Punta Chame - Isla Taborcillo
Panama
Punta Chame
Isla Taborcillo is a small island off Punta Chame, in the province of Panamá Oeste. It is a popular spot for kitesurfing adventures from the main beach, with an abandoned John Wayne-themed resort adding character to the place.
Surrounded by sandbars that emerge at low tide, it offers an ultra-flat water surface ideal for tricks. Local riders and visitors enjoy going there on a kite safari or swimming with a board.
Accessible in 10 to 20 minutes of sailing from Punta Chame, it is a natural extension of the main spot for those seeking variety.
Les données de vent affichées ici proviennent d’ERA5 (via Open-Meteo) sur 4 ans, retraitées pour refléter des conditions réalistes.
👉 Le vent moyen a été calibré pour éviter la sous-estimation habituelle des modèles.
👉 Les rafales ont été corrigées par un ratio médian afin d’éviter des valeurs extrêmes irréalistes.
👉 Chaque jour est résumé par le vent médian (P50) observé pendant les heures utiles (8h–20h), puis classé dans des plages de vent.
👉 Le mode pondéré mélange vent moyen et rafales pour refléter au mieux le vent ressenti.
- 🟢 10–16 nds : vent faible mais navigable (notamment en foil).
- 🟡 16–22 nds : plage idéale, conditions confortables pour la majorité.
- 🔴 22–28 nds : vent fort, réservé aux riders expérimentés.
- 🟣 28+ nds : conditions extrêmes, navigation engagée.
Localisation & Points d'intérêt
Informations utiles
chop
flatThe main wind at Punta Chame is cross-on or side-on from the northeast or east, blowing consistently over Isla Taborcillo. Launching is done from the giant sandy beach of Punta Chame, with enough space to take off on grass or sand, even though at high tide the beach shrinks to 10 meters wide.
The sailing area around the island becomes magical at low tide, when the sandbars appear in the middle of the bay, creating a water surface flatter than butter for freestyle, foil, or wing. Expect 10-20 minutes to get there by kite depending on the wind direction; once there, you can circle around the island or land to explore.
At rising tide, the water surface goes from flat to choppy and then to small waves, perfect for advanced riders who go out at any time. Nearby lagoons, accessible in 5-10 minutes downwind, offer flat conditions at mid-tide for training, but the large lagoon near the mouth is reserved for advanced due to the downwind route. Schools like Panama Kite Center organize downwinders along the mangroves or boat trips to the island.
Ideal conditions are with NE/E cross-on wind of 15-25 knots, at low or mid-low tide around the full moon to maximize flats on sandbars.
The water surface varies with the tide: ultra-flat on the sandbars at low tide, ideal for tricks. At high tide, it becomes choppy with small waves on the open bay.
The lagoons block the swell for perfect flat conditions, while outside it’s chop with light waves and strong wind.
The tides are significant, with a range of up to 4-5 meters (15 feet), strongly influencing the spot. The current is generally weak in the bay, but be cautious of variations near channels and sandbars.
Plan for a wide range of 6 to 15 m² to cover wind variations. The 12 m² is the most used for an 80 kg rider.
The trade wind blows consistently from December to April, with speeds of 15-25 knots, mainly cross-onshore from the NE/E. It is a reliable pattern due to the interaction of winds from the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Forecasts are not always reliable, but live stations like Panama Kite Center provide real-time conditions.
The climate in Punta Chame is tropical, with a dry season from December to April marked by consistent winds and little rain. Temperatures hover around 28-32°C year-round, and the water remains warm with no need for a wetsuit.
The rainy season from April to December weakens the wind, but the spot remains rideable on windy days.
The depth increases quickly beyond the sandbars, going from shallow to deep rapidly. The bottom is mostly sandy, with foot-deep water at mid-tide in the lagoons.
The water is warm year-round at 26-29°C, with no wetsuit needed even in the dry season.