BASICS - The Rough Guide to Panama - page 64

Sport fishing
Panama means “abundance of fish” according to one reading of the indigenous language
Cueva, and the country offers some phenomenal fishing . The Bahía de Piñas on the Pacific
coast of the Darién, location of the exclusive Tropic Star Lodge ( tropicstarlodge.com ) ,
is widely considered to be the world's top saltwater fishing destination, with the Golfo de
Chiriquí, and Coiba in particular, a close second and the Islas Perlas not far behind.
Foreign-owned fishing lodges are mushrooming along the Pacific coast, most of which of-
fer multi-day package deals that cover accommodation, meals and fishing excursions costing
up to several thousand dollars. Recommended outfits include: Panama Big Game Fishing (
panamabiggamefishing.com ), Coiba Adventure Sportfishing ( coibaadventure.com ) and

Pesca Panama ( pescapanama.com ) .

Surfing
The Pacific coast offers some top-drawer surfing ; in the internationally renowned breaks
round Santa Catalina, the waves can reach 4m or more during March and April, with the
high season continuing until August (though a good ride on 2m breakers is guaranteed year-
round). There is also some fine surfing to be had round Playa Venao and neighbouring
beaches on the southern coastline of the Azuero Peninsula. Bocas offers varied breaks, plus
welcoming bars and a decent après surf scene, while local surfers confined to Panama City
tend to dash to the nearby Pacific beaches of Coclé for a weekend escape.
Other activities
Those who prefer an adrenaline rush in the air rather than on the water or up in the hills
should head for the Boquete Tree Trek , which can justifiably be considered the Tarzan of
all canopy adventures , boasting a dozen zip lines, though more modest versions exist in
El Valle and near Portobelo . Similar adrenaline surges are guaranteed kitesurfing at Punta
Chame on the Pacific coast.
If all that sounds too energetic there are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors without too
much physical exertion; pass by any small fishing village and you can usually find a boat-
man willing to take you for a chug round the mangroves, drop you off for a laze on a deserted
beach or even throw a line for a spot of fishing. Similarly relaxing is a plod along an empty
beach or through the rainforest on horseback , which offers the chance to soak up the scenery
without frightening away the wildlife - though don't necessarily expect a safety helmet, or a
saddle that fails to remind you what you've been doing for the next week.
Mountain bikers in search of company might consider contacting Boa Panama (
boapanama.com for English-speaking and Spanish-speaking contacts), an association of re-
creational off-road cycling enthusiasts, which organizes weekend outings.