Well it turns out the family is going to El Salvador for a week next week. We are going to be very close to Playa El Sunzal. Has anyone been there? I"m particularly concerned about renting a board. I was going to bring one until I realized the airline would charge me $400 there and back (if they take it at all, I'm still researching that). If anyone has any experience there especially renting boards and getting to spots that would be great. thanks.
Are you staying in el tunco? Theres boards to rent. I brought my own stuff when i went tho. Was 200$ each way. But i'd rather use my own board.
Place is awesome. There are boards to rent for sure but I can't tell you the selection. All the spots are right on the main coastal road and I have just hopped on the bus with board when I was there...it costs a quarter. PUPUSAS!
Sunzal is a good big, heavy wave! k59 is about 15 minutes from there and the famous roca is just around the corner. That area of El Salvador isn't really family oriented. If you are taking the family I would highly recommend Las Flores instead. Its not a tourist destination like Costa and you really need to be more careful in El Salvador especially in that area. (La Libertad) Do not go out at night! Stay around the hotel! Also a surf guide is pretty much a must. They are a little sketchy on tourists surfing their breaks down there so you definitely want a local with you. You will need a guide anyway just to get to the breaks. Its not like Costa in which you just pull up and go surf. Jungle walks and paddling up the coast line is sometimes required so you must know where you are going. If you are going to Sunzal I highly, highly recommend the hotel called "Las OLas". Killer place, everything included and they have surf guides that are pretty cool and laid back. Ask for "Beans" (Javier) He's a friend of mine and will make your trip the best!
El Tunco has one of the best set ups for all styles. Sunzal is NOT a heavy wave by any means. Think Malibu. Long reeling mushy right point break. Then there is the beach break right in front of the rock structure on the shore which is decent. Then La Bocana, the river mouth which can get big and real fun. Longer lefts then rights. Those three breaks are walking distance from El Tunco. Punta Roca is SUPER territorial, so if you do go there be sure you pay dues and give locals right away. Met a group of Canadians that got robbed first day of their trip at the Point. K59 is great, tricky to get too without your own transportation but worth it. Board wise - bring an old one then sell it to a local shop or one up that and give it to a grom and get mucho respect. Best surf trip I have ever gone on. Cheap living, tasty waves and some rad people. NOT the most ideal family place.
Sunzal CAN be heavy on a HUGE south swell but it is normally not and people do some longboarding out there. El Salvador is plenty family friendly especially the village of Tunco/Sunzal. The people in El Salvador are very honest and respectful and the only area I would not feel comfortable in is Libertad and that is only at night. The person telling you that you need a surf guide is off their rocker. For what? All of the spots in the TUNCO/ROca area are right off the road. I wouldn't go to Flores if I was you as the waves there are way better but it is a serious outpost with nothihng around but a really shiddy run down town. Nothing for the family. In Tunco you have options for food/drink/boards etc. Also, Tunco is 30 minutes from the airport as opposed to 4 hours or so to Flores. Another cool little place is El Zonte. It has some great accommodations and the waves can be fun there. Have fun!!!
This is what i was thinking! Although i spent the majority of my time near los flores. Never actually surfed that wave. There is a much much better point break down the way. Got a pic or two of it in my profile. Good times down there. I didnt think sunzal was that heavy, kinda a big roller. It had a speedy section or two tho. I surfed my 5'6" js buried treasure the whole time. Sunzal was a few feet overhead to double, but fatter, maybe it was the tide. There was a left on the opposite side of the pig rock that looked pretty heavy, never surfed it tho.
