El Paredon, Guatemala: Your Surf and Beach Town Guide

Welcome to El Paredon, Guatemala.

Black volcanic sand, year-round surf, mangroves and sunsets on Guatemala’s Pacific coast, about 2.5 to 3.5 hours from Antigua.

Plan your tripWhere to stay
  • 2.5 to 3.5 h from Antigua
  • Nov to Apr dry season
  • Sep to Dec turtle releases

Start here

New to El Paredon? These guides will get you sorted.

Getting ThereShuttles, buses and taxis from Antigua, Guatemala City and Lake AtitlanWhere to StayHostels, hotels and surf camps for every budget and vibeThings to DoSurf, turtle releases, mangrove tours and sunsetsSurfingThe beach break, the best season and where to take lessonsBest Time to VisitDry and rainy seasons, surf swells and turtle seasonIs It Safe?Tips for the town, the ocean and getting around

El Paredon

Guatemala’s Black Sand Surf Town

El Paredon is a small fishing village and surf town on Guatemala’s Pacific coast, in the Escuintla department. The beach is long, wide and made of black volcanic sand, and the town is a few sandy streets of hostels, surf camps and places to eat. Most visitors come to surf, catch the sunset and slow down for two to four nights.

El Paredon at a glance

  • WherePacific coast, Escuintla, about 100 km from Antigua
  • Getting thereShared shuttle from Antigua, 2.5 to 3.5 hours, usually US$20 to $29
  • Best timeNovember to April for dry, sunny days
  • TurtlesReleases from about mid-September to mid-December
  • How longMost visitors stay two to four nights
  • Good to knowNo airport, Uber or taxi rank in town, so book your ride ahead
How to get there →

Surfing in El Paredon

Surf El Paredon All Year

The beach break works all year. From November to April the waves are smaller and cleaner, and from May to October the swell gets bigger. Many surf camps in town offer lessons and board rental, so you can arrive without a board.

Surfing in El Paredon
Surfing in Guatemala

Best Places to Stay in El Paredon

Where to Stay in El Paredon

Six favorites from our full Where to Stay guide, from social beachfront hostels to a quiet villa. Tap one for what it’s like and who it suits.

Driftwood SurferSocial beachfront hostel with a swim-up bar and turtle releases in seasonMellow HostelPool, yoga and a calmer social scene a block from the sandCocori LodgeBeachfront pool, yoga and surf lessons, popular with solo travelersParedon Surf HouseOne of the original surf lodges, with bungalows and board rentalSwell Surf and Lifestyle HotelPool, restaurant and surf lessons for couples and familiesCasa ZalaQuiet villa stay with a saltwater pool, a short walk from the beach
Where to stay in El Paredon

Adventuring in El Paredon

Things to Do in El Paredon

Take a surf lesson, watch baby sea turtles released at sunrise from September to December, and explore the mangroves of Sipacate-Naranjo National Park by boat or kayak. Then end the day with sunset on the black sand.

Experience Surfing

Experience Surfing

Local Restaurants

Enjoy Food in Local Restaurants

Sunset

Don't Miss Sunset

Mangrove

Go for Mangrove Tour

Turtle Hatching

Watch Turtle Hatching

Things to do in El Paredon

Guatemalan Beaches

Black sand beach at Monterrico, Guatemala

Monterrico Beach

Livingston Beach

Livingston Beach

Puerto San Jose

Puerto San Jose

Playa Blanca

Playa Blanca

El Paredon, Guatemala

El Paredon

Beaches in Guatemala

Photos: sunset surfers by Lenin Estrada and surfboards by Marc-André Julien, both on Unsplash. Monterrico beach by DrStockPhoto.com, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, resized.