by Joseph Richard Francis
written by Joseph Richard Francis Published: Updated:
Playa Venao surf is where we’d go if we were beginners or lower intermediates heading to Panama. These are rare, high-quality sand-bottomed breaks with some good surf camps to back em up.
An introduction to Playa Venao surf
Playa Venao might just be our favorite Central American surf town right now. That is, if you can even call it a town. The 2020s is a sweet time to pass by this strip of chilled bars and surf camps on the Panamanian Pacific. The bay is basically empty and line ups still number in the tens, not the hundreds.
What’s more, it’s really, really as beautiful as they say. A halo of jungle-tufted hills clamber overhead on both sides of a wide horseshoe bay that’s more than a mile across. The sierras rise behind in a patchwork of corn fields and fruit orchards, just a few slick villas now popping up here and there.
Yes, Playa Venao is sure to change. You can already see the development and the buzz about it. For now, it’s not quite Bocas and it’s got some very good quality surfing to keep you going. What’s awesome is that the main playa can work for all levels on a single swell, with overheads spitting out clean left and right lines behind and easy ankle slappers rolling into the sides for the learner crew.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Panama
Playa Venao surf at a glance
The good…
- Sand-bottomed breaks that suit beginners
- More challenging waves on the outside of the bay
- Gorgeous setting amid the Pacific coast jungles
The bad…
- Takes at least five hours to reach from Panama City
- It’s developing fast
What’s in this guide to surfing in Playa Venao?
Where is Playa Venao?
Playa Venao carves its way out of the south coast of the gorgeous Azuero Peninsula in southwestern Panama. It’s officially a part of the Los Santos Province, which is just over from the more famous Pacific surf territory of Verugas (the home of Santa Catalina).
You won’t have to worry at all about the geography of the place once you’ve arrived. The waves are in the main bay literally steps from most of the accommodations. You can venture out to beaches up and down the coast from here if you like, but for that you’ll need a hire car or to be booked onto a guided surf trip, because they’re too far to walk and there are no good bus links in the area.
How to get to Playa Venao?
You’ve got two choices after touching down on the long-haul into Panama City. The first is the bus. The second is a rental car.
Buses leave for most of the towns on the Pacific coast of Panama from the Albrook shopping center in the middle of Panama City. They’ll usually take 6-7 hours in all but are comfy enough and cost only $55 ish per person, each way.
We reckon the shuttle is a better choice. You can pre-book them for like $70 and they tend to be a bit faster and won’t make such a fuss about carrying a board. At least not in our experience.
A car hire is a good way to go if you’re stringing together a multi-destination surf trip in Panama. It’s the way we’d go, because you could drive from here up to Santa Catalina and other surf towns further west in Verugas or along the Gulf of Chiriquí. What’s more, roads – at least after you’ve managed to get out or Panama City! – are good quality, paved, and low on traffic in these parts. It’s not like Costa Rica!
Playa Venao surf spots
The main beach is the focal point here. But there are also some beaches to the west along the peninsula that you can reach if you’ve got transport.
Playa Venao
The main playa at Playa Venao strings for over 1.5 miles in front of the little town that’s growing along the beach. This is where you’ll be doing most of your surfing every day. The waves are famed as one of the best all-level offerings in Panama. They break over nothing but soft black sand and usually hold really well with small- to mid-sized S or SW swells (the dominant swell in the main surf season that runs from April to October).
There are a few different spots within the bay itself. The most popular is the take-off just to the west of the center and close to the shore. That usually fronts up as a peeling left hander with a 50m-ride and a forgiving pocket. It’s a fantastic wave for intermediates looking to hone cut backs and bottom turns. Works best on a pushing and high tide.
Out on the western edge of the bay closer to where it meets the open Pacific, there’s a point break that will come alive in the bigger main-season swells – usually June and July for this one. Again, it’s a left and it can be semi hollow and very steep. It’s still not the challenge that many of the country’s rock-bottomed reefies will give, but there’s extra speed there for sure.
Playa Madroñito
Hardly anyone goes one bay over to Playa Madroñito but we think it’s got potential for learners on the bigger swell days. A slightly different orientation – the beach faces due SE – means it won’t have the same heavy sets in big S pushes. We’ve seen little knee-high cruisers here when it’s been head height in Venao. Worth thinking about but it’s tricky to get to because there’s only a rough dirt track in.
Playa Guanico
Lots of the local surf camps at Playa Venao have started making trips to Playa Guanico as part of their schedule. It’s 30 minutes’ drive to the west of the town and it’s a spot that tends to suck up just a little more from the S swell channel – expect a foot or a half foot more here than in Venao itself.
Again, it shines because it’s got something for all levels. A beginner shore break works right on the sand front but there’s a right point that peels off the sandbars in the middle of the bay too.
Playa Cambutal
You’ll need to travel an extra hour down the south side of the Azuero Peninsula to get to Playa Cambutal from Playa Venao. The reason you’d do it is if you were craving something a little more challenging. The main break here is known as the 411. It reminds us a lot of a classic Cali right hand point, with its best conditions being a middle-sized swell in the 4-7 range and a light offshore. With those, you’ll get a shelving wave that sections out in the middle to offer something almost completely hollow, and then final tapering walls for big top turns.
Surf camps in Playa Venao
There’s one or two surf camps in Playa Venao that we think are leading the way right now…
- Safari Hostel – An 8-day package that covers everything you need on a proper learn-to-surf trip. Instruction is done by qualified RSS lifeguards and ISA-trained surf instructors and there’s 2x sessions EVERY DAY. They’ll also back it all up with a surf-theory video with feedback. Good for learners but they can also tailor packages to advanced and intermediate+ riders.
- Beach Break Hotel & Surf Camp de Playa Venao – Pretty legendary spot that’s right on the beachfront and has perhaps the best surf-fitness and yoga studio we’ve seen, ever! Choose this one for a prime location, a stunning pool, and optional extra surf rental and lessons that you can book on site.
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
Want more Playa Venao surf camp options? Search the whole shebang below right now and book in a few clicks.
Where to stay when surfing in Playa Venao?
If you’re after pretty lux lodgings that are literally steps from the waves, then Playa Venao surf hotels can certainly oblige…
- Selina Playa Venao – Yes, there’s now a Selina on the shores of Playa Venao (told you it was changing, eh!). This one’s a pretty nice edition of the brand. It’s built with local styles in mind and has a program of extras to entertain any digital nomad surfer – yoga, cooking nights, surf lessons (of course).
- El Sitio de Playa Venao – Kick back in a hammock and listen to the waves crashing into the bay between surf sessions. This tropical guesthouse has some super-cool bungalow apartment rooms and a glorious pool right on the sands.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Playa Venao surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Playa Venao surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Playa Venao?
Short answer: The best time to surf in Playa Venao is the dry season that runs from December to March.
Playa Venao is renowned for consistent surf year-round. However, the best time is during the dry season, from December to April. This period sees consistent southwest swells, delivering clean, long-period waves. On the flip side, the wet season, from May to November, brings mixed-quality surf with potential for larger swells but occasionally muddy river run-offs. During this time, mornings are generally better before winds pick up.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
Joseph Richard Francis
Joe “Rich” Francis has been surfing for the best part of 15 years. He’s nowhere near as good as he should be at the end of all that, but hey ho. Born and bred in Swansea, South Wales (the current base of The Surf Atlas), Joe is a seasoned adventure travel writer with completed publications in the surf-travel and adventure-travel sphere for major publications like Lonely Planet and The Culture Trip.
