5 x why to visit the remote town of Santa Catalina in Panama

Located on the Pacific coast of Panama, Santa Catalina has been a very dormant fishing village for decades. According to a local (one of the employees of the local Hotel Santa Catalina I had a conversation with) some ten years ago the world class waves that roll in on all sides of this tiny village started to attract folks from all around the globe. Add to that the stunning Nacional Park of Coiba, rich in marine life and located nearby Santa Catalina’s coastline which has become popular by divers and you may wonder how Santa Catalina has remained its small-town charm over the years at all. There are still only two paved roads in here. Also, luckily, this place is still refrained from resorts. 

Santa Catalina’s remote location may have something to do with it. This is not the best accessible part of Panama after all. It takes a long drive from Panama City to get to this part of the country, making it less attractive for a short weekend trip for the majority of both Panamanians and expats.

I personally arrived from Boquete and it even took me 8 hours to reach the place by public transport. 

All very much worth the effort by the way. Perhaps after seeing the main image of this article, you’re already convinced about hopping over to Santa Catalina, but I’ll give you some extra reasons why you should include this village in your Panama-itinerary for sure!

Reason 1. The stunning sunsets

Enjoying some golden hours on the Pacific side (just like in Costa Rica) was reason enough for me to head west to Santa Catalina. 

I saw the best sunset just right on main beach of Santa Catalina, conveniently enough named Playa Santa Catalina. Both locals and tourist head out around 6 pm to the beach and wait for these pinky hues to appear. Bring a beer or two and simply enjoy the vibe.  ↓

Another nice spot to see the sunset from is the terrace of Hotel Surfer’s Paradise. ↓ As the wave catchers return at the end of the day to their huts, the vibe again is pretty cosy and relaxed in here at this time of day.

But don’t despair if you prefer to see some live action during sunset. Many locals haste to the sea at the end of the day to catch their last waves before dark. 

You can observe them (and the whole beach) very well from the deck of Rancho Estero.

But I have to say, while just walking through the streets of Santa Catalina during golden and blue hour, I saw some nice vistas as well!

Reason 2. Surfing – for all levels

As you may have guessed by now, great waves – big and small – are rolling in on all sides of Santa Catalina. The town for sure has a great surfer’s vibe, comparable to the one of Dominical in Costa Rica for example. In fact, many travellers remain in here for weeks just because of the swells. While riding that wave, everything else just falls by the wayside. 

It’s almost as if everyone’s walking around with a board in this town. The most popular surf break in Santa Catalina is La Punta. It’s classed as one of the best waves in Central America and only meant to be surfed by the pros.

That said, if you’re heading out on your board for the first time in here, make sure not to go alone as the currents can be a bit tricky. The best beach to start at is Playa Estero. Book a guesthouse near this beach (where everything is focused on surfing) to enjoy the ‘aura of surfer chill’ at its best!

Reason 3. Wildlife galore at Parque Nacional Coiba

Far-flung with pristine beaches and marine life; that’s how I’d describe Parque Nacional Coiba in one sentence. Often compared to both the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and Isla del Coco in Costa Rica, the nature reserve of Coiba is a wildlife enthusiast’s dream.

Now I’m a tough crowd. I’ve been to the Galapagos and although I haven’t visited Isla del Coco I have lived in Costa Rica. Still, I have to say that I was indeed impressed by the abundance of the fishes in Coiba. Nothing was new to me, but it was just the sheer quantity of it all that I considered mesmerizing beyond doubt. Moreover, the Robinson Crusoe like background doesn’t hurt the eyes either. Or actually it does, if only because the sun is shining so awfully bright in here :).

It takes a choppy 1 to 1.5 hour ride (depending on the mojo of your guide and the waves) to reach this remote archipelago, which used to be a notorious island prison. In fact this is the spot where the country’s most dangerous criminals were sent to and where political prisoners disappeared. Quite a dark past for such a bright island. 

I think my guide made it to the islands in an even shorter amount of time, but I wish he hadn’t as I felt this for sure in my buttocks for the next two days. 

Nevertheless I’d take this ride again – without a doubt – if only to see the Coiba underwater world once more. You can either visit Coiba by arranging a snorkelling or diving trip. I was seriously doubting between the two, as I have got my PADI, but in the end I opted for a snorkelling trip. 

Firstly because it was a LOT cheaper (a snorkelling trip is only $80,- USD against $170,- for a three-tank dive. Both those amounts include the entrance to the park). Secondly because I’m not really fond of currents, which can easily occur around Coiba. Thirdly because you can see sort of the same with snorkelling. Fourthly because with a snorkelling trip you also visit the beaches of the island. 

As these islands are barely inhabited, nature still seems to be untouched and wildlife has been able to thrive. Just grab your snorkel set and walk a couple of meters into the sea… you’ll be amazed by what you’ll encounter. I for sure was. On my first snorkel break I already saw white tip reef sharks, turtles, trumpet fishes, pufferfishes, moorish idols and huge schools of fishes. During the second trip I saw even more of all of that.

For snorkelling it’s best to go with Dolphin Watching and Panama Dive Center without a doubt is best when it comes to diving. 

I compared my trip a bit with the diving folks in my hostel and I have to say that I hadn’t seen fewer things than they had, in fact I’d probably even spotted more turtles. On the other hand, although they hadn’t that specific day, the bigger stuff such as manta’s and whale sharks are probably more likely to be encountered while diving. 

Whether you go snorkelling or diving, running into dolphins and whales on the way to Coiba is always very possible. Our group saw a couple of dolphins – always a nice treat!

After two snorkelling trips the rest of the afternoon was spent with a lunch some lazy time on the island of the main picture. Some of my fellow group mates were taking afternoon naps, other were cracking open coconuts, or chilling in the sea with a beer in their hand, cutting open watermelons or trying to spot a crocodile in the mangroves some 100 meter behind us. I made a little walk on the island – bare footed – where I made most of these pictures ↑

I also spotted this kid. Don’t try this yourself hahah! You need a lifetime experience to be able to do this. ↓

Reason 4. The laid-back vibe of the town

Being in the water simply is just very soothing. As the entire village seems to be out there during the day – either on their boards or exploring the underwater life – it’s no wonder that the overall vibe is so peaceful in Santa Catalina.  

Just try to do the same; slow down, live in the moment and don’t think about anything else. The relaxed lifestyle of the village will help you unwind for sure.

Reason 5. Seafood galore 

As I came from Boquete I was delighted to see so many daily catch-of-the-day-dishes again! I got some tips from a local expat about where to go and tried out a couple of extras along the way.

Of all places I liked El Encuentro the most! This little joint is on the main road is known for its ceviche and it surely was the most creative ceviche I ever ate in Latin America. With some funky potatoes on top. ↓

My table mates ordered lobsters, red snapper, shrimp pasta and a vegan ceviche and according to them that all was pretty superb too. With prices around $12,- to $18,- USD it wasn’t the cheapest place I visited, but was well worth the splurge. 

Another great spot for seafood is Restaurante Pinguinos. For $10,- USD you get a full plate of pasta with fish or a grilled fish with rice and beans. This place is also great for a romantic night out as you can enjoy the sunset of Playa Santa Catalina right from its terrace. ↓

El Chillinguito is another charming place with a great garden that offers seafood with a little twist. I especially thought this was a great spot to hang out at, at the end of the day. ↓

Close to El Chillinguito you’ll find Hotel Iguanito. Beneath the hotel you find a small restaurant and this especially seems a favourite among the local expats. The chef is from Spain and therefore you can start your meal with some tapas before diving into the seafood menu. The tuna is really nice in here and you can pair it with various wines in here, as they have a decent wine selection too! ↓

So my next recommendation has nothing to do with seafood, but the fruit guy (located on the crossing of the only two big streets in Santa Catalina) makes seriously delicious smoothies and fruit salads:). 

For only $3,50 he fills up a giant box with all of your fruity favourites. The guy also has the biggest smile of the village and all the villagers seems to visit the shop just for a chat or a banana in between. I came back here every single day of my stay. 

Where to stay?

Although this town luckily doesn’t know any resorts, there are quite some fancy hotels to stay at. I walked in at Hotel Santa Catalina and that seemed like a very cool spot, with a terrace overlooking the ocean. Private rooms here are something like $80,- USD. 

I personally was both travelling solo and on a budget. I stayed a couple of nights at La Vieja Panadería (literally: The Old Bakery). This place is run by an Italian couple who moved six years ago to the area. Apart from the guesthouse, the couple also runs an excellent bakery and pizzeria. The woman was a real Italian momma and always trying to feed me something. She for sure had success with the dog; I had the feeling he would explode if he was fed another croissant (forgot to picture him though, but pinky swear that it was enormous). 

The guesthouse is located on top of the bakery and you can smell the bread when you wake up in the morning. The dorm and the rooms where quite simple, but what I loved about the place was its authenticity and the included breakfast (with fresh bread and gooood coffee). I even got a cupcake to go when I checked out, nahh that cute right? 

However, if you’re more into surfing I’d suggest you to stay at the other side of town. Rancho Estero looked really nice from the outside and Surfer’s Paradise had a great vibe as well! 

Here’s where to find those reasons to visit Santa Catalina!