We spent 3 days on Guatemala’s Pacific coast in El Paredon during our 3 weeks trip around Guatemala. This village, located 2.5 hours from Antigua, is a favourite haunt of surfers, with great waves, a chilled-out atmosphere, a beach bar where you can play beach volleyball. For us, these 3 days in El Paredon were not about surfing but rather about relaxing and recovering physically and mentally from the climb up to the Acatenango and El Fuego volcanoes (which I’ll tell you about in another article).Ā We found a magnificent hotel, the Kaana Surf, which was a real haven of peace. Let me tell you about our three days at El Paredon…
Arrival on Guatemala’s Pacific coast
With our heads full of images, our legs heavy and our clothes covered in volcanic dust, we arrived at El Paredon and it was a real change of scenery. In one day, we descend from 3976m to sea level. And the whole pace of the journey slows down for a well-deserved rest. By the time the shuttle picked us up in Antigua (almost 1 hour…) and after more than two hours on the road, we landed on the Pacific coast. And that’s perfect, because it’s almost sunset time. We swapped our hiking boots and trousers for sandals and swimming costumes and headed for the beach to watch the sky catch fire and fill with an orange that reminded us of the colour of the El Fuego lava.
A relaxing stay at Kaana Surf
We put our bags down at Kaana Surf El Paredon and it didn’t take long to realise that we were going to love it here. Two large pools surrounded by palm trees, the sound of the ocean just a few steps away, the tastefully decorated rooms (with a touch of Bali architecture)… and the attentive staff. Nothing to complain about, it’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy a ‘holiday’ interlude in our trip. The hotel offers surfboard hire as well as lessons for those who want them. I loved waking up in our beautiful room and being able to start my day with a yoga class by the pool, before having breakfast with a view of the sea. I’ll leave you with a few images to imagine…
Discover El Paredon
El Paredon is a small village on the Pacific coast, surrounded by superb mangroves that stretch as far as the eye can see and are home to a fauna of birds, fish and turtles. The village is quickly overrun, but that’s what makes it such a chill destination. There is a reasonable range of hotels and essential shops such as a super 24 (a Guate supermarket chain) and a pharmacy. As you stroll down the main street, you’ll find plenty of second-hand shops where you can change your wardrobe if you wish. But the main attraction for travellers here is surfing. So even if you’re not a surfing enthusiast, it’s a pleasure to sit on the beach and watch the experts and enthusiasts ride the waves.
We met up with some Dutch friends we’d met in Antigua a few days ago and it was great to be able to share these moments with them. We were able to try out the various bars and restaurants at El Paredon (I’ll tell you more about them in the practical info section).
The advantage of being on the Pacific coast is that you can enjoy some magnificent sunsets (which remind us a lot of those in Costa Rica). If you come during the right season, you can also watch turtles laying their eggs on the beach. Unfortunately, we arrived too late, as the season tends to be in November and December.
Conclusion
These 3 days allowed us to read a book by the pool, stroll along the beach at golden hours, watch the surfers revelling in the Pacific waves, eat freshly caught fish ceviche and even take a tour of the surrounding mangroves on a fisherman’s boat. In short, it was three days’ holiday in the trip. I would like to personnaly thanks Ka’ana Surf Hotel for inviting us to stay in their beautiful hotel !
Tips & info for traveling to El Paredon
- Antigua-El Paredon
- There are 2 shuttles a day (at 9am and 2pm) for QTZ 100 per person.
- You can also take the local bus, but it will take you 2 changes to get to the next village (20 minutes by tuktuk).
- We took the shuttle from Antigua to CafƩ La Parada
- Panajachel-El Paredon
- If you’re coming from Lake AtitlĆ n, or if you’re planning to go there afterwards, there’s a daily shuttle departing from El Paredon at 1pm. The cost is 190 QTZ/person.
These are the locations we tried and recommend
- Hotel Paredon Surf House
- Cocori Lodge
- Tacos or Ceviche at La Guagua Food Truck (don’t be in a hurry)
- Hotel Ka’ana Surf also has a restaurant
We slept at Ka’ana Surf Hotel
(See availabilities and prices on Booking)
Or visit their website here
Between two lazy sessions, we asked our hotel (Ka’ana Surf) to put us in touch with a local fisherman who was happy to take us to the mangroves of El Paredon. We asked to go as soon as possible but it also depended on the tides as the mangroves are shallow and therefore not navigable at low tide.
We were absolutely alone, with a few other fishing boats here and there. You can see pelicans, herons and… leatherback turtles that come to the surface to breathe.
We paid Q50 per person for a good hour’s ride. We loved the silence of the place and being little mice observing the life of this whole ecosystem.
For advanced:
- It is possible to hire boards for the more experienced. Our hotel Ka’ana Surf, for example, rents boards for all levels.
- Make sure you know about the currents before you get in the water, as they are said to be very powerful and tricky.
For beginners:
- For beginners, you won’t have any trouble finding someone to supervise you. Check with your accommodation and they’ll put you in touch with a teacher.
- It would seem that it’s best at low tide, when the ocean is (slightly) calmer. The aim for us was to relax after the Acatenango, so we passed on this one and can’t share our experience with you.
Do you have any questions?
Leave me a comment!
