Playa Grande

Playa Grande is a fickle, north-facing stretch of Panamanian coastline that lives and dies by the strength of the northeast trade winds. The year is split between a dry season, when the North Atlantic subtropical high cranks up the trades, and a green season, when the ITCZ drifts north and the trades go soft. Because this beach faces NNW, the region's most reliable swell direction (NE) is far from perfect, and the same NE winds that generate winter waves also blow onshore. As a result, truly great surf is a matter of timing, not just size.

Best Surf Season (October - November)

October and November are the transition months when the dry-season trade wind machine is still sputtering and the ITCZ is breaking down. This is when Playa Grande sees its highest percentage of S/SW offshore winds and its most varied swell window, with N, NNE, and NNW energy mixing into the dominant NE windswell. Waves are usually in the 2-4ft (0.6-1.2m) range, occasionally better, but more importantly they are clean and lined up. This is the window to plan a trip around if you are looking for quality over raw size.