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6 Awesome Cliff Jumping Spots In Panama

6 Awesome Cliff Jumping Spots In Panama

Panama isn’t known for its cliff jumps but with over 1000 thousand waterfalls in the country, you know there will be some opportunities to send. I spent 100 days exploring Panama and visited A LOT of waterfalls. There were a couple of clear standouts but in the end, when I counted them all there was a decent amount of cliff jumping to be done in Panama. I’m sure I didn’t find all of the best local secret spots either!

jaguar falls kalu yala panama

I attended one cliff jump meet-up at Los Valles Waterfall and that was definitely the best spot for cliff jumping in Panama but I will show you the rest of the spots in this article.

Before I go into the details of each location it is important to remember the following when cliff jumping:

  • Always do a depth check and a debris check before jumping. Even if you have read online it is safe, the conditions may have changed. Make sure you check for any driftwood, reef, loose rocks, and of course the depth of the water.
  • Know your limits. Make sure you push yourself but not too far. If you have never done a backflip before, obviously start small not when you get to the edge of a 10-meter cliff.
  • Make sure you check the water conditions. If you are jumping into the ocean, be sure to have an exit route planned and be careful of getting stuck out in the ocean waiting for a set to finish if it is in a region of a big swell.
  • Just be smart. If your intuition tells you it is a bit risky, just give it a pass. Don’t risk your life for a cliff jump. Plenty of people get hurt or even lose their life around tide pools, rock pools, and cliff jumps every year. Play smart.
los valles waterfall cliff jump panama

BEST CLIFF JUMPING SPOTS IN PANAMA

In this blog post I will detail all of my favorite cliff-jumping spots I found while spending three months exploring Panama.

SINDIGO WATERFALL

Sindigo Waterfall is a great little spot with cliff jumping, a rope swing, and beautiful blue water. What I am saying is… welcome to paradise!

The waterfall is in the Gualaca region and is unmarked from the road. We jumped a barbed wire fence and headed down a small path. After hiking down a little path for 10 minutes we arrived at Sindigo Waterfall. Gualaca is about an hour from Boquete but it is worth the drive as this is one of the coolest little rope swings and things to do in Chiriqui.

The scene was magical. Moss-covered boulders created a swimming pool, which a sweet little waterfall poured into. From the top of the boulders, you can jump in from about 4 meters. This epic little spot even had a rope swing, which flung you all the way out into the middle of the pool.

The sun breaks through the canopy in the afternoon and turns this spot into a wonderland. The blue water shimmers and the light rays flow through in between the branches. It truly is a magical spot. We hung out for more than an hour jumping and swinging away with the waterfall our own private adventure spot!

View full blog post: SINDIGO WATERFALL IN CHIRIQUI

sindigo waterfall

JOGUATA WATERFALL

After more than a week in the town of Boquete, I had visited many waterfalls but none so far had a sizeable cliff jump. That all changed when I paid a visit to Joguata Waterfall in Caldera. An 8-meter jump from beside a waterfall into the pool below was enough to get my adrenaline pumping for the day. Caldera is about an hour away from Boquete and is worth the journey as this cliff jump is one of the best things to do in Chiriqui.

The scenery was insane but I don’t like when I have to jump out over a ledge. Even if the ledge is small it still isn’t super fun when backflipping out over rocks. Having said that, I think I cleared it by a lot. It isn’t dangerous but be careful as always. Jumping forward and feet first is quite safe and easy! The water is quite deep and the waterfall crashes into the pool so aim just to the left of that but check the conditions first as you never know what lurks beneath the surface.

View full blog post: JOGUATA WATERFALL CLIFF JUMP

joguata waterfall cliff jump panama
joguata waterfall cliff jump panama

LA SILAMPA WATERFALL HIKE

A rocky path carves it’s way through the rolling hills of Calobre. For an hour of steep trekking, curious hikers can only imagine what paradise may be found at the end of their journey. The trail finally ends, and what is found is truly an oasis, a crystal clear oasis. Flowing down for a river through the mountains, a waterfall cascades into the azure blue water, which then flows into several small lagoons before finally free-falling into another waterfall to disappear into the river below. This my friends is a mountain paradise.

Silampa is one of my favorite places in Panama and it’s the perfect location for an all-day hangout with a packed lunch and good company. The trek is only an hour one-way, which makes it the perfect weekend spot.

Read full blog post: LA SILAMPA WATERFALL HIKE

LA SILAMPA WATERFALL

LA SILAMPA WATERFALL

POZO AZUL WATERFALL CANYON

In what seems to be the middle of a quiet farmland region is one of the wonders of Panama. A lot of places around the world get hyped up but surprisingly Pozo Azul was spoken of as a nice spot but I didn’t expect to encounter such an epic location. In the depths of the jungle, a series of waterfalls flow down from one level to the next into crystal-clear azure pools. Rock climbing, cliff jumping, and the ultimate waterhole await you at Pozo Azul in Cocle, Panama.

Need more information? Full blog post: POZO AZUL WATERFALLS

pozo azul cocle panama

LOS VALLES WATERFALL CLIFF JUMP

Los Valles Waterfall cliff jump is by far one of my favorite places to hang out in all of Panama. Taking in the sun while laying on the rocks in between massive cliff jumps is heaven on earth for me!

The biggest cliff jump is 15m and other spots are possible to jump from throughout the watering hole. The biggest factor to point out is that this is not an easy place to cliff jump. In fact, the day I was there a guy almost died. He cracked open his head and broke his arm as he slipped and fell down the rock wall. The biggest issue is that on almost all of the jumps you need to clear some rocks on the wall below. It’s not hard but as we saw, mistakes happen and the rock wall is unforgiving. Especially on the big 15-meter jump, you need to run and really push off to reach the middle of the pool below. It is dangerous if you are scared and only do a small jump or back out halfway. Don’t take this place lightly.

Need more information? Full blog post: LOS VALLES WATERFALL: THE BEST CLIFF JUMP IN PANAMA

los valles waterfall cliff jump panama

JAGUAR FALLS HIKE IN KALU YALA

Jaguar Falls is a beautiful waterhole and waterfall at the end of a 5.3km hike through the jungle. It’s called Jaguar Falls because it is indeed a site where the Jaguar is present at night. It is not known how many but sightings are not uncommon. During the day, however, it is safe to visit Jaguar Falls. There is a great cliff jump of about 8m or even higher at the falls too! This is my favorite hike near Panama City.

READ THE FULL BLOG POSTJAGUAR FALLS HIKE AT KALU YALA

jaguar falls kalu yala panama

HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT MY OTHER PANAMA GUIDES

I hope you enjoy my guides and have a great time exploring Panama!

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Thursday 17th of August 2023

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