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Welcome to El Sunzal, El Salvador – Learn to surf at our new surf camp

November 28, 2024

New surf camp alert! Here’s everything you need to know about our brand new surf camp in El Salvador. We’ll guide you through our favourite surf spots, when it’s the best time to surf here and what you should pack for the trip. Welcome to our dreamy surfing destination right in Central America! 

We can finally share the great news that we just opened a new surf camp in El Salvador. And what a camp that is. It’s so close to the surfable waves that you can literally just grab your board, walk down the stairs from the camp and voilà – You're at the beach!

We have completely fallen in love with El Salvador and our new camp feels like home already, here we go through some of our favourite things that might just make you fall in love with it too.

Check out the surf camp here.

Quick facts about El Salvador

  • Official language: Spanish

  • Time zone: Central Standard Time (UTC-6)

  • Currency: United States dollar (USD)

  • Plugs: The plug types in El Salvador are the same as in the US, type A and type B. The supply voltage in El Salvador is 120V

Surf camp location: Where are El Salvador and El Sunzal? 

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America, boarded by Guatemala, Honduras and the Pacific Ocean. The camp is located in a small town called El Sunzal on the southern Pacific coast. If you go down to the beach and walk for around five minutes you’ll get to the nearby town called El Tunco, also known as Surf City.

Our new surf camp: A home right by the ocean where you get the calmness of El Sunzal and the pulse of Surf City

The camp is located in front of El Sunzal beach, which is one of the surf spots you’ll surf at the most during your stay at the camp. You can even check the surf conditions from your balcony! The area of El Sunzal is nice and quiet since it’s almost unheard of by tourists. But if you’re looking for a bit more upbeat vibe and to dance all night long then head over to Surf City for a night out with good food and drinks.

Weather and seasons: When is the best time to surf in El Salvador?

Swimming pool, El Salvador

El Salvador has surfable waves all year around, so every season is surf season. The winter season, aka the wet season, is around May to October. During this season it rains quite a bit, but the rain is usually only on during the late afternoon and night with otherwise pleasant weather. It’s a great time to get the biggest swells! The summer, or the dry season, is around November to April. During the summertime, you’ll enjoy consistent swells and warm, sunny days. El Salvador is located near the equator and has an average temperature of around 25 to 35 degrees Celsius.

Surf spots: Where to surf in El Salvador?

For travellers who are unfamiliar with surfing here, a common question is: “Does El Salvador have good surfing?”. And all we can say to that is heck yes! El Salvador is arguably one of the best surf destinations in Central America, with long and consistent rides down the waves. 

El Salvador is famous for its surfing. Why? Well, beaches like El Sunzal beach and Punta Roca are known for their amazing swells. The rides are fun and you won’t need a wetsuit. ISA World Surfing Games were held in El Sunzal and La Bocana in 2021. So these beaches are known among surfers around the world. But you don’t need to be a pro surfer to enjoy the waves, there are plenty of beginner-friendly spots around.

Surfing in El Salvador: Our favourite surf spots are right by the camp

There are two main surf spots that we use at the Lapoint Camp: El Sunzal and La Bocana. Sometimes we go further from the camp to explore more spots, but here’s a quick sneak peak on our two favourites:

El Sunzal

This is our main beach that’s just outside the camp. This spot has an amazing beach break for beginner surfers where you can enter and exit the water easily without any danger. El Sunzal is great for more experienced surfers too, the different sections offer different experiences, so it’s the perfect spot for all three levels. There can be a lot of people in the water, but it's a cool spot with great vibes in the water.

La Bocana

This spot is only for level 3 surfers since the waves are more powerful here. Experienced surfers will have a great time at La Bocana since it has consistent sweets, both left-and right-hand breaks and fun 300-meter rides.

Surf level: Can you surf in El Salvador as a beginner as well as an advanced surfer?

Yes, for sure! El Salvador has waves for every level. Everyone from beginner surfers to advanced riders is welcome to stay at the camp and improve their surfing. Something that’s new with this camp that is unfamiliar to our other camps, is that here you surf 1-on-1 with your instructor. This means that you’ll have a great opportunity to catch more waves and get better feedback than you would have gotten in a big group.

Local cuisine: The food and drinks you need to try in El Salvador 

The most well-known food in El Salvador is the Salvadorian pupusas, which is an absolute must-try when you visit. It’s made with corn flour- or rice flour-tortillas and then you have either beans, chicken or cheese (or something else that you like) in between. Simple and delicious! Do you want to impress the locals? Then make sure to not eat them like tacos! Tear off a bit of the pupusa, pinch it together and use it to pick up the beans or chicken (with some nice salsa) and eat it. For beverages, try a horchata, chan or the limonada con hierbas to quench the thirst. Or why not get a fresh coconut from the saleslady at the beach?

You will find great food during your visit, both at the camp and around the area. You’ll see that there are both local and international foods at good prices. The currency in El Salvador is United States Dollars, one USD is almost exactly the same as one Euro. Here are some quick snapshots of different prices:

  • Dinner at a restaurant: 6-10 USD 

  • Local food: 5-10 USD 

  • Coffee: 1 USD

  • Beer: 1,5 USD

  • Pupusas (must try!): 5 cent/pupusa

Adventures: What to see and do in El Salvador?

We wouldn't blame you if you want to stay all day surfing and watching the amazing waves from the camp. But if you feel the thirst for more adventures, we got you covered! 

  • Hike at the Santa Ana volcano: When visiting El Salvador, hiking the Santa Ana volcano is on most adventurous travellers' bucket lists. You would do a hike through the jungle to reach this active volcano where you’ll find a crater lake with beautiful turquoise water. 

  • Swim at the waterfalls of Tamanique: We hike in the jungle for about one hour to reach the Tamanique waterfalls. Here you’ll see and swim by some of the country’s best and most beautiful waterfalls.

  • Take a boat tour in the Mangrove forest: For those brave at heart, visiting the Mangrove forest is a real adventure. During this boat tour, you can watch wild crocodiles swim by the boat and monkeys climb in the trees above you.

Check out this site for more info and pricing.

Packing list: What do you need to bring to the surf camp?

What you need to bring for a week in paradise: 

  • Passport

  • Swimwear

  • Towels: We provide bath towels at the camp, but please bring your own beach towels.

  • Reusable water bottle: At Lapoint, we destroy waves, not the planet. Therefore, as a part of our sustainability program, we don’t sell any plastic bottles and try to limit the use of plastic at the camp. In doing so, please bring a reusable water bottle for your trip to El Salvador. 

  • Sunscreen: The sun is very strong in El Salvador so we advised you to bring sun protection with high SPF. We recommend using Oxybenzone-free products to reduce pollution and help conserve our beautiful ocean. We sell environmentally friendly zinc at the camp.

  • Mosquito spray: Everyone loves El Salvador, and mosquitoes are no exception! Make sure that you bring mosquito spray to prevent them from bothering you. 

  • Adapter: You will have the opportunity to buy adapters at the camp, but it's better to be safe than sorry and have one with you (it’s no fun to have your phone die at the airport and no way of charging it!). The plug types in El Salvador are the same as in the US, type A and type B. The supply voltage in El Salvador is 120V. 

  • Vax: For level 3 riders it’s a good idea to bring a bar of surf wax with you.

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