El Paredón Surf Guide
A chill town between Iztapa and Sipicate, El Paredón has nice breaks for beginner and intermediate surfers.
Quick Facts
Quiet town with uncrowded waves
Has both beginner and fun intermediate waves
Super chill town, not a lot going on
Summer season brings cleaner and bigger waves
Surf Season in El Paredón
Like other places in Guatemala (such as nearby Iztapa), El Paredón definitely delivers the best waves in the summer. The wind will likely be mellower, and the swell climbs quite a bit. With summer swells climbing up to 6ft+, winter swells are going to stay more in the 3-4 foot range max. However, the wave can still break cleanly with the right wind and be a whole lot of fun to ride. It’s also likely to be fairly quiet in the winter months.
Where to Surf in El Paredón
Like the other breaks in Guatemala, the best spot to surf is right at the mouth of the river. During the summer months with a southern swell, it can really pump here with some long and clean rights. In the winter, you’ll still find rights here, but much smaller and likely to be more peaky.
Crowds - Rarely
Surfer Level - Beginner, Intermediate
Ideal Swell - S/SW
Ideal Wind - N/NE, Light or None
Break Type - Rivermouth beach
Consistency - 80%
Be Aware: Some rocks
Surf Camps and Classes in El Paredón
There are plenty of places to rent surfboards in El Paredón, and you’ll find people offering classes. As far as schools or camps go, we recommend working with Ryan Croteau. Ryan is a traveling surf coach who has spent a bunch of time in Guatemala and is connected with the community. He works with Buena Vista Surf Hotel to create a surf camp that is super focused and attentive. Give it a look!
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