From a surfing point of view, Surf City El Salvador is, without a doubt, one of the destinations with the best selection of beaches and waves in Central America, but what really makes them come alive are the local professional surfers, who fill the country with pride and recognition and give it great prestige at an international level. That’s why today we give you some tips for surfing at Surf City El Salvador.
Most people surf for the fun of it; for others, surfing is a way of living and understanding life, as well as a great distraction that serves as a therapy to evade the problems of everyday life and achieve a closer and more intimate contact with nature. Even so, it is also true that, to achieve such a level of appreciation of the sport, a certain amount of experience and mastery of technique is required.
For this reason, we have contacted some of the country’s most renowned professional surfers – Bryan Pérez, Porfirio Miranda, Evelyn Centeno and Samuel Arenívar, representatives during the ISA World Surfing Games of the Salvadoran surfing team – who have given us some tips to enjoy a good surf session in Surf City El Salvador. What is their opinion about their country’s coast and the waves that characterize it? They confess it below.
Porfirio Miranda, professional surf athlete, assures that «In El Salvador the waves are very good and it is necessary to have 2 or 3 boards for small wave days and bigger wave days«. In addition, he also affirms that in El Salvador there are very good beaches just a few minutes away, something that corroborates Evelyn Centeno, Salvadoran surfer: «any wave in El Salvador is of world quality, and you can enjoy them all in one day, since the distance is very short compared to other countries«. Of all the waves that you can find along the beaches of the coastline, the favorites of another of the athletes of the Salvadoran team, Samuel Arenívar, are La Bocana, Punta Roca and Las Flores in San Miguel, who comments that: «they have the best waves and are beaches with a lot of security for all foreigners«.
Bryan Perez, El Salvador’s most successful surfer, also a contestant in the ISA World Surfing Games qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, agrees with Samuel in his preference, but in this case he chooses Punta Roca as number 1, since it is where he surfs since he was a child and, in addition, «it is the beach where you can find the best waves in the world, perfect right waves, tubes, and where you can do all kinds of maneuvers, paradise for anyone who likes to surf«.
Safety is a fundamental premise when surfing; therefore, Evelyn recommends to «be careful with the rocks and, above all, protect yourself with sunscreen and plenty of hydration«. It is also important to know that the ideal time to surf in Surf City El Salvador is first thing in the morning, as all the surfers of the Salvadoran team assure, since there is a medium tide and the possibility of strong wind is reduced, leaving a totally favorable scenario for wave lovers.
In addition, they all agree on the crucial importance of respecting the locals, as Bryan Perez says, it is essential to «respect the locals, be very friendly with all the people. […] Take care of our beaches, our seas, keep the beaches clean and don’t use plastics,» a statement that shows the responsibility and environmental awareness of the young surfer. He is not the only one who advises respect and relationship with the environment: Evelyn Centeno remarks that «the first thing you have to do when you arrive at a surfing place is to greet the locals, be friendly with them and then you’ll be able to surf in harmony».
Passionate about having a good breakfast after a day of surfing
Surfing is one of the most complete sports and with more muscle activation that currently exists, therefore, it is vital to maintain a good preparation before the sport, as well as a phase of stretching and recharging energy adequate to maintain the body’s energy active. Surf City El Salvador offers a great diversity of local food and an endless number of restaurant options all along the boardwalk, where you can even eat fresh fish just out of the sea.
According to Bryan Perez, the best way to regain strength after a day of surfing is to eat a nice plate of fish at his father’s restaurant, located in Punta Roca. It’s the only restaurant located at the edge of the beach and where you will find a great variety of fish, meat, seafood, and all kinds of different options, while enjoying a spectacular view of the sea.
On the other hand, Evelyn Centeno recommends going out for breakfast at The Beach Break Hotel or Hostal Punta El Zonte, or staying overnight at Horizonte, where they offer a spectacular breakfast, and if you are looking for something more typical, the area of El Zonte offers many low and high budget options.
Porfirio Miranda, on the other hand, chooses El Tunco beach for its good views. «There are high-end restaurants with very good food dishes for different types of people. […] There are some that are just pupuserías and others that also have burritos, tacos, or mixed meals,» he states.
The testimonials conclude:
In short, El Salvador is an excellent choice for all those who want to visit and get to know a paradisiacal destination with a great variety of cultures and an undeniable potential for waves and the world of surfing. If you are stuck in a routine and what you really need is to live adventures in a totally virgin and exciting environment, follow our tips for surfing at Surf City El Salvador; magical for its climate, ideal gastronomy and world-class waves. The dream of every surfer.
What are you waiting for?