Guatemala
Country/State Data
Regions
1
Breaks
15
Coastline
400 KM
Cost of living
Capital
Guatemala City
Current Time
Security
Health
Positives
- Hardly ever flat
- Dry season offshore winds
- Completely uncrowded
- Cheap lodging & Food
Negatives
- Beachbreaks only
- No coastal road
- Strong rips
- Occasional petty crime
Where to surf in Guatemala
It may not be the best surf in Central America, but warm water and uncrowded beachbreaks will always find takers. With over thirty volcanoes and many peaks rising above 4,000m, it's surprising not a single rock can be spotted along the 250km coastline, making for a continuous stretch of mostly black-sand beachbreaks where rivermouths and jetties are the focus for locals and a few visiting surfers, who are usually heading for the rocky geology to the south.
Considered a transit zone between Mexico and El Salvador, coastal access is a pain, thanks to the main highway being 50km (31mi) inland and smaller roads meander to the coastal towns, parallel to the rivers. Things improve at Puerto San Jose where S-SW swells hit straight on, often too big for the open beaches, but usually manageable at the rivermouth jetties.
Caribbean
The Caribbean coast is mostly unexplored and the straight, flat beaches of Izabal province gently shelve into the silted up bay and stretch down towards the Honduran border, offering negligible chances of scoring clean waves.
Surf spots in Guatemala
Research the 15 surf breaks in Guatemala and discover what spots suit the current conditions.
Break lowdown
We’ve collated the wave data giving you a unique insight into the 15 breaks in Guatemala.
When to go
Surf and weather statistics to help plan your surf trip to Guatemala
- jan
- feb
- mar
- apr
- may
- jun
- jul
- aug
- sep
- oct
- nov
- dec
Travel Information
General
- Current Time
- Tourists
- 1,781,000
- Population
- 17,915,568
- Tourist Info
- Tourist Info
Security
Health
Money
- Currency
- GTQ
- Exchange rate
- $1 = 7.67 GTQ GTQ
Cost of living
Communication
- Dialing in
- +502
- Dialing out
- 00
- Language
- Spanish, Amerindian
Electricity
- Plug Type
- ab
Visas
Most nationalities can visit visa free for stays of up to 90 days.
Getting There
Fly to Guatemala City (GUA). Grupo Taca is the national airline. Direct buses run to Puerto San José (2h) Iztapa (3h) and Monterrico (4h). Sipacate is a 2h drive from Guatemala City, or 3h by public transport with a connection in Escuintla.
Getting Around
The Carretera al Pacifico (CA-2) is a fast highway running parallel to the coast about 50km (31mi) inland. There’s no proper coastal road, except for the Chulamar - Monterrico stretch. Rent a car ($370/week) to avoid the overcrowded “Chicken Bus”.
Accommodation
The tourism infrastructure isn't fully developed on the coast and low-standard hotels are the rule except in Chulamar, Iztapa and Monterrico. Check out surfinguatemala.com for accommodation options, surf school and rentals. El Parédon surf camp ($3.75/d tent; $8.50/d bunkbed; $27/d room) offers lessons and rentals. Complete meal = $12.
Activities
The Mayan ruins of Tikal are at the other end of the country. Turtle watching on many beaches during the full moon. Visit the Biotopo Monterrico-Hawaii nature reserve. Around Sipacate, bird watching, canoeing and fishing will fill a flat day.
Hazards & hassles
No rocks to hit, but beware of the strong currents around rivermouths. Tourists are commonly targeted for robbery, bus and car-jackings. Travelling after sunset should be avoided. Malaria risk exists but dengue fever is the main concern in coastal areas.
Handy Hints
Take everything including favourite beachbreak board. Extra bars of warm water wax will befriend the locals. Early morning, low incoming tide, offshore wind and a 4-6ft SW swell should see ideal conditions everywhere.
Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.
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