it up on the beach after surfing and turn your music up way too loud to blend right in with the locals.
US Dollar- Panama uses the dollar so you don’t need to worry about converting money or getting ripped off. Change here however will be given to you in “Balboas” which are the same monetary amounts as quarters, nickels and dimes and look surprisingly similar.
Easy Access- Getting around Panama is also a slice of pie as the roads here are multi-lane highways perfectly paved, unlike other countries in Central America. The public bus system is super easy and affordable
It’s cheap!- Panama hasn’t been hit yet by hoards of tourist so prices are still reasonable. I get a delicious chicken sandwich daily for a buck twenty five, take a cab ride around the city for a dollar and rent a 4 bedroom house at the beach for $400 dollars.
It’s safe!- Panama has a wonderful police force who are serious about keeping the riff raff out and the streets safe. While partying downtown you’ll often see police roaming about checking on things as well as helping tourists find their way around the city.
First World Benefits- Buy a cell phone while you’re here and pre-paid phone cards, enjoy first class hotels, medicine and shopping!
You can be a pioneer!- Explore untouched beaches and national parks to go where only few have gone before.