Oh how beautiful Panama is - team trip to Central America
After the season meeting in Portugal, Michi, Jens and David went straight on to Panama. The purpose of the trip was, on the one hand, to check out the new Wavetours offer on site, and on the other hand, just surf, surf and more surf!
In a good mood, we met at Frankfurt Airport on Monday morning to fly to Panama City via Atlanta. Anyone who has ever entered the USA or had a transit flight in the land of unlimited opportunities knows that after touchdown on American territory, there is no way around the immigration authorities. Contrary to what many people assume, however, the options in this country seem very limited, because immediately after landing we find ourselves in a line of several hundred people waiting to get the green light at one of the two open counters and be able to continue their journey. Constantly looking at the clock, we make our way through the human chain, because our connecting flight to Panama City leaves in just under two hours. We gradually realize that we won’t be able to make the flight. Despite sprinting across Atlanta airport, our premonition soon becomes a certainty. We have to take the next flight, which doesn’t leave for another 24 hours. Delta Airlines is being accommodating and is covering the rebooking and hotel costs.
The next day everything went smoothly and we landed in Panama at around 10 p.m. A driver from Selina Hostels was waiting at the airport to take us to Playa Venao, five hours away. Due to extremely heavy rainfall, the journey became an adventure and took almost seven hours. We arrived in the middle of the night, received our room keys and fell into bed dead tired.
The next morning we were more refreshed, but quite sobered, because the rain hadn’t stopped overnight. So we explored the Selina Hostel complex. You can book 6- or 8-bed dorms or double rooms. The hostel is located in a bay right on the sandy beach and, in addition to a pool and chill-out area, has a bar area where food and drinks are offered. The breakfast buffet for $4 is unbeatable with fresh eggs, rice & beans, coffee flat rate and cereal. Alternatively, guests are provided with a kitchen to cook for themselves.
Playa Venao is one of the most famous surf spots in the country. Due to the special nature of the bay, there is a wave for every skill level. At the lighthouse, in the middle of the bay, the beach break catches the biggest waves, which get smaller the further you go to the edge of the bay. We are advised to go surfing from mid to high tide. We rent boards from Shokogi’s surf shop, which is located on the hostel grounds. Whether stand-up paddling, kiteboarding or surfing: you can rent all types of equipment here and book the corresponding courses.
We grab our boards and throw ourselves into the waves of Playa Venao’s Pacific beach break. Michi and David with 9’0 longboards and Jens tries out various shortboards. For days our full focus is on surfing, we are never awake later than 6:30 a.m. and take advantage of every surfing opportunity that the Pacific spits out.
To give our bodies a little break and see something different, we spontaneously book a fishing trip. The next morning Carlos picks us up at 6 a.m. and drives us to the neighboring village and his home town of Cañas. His local partner is already waiting for us there on a small boat. We drive for about an hour through mangrove forests until we reach the open sea and the spot. Each of us gets a fishing rod and a more or less stylish belt to which the fishing rod can be attached during the fight.
It takes less than two minutes until the first yellowfin tuna bites and Michi can land it from the water into our boat. It continues like this and each of us catches one or two tuna until our two guides suddenly go completely beside themselves. A “dorado” has taken the bite, a large dolphin mackerel. Only when we get the fish on board after an intense fight can we understand why the two of them are so ecstatic. A magnificent specimen that will later yield two huge, super tasty fillets. After 6 hours on the water, we dock again in Cañas. The fish are gutted and filleted directly on the boat by Carlos’ companion. With surgical precision, he cuts two tuna fillets into wafer-thin slices while Carlos pulls soy sauce and wasabi out of his bag. So after a successful hunt, we reward ourselves with fish that could hardly be fresher.
Back in Venao, we devote ourselves to surfing again and eat almost exclusively tuna and “dorado” for the next three days.
As our fish reserves are running low, we decide to visit the small fishing village of Santa Catalina and its famous point break. The bus trip from Playa Venao to Santa Catalina takes a whole day (Playa Venao - Pedasi - Las Tablas - Chitré - Santiago - Soná - Santa Catalina). The bus network in Panama is very well developed, which is probably also because buses are the only public transport option besides airplanes. The only train line in the country connects Panama City (Pacific) and Colón (Caribbean) and was originally only used to dispose of rubble during the construction of the world-famous Panama Canal. When we arrive in Catalina, we stay with Rolo, an aged local surfing hero who has built his house right by the sea on a small cliff within sight of the point break and rents out spartanly furnished rooms there. The wave in Santa Catalina runs mainly to the right, but can also be surfed to the left. Unfortunately, the sea is not kind to us: the swell we were hoping for does not arrive. You should also know that there is no decent surf shop in the town and the rental boards on offer are long past their best. So we decide to go on another trip. In addition to surfing, Santa Catalina is also known for its wonderful diving and snorkeling trips. We book a snorkeling trip with one of the countless providers in town. The next day, we head off to Coiba National Park with four other snorkelers. Anyone who jumps into the crystal-clear waters of the white sandy beaches can expect paradisiacal views. However, Isla Coiba has a less paradisiacal past. The largest island in the national park is known as a former prison island and was the most feared prison in the country for over 80 years. But we don’t feel any of that under or above water: from sharks to turtles to lobsters, everything that belongs to this colorful habitat swam in front of our diving goggles. A successful day trip for $60, $20 of which goes to the national park for its protection and preservation.
Back in Catalina, unfortunately, there is no improvement in sight for the surf here. After three days, we pack our bags and drive back to Playa Venao, where the forecast promises offshore wind and 3-6 feet. On the way back to Venao, we stay at the Selina Hostel in Pedasi for two days before spending our last days of surfing in Venao under great conditions. There, we unexpectedly meet a caiman in the line-up, but it ends well as everyone involved flees. We say goodbye to the bay, which has given us so much joy, and take the first bus to Panama City early in the morning. After a good five hours, we reach the capital with its breathtaking skyline. We live in Casco Viejo, the historic district of the city. Two days of sightseeing are filled with the Panama Canal, the fish market, strolling through Casco Viejo and the odd glass of rum.
After three weeks we have to head home again. We get on the plane at 34 C° and land in Frankfurt 16 hours later at just under 3 C°. When I look out of the window on the tarmac I see grey, rainy clouds and all that goes through my head is “Oh, how beautiful Panama is”