Corto Circuito, Panama
Also within 20 km of Cambutal
- Cambutal Surf spot · 0.9 km from Cambutal
- 411 (quatro-once) Surf spot · 4.7 km from Cambutal
Watch this spot We email you when Corto Circuito is worth the trip.
About Corto Circuito
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 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 3). 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, 9.1 km away (about 20 min by car).
Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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From Chicago: about 13 h 45 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to PTY, direct.
See flights ORD → PTY · Skyscanner from about £265 returnAdGetting there. 4 h 30 from the airport to Corto Circuito.
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 in Cambutal (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Cambutal 16 min by car · rooms from £50 a night · 3 places to stay · where Corto Circuito stays
Places to stay in Cambutal · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Cambutal · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Cambutal · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Corto Circuito on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Corto Circuito does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 26, poor | 6 ft14 sslab | 1,156kJ | wind from the north-east, 6 knots | 28°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 46, fair | 5 ft11 sslab | 632kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 27°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 54, good | 5 ft11 sslab | 563kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 3 knots | 27°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 56, good | 5 ft10 shollow | 384kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 3 knots | 27°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 51, good | 5 ft12 sslab | 711kJ | wind from the north-east, 5 knots | 27°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 50, good | 5 ft12 sslab | 693kJ | offshorewind from the north-west, 4 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 63, good | 5 ft11 shollow | 448kJ | wind from the west, 2 knots | 27°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 66, good | 4 ft11 shollow | 290kJ | wind from the east, 3 knots | 26°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 56, good | 3 ft9 shollow | 180kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 4 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 37, fair | 2 ft7 shollow | 63kJ | wind from the south-west, 3 knots | 26°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
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to PTY, then 4h 30 by road. About 13h 45 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Cambutal
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 5 ft at 11 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Cambutal
Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Cambutal
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Cambutal
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Cambutal
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to PTY, then 4h 30 by road. About 13h 45 door to door
The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Cambutal each day: 411 (quatro-once), Cambutal, Corto Circuito.
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.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to PTY, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £265–£550 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £55–£95 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £135–£225 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £125–£235 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 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.
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Where to stayAd
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