 |
| Lifeguard tower in front of Cocorí Lodge at El Paredón, Guatemala |
I didn't expect much going into Guatemala. I heard it was all beach breaks, which is my least favorite kind of break. But I needed a cheap getaway and a heavy dose of tropical surfing to counteract the blues after moving back to the States in the midst of stagflation (I know, my timing sucks). I got all that and more: though the waves were neither perfect nor consistent, they were uncrowded bliss.
Surf Spots
There are no distinct, named surf spots here as the entire coast of El Paredón is a surf spot. Surfers can spread out among several peaks on the outside and inside. It's a beach break, so the peaks move around depending on how the rain shapes the sand bottom and how the wind is blowing. Conditions can change drastically between morning and afternoon. The beach faces south and hence takes any southerly swell, so it never went flat in June.
 |
| Hauling speakers at low tide |
You won't often get long peelers like in Nicaragua or El Salvador, but it's not crowded and the locals are friendly. On most days, I had a peak to myself. The most surfers I've ever shared a break with was 5. The most popular peaks are the ones right in front of Cocorí Lodge and the one between the lifeguard tower and the "Yo Amo El Paredón" sign in big, colorful block letters that seem ubiquitous in every central american surf town.
The locals congregate on the inside left of the lifeguard tower to carve up peeling reforms then throw an air at the end where the waves collide into each other to form a wedge. This is also the best spot for bodyboards and shortboards. Getting to the outside break takes a herculean effort and a dozen duck dives unless it's a well-behaved short-period day that leaves some time and space to shoot out between sets. The frequent closeouts and short rides out in the corners often don't make the effort worthwhile.
Tides
On long period days or at low tide, the outer break tends to be a long wall of closeouts. Surf schools usually take their beginners out at low tide, when students can simply walk out along the sand bottom and catch loads of white water waves on the inside. My favorite time to go out was high tide, when the waves are more rampy than dumpy. I usually took the channel in front of the lifeguard tower or just before the green wall that separates Villas Tortuga from Pelicanos Hotel.
Currents
The currents are muy fuerte here. They will sweep you past your favorite peak faster than you realize. If you're aiming for a peak east of the green wall, start paddling about a thousand feet west of the peak. If you're targeting a peak west of the green wall, start paddling out in front of the green wall and the current will take you the other way.
Wind
As in most beaches, the winds are calmest in the morning and around sunset. But sometimes it's just blown out all day. When the winds are blowing 20 knots onshore or cross-shore, maybe consider a layday? Unless you loooove that Victory at Sea feeling with choppy seas and interminable closeouts.
Rain
June is rainy season but it usually rained at night and it was sunny half the time. There was only one instance when it rained during the day. It was late afternoon and everyone was excited by the warm rain falling into an even warmer ocean. Instead of running back inside, we all ran out to the ocean giggling and hollering. Those with surfboards hurried out to the back as the low pressure system tamed the ocean into more neatly groomed lines.
We ignored the sounds of distant thunder in the interest of squeezing out a ride or two before the lightning came closer (which it never did, as the storm passed just 30 minutes later). The lone lifeguard threw his hands up at the dozens of giddy beachgoers splashing around in the rain, their whooping and hollering drowning out his whistle.
Water Quality
The ocean remains surprisingly clean even after a heavy rain. There might be some logs or plant matter but no noticeable sewage. The septic systems here must have been properly installed and/or the infrastructure has kept up with the population growth. There are public trash cans along the beach where you can dispose of trash and recyclables.
El Paredón is not like Sayulita, where the ocean smells putrid after a rain. There is quite a bit of plastic trash that washes up on shore though, which is sad to see, but I rarely saw trash floating by me while surfing. It's not like Bali or Senegal, where you're wading and paddling through trash. The beach in front of Cocorí Lodge, at least, is kept clean through beach cleanups hosted by the resort.
Vibe
The locals are the friendliest, gentlest, and most unpretentious lot I've encountered in central america. No hassling or scamming. No cat calls. No hawkers. No one asking if I'm married or why I don't have kids. People do their jobs and leave you alone in peace. I felt safe walking around the town's unpaved roads devoid of traffic. Even the tourists are an unassuming bunch. I didn't catch any Instagram influencers posing and re-posing for a hundred photos. No botox nor fake boobs.
 |
| Quiet, sandy streets of El Paredón |
The people who come here are the kind that just want to relax at the beach and simply exist. It was a 50/50 mix of Guatemalans and foreigners. Weekends buzz with Guatemalan families and revelers. My first weekend here, Cocorí Lodge hosted a pride party with a reggaeton DJ. I had never been hit on by so many women before! It was good to see Guatemala, or at least El Paredón, was LGBT-friendly.
Accommodations
I recommend Cocorí Lodge hands down if you want to be at the center of the action - surfing, partying, working out, and relaxing. They host social events every day, such as beach cleanups, trivia night, beer pong, beach volleyball, and DJ'ed parties. You can do surf checks from the onsite restaurant right on the beach, in front of the main surf breaks. During Concacaf, people gather here to watch games on the TV.
 |
| The pool and hostel dorm at Cocori Lodge |
The pool area has multiple levels of lounging - chairs, hammocks, lush landscaping. You can swim in the lap lane, sit in the jacuzzi, or stay cool while tanning in the shallow wading area. They have yoga classes at 9am and an outdoor gym with squat rack, pull up bars, parallel bars, and free weights. Judging by their muscular physiques, the staff must all be making use of that gym. They held a spontaneous muscle-up contest at one point.
 |
| A villa at Cocori Lodge |
The lodge has various kinds of housing: dormitories, recycled shipping containers, a small school bus, and 2-story thatched hut villas with kitchen, AC, wifi, and hot water shower. The villas also have a cargo net hammock you can read or sleep in. There's a desk/dining table and plenty of outlets and recessed lighting. The villas are set in the back - far away from the restaurant, which is party central. Though the sound from parties still travels to the villas, it's muffled enough that I could still sleep.
 |
| The restaurant during Concacaf |
Wifi was not great in the villas though. The connection kept dropping that I couldn't hold a video call long enough to hold a conversation. The wifi works better in the restaurant or the reception area but, if you need a stable connection in the villas, I recommend getting a local SIM card with a data plan or some other form of mobile wifi such as Starlink. There is also a coworking space just walking distance away at Playa de la Fuente, Surfista Cafe, and La Patisserie.
 |
| A reading nook suspended in the air |
Food
There are many decent food options for such a little town. A meal will set you back between $4-$40, from the $4 típico (a traditional breakfast of rice, beans, plantains, eggs, tortillas) at Playa de la Fuente to the $40 gourmet dishes at Emma Cocina Glocal. If you cook, you can get ingredients from a few market stalls along the main road or at the Mercado 24 (which also has an ATM). My favorite restaurants in El Paredón:
La Patisserie - Big, fluffy, flaky, buttery almond croissants, chai, and coffee in a bright and air-conditioned space with cushions, couches, nooks, and fast wifi
 |
| La Patisserie wifi cafe |
 |
| La Patisserie offerings |
Emma Cocina Glocal - creative takes on traditional Guatemalan plates, such as slow-cooked brisket in mole and a deconstructed platano rellenito en flambé
 |
| The rellenito that's not rellenito at Emma |
Mestizo - located in an outdoor food court, Mestizo serves up delicious Guatemalan dishes, such as jocón, a green tomatillo stew with cilantro, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and duck or chickenó
 |
| Duck jocón from Mestizo |
Pakalolo - locally made ice cream and crepes. The mandarin orange tasted like a dreamsicle.
 |
| Pakalolo ice cream shop |
Conclusion
El Paredón, Guatemala really grew on me. I would come back - except I'd bring mobile wifi if I had to work. I loved the laidback lifestyle and the uncrowded waves. It hasn't been overdeveloped yet and the town's remoteness (it's a 3 hour drive from the airport, the last stretch of which is on a bumpy dirt road) and development policy will continue to restrain its growth*... though not the growth of this quirky Star Wars house some mega fan is building. Anyone know who the owner is?
 |
| The Star Wars house in El Paredón |
 |
| Complete with custom gate |
Footnotes
* = According to a native visiting from Guatemala City, the mayor of El Paredón banned city folk from setting up businesses in his town. That localism extends to security measures at Cocorí Lodge which, on weekends, locks all but one entrance (the one at the restaurant) because, as one of the staff explained, "there are lots of Guatemalans coming from the city on the weekends. They tend to get drunk and cause trouble." Classic "country folk vs city folk" dynamic going on here.
Reviewed by beachplease
on
July 06, 2025
Rating:
