Two distinct travel interests stand out in María Chiquita: the Encuentro de Congos as a cultural event, and surfing along the Costa Arriba. So it’s worth making an initial decision as you plan: would you like to focus on traditional cultural forms and workshops, or are you mainly drawn to surfing? This priority is also a good starting point for searching for a hotel in María Chiquita. It gives your accommodation planning direction and helps you organize the next steps around the event that matters most to you.

The Encuentro de Congos: Culture and Workshops

The Encuentro de Congos de María Chiquita aims to strengthen the connections between Congo groups from Colón and the rest of the country. A description updated on June 3, 2025, identifies educational programs as a way to revive traditional crafts, dances, songs, and rhythms. The gathering thus brings together several forms of expression: music and dance alongside craft traditions. If you’re interested in the Encuentro, you can focus not only on dances but also on cultural education and crafts. This combination defines the gathering’s cultural focus.

At the Encuentro, visitors of all ages are offered workshops on drums, necklaces, crowns and hats, Congo skirts, and Afro-Caribbean cuisine. The topics offer different ways to engage with the cultural program, from musical forms to clothing and cuisine. The recurring gathering also features dance groups from various palenques. If certain workshops or performances are especially important to your trip, check the specific event arrangements in advance. This will help you plan around what you’d like to experience at the gathering, rather than relying solely on a general idea of the program.

Surfing Along the Costa Arriba

Panama’s tourism authority recommends María Chiquita Beach as a starting point for a surfing trip along the Costa Arriba. This makes surfing a distinct theme to consider when planning your trip. If you’d like to make it a priority, check the current conditions before planning your trip. This allows you to take into account the conditions relevant to surfing rather than relying solely on the general recommendation.

Choosing the Right Focus

The two themes raise different questions to consider in advance: for the Encuentro, the specific event arrangements matter; for a surfing trip, it’s the current conditions. Think about which of these will have a greater influence on your plans. Would you mainly like to experience the cultural offerings at the gathering, or is surfing the reason for your trip? If you’re interested in both, weigh the themes carefully and give the one that matters most to you enough room. This will help you shape your plans around your own travel interests and then search more purposefully for accommodation in María Chiquita.

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

Go to the main travel overview: Colón.