El Sunzal
Tamanique, La Libertad, El Salvador
Sports: Surfing, Surf foiling
Best time to go: March–October
El Sunzal is a right-hand point break on El Salvador's Pacific coast, just west of El Tunco in the department of La Libertad. The wave breaks over a wide rocky reef and boulder bottom and is one of the more forgiving point waves in the area.
It works on south and south-west swells, which arrive mostly from March to October. On small to medium days it gives long, open walls that suit intermediate surfers and longboarders, and the long, gentle sections also suit surf foiling. On bigger swells an outside peak starts to break further out, and the wave becomes more powerful, for experienced surfers only. Light northerly and north-easterly land breezes in the morning are offshore, and afternoon sea breezes tend to spoil it. The line-up is wide but busy, with many surfers from El Tunco, so keep your manners. The bottom is rock, so booties help, especially at low tide. The water is warm all year, around 27 to 30 °C.
Spots near El Sunzal
- El Tunco (1 km)
- El Zonte (5 km)
- Punta Roca (7 km)
- Las Flores (142 km)
More: All spots in El Salvador · Surfing in El Salvador · Surf foiling in El Salvador