Central America Trip

i would not recommend mal pias but others may disagree. i have very limited knowledge of the area however allow me to present to you the following points.

1. there are other places in CR that are better.
2. the main beach when you drive in is playa carmen. it breaks 123 miles out in the ocean. when you think you are far enough out a set will come in and you will realize you still have about 10 more miles to paddle out. (exaggeration). it was pretty big the day i paddled out.
3. prices in CR for everything have gone up in the last 10 years.
4. get some input from those here that have been to las flores or nicaragua.

 

I went to Flores maybe 8 years ago. The 2 waves are pretty epic and we stayed in a very basic concrete shack right on the beach for 10$ with one community toilet and one spigot for a shower. I really liked it until I got sick. The waves were unreal ...I reckon the accommodation situation has changed but who knows. Other ideas: Chicama, lobitos, popoyo, santa catalina, chancletas boom huevo, ....pops is tripping if he thinks el sal is any safer than Mex IMHO. Anyway sounds fun I wish my pops would do anything remotely cool like that!

 

Rancho Coral in Esterillos CR is nice. Low key and mellow break. Not a point though.

 

hotelranchocoral@gmail.com

email. Jasmine is great to work with

 

yep. very nice place. good range of surf all around and a fun mellow wave for us old guys right out front.

 

Check out the Colorados area in Nica. Few different lodging options there, pretty close to the airport. The beach break is a barrel fest. There is a point just up the beach that is much more mellow, roll ins, big walls. Check out nicaraguasurfreport.com for photo reports in that area from every day of the year. A great way to see what it's like when you want to go. They also rent some vaca houses. You can boat trip to boat access only waves as well.

This is the main "hotel" there. http://haciendaiguana.com/booking/

 

Been to Flores a few times... Stayed at the camp at Flores every time..
I loved it. Flores is a sick wave when it's good. Mango is a short boat ride away. And a couple of others that are good if you want to get away from people.
Food is great.
Not cheap as far as C.A. surf trips go, but it's super easy and the surf is sick. Unpack, surf, eat, drink...

Haven't been there in a while

 

Just a heads up Santa Catalina gets pretty heavy with size and it is probably the longest paddle out I've ever experienced but it's dry hair. Also the tide really affects the wave if I remember correctly you can only surf at 2 hours on either side of high....then it drains out into this crazy rock field. Hey where do you go in Sinaloa ? I am driving back to Mex this summer and hoping there is a south swell pumping so I can hit some of the Sinaloa spots first...PM me ( ;

 

I haven't been to Central America yet, but I actually just booked a Nica trip a few days ago and, needless to say, I'm stoked. I know a few guys who went to Nica a few years ago and said they had a great time. Prices are cheaper than in CR too, but only if you stay outside the Iguanas area, which is significantly more expensive.

I did a little research, and Colorados isn't too far from Popoyo (boat ride away), and Popoyo has a bunch of different types of breaks in the area. I'm less than a mile from Playa Santana, I also have Playa Popoyo and the Outer Reef right out my front door, and it was a relative bargain for a 7-day trip.

 

AST at Las Flores. The owner Dave has AST locations all over the world. Make sure you book trip with low tide in morning as high tide can eat the wave. Nice sand bottom point but needs proper swell. Punta Roca is a more advanced rock bottom option. Enjoy!

 

Regarding costs in CR, I am informed by friends who go there regularly, that the cost have dramatically increased this past winter and now, simply because the Caribbean got demolished by Hurricanes and nobody was going there, choosing then, to go to Central America.
We will see what happens next year........

 

Depends on both you and you dads skills in the water. And also, how long of a trip??
Want something different--I surf a place called Hull Bay, on St. Thomas, VI. Great little remote bay, one bay west of Magens Bay; nobody but a few locals knows it exist. But you really, really need a swell to be running for it to break. Also, the island of Vieques, east of PR, has a nice spot, right in front of a hotel called La Lanchita (if I remember correctly). A combo trip, when a swell is running, is awesome, imho. But, it is complicated to get to Vieques (fly to SJU, then drive to East end (Fajardo)) to take ferry. You can fly to Vieques from SJU, but small planes only, no boards allowed (I think). St Thomas is a great place for you guys to do a little shopping for your ladies for gifts.
I share that on line here, because I am aging, I will not be surfing much longer as my health is beginning to fail me a bit. I will never do that trip again; maybe you and your dad can enjoy it. BUT....I reiterate--a swell has to be running, so far off plans will not work. A get up and go approach needs to be applied.
Having said all that, if those do not sound good, Rincon PR is always nice, but only November to March. Summers it is a flat nauseous place. Same applies to Hull and Vieques.
I go to PR ONE LAST TIME end of this year. My reservations are made, but I care not if waves are large or small; it is my good-bye trip to Rincon and my wife will be with me.
Good luck and if you do it, have the best of fun with your dad.

 

i can tell you that Rancho coral would be great for pops. PS--I havent seen any huge increase in prices there but did see some airlines cut back routes