El Paredón journal

Practical notes on the shuttle, the surf and the Pacific coast, written from the road.

Palms over the coastal road down to the Pacific

Getting there

How to get from Antigua to El Paredón (and back)

Every way to cover the two hours between Antigua and the Pacific coast — shuttle, private van, chicken bus, your own car — and which one actually suits you.

Surfing

Surfing in El Paredón: a first-timer’s guide

Guatemala’s surf capital sits on black volcanic sand two hours from Antigua. What the wave does, who it suits, and how to plan a trip around it.

Dusk at a beach bar on the Pacific coast

Planning

The best time to visit El Paredón

Dry season, rainy season, surf size and the weeks when the whole of Guatemala City arrives — how to choose your dates.

Palms leaning over the road to the beach

Planning

What to pack for El Paredón

A practical list for a hot, sandy, cash-first village — including the two things people always forget.

Mangrove roots along a boat channel on the Pacific coast

Things to do

El Paredón beyond the surf: mangroves, sunsets and slow days

Yes, you come for the waves. But the mangrove channels, the turtle hatcheries and the six o’clock light are what people remember.