Los Buzos Resort — Hotel in Los Santos

I believe I was subjected to a particularly devious scam related to the $150 panga trips. I’ll provide the facts and you can make up your own mind. When you choose your kayak the first day, that is the one you’ll use all week. On the first day the weather worsened as the morning progressed. I noticed my kayak seemed to be getting sluggish and tippy. Never having been in a kayak that was taking on water, I thought the changes were due to the increasing wave height and strong current. The next day I that I was in the kayak, I noticed the same things happening again, only more severe as time went by. I found it difficult to even change directions as the rudder felt heavy and sluggish. I was sitting straight up in the middle of the seat when a regular swell dumped me over. After fishing me out of the drink, the lead guide said there was so much water in the hull of the sit-on-top kayak that he was unable to turn it back over by himself. He and another guide had to pump many gallons of water out before they could haul the kayak into a panga. The guide said nothing at that time or later about what might have caused the leak. The next two days I was singled out and offered panga trips which I hesitantly accepted because I had to assume the kayak I had to use was defective.

I had to edit my original review to be able the respond to the owner.

The owner’s explanation does not hold water although his kayaks do. If he’s being truthful, he is acknowledging that his crew doesn’t check the the kayaks to make sure they are seaworthy. I’ve been ocean kayak fishing for over two decades and have never had a leaking kayak. Also, I own a Hobie so if this trip was not for me, all potential guests should be aware.

Maybe the owner is actually unaware that his guides are running a scam on specific guests to get their panga trip up-charge bonus. It’s interesting to note that while my kayak was taking on water, and I was in the area of the guides in the pangas, they constantly were giving advice to me and other guests. They had to have seen I was sitting low because of the water in the hull (I weight 180 lbs.). Despite the constant flow of advice, they never mentioned anything about the reason for the leak; not while they removed the hatch to pump it out and not when they encouraged me to take panga trips for the remaining days. If they had mentioned they had checked my kayak for leaks and the only reason it could take on water was a loose hatch then I would would have continued to kayak fish. They also singled me out to advise that I keep the leash attached to all rods, including the one with which I was currently fishing. I noticed the other guests were unleashing the rod they were holding and yet they received no such warning. The guides knew I had paid for the insurance on the tackle so they didn’t want to eat the cost of a rod and reel being lost when I inevitably tipped.

If you decide to make this trip, fish from the kayaks, check the hatches daily, go during the dry season and take...

I have spent many years and countless dollars searching for places with ideal surfing and fishing conditions. I usually find places that are strong in one or the other, but not both. The places that I have been to that offer both world class surfing and fishing are usually on the beaten path and have the crowds and pressure that the beaten path brings with it. Other locations that are more remote typically are very expensive to reach and offer limited opportunities to do any activities outside of their standard offerings. This is not the case with Los Buzos Resort in Cambutal Panama. It takes some time and effort to get to Los Buzos, but that actually just adds to the charm of the place. After you visit you will understand what I am talking about. The surfing opportunities are incredible. There are a mix of breaks locally that include playful sand bottom beach breaks perfect for beginners to world class reef and point breaks. There are even remote boat access only surf spots nearby that probably only get surfed a handful of times a year by a few lucky surfers. The fishing is as excellent as the surf. Within a few miles of the lodge you can catch everything from trophy bottom fish like grouper and snapper to pelagic species like Tuna, wahoo, sailfish and marlin. The lodge has the best local captains and all the top notch equipment to provide safe, enjoyable and productive daily fishing trips. Los Buzos also offers plenty of things to do beyond surfing and fishing. You can hike in the private Parque Los Buzos and look for monkeys and other wildlife. There is horseback riding, art courses, cooking classes and various unforgettable nature excursions. Last but not least, the lodge accommodations themselves are perfectly located and super comfortable. All of your needs are addressed by the friendly and attentive lodge staff. The food at Los Buzos is nothing short of gourmet. The multi course dinners are typically designed around the day's catch and the other locally sourced ingredients. I was so happy with my one week stay at Los Buzos in February of 2023 that I bought a house here and I'm now living the dream at the...

Visited April 17-23, 2022.

Adam Fisk and Dakota Dunmire are great guides. They and some of the Panamanian Panga captains work hard to put you on fish. They put in the effort and have you (the client's best interest at heart)

With that said, I think the fishery has seen better days due to pressure and overfishing (from locals, commercial fishermen, and guides in the area). Don't believe the website, you're not guaranteed a fish of a lifetime.

The lodge and the kayaks themselves are in major need of money and investment. Gear and facilities have clearly seen better days. Multiple kayaks had issues during our week.

The fishing experience itself is more "DIY" as well. You mostly have to catch your own bait and do a lot of things on your own that eat up your time to be fishing for a giant rooster/cubera/whatever. This was the first guided trip in my life where the bait wasn't already caught for the clients and where you did not fish the best time(s) of day to catch fish. They said its due to tides but there are ways around it, honestly.

Finally, the owner (Morris) and management are more concerned about themselves and bringing in more money than your own personal experience. It is not "all inclusive" as the website states and you will spend well over the base fare during the week. Definitely not a world class experience in my opinion, yet that is what they are trying to market themselves on the...