Pavones

Pavones is a surf break at the bottom of a two-hour unpaved road from Golfito, on the south shore of Golfo Dulce where a point break produces a left-hand wave that — in ideal swell conditions — runs for up to 750 metres, placing it among the longest surf rides in the world. The conditions that produce that wave are specific and seasonal: a south Pacific swell arriving between April and October, at sufficient size and the right period. On smaller swell days the wave is still a functional left point but shorter. The community at Pavones is sparse — a few hundred permanent residents, several small surf lodges, two or three restaurants that operate on flexible schedules, and no bank or ATM. Cash from Golfito covers expenses. The road from Golfito passes through African palm plantations before dropping toward the coast. The southern location, close to the Panamanian border, gives the area an end-of-the-world quality that attracts a specific type of long-term visitor.