El Zonte
Chiltiupán, La Libertad, El Salvador
Sports: Surfing
Best time to go: March–October
El Zonte is a small village on the coast of La Libertad, about 15 minutes west of El Tunco, in a bay where a river meets the sea. The main wave is a right-hand point that breaks over rounded boulders and rock, with a left-hander on the other side of the river mouth.
The point works on south and south-west swells, which arrive mostly from March to October, and gives fun walls on medium swells and faster, more powerful waves when it is bigger. Light northerly and north-easterly land breezes are offshore in the mornings; afternoons often turn onshore. The waves suit intermediate surfers on smaller days and advanced surfers when the swell picks up. The bottom is rocky, so booties help, and getting in and out over the boulders needs care, especially at low tide. The village is quieter than El Tunco, but the line-up fills up on good swells, so respect the locals. After heavy rain, run-off from the river can affect water quality. The water is warm all year, so boardshorts are enough.
Spots near El Zonte
- El Sunzal (5 km)
- El Tunco (6 km)
- Punta Roca (12 km)
- Las Flores (147 km)