Plan Your Trip - Panama - page 56

chipiélago de Bocas del Toro. Even these are significantly less crowded than similar
spots in neighboring Costa Rica.
The face of a typical wave at Santa Catalina is 2m, though during February and March
4m waves are fairly common. Waves are at their best during medium to high tide when
rides approaching 150m are possible. On the Caribbean side, the islands of Bocas del
Toro offer some of the best and most varied surfing in Panama, especially from Decem-
ber to March.
Surfing spots are also found in the provinces of Panamá, Los Santos, Colón and
Chiriquí.
Fishing
Panamá means 'abundance of fish,' and with 2988km of coastline, there's no problem
finding a fishing spot. Freshwater anglers usually set their sights on trout and bass, while
serious sportfishers ply the seas for trophy fish including tarpon, sailfish and marlin.
Freshwater angling can be pursued independently, especially in the highland rivers of
Chiriquí and Veraguas. In the Canal Zone you can fish for peacock bass in Lago Gatún
and the Río Chagres.
For deep-sea fishing, Panama offers three world-class areas - Bahía Piña, the Pearl Is-
lands and Isla de Coiba - all served by extremely professional fishing outfits. In the Dar-
ién's Bahía Piña, more International Game Fish Association world records have been
broken than anywhere else on the planet. This top spot is served exclusively by Tropic
Star Lodge. The seas around Isla de Coiba are home to several species of sport fish in-
cluding yellow-fin tuna, wahoo, dolphin, Spanish mackerel, jacks and rooster fish.
DIVING RESPONSIBLY
» Never anchor on the reef and take care not to ground boats on coral.
» Avoid touching or standing on living marine organisms. Polyps can be damaged
by even the most gentle contact. If you must hold on, only touch exposed rock or
dead coral.
» Watch your fins. The surge from fin strokes can damage delicate reef organisms
and clouds of sand can smother organisms.
» Make visits quick to underwater caves, as trapped air bubbles damage organ-
isms.