Mariato

Mariato is one of my favorite spots in the Republic of Panama. Why? Because people are clean, friendly, hardworking and humble. Once you are at mariato, there is always a good vibe. As a matter of fact, some villages like Malena are so into religion and being good people that there is no beer, cigarettes or human "auto clickiti" destructive products.

Last dry season I spent months out there working on my farm. I had a great experience exploring around other farms, view, beaches and actually found some really good surf breaks! According to my family's history, Mariato was a shrimp farm owned by a single family. Most people there are ex workers of this shrimp farms. Even before them, there were Spanish conquerors who had taken over on this place and thats why my great grandmother lived there. She had green eyes, white skin and a very refined face. People keep telling me that I am a "Gringo" or "European" but the truth is my roots are from Spain and the Mariato region.

It is cool to see picture of this place 70 years ago. I will make an effort to scan them and post them here. My grandmother's stories about this place are pretty good. She said she used to take a boat from Puerto Mutis in Santiago, passing by all those little Islands (Governadora, Cebaco, Isla Verde, etc) bordering by Cerro La Hoya, then passing by Cambutal, Venado and going back into Agua Dulce. Then she would jump on a horse and took 4 days to get to Panama City! its freaking crazy! She said she had the first car in town and her father used to charge 10 cents a ride!

Mariato will always be my favorite option to live outside Panama City, not just for its people, enviroment, ocean views but also for my roots! The most famous spot is playa mariato which is where Mrs. Martina, Luz Delia and YiYo live and where the surf is (This is for sale). If anyone interested I will let them know. Them three of them operate a fishing operation and distribution like most people around there. Among every single beach I have ever seen in the Republic of Panama, this region is the most hard core for fishing. These guys are true fishermen. When it comes down to fishing, these guys take off at 7 pm with single engine pangas, no radio, no GPS, no radar, no fish finder, no nothing, they just go! when they come back, they have all the fish in the world with or without waves!

I truly dont like taking shots of the playa Mariato surf break, the wave is too mellow for me. This is the type of wave you want to ride on a longboard if you suffer from arthritis. Its very soft and lack of power.

Hope you enjoyed the surf photos from mariato.