Accessible only by water, they headed out to the 50-acre private island sanctuary of Sweet Bocas. Heading across the water, an overwater villa against a backdrop of dense jungle came into view, and this private island retreat — designed for just one group at a time — was the perfect arrival into paradise.

Arriving at the wooden walkways, they were met by the friendly staff and eagerly explored what would be their home for the week. A sustainably built teak villa and the surrounding estate, complete with a freshwater lake in the island’s interior, an infinity pool, gym, tennis courts, and a boathouse full of watersports gear, this off-grid spot already exceeded their expectations.

After unpacking, they relaxed, took a dip in the pool, and enjoyed their first sunset and dinner. Mealtimes at Sweet Bocas are as much a part of the experience as anything else. Chef Edgar Hernandez creates delicious dishes inspired by Panama’s flavors, and much of what appears at the table at the villa is grown on the island’s own organic farm.

After a restful night’s sleep, they awoke to the calming sounds of the Caribbean jungle and waves. Enjoying an alfresco breakfast, they met with their instructor for the week: a world-champion surfer and force behind the Sweet Bocas surf program, whose confidence put everyone at ease, and they were as ready as ever to begin the week’s tuition.

Having surfed before but not recently, the father and daughters enjoyed a quick refresher on land, with a pop-up practice session at the beach before heading out to catch their first waves. Just a short boat ride from the villa, they arrived at Isla Colón, where the main surf spots are. To ease themselves back in, they spent the morning at Waiki, a gentle beach break with mellow rolling waves. They paddled in and out, perfected balances, and embraced the falls, all under the guidance of a pro.

For this morning’s surf session, they headed to the quieter Isla Bastimentos and to Playa Larga. Several breaks unfolded along the beach, and for the sunrise session, they had them entirely to themselves. Surfing an empty beach at sunrise was certainly a session they wouldn’t forget. After returning to the villa for lunch, the afternoon was again spent on the water, but this time in a different way — a private boat tour of the archipelago’s most idyllic spots on the estate’s 30’ yacht.

Another beautiful sunrise prompted the daughters to enjoy some early-morning yoga — the perfect way to limber up before the surf session. Today, they also had a professional photographer to document the session and capture action shots of them playing in the surf.

First, they surfed Tiger Tail, a fun right-hander on Isla Colón with a generous, readable face ideal for warming up and experimenting. Then they went on to the Paunch, one of Bocas’ better-known reef breaks, and slightly more demanding.

The beauty of Sweet Bocas’ location is that the best surf spots are just a short boat ride away. Another privately guided surf session kicked off the morning, with more one-to-one instruction helping them work on their specific skills that had been building all week. This time, they crossed to Carenero Island, to the Old Bank break. This A-frame peak breaks in the middle of a channel, where the deep-water reef makes for an exciting but safe ride.

The final surf morning took them to Kusapín, on the far side of the archipelago — a remote, undeveloped break rarely visited and, on this morning, entirely theirs. The daughters caught the best waves of the week here, with the photographer again on hand to shoot both the break and the surfers they had become over the past few days.

The afternoon rounded out the week’s watersports fun in style with wakeboarding and waterskiing on the bay, before the pace slowed and they took the kayaks to leisurely explore the jungle and collect a bouquet of flowers for their final night. Dinner was the best of the week and proved to be just as memorable as the trip itself.

After a final relaxed breakfast, they said goodbye to the team at Sweet Bocas and the islands and headed back to Panama City via private charter. Landing at the domestic terminal, they were whisked to a leisurely lunch spot before experiencing a privately guided tour of the iconic Panama Canal.

At the Miraflores Locks, they watched in awe as enormous container ships navigated the chambers with precision, the century-old engineering working before them. The Visitor Center’s 3D documentary brought the canal’s history to life, the scale of its ambition, the human cost, and the achievement of it all.