There are a few other things to do besides chilling and surfing in El Paredon! Youll also get to admire some of the most gorgeous beachfront properties along the coastline here! Thanks for stopping by my blog! See the exact locations of these spots on the Guatemala Google Map Legend. That means you can use all 150q on drinks and food all day while using their facilities. Woman in charge ignores safety issue - Paredon Surf House. All rights reserved. El Paredon off the beaten path. Unknown to most travelers, Guatemala's best kept secret is home to some of the country's top surfers. The windiest month is March, followed by April and February. El Paredon is known as an up-and-coming destination ever since it caught the attention of many foreign surfers. For full information, please see my disclaimerhere. Dont come here with the wrong idea. It can be a bit pricier than other parts of Guatemala but that is due in part to the location. In fact, its the best Thai Curry Ive had outside of Thailand! The last option would be to take a taxi or Uber. The streets of El Paredn, Guatemala / Paredon Surf Club Facebook Page The beach is fronted by a line of small hotels and hostels. These are just *some* of the m. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Thinking of traveling from Antigua to El Paredon? I got you covered! And What Not To Pack? See all of Mollies adventures and guides here. Displayed data is calculated, Overall travel experience by time of year. El Paredon is an off-the-beaten-path destination located about a 2.5 hour drive from Antigua. They are around 3 to 5 feet or larger even. Top Tip:Always book before you get there! Set back just 5 minutes walk from the beachfront, Mellow Hostel also has a wonderful reputation as being somewhere social to stay but without the intense party vibes. World Traveler, Travel Blogger, Photographer. There is also an unexpected sight to behold here in the form of a Thai restaurant, Soul Food Kitchen . Of course, Guatemala has some of the most beautiful destinations in Central America, but none of them feel quite like El Paredon. Coming from Antigua is a much shorter route and should take 2 hours (depending on traffic), There are more options from here such as chicken busses or taking an uber, Shuttle bus is still recommended for most travelers as it should be around Q100, If you are up for an adventure then taking the chicken busses might suit you. You can visit the park by boat and by kayak. The hostel is a huge part of the community in El Paredon, so if you need information about surfing, turtle release, or really about anything in El Paredon, the staff at Driftwood Surfer can help you. El Paredon Sur Camp is the first original place at El Paredon Beach, it is a great place for anyone from experienced surfers, beginners or travelers with a taste for a rustic, relaxing, hostel-style place to stay on the beach. You can book a tour through La Choza Chula. There can be a strong current and if you go too far out it might pull you in. With its close proximity to Lake Atitlan (3 hours) and Antigua (2 hours), it makes it great for weekend trips. You can organize many of the activities mentioned above (like seeing the turtles or a boat tour) through La Choza Chula, a local social enterprise in El Paredon that benefits the community directly. Id love you to share it for me. Higher temperatures affect us much more at higher humidity, and colder temperatures feel piercing with high winds. If you're an independent surfer with a solid experience of surfing on green waves (the unbroken waves), you'll love it here! I dont think Ive ever travelled to a place where you can enjoy both sunrise and sunset from the same spot on the same day! I saw many of the same people night after night, which made this town seem very close-knit. Many come here to relax, surf, or party as there are honestly not many other choices! However, if you want to take on some of the waves with a board, it is a great place! Hiking the Famous Acatenango Volcano Near Antigua, Exploring the Nature Park of Hobbitenango, Exploring the Many Hikes Lake Atitlan has to offer, KEEN Durand II Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots, Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks, 10 Day Itinerary in Guatemala: The Ideal Route, 3 Week Itinerary in Peru: A Hikers Dream, 3 Week Itinerary in Colombia: A Dream Vacation, The best overall way to travel from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon is by shuttle, This shuttle takes 3 hours and you will have to get off and onto a boat for the last 10 minutes. Its only 3 hours from Lake Atitlan or 2 hours from Antigua. Cost During the week, its a 100q tab ($13), and on weekends its 150q ($20), but you only get a 100q towards your bar tab. What makes this small town so special, is the unique experiences it offers. One of the best things about Guatemala is its delicious cuisine. El Paredon is situated along a river filled with mangroves, which empties out into the ocean. El Paredon is different because the sand is actually dark. The 20km. Central America ; Guatemala ; Escuintla Department ; El Paredon ; El Paredon B&Bs / Inns ; Paredon Surf House; Search. Depending on when you come to El Paredon, there wont be a ton of restaurants that you are used to having. Considering I dont enjoy staying at places that have a lot of people with parties and have dorms to sleep in, I opted to have my private bungalow elsewhere. Here are the activities we recommend you check out: Perhaps the best thing to do in El Paredon is to go surfing. For the tourist bus, its around 125Q and you can either book through the accommodation you book to stay in El Paredon, or book through GuateGo. El Paredon in Guatemala is something I didnt expect when visiting here. If you are a digital nomad or planning travel of at least 6 months then go for SafetyWing. Go for it! Because of this, it is advised to try to book well in advance if you want a specific place to stay. This is me Living Out Loud(Lau). This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise as whilst wandering down the beach I stumbled upon Casa Macano Surf-Yoga. El Paredon is a surfing beach town located on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, in the department of Escuintla. I hope you can make it out this way when visiting this beautiful country. The town has long been a weekend retreat for locals seeking an escape from the commotion of Guatemala City and expats living in Antigua. But there are also some nicer hotels and hostels if youre looking for something a little more comfortable. We guarantee youll make unforgettable memories during your stay in El Paredon. All wind speeds are in knots. Here you can find tours with a guide leading the horse, or you can ride by yourself. The WiFi at Mellow Hostel works very well, but I heard it can be not so great at other places. El Paredon has some very humid months, and above average humidity throughout the year. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. So if you want to hammock it up along the coast, this is the spot. Alex provided a lot of information before . The graph below shows the % chance of rainy and snowy days in El Paredon. Is it Safe to Travel to El Paredon? They are more expensive than the chicken bus but I believe safety is worth the cost, which is not outrageously high anyway. We did walk around and eat out a couple of times. To no ones surprise at all, Driftwood Surfer is the best hostel in El Paredon. They have a pool, good food, and the best part is they are right on the beach with a hammock house on the sand. There is no ATM! When I visited here this place was actually called Finka Mistia. Weather is perfect this time of year in El Paredon to be enjoyable for warm weather travelers. Many hostels will have a set of their own as well as Airbnbs. You might not get quite the array of ex-pat run juice bars and sunset cocktail joints but you are guaranteed a Guatemalan experience. You can see turtles feeding year-round in El Paredon (and depending on the season, you might even be able to watch them hatch!) However, even though it is extremely well-known, this beach town maintains its laid-back, almost remote feeling. Some of these days passes even come with drink vouchers. I got the best of both worlds, access to the cool hotel WITHOUT the lack of sleep at night (granny needs her shut-eye, kids!). They are a Guatemalann owned company that have painstakingly brought together all of the transport and tour options in one easy-to-use website. The nice thing about that is, you can lose yourself in your day and then when the light begins to drop and the sunset oranges appear you just drop everything and head to the beach. Support local businesses. There arent a ton of restaurants, coffee shops, or hotels in the area. As I mentioned before there isnt that much choice BUT its probably the best food Ive eaten in Guatemala and the cheapest. Best Times to Travel Guatemala El Paredon, Guatemala, Tourism graph is based on Google searches for services used by tourists relative to the rest of the year. Yes, you should! Solola, Guatemala. There are so many Airbnbs to choose from in El Paredon. El Paredon Guatemala surf spot is also suitable for intermediate surfers. Instead, the easiest and still reasonably priced way to get here is to just book a shuttle! They offer authentic and unique experiences in El Paredon. At 34 I sold all my worldly possessions that wouldnt fit into 3 boxes or my backpack and hit the road. Grab some drinks, some snacks and maybe your surfboard too go soak up this glorious light. In order to avoid having your plans sidetracked due to heavy rains, it is best to visit between November and April. This is a really unique experience because you really get to share and experience how the local people here in El Paredon live. World Nomads is great for incidents that happen prior to your trip, so if you get sick or are unable to travel due to travel restrictions some of their policies will cover that as cancellation cover. I also. Founder of Wheres Mollie / We Are Global Travellers, content creator, photographer and videographer. Prices for hotels and flights will be most expensive during these months, though you can save if you purchase well in advance. Keep in mind parties, surf, and chilling in pools are pretty much the main things to do here and not much else. Youll drive past lots of birds (some of which are migrating up north to Alaska or some that are migrating down south) as pass the mouth to the ocean and then head to a place where turtles have been living for hundreds of years. for nearly as long. I didnt see the full menu but I have it on good authority that they have the best Pizza in Guatemala and I can safely say their breakfast waffle was the best breakfast Ive eaten in a long time. My goal is to help others find the experience they want out of life and to show them how to achieve it. Ive got you!