El Paredon

El Paredon is a fishing village on the Pacific coast west of Sipacate that has become the surf town of Guatemala: a long beach of hot black volcanic sand with a beach break that works most of the year, a single sandy street of hostels, surf schools and simple restaurants, and mangrove channels behind the village that separate it from the mainland. The setting is not manicured. It is hot, the sand burns underfoot, the surf has a strong shore break and rips, and the electricity supply is not always reliable. Boat trips go into the mangroves at dawn for birds, and a turtle hatchery releases hatchlings in the season.

What's there

• Black volcanic sand - the beach the village sits on.
• A beach break most of the year - the surf the town grew around.
• Mangrove channels behind - the water separating village from mainland.
• Dawn boat trips for birds - the standard non-surfing activity.

When to go

March to October for the biggest swell; the village is busy year round with surfers. Two days. Shuttles from Antigua are the easiest way in.

Before you go

The shore break is powerful and rip currents are dangerous; there are no lifeguards. The sand gets hot enough to burn feet. Facilities are basic and power cuts are common. The village has grown fast and unevenly.

Nearby

Sipacate is east; Monterrico lies further along the coast.