Surf is a very popular activity in the shores of Bocas del Toro, with more and more surfers coming here to take advantage of the local waves.
The beaches outside of the Colon and Bastimentos islands are two of the three favorite spots. The other is the northern tip of the Carenero Key.
A couple of sites in the Colon Island attract more visitors: Bluff Beach and The Dump.
The first is a long beach with very strong waves not always good for surfers but more for body boarders. The extensive underwater dropp-off makes long and continuous waves that break almost in the beach.
The second site menttioned (The Dump) is the favorite of local surfers. It is dangerous because the waves break close to a coral reef and surfers must be careful to finish the ride before that point. It is also the place where more tables have been destroyed and many surfers ended with injuries.
To reach both sites the easy way is by car (taxi or particular), in a ride of about 15 minutes from Bocas del Toro town. Other option is by boat starting the surf from there.
The sites of Bastimentos Island are less visited by surfers. The first two beaches, from Bastimentos Town, offer good conditions but they are more difficult to reach: by boat from Bocas, weather permiting, or by boat to Bastimentos and then a 20 minutes walk to the other side of the island, to arrive to the first beach. The boat ride from Bocas Town is about 15 minutes. There is another spot in the east tip of Bastimentos with similar conditions.
The third place, in Carenero Island, is as dangerous as The Dump, with many coral reefs close to the waves.
Despite that it is visited as an alternative, the number of people that surfs here is increasing. To arrive there demand a short boat ride from Bocas to Carenero and a walk along the eastern coast of the key.
There are a couple of surf shops in Bocas Town, where it is possible to repair and rent boards or buy clothes and shoes.
The prices are good. There are also two Surf Schools, one at La Buga Dive & Surf and the other in the Bibi's Restaurant, in Carenero. Some local surfers repair table as a way to
get some income or offers the service of proffessional guides.
