PUNTA MANGO SURF TRIPS - El Salvador surfing

El Salvador is a new surfing frontier with dozens of pristine spots scattered across its 320km of Pacific Ocean coastline. El Salvador will catch any and all ground swells generated from the Southern hemisphere and is extremely consistent, with rideable waves of chest high or bigger over 300 days of the year. The coastline is renowned for its righthand cobblestone and sand point breaks that rival the best in the world such as Rincon and Jeffrey’s Bay. El Salvador has everything from world class hollow waves, to classic points, to fun and rippable beachbreaks.

Punta Mango Surf Trips has been the leader of guided El Salvador surfing tours since 1998. Punta Mango Surf Trips offers customized accommodations packages and fully guided surfaris to all the best breaks along El Salvador’s Pacific coastline, with emphasis on 2 surfing-rich areas: La Libertad and the Wild East.

“La Libertad” refers to the entire coastline of La Libertad state. The La Libertad full-day and half-day surfing tours include the surf breaks of La Paz, Punta Roca, La Bocana, Sunzal, Zonte, K59, K61 and other secret spots. It is possible to surf these locations while based at any of our La Libertad coast accommodations options or San Salvador hotels (30 min. away).

The “Wild East” refers to the coastline around El Cuco in the state of San Miguel, 3 hours east of San Salvador. On the short drive to the East you will pass over El Salvador’s biggest river and see majestic volcanoes rising up from the coastal plain. The premier break in the East is Playa Las Flores, a mechanical sand point with a hollow take off and 100 yard plus rides. Nearby, accessible by boat only, are numerous other remote, world class point breaks, arguably the jewel of EL Salvador.

Your experienced, bilingual Punta Mango Surf Trips’ guide will greet you at the international airport with a 4x4 vehicle and will take care of you and your group throughout your stay in EL Salvador. Each day your Punta Mango guide will come to your hotel first thing in the morning and based on surfing conditions and local knowledge transport you to the best surfing breaks throughout El Salvador. Factors such as swell height, swell direction, tide, wind, and surfing ability of each group will determine which spots are surfed. Punta Mango’s tours are totally customized, private surfing tours designed for small groups of 1-6 surfers. All our vehicles have roof racks which can accommodate up to 6 or more coffin bags, are newer model 4x4 SUVs and vans with full a/c and car stereo, accommodating guide and up to 6 surfers. All vehicles are fully registered and insured, well maintained, and contain a cellular phone system, first aid kit, and cooler for cold drinks. Punta Mango owns the majority of its 4x4 SUVs and Vans but in overflow situations or for large groups will rent new 4x4 SUVs and Vans as necessary from reputable agencies. Punta Mango also offers boat trips to remote breaks where you can be assured of surfing in a pristine environment with no crowds whatsoever. The boat rides include a 4-5hr expedition, cold drinks, and lots of barrels.

Punta Mango’s guides are professionally trained as "Alternative Tourism Guides" and follow and support Sustainable Development guidelines. They have first aid courses and all are equipped with cellular phones able to handle any situation that might arise. Your security is our #1 concern. Punta Mango believes in maintaining a daily presence with all our guests in the country and not leaving our guests on their own, so that you have continual contact with Punta Mango throughout your trip. When you are not with your guide, such as at night at the hotel, or in the case of half-day surfing tours for the part of the day that you are not doing a surfing tour, we provide you with each guide’s cellular phone number and a phone sheet for all of Punta Mango Surf Trips so that you can always get in touch with a Punta Mango guide or representative for any emergency or non-emergency situation that may arise.

Concerns are always raised about the issue of safety in El Salvador. El Salvador is a stable democracy with a well-armed police. Its people are among the most welcoming and friendliest in Central or South America, and overall El Salvador is a beautiful and magical country with much to offer those who travel to its shores. Many rumors and exaggerated accounts abound which paint a much sketchier picture of EL Salvador than the reality. Much of this information is outdated. Such rumors and exaggerations have largely kept the crowds away and led to tourism booms in other countries such as Costa Rica. This is okay because it has left El Salvador’s waves largely overlooked and uncrowded. At present day there is still a good vibe in the lineups and the sport of surfing in El Salvador is growing at a sustainable level given the country’s surfing resources. Punta Mango takes the issue of security very seriously however, not out of paranoia but in the interests of vigilance and prevention. All of our partner hotels and properties are inside gated compounds with concrete and barbed wire fences, and the majority of them have an armed security presence. You and your belongings are totally safe inside Punta Mango’s hotels and properties. While it is generally safe during the day to be out at the beaches, we recommend that you stay inside your hotel or property at night and do not venture out on your own without a Punta Mango Surf Trips guide. We also recommend against renting cars as they are easy targets for crime. While you are surfing, Punta Mango’s guides will leave your 4x4 inside a secure compound or in another location where it is vigilantly guarded by Punta Mango personnel. We often take an additional person with us with the specific purpose to stay with the car at all times, so you do not need to be concerned about your possessions being stolen while you are out surfing.

Punta Mango Surf Trips also offers surf lessons, eco tours, cultural and archaeological tours, fishing tours, and scuba-diving and snorkeling tours (fresh water and saltwater). El Salvador surfing is magical!