María Chiquita: Congo Culture and Surfing

Two different travel interests come together in María Chiquita: the Encuentro de Congos focuses on cultural traditions, workshops, and dance; Panama’s tourism authority recommends the beach as a starting point for a surfing tour along the Costa Arriba. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, this gives you a practical starting point: these themes offer clues about what you may want to prioritize when planning your stay.

A gathering for Congo culture and exchange

As of June 3, 2025, the Encuentro de Congos in María Chiquita is intended to strengthen ties between Congo groups from Colón and the rest of the country. Educational activities are intended to revive traditional crafts, dances, songs, and rhythms. The gathering is therefore about both exchange between the groups and several traditional forms of expression. Dance groups from different palenques perform at the recurring Encuentro. If you want to plan your trip around this gathering, check the specific event arrangements in advance.

Workshops offering different ways to take part

The Encuentro offers visitors of all ages workshops on drumming, necklaces, crowns and hats, Congo skirts, and Afro-Caribbean cuisine. The range covers rhythm and music, jewelry and clothing, and food. The workshops complement the dance performances with other ways to engage: while groups from different palenques dance at the recurring gathering, the workshops explore specific topics in music, traditional crafts, and cuisine. The explicit reference to all ages is helpful when planning a trip with children and adults. The different topics offer plenty to discuss as you consider together which aspects will interest your group most. This makes your cultural interests more specific than a general desire to learn about a tradition.

Surfing along the Costa Arriba

Panama’s tourism authority recommends María Chiquita beach as a starting point for a surfing tour along the Costa Arriba. The regional focus makes this recommendation more specific than a general mention of a beach: it centers on a surfing activity that follows the Costa Arriba. If you’d like to include surfing in your trip, you can consider this recommendation when choosing where to stay. This directly links your choice of vacation destination to the activities you’re looking for.

Using experiences to guide your choice of location

If the Encuentro is the main reason for your trip, check the specific event arrangements before you travel. The surfing recommendation, by contrast, points to a starting point for a tour and places the beach in its regional context along the Costa Arriba. So first consider which experience will be the deciding factor for your stay. When looking for a vacation rental in María Chiquita, you can base your choice of location on a particular cultural gathering or your interest in surfing. If you’re traveling with children of different ages, it’s also helpful to know that the workshops are offered to visitors of all ages.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Nombre de Dios, Colón, Puerto Lindo, La Guaira, Playa Chiquita, Portobelo, Gamboa, Santa Isabel.

Back to the main travel overview: Colón.