Popoyo Nicaragua: The Ultimate Guide to Pacific Coast Surf Breaks
Popoyo Nicaragua surf breaks
Picture this: a peaky reef break and sand slab featuring symmetrical A-frame waves that form completely carvable walls and the occasional shade grab or barrel set against a picturesque beach. That’s Popoyo, arguably Nicaragua’s best wave. With a point break that can handle big surf – yeah, 8 to 20 feet – and breaks on all tides and swells, it’s also known as one of the most consistent breaks in the country. Add on the fact that this area gets over 300 days of offshore winds and you’ve found surfer’s paradise.
Popoyo inner reef
This symmetrical A-frame wave is a great entry into reef surfing. It offers a little barrel opportunity at times and creates carvable lefts and rights and has a channel too. It’s often compared to Lower Trestles in California although it’s more of a flat slab of rock reef. On a good day you’ll be able to carve all day long. A bigger swell brings in a few barrel sections on both lefts and rights although these will close out when the waves get in the double overhead range.
- Location: Located between Magnific Rock and Playa Guasacate
- Wave direction: Right and left
- Bottom: Reef
- Best tide: Mid to high
- Skill level: All abilities
Crowd factor: Crowded - Local vibe: Competitive (a local may drop in on you)
- Optimal swell direction: S to SW
- Optimal wind direction: Calm or light to moderate offshore E to NE
- Hazards: Crowds, shallow reef sections
Popoyo outer reef
Whenever you see videos of a break fully firing, you’re probably looking at footage of someone surfing Popoyo’s outer reef. It’s known as the best big-wave spot in Central America. This is a gnarly wave located about a quarter mile offshore (about a 5-minute paddle or so from the main break) that can reach heights of 20-foot faces! Only true experts with local knowledge should attempt charging this pipeline-style offshore slab. Be wary of hazards like sharp rocks, heavy currents, and section of shallow reef. Bring a tow when it’s really going off.
- Location: 5-minute paddle out from Popoyo inner reef
- Wave direction: Left
- Bottom: Rock reef
- Best tide: Mid to high
- Skill level: Professional
- Crowd factor: Mellow (only a fair few head out when its firing)
- Local vibe: Welcoming (look out for one another)
- Optimal swell direction: S to SW, best on SSW
- Optimal wind direction: Calm or light to moderate offshore E to NE
- Hazards: Shallow reef (pops up when dropping in), heavy wave, currents
Playa Colorado
Playa Colorado boasts two famous breaks: the Colorado river wave known as Colorados and Panga Drops and produces what many professional surfers consider to be the best barrel in the country, even this part of the world. You can thank the steady offshore winds from Lake Nicaragua for this, which help form this wave into a hollow, racing barrel that works well with most swell. If you’ve wanted to shred a sand bottom barrel, here’s your chance.
Be aware that the surf tends to be best just on the north side of the river to right in front of the river mouth. The south side of the river mouth is usually walled out.
- Location: Private beach inside Hacienda Iguana (also accessible via boat or a long walk)
- Wave direction: Rights and lefts
- Bottom: Sand
- Best tide: Low-mid to mid-high
- Skill level: Intermediate to advanced to professional
- Crowd factor: Moderate
- Local vibe: Depends on the conditions (be respectful)
- Optimal swell direction: SSW-SE swells
- Optimal wind direction: Calm or light offshore
- Hazards: Shallow impact zone, which the wave can slam you hard in; caught inside on a big set; river debris after rains.
Hot Tip: Be prepared to paddle hard and bring an extra board or two.
Panga Drops
Panga Drops is a horseshoe reef that sits at the North end of Playa Colorado and is enjoyed by surfers of all levels although it’s pretty shifty. It can hold size and produces lefts and rights, but due to its location (it’s a deep-water break), can be frustrating with peaks that work differently by the day. That means unusually large sets will hit sometime out of nowhere.
- Location: North end of Playa Iguanas (you may need to hike in or take a boat)
- Bottom: Rock reef
- Best tide: Hour or so before high tide and after
- Skill level: Intermediate to advanced
- Crowd factor: Mellow with mainly visiting surfers
- Local vibe: Welcoming
- Optimal swell direction: S to SW
- Optimal wind direction: Calm or light to moderate offshore E to NE
- Hazards: Shallow impact zone, river debris after rain, sharks
Note: Bull shark sightings have been seen on this reef.
Beginner’s Bay/Magnific Rock
Beginner’s Bay is Popoyo’s neighborhood wave that’s suitable for beginners and those of you wanting to try surfing out for the first time. It consistently produces left hand point breaks that can be enjoyed by beginners and intermediates alike. If you go a little further down, there’s a breach break with some great rights as well.
Magnific Rock is the rock structure that overlooks the break. This section of the bay offers a sheltered area where the waves are more mellow and beginner-friendly in comparison to the heavier waves nearby. You can find surf camps here too, so it may get crowded at times.
- Location: Popoyo, located right in front of the large rock out at sea
- Wave direction: Lefts and rights
- Bottom: Sand
- Best tide: Low to mid-tide
- Skill level: Beginner to intermediate
- Crowd factor: Crowded
- Local vibe: Chill; crowded at times
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