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Cambutal, Panama

Stay in Cambutal: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Cambutal

Watch this spot We email you when Cambutal is worth the trip.

About Cambutal

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces S (173°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (353°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 4). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hard and thick, like a slab. The sea is about 27°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 29°C in May, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April and December, with about 6 good days in 7; in October, about 3. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Cambutal, 0.9 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 13 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to PTY, direct.

    See flights ORD → PTY · Skyscanner from about £265 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 4 h 20 from the airport to Cambutal.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in CambutalAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Cambutal · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Cambutal · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Cambutal on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct295 ft15 sslab1,082kJ29°C
Mon 19Oct545 ft11 sslab678kJ29°C
Tue 20Oct585 ft11 shollow520kJ28°C
Wed 21Oct604 ft10 shollow352kJ26°C
Thu 22Oct585 ft12 sslab682kJ29°C
Fri 23Oct525 ft12 sslab652kJ28°C
Sat 24Oct644 ft11 shollow435kJ28°C
Sun 25Oct694 ft11 shollow292kJ26°C
Mon 26Oct573 ft9 shollow170kJ31°C
Tue 27Oct362 ft9 shollow70kJ26°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to PTY, then 4h 20 by road. About 13h 40 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Cambutal

    Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 5 ft at 11 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Cambutal

    Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Cambutal

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Cambutal

    Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Cambutal

    Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to PTY, then 4h 20 by road. About 13h 40 door to door

The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Cambutal each day: 411 (quatro-once), Cambutal, Corto Circuito.

The trip from Cambutal, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £670–£1,265 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to PTY, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£265–£550
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£55–£95
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£135–£225
Food7 days eating out£125–£235
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£55–£95
Total£670–£1,265

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.